Review Time! - Goodnight, Boy by Nikki Sheehan

Title: Goodnight, Boy

Author: Nikki Sheehan

Genre: Kids (Middle Grade/MG,) Young Adult*, Contemporary**

*YA crossover appeal

**ish

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free review copy of this book from the publishers, Rock the Boat, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read and reviewed Nikki Sheehan's Swan Boy back in 2016 - and that was a work of art.

Since then, I've been in contact with Nikki online, and I have to say that she rocks.

So when the opportunity came up to review Goodnight, Boy, I was in two minds.

Partly, I wanted to take the book as quickly as possible and devour it in fangirlish glee - but there was also a hesitance.

Because it's always hard to review a book written by someone you know - even if you only know them on Twitter.

I actually tend to be harsher on people I know, in order to counter-act any unconscious bias towards them that I may have. I'm perfectly capable of liking an author while remaining critical.

So, I thought I'd let you all know from the outset that I DO KNOW NIKKI.

I'm still going to be completely HONEST and FAIR (and hopefully she'll still talk to me afterwards!)

This book is about a Haitian boy who moves to America, so if there are any #ownvoices reviews from Haitians, black reviewers, or reviewers with experience of emigrating to the USA, please let me know.

I'd love to link to your reviews!

Premise:

JC has been confined to the back-yard and the doghouse, along with his dog, Boy.

In a foreign country, neglected, and alone, apart from Boy, we learn of JC's past... and wonder, alongside him, about his future.

Best bits:

Nikki Sheehan could write the ingredients for cornflakes, and I'd probably still read it. Her writing is something special and beautiful.

Honestly, I don't think anyone can find fault with her meandering and eloquent prose. It's excellent.

This entire book is JC's mental monologue - sometimes spoken out loud, though where one ends and the other begins is not entirely clear - addressing Boy throughout their lonely days together.

It's ambitious - the story of a boy from Haiti, uprooted and moved to the US, only to find himself in less-than-ideal circumstances.

The characters are deep and complex; everyone has reasons and motivations for what they do, even if we never hear them.

And Sheehan makes difficult subjects understandable without ever writing down to her audience.

Emotional manipulation is where Nikki excels, and she really doesn't hold back here. She gives her readers the feels. Constantly.

This book is heart-breaking in all the best ways - raw yet hopeful, painful yet sweet.

JC's bond with Boy - his only friend in this weird world he's found himself in - is truly beautiful, and shows just how important animals can be.

You will have moments of cursing Nikki for the feels she induces - dammit Nikki I'm human! ;) - but in the end, it really is something special.

Not so great bits:

Potentially distressing content includes:

- people trafficking
- abduction
- earthquakes
- death
- serious illness/injury
- loss of a child (grief)
- child abuse
- animal abuse
- child neglect
- animal neglect
- adoption from a foreign country
- illegal immigration
- starvation
- dehydration
- car accidents
- alcohol abuse



This is for kids aged 11-12+ - I can't see the content being suitable for anyone younger, and some kids of that age may not be ready to read it.

A strong case could be made that Nikki wasn't the 'right' person to tell this story - a white British woman writing the story of a black Haitian boy will be an uneasy match for many.

I know that a lot of people have issues with stories such as this one being written from outside the identities they portray, which is a valid point to bear in mind.

I personally think she pulled it off - but I may be wrong. I honestly don't know enough about Haiti to judge how well she does or not.

If anyone has written about this in more detail, please let me know!

The pacing with this one is a bit off in places. (Sorry Nikki, but it's true.) There are parts you zip through, and parts which drag unnecessarily.

The ending feels like it takes forever to come, and then is over in a heartbeat.

I think either it needed a shorter lead-up, or a longer resolution; whichever is the case, it's slightly jarring.

I also feel like we needed to see more of JC's new mother, Melanie.

In some ways she was the most complex character of all, but in others she really needed more page-time in order to be 'fleshed out' fully.

She ends up coming across as a little inconsistent - eager to have JC there, but barely spending any time with him. It didn't ring quite true - though it's a minor point, overall.

While I loved the bond JC has with Boy, I think Boy, too, could've done with just a touch more detail and personality.

Verdict:

Did I love it as much as Swan Boy? No - but then, I wasn't expecting to.

What I did find was a beautiful story, told with utmost skill and awesomeness. It's excellent.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Liked this post? Try these:

• Review Time! - Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan

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