The Real Boy

There’s been a lot of chatter about The Real Boy by Anne Ursu in the past few months and I was curious myself to find out what the story was all about.  A glittering city called Asteri was saved from the plague by the magic of the island and the wizards who once lived there, Oscar lives in the Barrow, a forest outside the city walls, with the most powerful magician.  He’s a simple shop boy, working in the garden, grinding herbs, and comfortable with the cats nearby.  He has never really fit in with the other people in the Barrow and likes the dark, quiet cellar of the magician’s shop.  It’s not until strange things begin to happen that Oscar is forced (my favorite quote) “to choose between what is right and what is easy.”  With the help of Callie, a young assistant to the healer, Oscar begins to realize that not everything is at it seems.

This fantasy story was woven together beautifully, pulling in themes from classic folk tales while still creating a world that was unique and engaging.  I often have trouble with fantasy worlds that are too different from what I know and understand, but Ursu created this world that was familiar yet magical.  Oscar and Callie were deep characters that were not only dealing with the conflict within the story, but also battling their own internal conflicts that were unwrapped to the reader as the story progressed.  Anne Ursu also wrote Breadcrumbs, she clearly has a strong grasp on magical-inspired fantasy that really works for young readers.

Check out Anne Ursu’s website for more information!

Title: The Real Boy
Author: Anne Ursu
Illustrator: Erin McGuire
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Publication Date: 2013
Page Number: 341 pgs.