The Book of Boy

Boy, a hunchback goatherd, is taken into service by a pilgrim in his way to Rome. The pilgrim is on a quest to recover seven relics of St. Peter, and needs Boy to help him. Along the way, the reader will learn that both travelers have their secrets...

I very much enjoyed this medieval quest tale. It's a quick read with some lovely moments and an interesting twist (I thought I knew Boy's secret after the second chapter, but as it turns out, I was quite wrong!). I'm not sure how much appeal it will have for kids, but it would make a good readaloud. And it's definitely the sort of book I'd recommend to adults who enjoy the occasional juvenile title.

Boy has always been relegated to the outskirts of his small village. With a hump on his back, a mysterious past, and a tendency to talk to animals, he is often mocked by others in his town—until the arrival of a shadowy pilgrim named Secondus. Impressed with Boy’s climbing and jumping abilities, Secondus engages Boy as his servant, pulling him into an action-packed and suspenseful expedition across Europe to gather seven precious relics of Saint Peter.

Boy quickly realizes this journey is not an innocent one. They are stealing the relics and accumulating dangerous enemies in the process. But Boy is determined to see this pilgrimage through until the end—for what if St. Peter has the power to make him the same as the other boys?

The year is 1350, and Boy lives in a village in France. He has a big bump on his back, and lives under the strictures of the now-dead priest to never reveal himself. But then a pilgrim comes to town and asks for his help getting a relic from a nearby church, starting a quest that will change Boy's life.

Hmmmmm. I don't entirely know how to describe this without giving everything away, but I will say that it seems to be one of those books that always seems to tick the boxes of folks on awards committees and leaves me feeling like something's wanting. Would a child pick this up without prompting from an adult? Probably not... it's a slow start and more about internal development. Also it hovers on the line between historical fiction and show more fantasy, and I'm not sure it quite lives up to either. The ending didn't really surprise me - there were enough clues along the way - and left me with more questions than answers about Boy and what would happen to him now. I enjoyed it fine as I was reading it, but upon further reflection I don't think it will have much by way of a lasting impression on me. show less

Set in the Europe of the Middle Ages, this is the story of a hunchback boy, the pilgrim who takes him into his service, and heir trip from France to Rome (with many stops in between). But it's also about secrets and mysteries, heaven and hell, angels and demons, and miracles of all sorts, both supernatural ones and - the best kind, really - beautiful, everyday ones. Highly, highly recommended.

I finished reading the Newbery Honor book Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock and I wonder why this was so highly regarded in 2018? I don't think this story is going to age well. It is basically a retelling of a medieval tale and the motivations of the characters is not clear. Modern children are going to have a hard time relating to the belief system of that time and will regard this book as a fantasy rather than medieval morality play. Teachers will have to do too much work to set the stage for the story and in the end it probably won't be worth it. I think this is a Newbery clunker.

A utterly charming and compelling tale about two pilgrims -- a man and "Boy" -- on their journey from France to Rome in 1350. Both pilgrims have something very remarkable about them.

I enjoyed every minute of it.

Comparisons to The Inquisitor's Tale are unavoidable, but truly they are such different books. I prefer the Gidwitz because it had better character development and the creativity knocked my socks off. The Book of Boy is a great yarn that really had me engaged. I raced through it, but once I finished it I felt a bit unsatisfied.

I think mature middle grade readers will enjoy this, especially if they are interested in Catholicism, Christianity, the Middle Ages, and/or mysteries with big plot twists. It is exceptionally well-written.

It's hard to talk about my criticisms of this book without spoilers, so I'll hide the rest of this review.

Why did I feel unsatisfied? I think the bad guys (the greedy steward, the wicked girl) felt a bit show more tossed in without much effect but to heighten the danger/threat Boy feels. I think they demonstrated the greed for relics and how Boy as an angel was a commodity, so that worked, but it felt a bit shallow. Like the story didn't really them.

I also never cared that much for Secondus and his quest to reunite with his wife and child in heaven. When Secondus touched the tomb and disappeared I was underwhelmed. I could have potentially been in tears at that moment, but instead I was like, meh.

I did really like how the story ended for Boy. How he found his work as an angel. I grew up with this idea that angels are real and walk among us. Boy finding that he will have a happy, satisfying life helping people was a wondrous way to end the story. show less