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The Charlatan's Boy
“I only know one man who might be able to tell me where I come from, and that man is a liar and a fraud.”
As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act.
It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.
As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act.
It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2010
22 people are currently reading
1072 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Rogers
44 books306 followersJonathan Rogers grew up in Georgia, where he spent many happy hours in the swamps and riverbottoms on which the wild places of The Wilderking are based. He received his undergraduate degree from Furman University in South Carolina and holds a Ph.D. in seventeenth-century English literature from Vanderbilt University. The Bark of the Bog Owl has already found a receptive audience among Jonathan’s own six children. The Rogers clan lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where Jonathan makes a living as a freelance writer. The Bark of the Bog Owl is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
April 10, 2011
Jonathan Rogers chooses the simplest of settings -- a backwoods snake-oil circuit -- to drop a young orphan boy dragged into the universal search for identity. Grady is an ugly kid. In fact, he's ugly enough to be a cash-earning candidate as the ugliest boy in the world. Yet it's the aesthetics of soul that seem to trouble him most. With the brilliant Southern subtlety cousin to writers like O'Connor, Rogers uses an elementary, rural framework to explore everyman's journey. And he excels.
I've never been attracted to pristine heroes, frail wilting women or gallant knights unsoiled by evil. Give me a champion with dirt under his nails, who has seen the worst of human nature. Give me a protagonist who has wrestled with brokenness and emerges from it asking hard questions. Give me characters with their shine off, unDisneyfied, unbeautiful, unsure. Give me characters whose desire for what isn't yet points to what must become.
This is the sort of hero we are given with Grady. During the course of his young life, he has known nothing but deception and coldness. His caretaker moves from sham to sham, using him to wrestle money from the naïve. Yet Floyd's dominance over Grady has not killed the boy's desire for something more. From the earliest pages of this book, he seems to be something subtantially more than Floyd -- a different sort of life looking for a different sort of currency.
Expect serendipity as you read: tales of alligator wrestling, beautiful 80-year-old women, cattle wrestlers, and tribes of fantastical swamp Feechies. Like many of the best tales, Charlatan's Boy vibrates between mystery and reality with a lightfooted gait that taps into core things unaware. Profound but simple.
The Charlatan's Boy is a rich tale that works on many levels. Beautifully-written. Deep enough for multiple reads. Five stars for a job well done.
I've never been attracted to pristine heroes, frail wilting women or gallant knights unsoiled by evil. Give me a champion with dirt under his nails, who has seen the worst of human nature. Give me a protagonist who has wrestled with brokenness and emerges from it asking hard questions. Give me characters with their shine off, unDisneyfied, unbeautiful, unsure. Give me characters whose desire for what isn't yet points to what must become.
This is the sort of hero we are given with Grady. During the course of his young life, he has known nothing but deception and coldness. His caretaker moves from sham to sham, using him to wrestle money from the naïve. Yet Floyd's dominance over Grady has not killed the boy's desire for something more. From the earliest pages of this book, he seems to be something subtantially more than Floyd -- a different sort of life looking for a different sort of currency.
Expect serendipity as you read: tales of alligator wrestling, beautiful 80-year-old women, cattle wrestlers, and tribes of fantastical swamp Feechies. Like many of the best tales, Charlatan's Boy vibrates between mystery and reality with a lightfooted gait that taps into core things unaware. Profound but simple.
The Charlatan's Boy is a rich tale that works on many levels. Beautifully-written. Deep enough for multiple reads. Five stars for a job well done.
April 28, 2011
I absolutely had a blast with this book. Just the cover is enough to put me in a good mood.
I love the quirky almost Mark Twain-y style of writing, with its dialectical nuances and grammatical details. Grady, the main character is hilarious, with a self-deprecating humor that sustains the book all the way through.
The story line is solid, which is hard to do when you’re dealing with so many fantastical elements , and I never found myself bored or wishing a particular section would be over. All the characters have great flavor, with wholly distinctive voices.
