Publication Date: 02nd May 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
4 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming but drags in the second half
Remy Blake was just five years old when his survivalist father takes him into the woods to live alone and trust no one. When his father dies a few days before Remy’s eighth birthday, the boy is torn. Should he go back to the ‘collapsed civilization’ and get killed or continue in the forest?
Anne’s childhood rejections make her accept children no other foster families want to support. However, things haven’t been good, and Anne wonders what will happen to her current family with two foster children. Yet, she knows that she will accept a third.
A few seasons later, Remy is found around the small rural town of Blaire. Anne knows Remy needs her and takes him to their home. The family must now work together to stay together. It’s not easy when they have to explore their own issues, perspectives, and lives before trying to understand the other.
The story comes in a (not-so-limited) third-person POV of Remy and Anne.
My Thoughts:
I love how the author writes vulnerable young characters with large hearts. Dreaming of Flight was my first book by her, and I loved it. Remy here is a more complex character but a wonderful little boy.
The other characters, Anne, Peter, Janie, Chris, etc., are also well done. Though the kids (Peter & Janie) don’t get much space, they shine whenever they appear on the page.
The first half of the story has a great pace. It helps in speeding through the hardships and sufferings of the little boy. I’m glad about it. The second half is slow and heavy. Though some of it is necessary, the abrupt change in pace makes the book uneven.
The book explores many themes from today’s world- Covid pandemic, school shootings, etc. It tries to present how people handle situations and the consequences of going to extreme lengths for ‘survival’.
We sure read many books about abusive foster parents. But this one presents them in a positive light. Anne and Chris are good parents to the kids. In fact, the bonds and issues between the couple and the kids seem natural and easy to empathize with.
I also like the importance of not lying to kids or trying to keep them in the dark. While we have to be mindful of their mental health, it is also important to make sure they understand the dangers of the real world without feeling overwhelmed by it.
While the book gets unrealistic in some places (quite a few), it does the job it intends to do- establish that there is good in the world despite the dangers and fears.
To summarize, Just a Regular Boy is a heartwarming story of a little boy finding a family to call his own and a woman cherishing her family’s love to heal her past wounds.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #JustaRegularBoy
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