Boy's Life Review

From Goodreads

Boy's Life
by Robert McCammon
From Goodreads:

 Zephyr, Alabama, is an idyllic hometown for eleven-year-old Cory Mackenson — a place where monsters swim the river deep and friends are forever. Then, one cold spring morning, Cory and his father witness a car plunge into a lake — and a desperate rescue attempt brings his father face-to-face with a terrible vision of death that will haunt him forever.

As Cory struggles to understand his father's pain, his eyes are slowly opened to the forces of good and evil that are manifested in Zephyr. From an ancient, mystical woman who can hear the dead and bewitch the living, to a violent clan of moonshiners, Cory must confront the secrets that hide in the shadows of his hometown — for his father's sanity and his own life hang in the balance...

This tale of an 11-year-old's struggle between innocence and evil begins with the discovery of a gruesome murder and ends with the revelation that, even in Zephyr, Alabama, life is not safe and simple--and most things and people are not what they seem to be. "Recaptures the magic of being a child in a world of possibilities and promise. . . ."--Atlanta Journal Constitution.

My Thoughts:  This was an amazing read!  This is only my second McCammon book, but his writing just blows me away and I know that he'll have a place amongst my favorite authors of all time. A very, very special thanks to Midnyte Reader who not only got me this book, but got it signed by Robert McCammon himself!  And thanks to Stephen King, who recommended McCammon's book The Five last summer.  I love finding great authors by simply reading what you're favorite authors are reading.

Boy's Life is a coming of age story, but there is so much more involved!  The town of Zephyr still holds a bit of magic for young Cory and his friends, magic they desperately need as a year of bullies, outlaws, ghosts, water creatures, fallen ladies, death, racism, nose picking girl named Demon, nazis, neo-nazis, carnivals, amazing pitcher named Nemo, nightmares, visions and story telling. 

I know, it seems a lot for just one book, but McCammon weaves it all together seamlessly.

It's awful, because I already know that I am not going to do enough justice to this book.  I know that some of you are going to write this book off simply because McCammon's novels fall under the horror category.  But his writing is just amazing!  There were so many lines I was copying down in my little quote book, so many times the book had me laughing, or crying, or just plain scared and worried for Cory and his friends.  I really felt like I was part of the town of Zephyr, like maybe I was Cory's nosy neighbor. 

I was not expecting this book to be so filled with magic, but once I got into the book it became my favorite part.  Some of the magic simply came from a young boy's imagination.  A magic most people put away when they grow up.  But writers don't, and I don't think us rabid readers do either.  I think we still have the touch of magic that we had as kids, and books help us tap into it now and then.

Here's some of my favorite quotes from the book:

 “See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God's sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they'd allowed to wither in themselves.”

 “I'd like to be everybody in the world' I said. 'I'd like to live a million times.'
'Well'--and here my father gave one of his sagely nods--'that would be a fine piece of magic, wouldn't it?”

“I had always wondered what Reverend Lovoy meant when he talked about "grace." I understood it now. It was being able to give up something that it broke your heart to lose, and be happy about it.”

  “Maybe crazy is what they call anybody who's got magic in them after they're no longer a child.”

Boy's Life is that kind of book.  It'll help you tap into the magic.

Boy's Life gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

**My copy of Boy's Life was gifted to me by the amazing Midnyte Reader, so all opinion, comment, and snark are completely my own.**

Mailbox Monday #1

 Since my one of BEA roomies and blogger friend, Cindy of Cindy's Love of Books is hosting this meme for the last time this month, I thought I'd actually participate! Plus, I gots some cool books.

For Review:

Underworld by Meg Cabot. Already finished this one and I'll be mailing it off to the next blogger on the tour this morning.  Review will be up soon!

Arise by Tara Hudson. Haven't read the first book, hope that doesn't make a difference.  Love the cover!

Timepiece: Hourglass #2 by Myra McEntire.  God bless you, Netgalley!

Gifted:

SIGNED copy of Boy's Life by Robert McCammon!  God bless you, Midnyte Reader!! She attended the 2012 World Horror Convention and picked this up just for me (and now McCammon totally knows my name!).  And then she shared a cab ride with him and Sherrilyn Kenyon.  I am awash in jealousy and awe. But mostly I'm thankful for the book! ;)

Borrowed:

 Divergent by Veronica Roth.  Kim was nice enough to lend me her copy and I have promised to read it with the utmost care and consideration. ;)

A Wake Me Up Read

Have you ever read a book that surprised you, more than once?  I'm currently reading The Five by Robert McCammon as part of my Stephen King Reading List Summer Self-Challenge.  I thought it'd be in the thriller/horror genre or crime genre, I'm only 50 pages in, but it's leaning more towards thriller/horror... I think.  I also assumed it was about zombies or some kind of murderous apocalypse based on the cover.

But it's about a band.  On the road.  I have to admit, I was a little put off by that.  I don't know why but the idea of spending time with a band on the road just didn't appeal to me.  I've never read a Robert McCammon book so I have no established trust with him.

Despite my initial hesitation, I must say McCammon has won me over with his writing.  It's a long book, 50 pages in is a mere drop in the bucket, but now I'm anxious for the band.  First of all they are currently in Texas, they're debuting a video on tv that can be seen as anti-war and one of the locals has already warned them not to take a political stand, and now there's a strange girl passing out water and maybe blessings.  I have no idea where this is going, but I'm a little in fear for our band of five.

Plus, I read the author's note in the back where Robert McCammon lists all of the many, many, many bands and artists that helped him write this book, starting with the Verve. He doesn't just list a handful of bands, he lists over two pages of bands.  And it is packed with other groups and singers I like. Now he has all kinds of musicians listed, in no particular order, but the fact that not only does he know who The Call and Toad the Wet Sprocket are but likes them enough to list them has made me want to read everything he's ever written. 

So I went from thinking I'd love the book (which I thought might be about zombies), to thinking I'd hate the book (thinking it was about a band on tour), back to thinking I'm going to love the book (based on McCammon's writing style and superior taste in music).

It's often easy, especially when I get stuck in a genre, to stop being surprised by plots or authors.  It's kind of nice when a book comes along and wakes you up.  A book that says, don't go judging so fast, little miss reader, I've got more than one trick up my sleeve.

What was the last book that surprised you?