Wonderboy

by Fiona Gibson

Ghastly new home. Potentially adulterous husband…. Not quite the fresh start in the country she was promised.

A fixer-upper in the sticks was the last place city girl Ro Skews expected to live. But her husband, Marcus, wants it—and all the arguments are on his side, namely a better life for Tod, their wonderboy, who has developed social problems in London. Of course, the five-year-old has never been the most…conventional child.

While Ro (grudgingly) makes a life for herself in stuffy Chetsley (if you can count suffering the side effects of floor sanding and playing Suburban Lawn Warfare with her sexy neighbor as a life), Marcus starts spending more nights in the city with his cell phone switched off. And Tod, whose fascination with mazes seems to have blossomed into a full-blown obsession, treads the worrying line between eccentric and problematic.

Ro searches for the right path in a few mazes of her own—her marriage, motherhood, country customs—but when she unearths a shattering secret, more than one truth is revealed and Ro is left wondering: Is the country any place to raise a family?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, British Literature, Romance

314 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Fiona is an author and journalist who has written for many UK publications including The Observer, The Guardian, Marie Claire, Red, New Woman, Top Sante and Elle. She writes a monthly column for Sainsbury’s magazine and is a Contributing Editor at Red magazine.

Fiona lives in Scotland with her husband, their twin sons and daughter. She likes to draw, run 10k races, play her saxophone and lie in the bath with a big glass of wine, although not all at once.

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very unusual book. I do enjoy Ms. Gibson’s writing style-often times laugh-out-loud funny. The subject matter ranges from cringe-worthy (for example discussing her husband’s nose hairs and toenails) to poignant when she discusses her son’s difficulties making friends and being “different”.
I would rate this at 3.5.

[Torimac · Rating 2 out of 5]

i kept falling asleep. i skipped ahead to see if there was something worth reading about and i found her having a tiresome conversation with her estranged husband. like nothing had changed from the 30th page to the 30th-from last page. i'm sure something did, but it wasn't obvious enough to keep me interested. but i like the cover. maybe i'll try again someday. maybe not.

[JV Austen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too obvious - he rushed her out of London to the middle of nowhere and a crappy house - he was having an affair - and of course she was going to finally pull it together and write that children's book based on her son - and of course find a real community in the small town where he abandoned them... read a bit, knew the end, skipped to the end and was correct

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was pretty good. It wasn't a thoroughly "light" read as there were some pretty serious issues that happened in it.
I just didn't care for the ending, it just kind of stops if you know what I mean.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could empathize with the main character of this story and her love of her somewhat unusual son. The story was an easy read and I was quite moved by the authors ability to convey the emotion behind the subtlest of actions. A really nice book .

[Elizabeth Tanner · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. Kid was special, maybe autistic. The Dad/husband was a twit. Main woman a little mousy.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different kind of book (and I think I might have said that about another of Gibson’s books...and it is NOT a negative thing!). It’s not frothy or chick lit or LOL...more ‘real’ and ‘gritty’.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book!

I'm reading my way through all of Fiona Gibsons books, I've enjoyed them all and quite sad when they are over. I would like a second part to this please Fiona, I would like to find out what happens to Tod as he grows up!

[Stephanee · Rating 3 out of 5]

British chic lit. Easy read.

[Amanda Astbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

not one of my favourites

[Miffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upon hearing about Marcus and Ro upping sticks to the country with their son Tod, I couldn't help but envy them slightly. Their new life seemed idealic, although it was an interesting twist about why Marcus is so reluctant to return home all the time. My only critisms are that it ended rather abruptly, without finding out much about whether anything is blossoming between Ro and Joe, and the book lacked an overall major storyline. However, it was a nice relaxing read that didn't require too much brain usage.

[Jencey/ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not all that impressed with my first Red Dress Ink book. I followed the story because the character of Tod struck me as being similar to students I had in the pass. I work with special needs students who have some of the same issues as Tod. I stuck with the book for that purpose. The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards to me was better than this book. I would definitely still read more of Fiona Gibson’s work. I just didn’t connect with the book.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I began this book (recommended by Powells' Daily Dose) it struck me as just another chick-lit book. It began to draw me in, thanks to some very likable and interesting characters, then left me hanging at the end. I stayed up late to finish it and was left with such an incomplete feeling that I had vivid dreams about the characters, coming to closure in my own subconscious.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Wonderboy. I'm at a place in life that I could relate to Ro and her devotion to her son and exasperation with her husband and sometimes Motherhood. I enjoyed Fiona Gibson's quick wit and funny descriptions of everyday circumstances. It was an easy read but far from boring. Very funny and heartfelt!

[Carolyn Lochhead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this from the library because I enjoy Fiona Gibson's columns in the Herald, and this story is definitely recognizable from her usual writing. I wasn't totally convinced by her characters and the story was a bit predictable, but the narrative was funny and quite moving in places, and I did enjoy the book.

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of good, but kind of odd. Not recommending it. This little family moves to the British countryside for the well being of their 5 year old son. The lead woman is too wimpy for me and then acts too childish in the end...

[mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fear running out of books by Fiona Gibson.

Such a very good writer. Each one better than the
last.
She tells a story with such ease. It's like taking with a very witty, cherished friend.

[Jamie N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked this one up at the library's used book sale because it looked like light summer reading without being too mind-numbingly stupid. And it was exactly that!

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a difficult time enjoying this book because I didn't like the characters.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my first Fiona Gibson book. I've loved her others more but this also isn't a 3*, it's probably a 7 out of 10 :)

The story meandered along a bit although I did enjoy her writing style.