Imaginary Boy by Mark Eldrich

by Marcus Birch

Eleven-year-old Benji Saintaubin dreams of becoming a hero like the ones in the books he reads while banished in the dark attic of his family home. But those heroes are all strong and handsome, not like Benji who uses a crutch and hides his disfigured face. When his father dies, leaving behind an unfinished story about an imaginary boy who must defeat a cruel and mighty dragon, Benji’s safe and secluded world is turned upside down.After venturing out of the attic and onto the perilous streets of 19th century London, Benji finds himself separated from his mother in a frightening and unfamiliar world. Nearly trampled to death and sold into slavery, Benji comes to believe his father’s story may be more fact than fiction after his captor reveals a dragon-tail tattoo around his arm and plans that could destroy Benji. If he ever hopes to escape, be reunited with his mother and finish his father’s cryptic story, Benji must trust that a crippled boy can discover the unseen power needed to defeat a brutal and powerful dragon.Join Benji on his treacherous journey in this compelling, edgy and inspiring middle-grade novel by debut author Mark Eldrich.

Genres: Middle Grade, Disability, Fantasy

Paperback

First published October 4, 2015

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this one! Longer review soon.

[R.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale of misfortune. And a boy who overcomes.


Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens) is one of my personal favorite books. It’s the characters who can’t help the misfortune they’ve been given, but choose to respond in ways that put so many fortunate others to shame. The Imaginary Boy reminded me of Oliver Twist. It is in no way a retelling (to my knowledge), but the inspiring, gut-wrenching scenes will leave its readers in ghastly awe, yet walk away inspired.

Benji is a misshapen boy. His face is contorted, his arms and legs are crooked, and his back is hunched. But Benji has more spirit, and more pure love and care, than anyone. His innocence and way of looking at life makes this story worth reading.

It is a tale of misfortune. Which means that it is a tough read, and a sad one. Bad thing, after bad thing, after bad thing, befalls Benji as he so desperately tries to reunite with his mother. But through it all, Benji never loses his courage.

According to Goodreads, this is a middle grade novel. And while Benji certainly fits the age group himself, I would advise parents and teachers of this age-group to recommend it to children with caution, simply because some of the topics and scenes could be triggers to anxiety especially for foster and adopted children. There is death of a best friend (in which Benji blames himself), death of a father, separation from a mother (which Benji is told that she no longer wanted him and lost him on purpose–this gave me many ready flags for foster children), physical and mental abuse, bullying, and of course, Benji being told that he is ugly and unwanted every time he encounters someone new.

There are many teachable topics through the use of this book too though, and it could really be used to teach children how not to be afraid of other kids who are misshapen. So I would recommend this book, because it is so very good, but only at parents’ and teachers’ discretion.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

There is no cursing or any sexual content of any kind. There is abuse, brief mentions of blood and death, insanity, bullying, a brief scene portraying child-work slavery, and feelings of being unwanted by parents.

I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.

[†Reviews of a FearStreetZombie† · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Such a eye opening heart warming story.
....and also a tear jerker.
I must say this book was a quick read and you really don't want to put it down. You get so draw in with all the characters and ... My heart breaks for Benji. Yet reading this book, you realize (or at least I realized) that this child has more courage than a "normal" person has. Benji is a beautiful soul and this story really opens your eyes and your heart to see that. I'm honored to have gotten to read such a beautiful story.

[David M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Eldrich’s Imaginary Boy turned out to be a great read. The title led me to the conclusion that this was a YA tale, and while I wasn’t wrong, I believe this would appeal to teen and adult fantasy and mystery readers as well.

From the first page, The Imaginary Boy was compelling and grabbed my attention instantly. While this story begins as a dark tale, turning the pages was easy. The chapters were short, helping them flow seamlessly and the author’s writing style keeps the story clipping right along.

