Fifteen-year-old Mungo shows the kind of vulnerability that makes people want to cradle him — or crush him. He’s the tender Scottish hero of Douglas Stuart’s moving new novel, “Young Mungo.” It’s a tale of romantic and sexual awakening punctuated by horrific violence. Amid all its suffering, Mungo’s story makes two things strikingly clear: 1) Being named after the patron saint of Glasgow offers no protection, and 2) Stuart writes like an angel. The book doesn’t feel like effortless writing. It tries too hard to justify the tag of 'literary fiction' and is just as verbose as the blurb indicates. Some analogies work. Most are superfluous and/or superficial. Flowery prose appeals to me only if it is accompanied by a strong plot. When there are miles and miles of prose and barely any signs of a plot, I lose my interest. The audience filed through two doors, one for ‘aye’ on the right, and one for ‘no’ on the left. The queue for the ‘ayes’ was noticeably longer, but a surprising number turned the other way. Mungo watched the count from his seat, the grin on his face never wavering. The motion before you tonight is, “This house believes that slavery should be abolished from the face of the Earth”. And, indeed, the case is so self-evident I feel I hardly need to argue it.’ Terrible business that. Yer mammy telt us all about that mess ye got yourself into with those dirty Fenian bastards. Catholics, man. Butter widnae melt.’

Mungo by Douglas Stuart | Goodreads Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart | Goodreads

During the reign of Queen Victoria Englishmen answering the call of Empire voyaged out to take possession of half their known world. Their leaders were such men as Cecil Rhodes, Leander Starr Jameson and Zouga Ballantyne. Atmosphere and literary flourishes have been given the highest priority. Plot progression, the lowest. The plot here goes in every direction except straight ahead. If you kill him, you will be hanged for murder.’ Fairchild prodded Manners with the toe of his shoe. ‘Is he worth that?’ this gave me ‘a little life’ vibes in the sense that this story is about suffering, violence, and the dangers of love. Critics, armchair and otherwise, have not only been decrying ‘Young Mungo’ as ‘Shuggie Bain’ in a different cagoule, but are already lamenting the poor departed muse of author Douglas Stuart, who seems perpetually fixated on Glasgow.

Douglas Stuart’s writing is vigorous, profound, and descriptive, and therefore, I could picture a drunk Mo-Maw, Mungo at the loch with those two men, or what was about to happen so well. At times I wanted to scream at Mungo to watch out and stay away because something terrible was going to happen, but Mungo was such a sweet and likable boy (a loyal dog according to Douglas Stuart) and just too naive. So different from all the others in that masculine working-class environment in Glasgow, a city split between Catholics and Protestants. Different except for James. The gentle and vulnerable love between those boys was the highlight of this story. I loved those first moments when Mungo and James comforted each other, and they made me forget the darkness and the heartbreaking moments for a while. We’ll look after ye, Mungo. Nae worries. We’ll have some laughs, and you can bring yer mammy some fresh fish”. The blurb makes it seem like it's a forbidden love story between a Protestant boy and a Catholic one. This forms just a small part of the storyline. The main story is more like a bildungsroman, but not in a good way. Or to use my phrase I would say it is about the insidious toxicity of masculinity, particularly when amplified by societal deprivation.

Young Mungo: The No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller Kindle Edition

