The Outside Boy
Jeanine Cummins
June 2010
360 pages
Published by Penguin NAL
Christopher Hurley is an outside boy. He’s a traveller, a tinker, a Pavee, a gypsy. Along with his father, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins, he travels around Ireland, scorned by most, but happy with his life.
When his grandfather dies, Christy discovers an old newspaper clipping of his mother, who died when he was born. His family has always been close-mouthed about his mother, and Christy is determined to investigate the mystery that is his Mam. When the family settles for a season so that Christy and his cousin Martin can attend school and take Communion (is that the right term?), Christy and a friendly local bookseller begin to puzzle away at the few clues the newspaper clipping yields.
Christy also struggles with settled life. Although they still live in a camp, Christy isn’t used to village life or school. He’s faced with scorn from local bullies, but also kindness from new friends. And when he uncovers the mystery that is his mother, Christy takes off on a journey in search of a better understanding of who he really is.
I just read Lean on Pete, which in all ways is a totally different book. However, in the end, the boy goes off on a journey with a horse…that was a weird bit of reading coincidence, especially as I don’t read too many books about boys and their horses. At least I thought I didn’t.
I did like this book, although it does seem to romanticize the Pavee life. Christy might have a few moments of doubt (learning the 10 Commandments made him worry a bit about the stealing and coveting), but he loves his family and the travelling life. Yes, there’s hunger and scorn, but there are also cozy nights around the campfire and afternoons spent reading in a tree, and an odd fascination with Elvis considering their rural life in 1950s Ireland. At times it just seemed a bit too happy, maybe because it contrasts sharply with many of the novels of Ireland that feature extreme poverty. And I’m not saying that Christy couldn’t be happy with his life, it just seemed too pat of an ending when he realized that the road was the place to be, and that those who lived in houses seemed to have compromised their principles and their happiness to do so.
Despite that, I enjoyed getting to know Christy and his family, and spending a little bit of time with some travellers.
This book was included the big bag o’ swag that I received at the Book Blogger Convention (which I will finish writing about one of these days, really). It survived its trip home from New York in spectacularly fantastic condition, only to fall victim to peach juice…I was trying to finish the book as I ate lunch. So if you don’t mind a little brown smudge on the outside of some of the pages, and you’d like a chance to inherit this book, please let me know in the comments. I’d love to pass this book along to someone who was not at the BBC, and I’ll draw a winner from those interested tomorrow.
Do you think perhaps it was romanticized because it was from the child’s pov? I’m trying to think back to other books similar to that, but usually they have a duel reading, the child’s pov and what the reader sees anyway (like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, where Francie romanticizes her very poor childhood but we see at the same time how not-great it was). I guess I’m curious if it feels like the author or the character is romanticizing that life?
(no need to enter me in the contest)
I have to admit I don’t mind a little romanticizing from time to time when it’s about children. I do, however, require at least a little justification for endings. I have this book on my way too large pile of TBR books, so I’ll get to it sometime in the next five years…
.-= Trisha´s last blog ..Book Review: Trickster =-.
This sounds like a great read, and I just love books set in Ireland. I would love a chance to read this one, so if it’s still available, that would be great! I love the way you’ve described this book, even if it is a little rose tinged. I don’t read too many books about boys and horses either!! I also wanted to mention the peach juice. I have recurring habit of spilling red juice on a lot of my books. Once I spilled a whole glass on a bunch of new books that I had just picked up from the used bookstore! I am not allowed to come near books with my red juice anymore!!
.-= zibilee´s last blog ..Based Upon Availability: A Novel by Alix Strauss – 352 pgs =-.
This seems like a fitting review to come across since I’m currently in Ireland–at least book wise.
The Outside Boy sounds charming, even with your reservations. No need to include me in the giveaway as I’m not sure it’s a book I would want to read.
.-= Literary Feline´s last blog ..(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday: Play Time =-.
I usually don’t read books set in Ireland for exactly the reason that they tend to be ever so miserable. But I might give this one a try.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Immoderately gushing about Megan Whalen Turner =-.
You drink peach juice? Really?
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..Review: "The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors" by Michele Young-Stone =-.
Jill….I’d be willing to give this one a shot after reading your thoughts. I got it recently from a PBS member. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Don’t enter me in the drawing — feeling a bit overwhelmed with books at the moment. Sounds interesting but not interesting enough to make me want to seek it out.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: The Turning: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis =-.
I’d love to read it. Please enter me!
.-= Jeane´s last blog ..A Treasury of Flower Fairies =-.
I know that’s not the life for me, but I do enjoy reading romanticized versions of it like that. Don’t enter me.
I just saw this in Chapters on Thursday and wondered vaguely about it, but I didn’t pick it up. I’m glad someone I know has read and reviewed it; your concerns with it romanticising the Pavee life have warned me off it, truth be told. It sounds a bit too … cute?
Ooh, Ireland! Travelers! I’ll be reading this one at some point, for sure.
.-= Ali´s last blog ..Thawing a rotten life: Un-book review times two =-.