By now you all know that the Read With Us spring selection is Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart. Kym and Bonny have both published posts encouraging you to read it and now it’s my turn.
And honestly, what’s left to say? We’ve covered the interviews and reviews, we’ve reminded you that it’s the perfect companion to Shuggie Bain but also that you don’t need to have read Shuggie Bain in order to read and love Young Mungo. We’ve been enthusiastic about this book group and the fun we have when we meet up to discuss the books we’ve read.
In other words . . . you should be ALL IN on Young Mungo by now. But just in case you aren’t quite sure and you need one more little nudge . . . here is my review of the book:
Reading this book is like reading about Shuggie Bain’s next door neighbors. And, while Shuggie still remains my favorite of Stuart’s two novels, Mungo is also a brilliant work. It’s heart wrenching to read about the things that happen to Mungo but Stuart is able to ease us along with his exquisite writing and a back-and-forth timeline that helps when things feel overwhelming. Highly recommended for the story, the characters, the setting, and the writing, this book is another triumph.
I hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, June 7th at 7pm for our zoom discussion.
I’m in the midst of this book now (about 1/3 of the way through it). Man, this is a HARD read! I can’t read much of it at one time…I find I need to take a break from it. The writing is gorgeous, but the story – oy!
Young Mungo is my favorite of the two, isn’t it fun how we can see different things in books that draw us to them?
I am so excited to talk about this book!
I’m hoping to get back to it this week, as I’ve only just barely started it, but I’m looking forward to it and to our discussion!
I’m also finding this a tougher read than Shuggie Bain. But I’m hanging on to the quote from Books from Scotland, “Despite the hardships and horror, the fear and danger present in the novel, Stuart has captured what it is to love, in all its complex glory – and more importantly, what it is to hope.” I hope to find some hope in Young Mungo.
I just finished Shuggie and I loved them both. I am going to hear Stuart talk this week.
my copy arrived from Blackwells and I’m planning to read it … soon!
I’ll be starting my read this week. I’m looking forward to having my heart broken. (Again.) XO