Beetle Boy Hardcover – September 1, 2014

Charlie, the main protagonist in this story, lives with his father and younger brother Liam after their mother leaves them, the "three musketeers. Charlie tries to comfort his dad by telling him a bed time story that Charlie's mother always told him. A story that involves a Beetle Boy. Charlie's father runs with the idea of turning Charlie into the youngest published author ever. The history of Charlie and his disfunctional family is brought to light by the questioning of his then girlfriend Clara. Charlie is now 18 and is recuperating at her house. We find that Charlie is shuttled from one book symposium to another dressed as a beetle. We find that with each new babysitter Charlie and his brother are looking for a mother. We find that as abandoned children, either physically or emotionally, they treat each other horrendously. I found Charlie to be egocentric. All throughout the book it's always about him. He abandons his brother and leaves him alone with a clearly emotionally damaged man. He mooches off of his girlfriend and is emotionally distant. And at the end he avoids telling a truth so that he can have a place to stay. I found the story predictable. And I actually didn't find his family history so horrendous compared to what some kids have to live through. There is some sex and foul language, no abuse except emotionally.

Original and captivating voice. Wiley is a fine author and her novel is engaging and memorable.

I kept waiting for Charles to grow up, to find his own voice and start making some of his own decisions. As a child, he was under the constant grip of his father, who forced him to lie and create a world for himself as the world’s youngest published author. Writing about the adventures of Beetle Boy, Charles didn’t enjoy the limelight but discovering a relationship with Mrs. M., a fellow author, was a definite plus. Charlie was living his dad’s dream. Alternating passages between present day and his past, Charlie’s past is haunting him. Living with his girlfriend Clara, she wants a part of Charlie that he cannot give; she wants to know about his past. His past that contains memories which are too painful to relive. I really thought I like Clara for caring for Charles after his accident but the more that I read, this trait just didn’t fit with her. She seemed to get a short-fuse over the smallest thing as she tried to talk to Charlie and she began to irritate me. The relationship with Charlie and Mrs. M. was special and enriching and I really enjoyed Mrs. M. She opens up herself to Charlie and he finds comfort in her, they both seem to have a drawn a line that they don’t dare cross. As the book came to a close, my jaw was falling, my voice screaming “no!” as I read the final chapter, I didn’t expect it to play out to that extent.

I found the book sad, but hopeful. Charlie must face his past as the "Beetle Boy" he hates. The format of the questioning helped me understand what kind of questions must be asked to get to the root of Charlie's problems. Through her questions, Clara, Charlie's girlfriend, must also face her future. Charlie's parents are not unlike many parents of today. Is the success for the child or the parent? As the story unwinds Mrs. M. brings a humorous relief with her sharp tongue, subtle humor, and unusual caring. As I read the story with many unexpected twists, I wondered if Charlie could face the future and one question came to mind. How can we help our children, grandchildren and all children walk their lives with excited anticipation when they run into problems of their own. A must read!

skip the dream sequences...of which there are many....