[LD6]⇒ Download Gratis The Island of Worthy Boys A Novel Connie Hertzberg Mayo 9781631520013 Books

The Island of Worthy Boys A Novel Connie Hertzberg Mayo 9781631520013 Books

Download As PDF : The Island of Worthy Boys A Novel Connie Hertzberg Mayo 9781631520013 Books

The Island of Worthy Boys A Novel Connie Hertzberg Mayo 9781631520013 Books

My favorite historical novels have strong, rich characters that move quickly and always seem to be on the verge of trouble. They keep me engaged and usually provide a few facts that interest me. If the novel’s plot isn't too challenging, and the characters are well defined, I can get lost in the reading world for hours, wanting to see what the main characters see, smell what they smell and feel what they feel.

Connie Hertzberg-Mayo’s debut novel The Island of Worthy Boys is such a novel. This book is full of colorful, strong characters that got under my skin and stayed there from the very beginning.

The Island of Worthy Boys is a tale of two young disadvantaged boys, Charles and Aidan, who become partners in crime doing what they can to stay alive on the streets of Boston in 1889. And they do just fine until their wayward adventures take a big turn for the worst, and they know they must leave the city. Calling in a favor from an old friend, the boys manage to get themselves enrolled at the Boston Farm School for boys and escape being shipped to a prison style reform school for delinquents. They make a vow to stay close to each other at the school and keep their secrets secret no matter what.

The Boston Farm School storyline is superb. With a cast of characters who keep the story moving at a smooth pace, the school is a lively hub of activity. It even has a Superintendent that almost anyone would admire. He’s the entire opposite of the school matron (his wife) who’s overly suspicious and not particularly friendly to anyone.

Aidan and Charles are challenged with the rules and structure at the school until they find their feet and become a part of the community. As the months roll on they both learn new things, make friends and seem hopeful and happy. And just as things are looking good for them, their shady past rears its ugly head, and their future is in jeopardy once again.

A very satisfying read. I'm going to recommend this novel to most of my friends (it might be a bit too sophisticated for my YA reader friends).


Tags : The Island of Worthy Boys: A Novel [Connie Hertzberg Mayo] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Winner of the 2016 Gold Medal for Best Regional Fiction, Independent Publisher Book Awards</i> <br /><br /><b> In 1889,Connie Hertzberg Mayo,The Island of Worthy Boys: A Novel,She Writes Press,1631520016,Historical,AMERICAN NOVEL AND SHORT STORY,Coming of Age,FICTION Coming of Age,FICTION General,FICTION Historical,FICTION Historical General,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction-Coming of Age,FictionHistorical - General,GENERAL,General Adult,Historical - General,Massachusetts,coming of age, Victorian, Thompson Island, 19th Century, turn of the century, Boston, Boston Farm School,coming of age; Victorian; Thompson Island; 19th Century; turn of the century; Boston; Boston Farm School

The Island of Worthy Boys A Novel Connie Hertzberg Mayo 9781631520013 Books Reviews

This story, about two boys who commit a crime and then hide out at the Boston Farm School, truly weaves in the elements of the time (1889) in a way that is rich in detail but doesn't ever feel like a history lesson. The story is told from both the two boys' viewpoint as well as from the head of the school, which was an interesting insight into the period from three very different perspectives. Parts of the book are sweet, which normally isn't my thing, but I liked the characters and the story enough that it swept me along. Fans of Boston and historical fiction will really enjoy this.
The story of Charles Wheeler and Aidan Sullivan posing as the Weston brothers was a quick and great read. The struggle of the two teens trying to survive and their pretence at playing mature and grown up pulled a tug at my heart. The story the way its written cant help but make the readers wish the best for them. The Boston Farm School disciplined routine is so well described with just the perfect details. The characters of the school Matron, Superintendent and students aptly described greatly helped me imagine the place, time and happenings and how things must have been at the school. The book made me want to keep reading to find out where the two boys were headed with their destinies. The details of Boston neighborhoods at the turn of the 18th century gives the book a nice historic touch. Overall a fantastic debut novel by the author with the right mix of fiction, drama and learning. Will be looking forward to more books from this author.
Mayo reveals this bleak but hopeful world through the eyes of two very different boys who find common ground in dire straits. The author writes with command of Boston's conflicted history, from its seedy back alleys to its inspirational piano row to its island havens in the harbor. The hypocritical and classist charities that the boys encounter are treated with a rare subtlety, and her story is rich with characters who are complicated and unpredictable. The deepening friendship between the boys teeters on the edge of disaster, and hope for a just future for the two of them is what keeps the pages turning with anticipation. What a wonderful book.
I truly enjoyed this work of historical fiction from start to finish. Connie Hertzberg Mayo did a fabulous job researching The Farm School that was once a boys' school on Boston Harbor's Thompson Island. As a lifelong Boston resident, I've always been curious about the various institutions on Thompson Island, so I was really looking forward to this book.

But although I learned a great deal about the school and its headmaster, Charles Bradley, I was also intrigued by the wonderful, heartfelt story of two boys, Charles and Aidan, who end up at the school. Ms. Mayo is truly an artist when it comes to character development and dialogue, and the plot of this book will not disappoint. I would recommend it enthusiastically to anyone interested in Boston's history, or anyone who simply enjoys a great story, told by one of the best new writers I've read in a long time.
The Island of Worthy Boys was an intriguing read that I wanted to get back to each day. It is full of historical detail about a time and place not usually documented - an island near Boston for poor - but not delinquent - boys to be educated. This is a different sort of concept, and it was refreshing to read fiction based on fact that shows the inherent goodness of people rather than merely relating what could have been a predictably horrific setting. We've all seen that too many times. Mayo's re-creation, then, is surprising and fresh. She brings to light the compassion and desire to do good in the island's superintendent and his struggle to understand what that really means and to put it into practice. The Island of Worthy Boys was a wonderful read. I enjoyed getting lost in the characters and loved the setting!
My favorite historical novels have strong, rich characters that move quickly and always seem to be on the verge of trouble. They keep me engaged and usually provide a few facts that interest me. If the novel’s plot isn't too challenging, and the characters are well defined, I can get lost in the reading world for hours, wanting to see what the main characters see, smell what they smell and feel what they feel.

Connie Hertzberg-Mayo’s debut novel The Island of Worthy Boys is such a novel. This book is full of colorful, strong characters that got under my skin and stayed there from the very beginning.

The Island of Worthy Boys is a tale of two young disadvantaged boys, Charles and Aidan, who become partners in crime doing what they can to stay alive on the streets of Boston in 1889. And they do just fine until their wayward adventures take a big turn for the worst, and they know they must leave the city. Calling in a favor from an old friend, the boys manage to get themselves enrolled at the Boston Farm School for boys and escape being shipped to a prison style reform school for delinquents. They make a vow to stay close to each other at the school and keep their secrets secret no matter what.

The Boston Farm School storyline is superb. With a cast of characters who keep the story moving at a smooth pace, the school is a lively hub of activity. It even has a Superintendent that almost anyone would admire. He’s the entire opposite of the school matron (his wife) who’s overly suspicious and not particularly friendly to anyone.

Aidan and Charles are challenged with the rules and structure at the school until they find their feet and become a part of the community. As the months roll on they both learn new things, make friends and seem hopeful and happy. And just as things are looking good for them, their shady past rears its ugly head, and their future is in jeopardy once again.

A very satisfying read. I'm going to recommend this novel to most of my friends (it might be a bit too sophisticated for my YA reader friends).