Lost Boy (Lost Boy)

by Shelley Hrdlitschka

[wcs53]

I received this book from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

Jon, the Lost Boy of the title, is running away from his community, Unity, which is a polygamous community. He has been caught kissing a girl and decides to leave before he is banished. Unfortunately, he is not prepared for the 'real' world. Taken in by Abigail, who herself was from Unity, in her home in the nearest town where other lost boys have found a safe haven, Jon finds it increasingly difficult to fit in. Added to the difficulty is Abigail's rule that every lost boy must complete high school if he is to remain in her home.

Jon has only worked in construction since he left school in Unity. At school all he learned was mainly religious studies and anything that the Prophet deems appropriate, so high school is too much of a learning curve for him. His life spirals downward out of control, as he discovers drugs and alcohol, and he eventually finds himself homeless. At his rock bottom someone from his past comes back into his life and there is the potential for a change in his situation.

Anything else will be spoilers, so it has to be read to find out how it turns out for Jon.

It was a fairly easy read and most of the characters were well-written and fairly believable. What's hard to believe is that such communities, like Unity (which is a fictitious place), still exist in our society today. The author painted the picture of the community well, without overt criticism, allowing the reader to make up their own mind about how they feel in regard to such communities.

The book is a bit of an eye-opener at times and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of YA book from those that are out there.