Young Mungo

Last updated

Young Mungo
Young Mungo (Douglas Stuart).png
First edition cover
Author Douglas Stuart
Audio read by Chris Reilly
Working titleLoch Awe
LanguageEnglish
Genres
Publisher Grove Press
Publication date
5 April 2022
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pages400
ISBN 978-0-8021-5955-7
OCLC 1260664224
813/.6
LC Class PS3619.T828 Y68 2022

Young Mungo is a 2022 novel by Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart. It was published by Grove Press on 5 April 2022 and by Picador on 14 April 2022. The novel follows Mungo Hamilton, a teenager navigating a life of poverty and parental neglect in the early 1990s Glasgow. When the character falls in love with a boy named James, he must confront the homophobia, toxic masculinity, and religious conflicts of the society of his time. It is Stuart's second novel, following his Booker Prize-winning debut Shuggie Bain (2020). The novel was critically acclaimed and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by publications such as The Washington Post , Time , Reader's Digest , The Telegraph and Vanity Fair .

Contents

Plot

The novel opens with Mungo Hamilton, a 15-year-old Scottish teenager, leaving on a trip with two men his mother met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, St. Christopher and Gallowgate, who take him fishing at a Highland loch to learn how to be a man. Months earlier, Mungo is living at home being cared for by his sister Jodie, with the constant threat of being taken away by social services in the absence of his mother, Maureen. One day, he meets James, a Catholic boy who lives in a flat behind his and who has built a dovecote to raise pigeons. The two become friends and soon develop a romance, their first relationship that does not involve constant acts of violence.

James reveals to Mungo that he is planning to leave home, but Mungo asks him to wait until he turns 16 so he can go with him. Mungo's older brother Hamish forces him to come to a fight against Catholics from another neighbourhood, even though James asks him not to. Mungo does not hit anyone but ends up badly wounded, deciding to look for James to ask him to leave together without waiting any longer. Hamish finds them together and attempts to murder James by setting him on fire. Mungo intervenes, and Hamish takes him back home, where he tells their mother what happened. Maureen is horrified by the possibility that Mungo is gay, so she plans the fishing trip with which the novel opens.

During the fishing trip, Mungo worries about St. Christopher and Gallowgate as he learns they have both recently been imprisoned. On a shopping trip, he calls his mother and asks to come home. On the second night, the men get drunk and rape Mungo, who later learns they were imprisoned for child molestation. The following day, while Gallowgate goes shopping for groceries, Mungo goes fishing with St. Christopher and manages to drown him in a river. He hides the body, but heavy rain washes it into the loch, and the next day, Gallowgate finds the corpse. After sinking the body, Gallowgate tries to drown Mungo, who kills him with a knife that Hamish had given him. Mungo returns alone to Glasgow and meets up with his worried family at his mother's street food workplace. After Mungo's phone call, his mother had reported him missing to the police and Jodie had contacted James to ask if he had heard from Mungo. Across the road, Mungo sees James, bandaged and wounded, obviously about to leave Glasgow. The police arrive after finding Gallowgate's body and ask for "Mungo". Hamish poses as Mungo. Mungo and James stare at each other, and Mungo walks towards James.

Background and publication

Douglas Stuart in 2021 Douglas Stuart (2021) - 2.png
Douglas Stuart in 2021

Stuart began writing Young Mungo in 2016, after setting aside the finished manuscript of his first novel, Shuggie Bain , due to frustration that he was unable to find a publisher for it. [1] He finished the novel in 2020, before winning the Booker Prize for his first novel. [2] At the time, the novel was tentatively titled Loch Awe and was described by Stuart in an interview as, "a love story between two young men who are separated by territorial gangs, on opposing sectarian lines." [3] The title Loch Awe referenced the fishing trip that Mungo takes in the novel and, according to the author, was changed to Young Mungo to denote the protagonist, the same approach as in Shuggie Bain, as Stuart claimed the two works formed a single "tapestry" alongside this novel. [1]

The novel was published on 5 April 2022 by the American publisher Grove Press, with a cover designed by artist Christopher Moisan showing a teenage boy submerged underwater. [4] [5] The British edition was published by Picador on 14 April 2022, with a cover depicting the well-known photograph "The Cock (Kiss)" by German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans. [1] [6]