Some scenes had me laughing out loud at the craziness. As you can probably tell, I loved this book and I can recommend it to everybody without worry. Go and immerse yourself in the Feechie scare.
I love the quirky almost Mark Twain-y style of writing, with its dialectical nuances and grammatical details. Grady, the main character is hilarious, with a self-deprecating humor that sustains the book all the way through.
The story line is solid, which is hard to do when you’re dealing with so many fantastical elements , and I never found myself bored or wishing a particular section would be over. All the characters have great flavor, with wholly distinctive voices.
Some scenes had me laughing out loud at the craziness. As you can probably tell, I loved this book and I can recommend it to everybody without worry. Go and immerse yourself in the Feechie scare.
November 6, 2018
This was a fun read; engaging, hilarious, and yet profound. There is so much about identity, love, and the idea of belonging in this delightful tale. I can’t wait for the sequel!
May 9, 2024
This book was great! I must say that at first, I judged it by its cover, which isn’t exactly pleasing to look at, but I loved the book so much. The writing style reminds me a bit of Mark Twain. It’s very witty and funny and I liked it. The plot was very good, and the ending surprised me. The words are written and spelled just the way the characters pronounce them. This usually gets on my nerves real quick, but I didn’t mind it so much in The Charlatan’s Boy. It was subtle and not overpowering, and it felt very natural.
August 8, 2020
3.5 stars actually. 4 because I really loved the Southern narration, but 3 because the plot was really slow to start and too quick to end. But it was better than a 3 star book. So...3.5.
Also, I felt like there were so many loose ends. I had more questions about what happened than I did at the start. Also, my book has a note at the end that Grady's story was supposed to continue in 2011? So I'm a little confused.
Also, I felt like there were so many loose ends. I had more questions about what happened than I did at the start. Also, my book has a note at the end that Grady's story was supposed to continue in 2011? So I'm a little confused.
January 29, 2024
Beautiful vernacular writing! I love Jonathan Roger’s Southern wit and talents. There is an episodic nature to the story that seemed to overshadow the full story arc, but it has a final bittersweetness that strengthens it beyond much middle grade fiction.
May 8, 2019
Enjoyable & endearing. There’s some deeper truths floating just beneath the surface of this one.
April 23, 2020
This isn’t available on audiobook, but the author did a Facebook live read aloud. It was great! His accents and sound effects are just delightful. I love this story in the fun world of Corenwald! I’ve heard that there might be a sequel coming out, and I really hope that is true.
January 6, 2019
Great dialogue. Memorable characters. Another hit from an author I really enjoy.
October 14, 2023
Think Huckleberry Finn...set in a unique fantasy world...minus the problematic elements of Huck Finn...
Content:
Professor Floyd is rather manipulative and mean. Some men make advances towards a girl.
Mild violence. Prejudice against a fantasy people group.
Content:
Professor Floyd is rather manipulative and mean. Some men make advances towards a girl.
Mild violence. Prejudice against a fantasy people group.
December 30, 2010
As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act.
It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.
My Take: I had no idea what to expect with this book but found the writing style similar to Mark Twain's Huck Finn. Then ending is so surprising, I simply didn't see it coming.
Grady is an ugly child who doesn't really belong. He's not a civilizer, not a drover, not a miner, not really anything. Floyd is his traveling companion and the talent behind the money making business. Like the traveling professor in "The Wizard of Oz," Floyd sells his wares or acts from a wagon. What he sells is usually Feechie.
What is a Feechie? you might ask. I have no idea but with a actor as good as Perfessor Floyd (No, that is not a typo) and a boy as ugly as Grady, their act is sure to entertain any in the vicinity. Until Feechies are no longer a curiosity or fear, that is. They try other acts but Feechies is where they bloom so the duo create a Feechie scare to get into the purses of all.
Entertaining and well written, the story is written first person by Grady. Just Grady. No last name. The writing never strays and Grady continues narrating the comings and goings with detail that had me giggling, capturing the personalities and quirks so very well.
It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.
