Shelley Hrdlitschka

In this work of fiction for young adults, a teenaged boy is banished from his polygamous community after he is caught kissing a girl.

Lost Boy

Briar's Reviews

Lost Boy by Shelley Hrdlitschka is a unique read that will take you away to a whole new culture.

I was unsure how I would feel about this book, and honestly I'm still a little confused. Jon left a polygamous community to try to find a life of his own. He doesn't believe in the ways that community follows and desperately wants the girl he loves to come with him. When he escapes and she doesn't, things go south. He tries to learn and grow, but his heart hurts. To top it off, she marries a man that Jon doesn't approve of. Not. One. Bit. Life is hard for Jon, but he learns more about himself and his values along the way.

This is going to be a niche book for sure. It's so weird, because while I'm not one hundred percent happy with how it ended I was enjoying the book all the way through. I had hoped the ending would have a little more to it, since the book felt like it just decided to stop randomly. I wanted more of Jon becoming an adult and coming of age. I wanted to see the bildungsroman for Jon SO BAD. But, this book fell a little flat. Yet, it's still quite the interesting read and is great for people seeking something contemporary yet easy to read.

Lost Boy feels like a YA contemporary novel trying to tackle some tough subjects. There are some horny boy moments and there is some goofy drama in there. But, what more can you expect when you're following a teenaged boy? It felt like the male bildungsroman, but it just needed a little bit more. 

I am impressed by this book though. It kept my attention! This book is not my normal read, so that's a big plus for it. I do recommend this book, but you need to enjoy soft, slow reads to appreciate it.

Three out of five stars.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Becca Futrell

Note: I received a copy of Lost Boy by Shelley Hrdlitschka via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Lost Boy tells the story of our main protagonist, Jon, who runs away from the polygamist community that he was raised in. The reasoning behind his escape is due to the fact that he was caught kissing a girl, which in the community of Unity, is very much against the rules. As readers, we get to follow Jon as he attempts to adjust to an entirely new life: filled with hair dye, girls in cut-off shorts, a proper education, and the ability to watch television.

Unfortunately, Jon is completely unprepared for this new lifestyle & after struggling to get through school, he falls into a life of alcohol, drugs, and homelessness.

What originally drew me in was the cover — listen, I am a sucker for a beautiful book cover. Yes, I am a person who tends to buy books, because the cover draws me in. I also really loved the Lost Boy title, because it reminded me of Peter Pan & we all know that I’m a Disney fan.

But when I read the synopsis prior to requesting the ARC, I knew it was for me. Not only was I interested in learning more about another community’s lifestyle, but when I first started reading YA, I always picked up the books that focused on a character’s downfall. If there were drugs, depression, or any other terrible experience involved, I was in. Not because I’m crazy, I promise, but because there’s something beautiful about someone facing their struggles & rising on top of it.

But, of course, this is spoiler-free & I will not be telling you Jon’s resolution. It’s up to you to see if he picks himself back up.

I will admit, my opinions did change throughout the novel. One second, I’m in it & the next second, I’m questioning if I’m even enjoying what I’m reading. I think one of my complaints is the transition between the first part & the second. I felt as if the transition wasn’t as smooth as it should be. It’s as if Jon is doing perfectly fine, but the next he’s an absolute mess, without any real reason, besides the fact that school was tough for him.

I also couldn’t find myself getting attached to any of the characters. I, of course, wanted everyone to succeed and be happy. But, I also found myself not caring if they even did. I felt there should have been a deeper relationship between character and reader, and that’s Lost Boy‘s weakest point.

In general, it is a quick read. It wasn’t terrible, at all, it just could have been stronger in terms of characters. It does have an interesting plot, and the writing is well done. If you’re just looking for a book to read, and don’t care as much about forming a connection with the text, then yes, I would recommend Lost Boy.

I also learned that Jon & the novel’s other characters were introduced in Shelley Hrdlistschka’s novel, Sister Wife, and I will definitely be giving that read some point soon.

Lost Boy is due out October 2nd, 2018!