Benji, the protagonist, and his mother are well built characters as are all the others. Mr. Eldrich makes great use of unmentioned history between characters to keep up the tension. Moreover, his descriptive talents are wonderful and captivating. Here is an example:
“Something familiar was tickling his nose. Smoke. Little tendrils rising up all around he that he could smell, but not see. He shifted his body so he could see partly down the chimney shaft what he saw horrified him. Fire. That light was fire. Whoever was down there was trying to roast him alive. He screamed and kicked again. Fingernails ripped from his flesh as he scraped the walls. The heat intensified and the smoke thickened causing him to cough in mad fits.”

The only bump for me came at Chapter 19 which while as good as the other chapters, caught me as a bit strange. I’m curious why the discussion of Benji’s being in the river and his complete appearance with Thomas didn’t happen long ago. And another thing, why didn’t Benji mention Eve while they were there?

All and all, this was a great read, and I was very pleasantly surprised with it. Mr. Eldrich weaved a wonderful conclusion that wrapped up nicely. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and it’s very unlikely you’ll regret having purchasing it

[Julie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa, that was intense! I was not expecting that. Benji was born crippled and disfigured and in the 1800s in London that caused fear and shame. He lives up in the attic hidden away. His father always used to tell himastory about an Imaginary Boy who could fights dragons. But the story was never finished and his father died. When Benji tries to finish the story and deliver it to his mother she is embarrassed. But, then she decides to take him to the Opera House. Maybe things are changing?

Unfortunately Benji gets separated from his mother...or did she abandon him? Benji becomesl lost in the city of London where a madman is on the loose. Can Benji ever become the hero he wants to be.

This book is intense and probably not for the faint of heart but it was powerful. I really enjoyed it.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benji Saintaubin is an 11 year old boy living in Victorian London. Unlike other boys, he has lived most of his life in his attic due to a physical disability. Benji loves to read the story of the Imaginary Boy that his father wrote for him. The Imaginary Boy is a hero who has to fight a dragon, only the story is not finished. Benji wants nothing more than to finish the story and deliver it to his mother for Christmas. After an accident trying to get out of the attic and downstairs to his mother, mother decides that it is time for Benji to venture out into the world. However, a night out at the opera turns into Benji being separated from his mother and going on an adventure of his own. Benji will see the good and bad of people and their perceptions of his disability, more importantly, he will meet another young man, Thomas, who will show Benji that he can be the hero that he has always dreamed of and defeat a different kind of dragon.

This is an exciting story full of adventure, villains, unexpected heroes and overcoming adversity. Going in a completely different direction from where I thought the story would go, there is almost a fairy tale-esque feeling, even though everything happening to Benji is based in reality. Right from the start I fell in love with Benji's attitude about life, his determination to finish his story and his courage in the face of many dangerous events. Though written for a middle grade audience, there are some terrifying scenes throughout. Not only was Benji's situation scary enough to begin with; due to his disability, having to live in the attic of his otherwise very nice house, but navigating the streets of Victorian London with its unsavory characters, smells and a monster roaming the streets is not for the faint of heart. From being almost sold into slavery, to being seen as a monster himself and then being taken in by someone who is rich and powerful, but not very good, Benji does his best to survive. The descriptions of the settings and Benji's emotions were so detailed and vibrant that they kept my heart pounding. I loved Thomas' character, he seemed to be a complete contrast to Benji, yet as they got to know one another, they found more similarity than difference. I also thought that the dragon was an ingenious and particularly vile villain and a provided a perfect ending for Benji's story.



This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an eBook version of this novel via LibraryThing. I read the first chapter the day I first downloaded it and then forgot about it for a few months. I rediscovered it while adding a review for a different book on LibraryThing. "Oh yeah, I need to finish reading this book so I can write a review of it," I thought to myself.

I read the rest of the book in one fell swoop. I could NOT stop reading. Eldrich takes his readers on quite a journey with this book. I was so invested in the characters and their stories that I had to keep tapping on my device to change pages. A dead battery didn't even stop me; I grabbed my portable charger. When that didn't work as expected, I plugged in my tablet so I could keep reading. I stayed up way past my bedtime. It was all worth it.

