Boy Imperturbe
Andrew Nardo
Boathouse Press
ISBN: 978-0-615-18665-8
312 pages
Ordering Information: www.theboathousepress.com
Unforgettable! This is the word that echoed in my mind
after reading Boy Imperturbe by Andrew Nardo. Although all writers
must use their imaginations and writing skills to create a novel that will
hold the interest of readers, the author went far beyond the norm in
plotting this intriguing work of fiction. Without his powerful imagination,
the main character of Danny Snodgrass could not have come alive with such
realism.
Who is Danny? He is a seven-year-old boy who
finds the circumstances of his life so difficult that he uses his
imagination to escape the reality of his surroundings. Although a common
coping technique, Danny’s imagination is so potent that at times reality
collides with fantasy, leaving readers anxious about his well-being—even his
very survival.
Yes, there is the riveting darkness of danger, the
incredible sadness of Danny’s plight, and a desire to clobber the bullies,
but there is also the lightness of magic, adventure, victory, and laughter.
The author, subtly and not so subtly, allows readers to see the suffering
and emotional stress that Danny is trying to deal with. He finds it nearly
impossible to accept that his father, whom he had a close relationship with,
is really dead. He desperately needs him because his mother hasn’t been
there for him in a long time. Danny has a distant memory of her being a
loving person before something happened to her mind. In recent times all
she did was sit on the porch and watch for aliens, barely acknowledging
Danny’s presence. When she did, she appeared threatening; however, he’d
always felt protected by his father who was a long-distance truck driver—a
profession that cost him his life. After this tragedy, Danny initially
thought he was getting back his mother as she appeared to change, but
instead, he found himself imprisoned in the basement of their home. As
Danny fights for his very freedom, Tobias—a ghost—also needs a type of
release. Can and will these two characters be successful in helping one
another?
There are many other colorful personalities that
readers will meet as they turn the pages of Boy Imperturbe. Danny
and Alfred are literally inseparable, Captain Neutron is an extraordinary
goldfish, Goliath is a fearless rooster, and Mrs. Fenstermaker is a rather
eccentric but loving woman. She turns out to be one of my favorite
characters, apart from Danny, of course. As mentioned above, Tobias is a
ghost who also serves as an angel, and even though he is very contrary at
times, readers will like him the more they see him in action. He has his
own problems—being dead is just one of them.
The descriptive and general writing skills of this
author are remarkable, and readers will undoubtedly want to follow his
writing career. I believe Boy Imperturbe is a book that has appeal
to readers of all ages—from young children to the elderly. It is definitely
a “must read” and would make a great gift for all avid readers of fiction.
Bettie Corbin Tucker
For Independent Professional Book Reviewers
August 7, 2008