Critical reception

The novel was critically acclaimed and was included on several best books of the year lists, including those of The Washington Post , [7] Reader's Digest , [8] Time , [9] Vanity Fair , [10] The Globe and Mail , [11] The Telegraph , [12] Vogue , [13] the Los Angeles Review of Books and Time Out . [14] [15] It was longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Scottish Highland Literary Award. [16] [17] Kirkus Reviews , in a starred review, wrote that "again this author creates characters so vivid, dilemmas so heart-rending, and dialogue so brilliant that the whole thing sucks you in like a vacuum cleaner." [18] [19] The Publishers Weekly review called the novel "astonishing" and Stuart's prose "stellar," with particular praise for the novel's ending, which the magazine described as a "punch to the heart." [20]

Johanna Thomas-Corr, in her review for The Sunday Times , called it a "rich and affecting group portrait of loneliness", but also "richly abundant" with "colourful characters" and Dickensian with its "moral vision that's expansive and serious while being savagely funny." She criticised the novel's narrative structure and Stuart for "rearranging the core elements of Shuggie Bain (alcoholism, rape, neglect, homophobia, domestic abuse) with the same family dynamics too." [21] Alex Preston, in a review for The Observer , was equally positive in his appreciation of the novel and of Stuart, whom he called a "prodigious talent." Preston focused in particular on the love story between Mungo and James and stated that he cried at the end of the story. [22] The protagonist's love affair was also praised by David Canfield, a reviewer for Vanity Fair, who also noted the detailed moment-to-moment descriptions of the plot. [10]

The novel's prose was praised in Ron Charles's review in The Washington Post, who called Stuart's style poetic, the author a "genius" and the novel a "masterful family drama". [23] Johnathan Self, in an article in The Critic , also praised Stuart's prose and called the novel "Dickinsonian fiction". He further asserted that it was more developed in style and theme than Shuggie Bain. [2] Hillary Kelly of the Los Angeles Times also compared the novel's plot to the literature of Charles Dickens, specifically David Copperfield , and stated that it was striking how successful Stuart was in developing the narrative arc and conveying the character's emotions. [24]

Molly Young for The New York Times noted the "mad grandeur" of the novel and the "beauty" of the language employed by Stuart, while also criticising the descriptions of the characters' emotions, since the plot, according to Young, gave the reader enough information to understand them without needing to reiterate them. She also spoke negatively of the violent events in the story and stated that some readers might feel like "misery tourists." [25] The violence of the plot was also criticised by Kevin Quinn of Post Magazine , who said it risked overshadowing Stuart's literary skill, while praising the construction of Mungo's inner life. [26]

Television adaptation

On 22 March 2023, it was announced that Young Mungo will be "adapted...for the BBC," with Douglas Stuart writing the adaptation. The adaptation is set to be produced by A24, who also own the television-production rights for Douglas's other novel, Shuggie Bain . [27]

Translations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Mungo</span> Apostle of the British Kingdom of Strathclyde

Kentigern, known as Mungo, was a missionary in the Brittonic Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late sixth century, and the founder and patron saint of the city of Glasgow.

The Glasgow dialect, also called Glaswegian, varies from Scottish English at one end of a bipolar linguistic continuum to the local dialect of West Central Scots at the other. Therefore, the speech of many Glaswegians can draw on a "continuum between fully localised and fully standardised". Additionally, the Glasgow dialect has Highland English and Hiberno-English influences owing to the speech of Highlanders and Irish people who migrated in large numbers to the Glasgow area in the 19th and early 20th centuries. While being named for Glasgow, the accent is typical for natives across the full Greater Glasgow area and associated counties such as Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire and parts of Ayrshire, which formerly came under the single authority of Strathclyde. It is most common in working class people, which can lead to stigma from members of other classes or those outside Glasgow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis Grassic Gibbon</span> Scottish writer, 1901–1935

