(Goodreads) Love can be a real monster.
Sixteen-year-old Boy’s never left home. When you’re the son of Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride, it’s tough to go out in public, unless you want to draw the attention of a torch-wielding mob. And since Boy and his family live in a secret enclave of monsters hidden under Times Square, it’s important they maintain a low profile.
Boy’s only interactions with the world are through the Internet, where he’s a hacker extraordinaire who can hide his hulking body and stitched-together face behind a layer of code. When conflict erupts at home, Boy runs away and embarks on a cross-country road trip with the granddaughters of Jekyll and Hyde, who introduce him to malls and diners, love and heartbreak. But no matter how far Boy runs, he can’t escape his demons—both literal and figurative—until he faces his family once more.
The Short Story? - An imaginative and interesting concept that was executed nicely! I definitely felt this book was directed more towards a male audience (male protagonist, writing seemed fit for more of a guy reader etc etc.) however I enjoyed it (and I'm SWEAR I'm not a guy) so it's definitely a book everyone can get into and enjoy! A coming to age novel about Boy, the son of Frankenstein and Bride and how he struggles between monster and man, obligations and desires and finding who he really is. Cute, funny and entertaining from cover to cover, Skovron's Man Made Boy is a hilarious story about a boy (haha!) who struggles to find his place in the world!
The Long Story? - I'm not really quite sure how to describe this book because it's not really a retelling or a re-imagining. It's more like a imagining of a what if situation...do you get me? I'm not a huge fan of coming-to-age novels (they're just not my cup of tea) however I thoroughly enjoyed Man Made Boy because although it was a coming-to-age novel, there were so many supernatural elements to the story. Firstly, the characters aren't human and secondly the plot was very different. In Skovron's world, monsters are living in hiding among humans. Boy's family is part of The Show, a broadway production run completely by monsters. The Show is a source of income as well as a haven for monsters in New York. Boy struggles between wanting to live a life of his own or staying at The Show. The pace of the book is a little slow and the writing style and narration takes a little to get used to however that aside, it was beautifully written, the plot was imaginative and interesting and a little bittersweet. The romance was cute and most importantly it was funny!
It's always easier for me to forge a connection with a character if they have boobs. Let's face it, girls understand girls (most of the time) better than they do of the opposite sex. It was a little hard to connect with Boy initially not only did he not have boobs, he was quiet and shy and conserved (which is three things that I definitely am not) however as the boob progressed, I found myself growing closer to Boy. You can definitely see Boy grow into a completely different person from cover to cover. He grew a backbone, he started living his own life and he gave himself an identity. It's wonderful when you can see a character grow throughout a novel as their experiences shape them into a different person. Boy was a fantastic character! Claire and Sophie were as different as day and night however I adored both characters. They were a very nice balance of each other and their relationship with Boy was completely adorable!
I found myself enjoying Man Made Boy a lot more than I thought I would! It seemed like such a "guy book" and although there were elements that suggest this, overall I found myself thoroughly enjoying Skovron's humorous "sorta re-imagining" of Frankenstein. A highly unique concept that was executed very well with likeable characters and an interesting plot! I definitely recommend this book to lovers of both contemporary fiction and supernatural fiction!
What's it Worth? - Hand Over the Paycheck
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GIVEAWAY
GIVEAWAY
Since I enjoyed Man Made Boy so much, Allen and Unwin has provided me with an opportunity to provide THREE (3) lucky winners with the same opportunity! We are giving away a copy of Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron to three AUSTRALIAN READERS!
- AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
- Ends 25th of December
- Must be 13 or older
- Optional Entries :
* Leaving comment on this review +3
* Follow Me on Twitter +1
* Follow Allen and Unwin on Twitter +1 (@AllenAndUnwin)
* Tweeting Giveaway +1
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Badass Bookie xx
I'm like you.. not a big fan of coming of age novels but this one sounds interesting. But again, like you, I like female POVs more than male because I can relate to them being a girl and all!
ReplyDeletegreat review and thanks for the awesome giveaway!
- Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf
I'm certainly intrigued. This sounds so very different.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the male point of view, especially with the majority of YA being female driven. I've found that male P.O.V's are often funnier and don't stray into cheesy love and angsty love triangles. But this one looks good. Awesome review.
ReplyDeleteOoh, please put me down, I *loved* Frankenstein, and the concept sounds cool!!
ReplyDeleteThis book is one that I need to read right this minute. It sounds absolutely fascinating. I love that it is from a male perspective. I love that said male is Frankenstein and Bride's kid. I don't believe there is any way that Man Made Boy won't end up on my favorites list. I really can't wait to have this one in my hands. And I LOVE the cover. It is right up there in my fave covers ever list!
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