In Wild Boy, Rob-Lloyd Jones excels in crafting characters who both irritate and enamour the reader; unlike the household Mary Sue, all too ubiquitous in children’s literature, neither Wild boy nor Clarissa bore the reader with excessive virtue, nor do they repulse him with a glut of vice. Clarissa’s fiery retorts temper her jaw-dropping acrobatic prowess, while Wild Boy’s inextinguishable desire for justice balances a fighting streak a mile wide. Active verbs pepper Jones’ prose, and the novel’s aglow with vivid imagery. Luxuriant in its detail, the historic setting immerses readers in cutthroat Victorian London. Wild Boy by Rob-Lloyd Jones sings with emotion and sparkles with the thrill of a bygone era.