James Leslie Mitchell, known by the pseudonym Lewis Grassic Gibbon, was a Scottish writer. He was best known for A Scots Quair, a trilogy set in the north-east of Scotland in the early 20th century, of which all three parts have been serialised on BBC television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrowland Ballroom</span> Dance hall and music venue in Glasgow, Scotland

The Barrowland Ballroom is an entertainment venue, dance hall and music venue located in the Calton district in Glasgow, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aly Bain</span> Scottish fiddler

Aly Bain MBE is a Scottish fiddler who learned his instrument from the old-time master Tom Anderson. The former First Minister of Scotland Jack McConnell called Bain a "Scottish icon."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Kelman</span> Scottish writer (born 1946)

James Kelman is a Scottish novelist, short story writer, playwright and essayist. His fiction and short stories feature accounts of internal mental processes of usually, but not exclusively, working class narrators and their labyrinthine struggles with authority or social interactions, mostly set in his home city of Glasgow. Frequently employing stream of consciousness experimentation, Kelman's stories typically feature "an atmosphere of gnarling paranoia, imprisoned minimalism, the boredom of survival.".

Picador is an imprint of Pan Macmillan in the United Kingdom and Australia and of Macmillan Publishing in the United States. Both companies are owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group.

Arthur Stuart Ahluwalia Stronge Gilbert was an English literary scholar and translator. Among his translations into English are works by Alexis de Tocqueville, Édouard Dujardin, André Malraux, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Georges Simenon, Jean Cocteau, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. He also assisted in the translation of James Joyce's Ulysses into French.

<i>How Late It Was, How Late</i> 1994 novel by James Kelman

How late it was, how late is a 1994 stream-of-consciousness novel written by Scottish writer James Kelman. The Glasgow-centred work is written in a working-class Scottish dialect, and follows Sammy, a shoplifter and ex-convict.

James Robertson is a Scottish writer who is the author of several novels, short stories and poetry collections. Robertson was born in Sevenoaks, England but grew up in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire. He has published seven novels: The Fanatic, Joseph Knight, The Testament of Gideon Mack, And the Land Lay Still, The Professor of Truth, and To Be Continued… and News of the Dead. The Testament of Gideon Mack was long-listed for the 2006 Man Booker Prize.

<i>Shetland</i> (TV series) BBC Scotland crime drama television series, 2013–

Shetland is a Scottish crime drama television series produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland. First broadcast on BBC One on 10 March 2013, it is originally based upon the novels of Ann Cleeves and adapted by David Kane. The first seven series starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez, whilst Ashley Jensen stars as DI Ruth Calder from the eighth series. The cast also includes Alison O'Donnell as DS Alison "Tosh" McIntosh and Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, as well as Lewis Howden and Anne Kidd. Henshall won the 2016 BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor and the series received the award for Best TV Drama.

Sophie Mackintosh is a British novelist and short story writer. Her debut novel, The Water Cure, was nominated for the 2018 Man Booker Prize. In 2023, she was named on the Granta Best of Young British Novelists list, compiled every 10 years since 1983, identifying the 20 most significant British novelists aged under 40.

Events from the year 2020 in Scotland

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Booker Prize</span> British literary award given in 2020

The 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction was announced on 19 November 2020. The Booker longlist of 13 books was announced on 27 July, and was narrowed down to a shortlist of six on 15 September. The Prize was awarded to Douglas Stuart for his debut novel, Shuggie Bain, receiving £50,000. Stuart is the second Scottish author to win the Booker Prize, after it was awarded to James Kelman for How Late It Was, How Late in 1994. The ceremony was hosted by John Wilson at the Roundhouse in Central London, and broadcast by the BBC. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortlisted authors and guest speakers appeared virtually from their respective homes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Stuart (writer)</span> Scottish writer (born 1976)

Douglas Stuart is a Scottish-American writer and fashion designer. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he studied at the Scottish College of Textiles and London's Royal College of Art, before moving at the age of 24 to New York City, where he built a successful career in fashion design, while also beginning to write. His debut novel, Shuggie Bain – which had initially been turned down by many publishers on both sides of the Atlantic – was awarded the 2020 Booker Prize. His second novel, Young Mungo, was published in April 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamish Bain</span> Scottish rugby union player

Hamish Bain is a Scotland Club XV international rugby union player. He now plays for Vannes. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors. His preferred position is lock.