Essentially this book is about an unlikely hero. Someone who loses his way and due to circumstances beyond his control ends up in one predicament after another...sometimes bettering his position, sometimes not. You cannot help but to root for him along the way. The villains are especially villainous and the heroes ar exceptionally heroic. The description of sight, sound, and smell (yes, smell) are so vivid that is adds another dimension to the story.

There are good lessons to be learned here: perseverance, humility, determination, discernment, resilience, redemption...however, this book is NOT all sunshine and light. There are some very disturbing things that happen in this book. I would not recommend it for any reader under the age of 13. I am 52, and felt squeamish in a few places. lol

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book, but very fulfilling.

I really liked Mr. Eldrich's style of writing; He combined conciseness with just the right amount of detail to flesh out the characters and their surroundings and keep you not only informed about what was going on, but also interested.

The story revolves around little 11-year-old Benjamin 'Benji' Saintaubin, a boy born with debilitating deformities of body, but possessing a kindness of spirit and an indomitable will to thrive that would see him through some astoundingly harsh and nearly impossible situations in life. Thrust from his isolated yet familiar surroundings in the attic of his family's London home, young Benji experiences the seamier side of the city, encountering all sorts of folk --both good and nefarious-- and becomes embroiled in the plans of a murderous madman, nearly losing his own life as a consequence, but eventually meeting the man who just might be able to solve the whole mystery, bring the murderer to justice, and reunite Benji with his mother.

A thread running through the entire thing is the story written by Benji's late father; a tale of a heroic boy battling a fierce dragon who narrowly defeats him at each encounter. Benji's imagination draws parallels between the situations in the story and the real-life encounters he has, but comes to realize that the hero may be closer than he ever thought.

[Meredith Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imaginary Boy is a riveting account of a young boy's journey of self-discovery. Benji, who has a crippled foot and disfigured face, remains confined to his attic room. He finds solace in the stories his father writes for him. One story in particular, about a hero confronting a ruthless dragon, brings Benji hope. But Benji's father dies suddenly, and that story is left unfinished. When a rare excursion in the city results in separation from his mother, Benji is forced to embark on a perilous quest. When he is captured by a man with a dragon tattoo on his arm, the young boy begins to realize that his father's stories might be more true than first appears.

I loved the melding of fantasy and reality in this novel. Victorian London is depicted vividly, and the squallor and depravation are not sugarcoated. However, the descriptions are not distasteful. There is a surprising amount of darkness that Benji must face, but Mr. Eldrich balances it well with moments of hope. The villain is truly terrifying, and although I figured out his identity fairly quickly, the discovery did not lessen the suspense. Mr. Eldrich has crafted an inspiring tale in which the meaning of a true hero is illustrated. As someone who loves stories with disabled protagonists, I found Benji to be wonderfully endearing and brave. Please give this novel a chance. God bless you all.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this debut middle grades novel by Mark Eldrich. It's a story of adventure featuring Benji, a horribly disfigured boy who walks with a cane. His father dies leaving Benji with a story that is unresolved. Benji later journeys out into 19th century London and becomes separated from his mother or does he? The story is full of realism and fear as the reader figures out what happens to Benji. But there is also another story going on as the people of London are being hunted by a mysterious killer. Will Benji's story intertwine into this mystery? You bet it does.

Eldrich does a masterful job of sharing what happened to people with disabilities in the 1900s. It's an entertaining read but an enlightening one as well. Try this one if you haven't read it.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benji lives locked in an attic room upstairs. His body is misshapen and he is crippled, and we are told his mother loves him despite keeping him upstairs. I also thought that she left him at the fountain on purpose, and so was surprised to find that she was so upset about losing him. The dragon character was fine, but I remember feeling that the end was a bit too neat for me, like of course Thomas found him and of course Archibald was the Dragon.

Thank you to the author, for sending me an electronic copy to review.

[Toni Conn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC for the LibraryThing's Early Reviewers. A fun story about a deformed boy in 19th century London. I found some parallels to the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Overall a good story and a quick, entertaining read!

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing and should be required reading in every AP English class.