My Take: I had no idea what to expect with this book but found the writing style similar to Mark Twain's Huck Finn. Then ending is so surprising, I simply didn't see it coming.
Grady is an ugly child who doesn't really belong. He's not a civilizer, not a drover, not a miner, not really anything. Floyd is his traveling companion and the talent behind the money making business. Like the traveling professor in "The Wizard of Oz," Floyd sells his wares or acts from a wagon. What he sells is usually Feechie.
What is a Feechie? you might ask. I have no idea but with a actor as good as Perfessor Floyd (No, that is not a typo) and a boy as ugly as Grady, their act is sure to entertain any in the vicinity. Until Feechies are no longer a curiosity or fear, that is. They try other acts but Feechies is where they bloom so the duo create a Feechie scare to get into the purses of all.
Entertaining and well written, the story is written first person by Grady. Just Grady. No last name. The writing never strays and Grady continues narrating the comings and goings with detail that had me giggling, capturing the personalities and quirks so very well.
September 4, 2014
I really wanted to love this book. I ended up just "liking" it. I'll break my review up by beginning, middle and end, as that is the most logical to me.
Beginning: Hilarious and endearing. I laughed out loud multiple times as I read this. My wife even asked, "So you're still reading that book?" each night, because there has not been a book in a long time that made me laugh so much. Plus the beginning 30-40% of the book really endears you to the main character, Grady.
Middle: Boring. Rogers lost me at about 40% or so. I don't remember the exact percentage read, but for a long time, I just didn't care about what was going on. I only kept reading because the book had so many good reviews and I wanted to know the conclusion for Grady.
Ending: Beautiful. The last 2 or so chapters can only be described as wonderful and beautiful.
Without the middle meandering so much, this would have been one of the few 5 star reviews I've ever given. It was a good book...just really wanted it to be great.
Beginning: Hilarious and endearing. I laughed out loud multiple times as I read this. My wife even asked, "So you're still reading that book?" each night, because there has not been a book in a long time that made me laugh so much. Plus the beginning 30-40% of the book really endears you to the main character, Grady.
Middle: Boring. Rogers lost me at about 40% or so. I don't remember the exact percentage read, but for a long time, I just didn't care about what was going on. I only kept reading because the book had so many good reviews and I wanted to know the conclusion for Grady.
Ending: Beautiful. The last 2 or so chapters can only be described as wonderful and beautiful.
Without the middle meandering so much, this would have been one of the few 5 star reviews I've ever given. It was a good book...just really wanted it to be great.
September 29, 2019
This book’s style reminded me just a bit of one of my favorite authors, Sid Fleischman. It has the same hometown boy feel full of zesty adventures, hilariously backwoodsy dialogue, and peculiar but heartfelt characters that are sure to win your heart!
One of blurbs on the back cover of this book dub novel a mix between C.S. Lewis and Mark Twain – and they’re not wrong. It has the conversational folksiness of Mark Twain, combined with the simple and light-hearted world building style of C.S. Lewis.
I will say, I WAS pretty disappointed by the ending. Things wrapped up way too quickly and in the wrong direction (in my opinion). I was willing to have an open mind about the ending, since there was an advertisement in the back for a sequel in which I expected things to be tied up more satisfactory but, upon doing a little research, there is not a sequel to be found. :/
One of blurbs on the back cover of this book dub novel a mix between C.S. Lewis and Mark Twain – and they’re not wrong. It has the conversational folksiness of Mark Twain, combined with the simple and light-hearted world building style of C.S. Lewis.
I will say, I WAS pretty disappointed by the ending. Things wrapped up way too quickly and in the wrong direction (in my opinion). I was willing to have an open mind about the ending, since there was an advertisement in the back for a sequel in which I expected things to be tied up more satisfactory but, upon doing a little research, there is not a sequel to be found. :/
November 1, 2016
This is one of my all time favorite books I've ever read, It was an amazing story with a great ending!!