<i>Shuggie Bain</i> 2020 novel by Douglas Stuart

Shuggie Bain is the debut novel by Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart, published in 2020. It tells the story of the youngest of three children, Shuggie, growing up with his alcoholic mother Agnes in 1980s post-industrial working-class Glasgow, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Jubilee Read</span> List of 70 books

The Big Jubilee Read is a 2022 campaign to promote reading for pleasure and to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. A list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, 10 from each decade of Elizabeth II's reign, was selected by a panel of experts and announced by the BBC and The Reading Agency on 18 April 2022.

<i>The Bone Readers</i> 2016 Jacob Ross novel

The Bone Readers is a 2016 novel by Grenadan British author Jacob Ross, the second in his "Camaho Quartet." In 2017, it won the inaugural Jhalak Prize. In 2022, The Bone Readers was included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, selected to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Greenwood, Douglas (7 April 2022). "Douglas Stewart: "There was nowhere for a young gay man to turn"". The Face . Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 Self, John (May 2022). "Prize-winner reprises and rediscovered tales". The Critic . Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Douglas Stuart Talks to BooksfromScotland". Books from Scotland. August 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Gaynor, Jessie (28 April 2022). "The 10 Best Book Covers of April". Literary Hub . Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Cain, Hamilton (17 November 2021). "Exclusive Cover Reveal: Douglas Stuart's New Book, Young Mungo". Oprah Daily . Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  6. ↑ Krishnan, Nikhil (23 March 2022). "Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart review: Shuggie Bain grows up, and comes out" . The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "The 10 Best Books of 2022" . The Washington Post . 17 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  8. ↑ Beabout, Leandra (12 December 2022). "The 10 Best Books of 2022". Reader's Digest . Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Chow, Andrew R.; Feldman, Lucy; Gajanan, Mahita; Gutterman, Annabel; Haupt, Angela; Lang, Cady; Zornosa, Laura. "The 100 Must-Read Books of 2022". Time . Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  10. 1 2 Weir, Keziah (15 December 2022). "39 Best Books of 2022". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "The Globe 100: The best books of 2022". The Globe and Mail . 2 December 2022. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  12. ↑ Allfree, Claire (22 November 2022). "Best fiction books 2022: from To Paradise to Young Mungo" . The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Schama, Chloe (20 December 2021). "The Best Books of 2022: A Preview". Vogue . Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "The Best of 2022". Los Angeles Review of Books . 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  15. ↑ Mackertich, Joe (6 December 2022). "The best books of 2022". Time Out . Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "2023 Winners". American Library Association . 11 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  17. ↑ Anderson, Porter (14 December 2022). "Douglas Stuart's 'Young Mungo' Is on Scotland's Highland Book Prize Longlist". Publishing Perspectives. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  18. ↑ "Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart". Kirkus Reviews . Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  19. ↑ Schaub, Michael (20 July 2021). "New Novel by Douglas Stuart Coming in 2022". Kirkus Reviews . Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  20. ↑ "Young Mungo". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  21. ↑ Thomas-Corr, Johanna (27 March 2022). "Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart review — the Shuggie Bain author's new novel" . The Sunday Times . Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  22. ↑ Preston, Alex (3 April 2022). "Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart review – another weepy from a writer on a roll". The Observer . Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  23. ↑ Charles, Ron (5 April 2022). "'Young Mungo' seals it: Douglas Stuart is a genius" . The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  24. ↑ Kelly, Hillary (31 March 2022). "Review: How Douglas Stuart subverts the Victorian coming-of-age plot". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  25. ↑ Young, Molly (3 April 2022). "'Young Mungo' Explores Love and Violence in Emotional Technicolor" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  26. ↑ Quinn, Kevin (9 April 2022). "Young Mungo, Booker Prize winner's follow-up to Shuggie Bain, is another bleak story of a queer adolescence set in Scotland". Post Magazine . Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  27. ↑ "Scottish gay love story Young Mungo is getting the A24 treatment". Dazed . 22 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.