Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart is a book starring a young boy in his teens called Mungo. Mungo is born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. The consequences of being born by a negligent parent are explored through the book. Mungo’s father is dead and he is left with his mother, Mo Maw. Mo Maw is an alcoholic addict and is less concerned with her children. Lack of parental love and maternal absence culminates in Mungo’s brother, Hamish, joining a local gang terrorizing the residents. Hamish is a hooligan and his behavior can be attributed to the absence of his mother.
Mungo is a protestant and an ardent believer in Christianity. However, he is a gay feeling trapped within the wrong body. Homosexuality is perceived as immoral and illegal by the general public in Glasgow. However, Mungo meets and befriends his neighbor, James, who subtly identifies with queer people. James goes to Catholic Church and has a soft spot for birds. Therefore, he keeps pigeons and has built a dovecote to house them. Despite spotting different interests, the two boys are brought together by their common sexual identity. Mungo and James fall in love but keep their relationship a top secret for fear of backlash.
Mungo is a perfectionist who wants to live an authentic life. However, his sexual identity betrays him. The religious conflict between Protestants and Catholic Church goers lifts the lid of the dark past, particularly when Mungo starts contemplating settling with James. Society does not favor their sexual identity and their relationship is destined to fail. Stuart explores themes of parental love and the importance of tolerance amidst different ideologies.
