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Boy With Wings  tells the story of Johnny Cruel, a  boy born in the 1920's with unusual features who is blamed for the misfortunes of his town. His mother, Lena,  stages his death to escape, but she soon falls ill, leaving Johnny at a turpentine camp. There, he is cared for by former slaves until he is discovered and sold to a freak show. Johnny becomes the star attraction, finding acceptance and friendship among the other performers, especially the owner's daughter, Winifred.  However, hard times and a figure from his past threaten his newfound happiness.  A tragic accident leaves Johnny on his own for the first time where he must figure out who he is without cover of the freak show. 

Boy With Wings is an intriguing historical fiction story that explores the themes of  acceptance and belonging compellingly.  The most interesting thing about Johnny's character is not his wings, but his outlook on life, his perseverance and his relationships.  Johnny has dealt with a multitude of setbacks, hardships and social injustices in his life, but is still determined to be a good person.  The writing captures the feeling of the late 1920's and early 1930's as Johnny encounters racism, sexism, crumbling economics and dirty politics. Johnny is able to learn and take away something from  each place he lands in, taking what comes to him in stride.  The point of view rotated between Johnny and the other characters in his life, bringing the story deeper As Johnny grows, so do his wings, which added an element of magical realism and created a bigger mystery around Johnny.  While Johnny's story may not have taken him where I thought, it seemed like the next appropriate step in his life.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 



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In 1814, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin fell in love with family friend, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Mary is a teenager and Percy is married with a young child.  Mary's father and stepmother are completely against the idea.  Nevertheless, Mary and Percy run off together with the help of Mary's stepsister, Claire. Together, the couple struggles as finances suffer and their families refuse to recognize them. The couple and Claire take to moving around, meeting a host of new friends and writers including Lord Byron, whom Claire falls for.  Their journey, while filled with love and excitement, is also fraught with a series of tragedies.  While spending time with Lord Byron and a request for a ghost story contest, Mary begins writing Frankenstein, flushing out the story as events in her life begin to influence her writing.  

The Aziola's Cry is a fictionalized story of Mary and Percy Shelley's romance and writing careers.   The writing brings Mary, Percy, Claire and their friends and family to life through their eyes, reflecting the Shelleys' moods, observation and gothic undertones.  I was constantly amazed by Mary's boldness in life, through the good and the bad that she endured.  I had to constantly remind myself that Mary was still a teenager as she ran away from home, dealt with tragic losses, published works and travelled around Europe. It was interesting to learn about the Shelleys' ideals of free love and interactions in society.  The depression that seemed to run through Mary's family was also poignantly highlighted with her mother, her sister Franny and Mary herself.  As Mary's life became increasingly marked by tragedy, she was simultaneously writing "Frankenstein." The novel effectively illustrates how these events shaped her story, with Mary's character herself stating that "Frankenstein" was a condemnation of herself. The Aziola's Cry is a unique and insightful look into the lives of two extraordinary authors. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.