The two young men stared at each other, both holding the poker. Mungo knew that what Fairchild said was true, but he could not bring himself to let go. He tried to twist the weapon from Fairchild’s grasp, heaving with all his might. Fairchild’s fingers flexed; he was not as strong as Mungo. His grip threatened to break. But he had an iron will and would not yield. Written by first time writer Gill Aitchison, illustrated by Jill Newton and published by independent publisher Mantra Lingua, Mungo Makes New Friends is more than your average picture book. Supported by a range of additional resources, Mungo presents a new generation of storytelling, making it suitable for diverse audiences and reading abilities. The President announced the result. ‘Ayes to the right, two hundred and seven. Noes to the left, one hundred and eighteen.’ And that is a very fine and noble profession,’ Mungo agreed. ‘But if you ever actually succeeded in exterminating the slave trade, you would be out of a job. So it is in your interest to see that slavery endures.’But in a fiercely violent masculine and heterosexual working class world, one ironically made only the fiercer and more violent by the otherwise emasculating impact of the Thatcher-era cuts on the heavy industry that built the culture: Mungo’s even bigger struggle is to somehow conform to the conventions and expectations of others (not the least Ha-Ha), when he himself is sensitive, artistic, nervous (with a facial tic which may be Tourette’s and a number of other compulsive behaviours) and increasingly aware of his attraction to his own sex. That is because each one is worth a thousand dollars to him,’ said Fairchild. The audience laughed. I didn’t understand that the conflict between Protestants and Catholics raged in Scotland a I have to say I was especially impressed by this as I wasn't a huge fan of Stuart's first novel, the Booker Prize-winning Shuggie Bain. In many ways this feels very similar to SB, however where that one felt like an exercise in writing, something that had been worked on for so long it lost a bit of its life, this felt ripe with experience. Mungo is one of the most endearing, sympathetic and vivid characters I've read about in a long time. That makes the events of this novel all the more powerful. You are rooting for him so badly, that every misstep or hiccup in his life deeply affect the reader. I also enjoyed the structure and how well Stuart navigates between the two timeframes, bringing them beautifully together for a final chapter that is nothing less than devastating, yet hopeful. I am not ashamed to admit that tears were shed.

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart - Pan Macmillan Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart - Pan Macmillan

Mungo and Jamie fall for each other, despite what they know will be the reaction of their families (particularly Mungo’s brother and Jamie’s Dad) – reactions coloured by both sectarianism and anti-homosexuality. Both books feature domestic abuse, rape, sexual abuse of minors by those in a position of authority over them - although here (and I think largely reflecting the older age of the point of view character) these are more explicit/graphic. I didn’t understand that the conflict between Protestants and Catholics raged in Scotland as Ireland. It’s the 1990s and fifteen year old Mungo lives in a Glasgow housing estate. He’s a soft soul in a hard world. His older brother is the leader of a gang and is trying to toughen Mungo up. His mother is a drunk and more absent than present. His sister tries to run the household while living her own life. Mungo meets James, a Catholic, and they fall in love. The only thing worse in this milieu than a cross sect romance is a queer romance. Filled with heavy issues - dark as dark ever was - this novel is incredibly seductive…..encompassed by the mastery-passionate-storytelling.They are members of Alcoholic Anonymous. S’pose my maw thought it would do us awesome good to get some air about us”. If only I could, I would give this many more than 5 stars - heartbreaking, breathtaking and very memorable. Then why have I heard of it from five different people?’ Manners took a step closer. ‘They say you had her in the organ loft of Trinity chapel, while the choir were rehearsing.’ Not at all. My father has vowed that when he dies, he will free all his slaves. The will is already written. I will have to find some other way of making my fortune.’ Mungo clapped Fairchild on the shoulder. ‘So you see, I will never make a penny out of that institution you revile so much. Whereas you’ – he grinned – ‘will depend entirely on the slave trade to make your living.’

Mungo Makes New Friends | Mantra Lingua UK Mungo Makes New Friends | Mantra Lingua UK

Nods of agreement; he was preaching to the converted. Abolitionist sentiment ran high among the Cambridge undergraduates. Mungo is not Shuggie Bain, grown up, although Mungo’s mother is an alcoholic and they live in Glasgow. Mungo is the youngest of Maureen’s three kids, taller than both his violent older brother Hamish and his loving, caring sister, Jodie. He is also more appealingly attractive, the kind of lad that women want to mother. Mungo carefully put down his drink, then gave a conspiratorial wink. ‘I may say, your sister is a perfectly devout young woman. Always on her knees in chapel.’

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His debut novel, Shuggie Bain, is the winner of the 2020 Booker Prize. It won the Sue Kaufman award from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Book of the Year, and the Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2021. It was also Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year. Shuggie Bain was a finalist for the National Book Award in Fiction, the Pen Hemingway Award, the Kirkus Prize for Fiction, The Rathbones Folio, the LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award, and the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize. Update 21-12-21: Just approved on NetGalley, so I'll know what I'll be reading this Christmas Break!