Bicentenary Boy

by Mike Rothery

Psychologist Dani Corby has dealt with quite a few clinically deluded patients in her career, and at first, the case of Joey Horne seems no different. Until the young man delivers his testimony in writing. She is impressed, both by the manuscript’s scholarly style, and Joey’s neat, old-fashioned script. Upon reading it, however, she becomes obsessed with debunking the very idea: How could a fifteen-year-old boy, born in the eighteenth century, pop up in a Haitian village in 1952?
At the Institute in Miami, she agrees with her boss's suggestion to bring in a specialist in Past-Life Regression Therapy, a new and little-tested procedure to help amnesia patients. As the incredible tale unfolds, Dani fears her grip on reality is slipping away.
What emerges is the story of a young man who sets sail in 1754 for the American colonies and somehow strays into an alien world of magic and monsters.
Dani tries to distance herself from the case, but when Joey gets sick, and a strange old woman accosts her with dire prophesies, it begins to feel like Joey’s destiny is inextricably tangled up in her own. As the boy’s health deteriorates, she embarks on a daring and career-blowing mission to save his life.
Bicentenary is an extraordinary, provocative romp through swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, true friendship and tragic loss, and life and love in the mythic Underworld that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

407 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2018

About the author

I divide my time between working at my home in Elgin, cycling around the Highlands, and cruising the Atlantic/Caribbean islands in my yacht, Island Spirit. In past lives, I served twenty-five years in the Royal Navy and then another twenty as Director of a computer software company in the Midlands. Although I have written several novels since retirement, I consider To Run Before the Sea my first quality work. I am currently (Oct 2020) completing the sequel, The Travel Agent, to be released in December 2020. Several more Rosie Winterbourne stories will follow.

Bio: Mike Rothery was born in 1949, in Yorkshire, England, and lived his first ten years at various military bases in France, Germany and Northern Ireland. The family returned to Yorkshire when his father retired from the RAF in 1960. Mike joined the Royal Navy in 1965 and served in various ships until 1990, when he embarked on a new career in software development. Retiring in 2010 he returned to the sea where he began his writing career. He now cruises the oceans in his yacht, Island Spirit.

Reviews

[Katy Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did receive a free copy of the book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review.

From the description, I wasn't sure if I'd like this book. On the whole, the plot was excellent. The characters were delightful. The story flowed well from one section to the next.

I will admit that I was a little confused by the Underworld, and what rules and functions governed. It makes sense in the end, but the majority of the second part of the book, I was frustrated as I tried to learn the world.

As an American reader, I was a little concerned about the use of dialectical representation, because of its racial connotations. I was equally concerned about the use of period correct terms regarding race- given current events, it may not be well received by American readers. I was also surprised by how Dani was treated as a professional woman. Never have I, as a woman, had a male supervisor or colleague listen to me the way her male colleagues did. It seems deeply unrealistic to me, and I kept waiting for them to repeat back her claims or ideas as if they were original to the man.

On the whole, good book! I deeply enjoyed reading it! I do have to wonder if there will be a sequel about Dani and her new life, though.

[Jennifer Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review*

Genre: Adventure, time travel

I really enjoyed this book. I had recently read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, and Bicentenary Boy is definitely in the same vein. The main character, Joey, has almost Candide levels of luck where his life swings from extremely lucky to extremely unlucky. Joey begins in England training to be a doctor in the mid 1700's when his family moves to the Americas. On the way his boat is boarded by pirates and an amazing adventure through pirate and voodoo lore takes place. Somehow he ends up in Miami in the 1950's, and part of the book involves solving this mystery.

I think my favourite part of the book was the cook on the pirate ship, and how he ended every sentence with "oh, arrr."