May 31, 2017
"Floyd made his living by telling lies, and I made mine by being so ugly" The Charlatan's Boy. Grady is Floyd's partner in crime as they travel from village to village putting on a show with Grady featuring as "The Wild Man of Feechiefen Swamp." But as less and less people actually believe in feechies, their show becomes less and less popular. For a while they drifted from scam to scam without much success until Floyd came up with an idea that was sure to make them rich. The Charlatan's Boy is an original story filled with humor that had me laughing and looking forward to what happened next. The writing style was a unique blend of "I never spent no time in school" type writing and big words such as discombobulated, scrupulous, and robustious. The voice of Grady is realistic, allowing the reader to really sympathize with him, and made the story a plea
sure to read. I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multonomah Publishing Group for this review."
sure to read. I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multonomah Publishing Group for this review."
October 5, 2021
Pretty good, very imaginative. Light reading and hysterical! As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act. It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever. For ages 6-11.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever. For ages 6-11.
July 22, 2017
I am honestly not sure what to say about this book because I don't think I have ever read anything quite like it. Andrew Peterson says on the back of the book, "It's a new kind of story. It's C.S. Lewis and Mark Twain rolled into one." Upon reading the story, I have concluded that it is the best way to describe The Charlatan's Boy.
The pacing of the story is fairly quick, and I found the main character, Grady's, voice to be charming and amusing. With just the right amount of a Huckleberry Finn feel thrown into it, and a sweet little ending, I would not be afraid to recommend it to an 8 to 16 year old age range.
Overall, I can't say that it was my favorite story, but I did enjoy it and found myself actually laughing out loud at a few points. If the book's synopsis peaks your interest, give it a read. It's a unique one.
The pacing of the story is fairly quick, and I found the main character, Grady's, voice to be charming and amusing. With just the right amount of a Huckleberry Finn feel thrown into it, and a sweet little ending, I would not be afraid to recommend it to an 8 to 16 year old age range.
Overall, I can't say that it was my favorite story, but I did enjoy it and found myself actually laughing out loud at a few points. If the book's synopsis peaks your interest, give it a read. It's a unique one.
December 28, 2018
2.5 stars. That I keep wanting to describe this book as "sweet" when it emphatically wasn't is a testament to how strongly Grady was written. It was also easy to read and chugged along, though some of the schemes, plots, people who are jerks being jerks over and over etc., did get a bit repetitive. It also somehow read as old fashioned - not in a "I've been transported back to mumblety mublety in the traveling showman era" but more in a "I am trying too hard to pretend this was written by Mark Twain" sort of way. The ending was incredibly abrupt in a way that somehow made me happy for Grady but awkward about the premise of the entire rest of the book.
April 22, 2020
I listened to the author read this book over FB live during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I really enjoyed it tuning in every day. The Charlatan's Boy the tale of Grady, a misplaced child, who travels with a hustler doing various schemes as they move from town to town.
This would make a great read-aloud book if you have young children. Grady continually searches for something that will give him an identity. You'll laugh a lot and have lots of good conversation opportunities to discuss honesty, friendship, and finding a place to belong.
This would make a great read-aloud book if you have young children. Grady continually searches for something that will give him an identity. You'll laugh a lot and have lots of good conversation opportunities to discuss honesty, friendship, and finding a place to belong.
June 11, 2020
I didn't realize this was set in the same world as Jonathan Rogers' other fiction (which I have not yet read), but it is an easy world to enter, as the setting is reminiscent of the swamps of the American South. The dialect reminds me of Mark Twain and I can see this being a fun read aloud with kids. It felt very sad throughout (in an interview, he mentioned this "heavier" than his Wilderking Trilogy), and it began to drag just a little in the middle for me. But the ending was wonderful, hope-filled, and redeeming.
January 12, 2024
This was good. Much better then the Wilderking trilogy. This standalone set in the same world follows a charlatans assistant. It has better characterization, and was overall very fun and refreshing, as its not about political maneuvering and war like literally ever other fantasy book. Nothing really happens and it ends pretty abruptly. Also, its not very funny, though I think it wants to be a comedy. I enjoyed this overall though.
