It seems--at least, to me, darlings--many books I have read early in this year have sociopaths as main characters. Authors seem to want to be the next Patricia Highsmith, and their protagonist the next Tom Ripley.
Well, I am happy to report someone has succeeded. I had never read John Boyne before, but, after having my eye last year on "The Heart's Invisible Furies," contemplating reading it, I have decided, on the basis of loving "A Ladder To The Sky."
To say this is one of the best of the year is too early to tell. To say it may very well qualify by year's end is pretty impressive. And high praise from me, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe it taps into me more because it takes place in and around the literary worlds of London and New York. Not even I was prepared for how despicable a person Maurice Swift turns out to be. And I am not exactly sure he gets his comeuppance.
This is a mystery, right from the start. It may be possible, especially near the end, what horror the reader is headed for, but, let me tell you, the mystery begins with the front of the book jacket. It took me a third to halfway through to unravel the meaning of the cover. I don't know whose idea it was--Boyne's or the cover designer--but it is brilliant, and paves the way for the marvelous story that is to come.
Girls, get your hands on this, at once! On the basis of this, I will have to give John Boyne further investigation.
What some will do for fame! This shocked even I, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was impressed with his young adult books, like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
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