“Music can help you travel to places”—and so, too, can Tom Conyers’ latest novel, whence this line is taken. Set in 1975, against the Adelaide Hills of Australia, “Wonderboy” carries readers to a not-so-distant past where life is very different. The people of Miller’s Creek are behind in the times and still clinging tightly to yesterday’s customs, expectations, and standards. They care most about practical things and stay within arm’s reach of their problems. But one boy is different, and his concerns reach much further, past the length of his arm, to the fence at the end of his property, and beyond… Eleven-year-old Jack Bennett is imaginative and artistic, yet quite lonely and limited in his hillside hometown. The cessation of his youthful ambition is ever looming; the window for this young dreamer to keep dreaming, quickly closing. But when three colorful characters plop down in Miller’s Creek, Jack’s ordinary life takes extraordinary turns, and, once backward, he gains the momentum he needs to move forward. His imagination and interest in expression is re-enlivened by a lively girl, Mel, who becomes his neighbor, and, together, they each discover who they are and learn to embrace, and challenge, the world around them, for all its beauty and all its sadness. These lessons, however, come at a cost… and the outcome of this tale is sure to shock, sadden, and enrich you.
“Wonderboy” is a deeply touching tome, best described as a coming-of-age story—where both Jack and Miller’s Creek must overcome obstacles to break free of what confines them. The uncertainties and insecurities of a young boy, and of an old way of thinking, are presented with keen insight and compassion, laying the groundwork for the misinterpretations, shallow perceptions, and stark actions fueling the controversy that virtually explodes as the novel nears its conclusion. Written with great flare and flawless attention to detail, Conyers’ work is rich with cultural references to music, theatre, and art and is spiked hard with twists and plenty of surprises, all of which are sure to not only entertain, but also enlighten, readers. All told, “Wonderboy” is quite a gem, a rarity that will stimulate your thoughts and feelings with its story, as well as its storytelling. Readers as young as 13 and as old as God allows them will find it incredibly revealing, honest, and compelling.
“Wonderboy” is a deeply touching tome, best described as a coming-of-age story—where both Jack and Miller’s Creek must overcome obstacles to break free of what confines them. The uncertainties and insecurities of a young boy, and of an old way of thinking, are presented with keen insight and compassion, laying the groundwork for the misinterpretations, shallow perceptions, and stark actions fueling the controversy that virtually explodes as the novel nears its conclusion. Written with great flare and flawless attention to detail, Conyers’ work is rich with cultural references to music, theatre, and art and is spiked hard with twists and plenty of surprises, all of which are sure to not only entertain, but also enlighten, readers. All told, “Wonderboy” is quite a gem, a rarity that will stimulate your thoughts and feelings with its story, as well as its storytelling. Readers as young as 13 and as old as God allows them will find it incredibly revealing, honest, and compelling.
Five Stars