At the end it says a sequel will release... in 2011!!!
I'm writing this in 2024. There is no sequel. Creepy.
At the end it says a sequel will release... in 2011!!!
I'm writing this in 2024. There is no sequel. Creepy.
May 4, 2017
I enjoyed this a lot. Dialect use was good- not overdone. Grady (our hero) was likable, relatable, believable. Floyd was a very realistic antagonist- shades of gray, sometimes likable, not the absolutely evil, mustache-twisting Hitler caricature which lesser authors tend to use.
The denouement was a little lacking, somehow. I felt like something was missing, like it needed to be filled out a bit more. A minor flaw.
I'm looking forward to more from this author!
The denouement was a little lacking, somehow. I felt like something was missing, like it needed to be filled out a bit more. A minor flaw.
I'm looking forward to more from this author!
October 18, 2017
The Charlatans Boy started out pretty good and interesting. But at a certain point the story began to really drag and it felt like we were walking in slow long circles around the same hole in the floor. We were reading it as a family and I eventually just gave up. Especially because my daughter really dislike when we would read it together. My son went on to finish the book so perhaps he will have a better review than I did. I was pretty disappointed with it overall though.
July 1, 2020
The Charlatan’s Boy is by the author of The Wilderking Trilogy; the series that caused us to fall in love with feechies. We did enjoy reading The Charlatan’s Boy; just not quite as much as we enjoyed The Trilogy.
However, I believe endings can make or break a story. And this ending was so well done...I almost couldn’t finish reading it aloud. We all have the desire to belong. And when we find that belonging it is a beautiful thing. Definitely recommend The Charlatan’s Boy.
However, I believe endings can make or break a story. And this ending was so well done...I almost couldn’t finish reading it aloud. We all have the desire to belong. And when we find that belonging it is a beautiful thing. Definitely recommend The Charlatan’s Boy.
July 22, 2020
One of the beautiful things that has come out of COVID for my family is the beginning of an on-line book club. Ages 8-77 meet over Zoom 1-2x per week. It's been a great opportunity to share beautiful literature together. This was our first book to read and it did not disappoint. We laughed out loud, pondered deep truths, and choked back sobs together. This is a necessary book - it speaks to deep longings we all have.
February 14, 2022
My 13 yr old son and I read this as nightly read aloud, took a bit to really get into it. He absolutely loved this book and wishes it would become a movie! He said tonight after finishing he might not be able to sleep because he was happy how it ended. I might not be able to either thinking about him smiling in his sleep ;) while this might not be a book you grab on first pass, it’s worth taking a chance and loving the ugliest boy in the world. 🥰
November 9, 2017
Not a book I would have picked up on my own, but enjoyable nonetheless. Probably a little better as a book for boys than girls. One to keep in mind for AJ when he is older. Fun to read aloud with a southern accent. Had no idea where it was going most of the book but Brooke and I were both happy with the ending.
April 2, 2020
This book is fantastic. It truly reawakened my love for fiction. The narrator is an extremely lovable character and his voice is superbly written. I adore the dialogue.
My mom and my best friend devoured this, too, upon my recommendation, and it was really sweet to discuss it with them.
Don’t miss this one.
My mom and my best friend devoured this, too, upon my recommendation, and it was really sweet to discuss it with them.
Don’t miss this one.
August 29, 2020
This was a good story. Another author described it as similar to a Christian Mark Twain tale. We read the Way of the Wilderking series first, and so I knew about feechies, which made this book a bit more enjoyable, I think. Now I want to go back and reread the other books, to enjoy them again and see if they're connected in any way, such as characters from this one in the others.
February 14, 2022
Maybe 3.5 - While I felt like this story lacked the plot that Jonathan Rogers’ Wilderking Triology had, it was still fun to return to the world of Feechies and Corenwalders. I’ll walk away from this book loving the southern charm of the swamps but remembering even more the beauty of a mama’s love, the strength of community, and the way that our hearts can be tied so deeply to our roots.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews