The Only Boy by Jordan Locke Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch's senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out. Taylor's got a dangerous secret: he's a boy. His compound's been destroyed, and he's been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he'll be exiled. Maybe even executed. Mary's never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn't suspect Taylor's secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him. Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound's boundaries.
Amazon
The Only Boy was one of those books that I really wanted to read after reading the synopsis, I mean, how often do you get a boy pretending to be a girl in a book? - not that often that I know of. I must admit after actually reading the book it became more than that plot for me, for a young adult book it was actually kind of deep.
Taylor and Mary alternate points of view to tell their story of meeting one another and experiencing to very different homes - but they both live is a reality were men/boys are scarce or non-existent. Their story tells us about a community after a horrible disease that started with the men but also took a majority of women off the planet. They live in various sections under the Matriarch that had plotted rules to live by - for example, no touching, no leaving the compound, no doing anything the Matriarch doesn't like really - and that is everything.
I feel like in the 270 pages we got a lot of information and realizations. Both Mary and Taylor have experienced loss and are dealing with it; they find each other and have to learn to cope with the realization that things are different; there is crazy plot twisting all the way through; and then there are the Earthers who are (in my opinion) a little creepy...
This was a great book. I really enjoyed this dystopian society and its various bits, but I was curious -- If Mary was in Section One and Taylor from Section Seven -- where are the other Sections? Where are the people in them? I also felt like the ending and the explanation at the end about the disease/d was kind of a cop-out...thus 4 instead of 5 stars. But still a VERY GOOD read.
Read More >>> Excerpt and Giveaway Follow.
Taylor and Mary alternate points of view to tell their story of meeting one another and experiencing to very different homes - but they both live is a reality were men/boys are scarce or non-existent. Their story tells us about a community after a horrible disease that started with the men but also took a majority of women off the planet. They live in various sections under the Matriarch that had plotted rules to live by - for example, no touching, no leaving the compound, no doing anything the Matriarch doesn't like really - and that is everything.
I feel like in the 270 pages we got a lot of information and realizations. Both Mary and Taylor have experienced loss and are dealing with it; they find each other and have to learn to cope with the realization that things are different; there is crazy plot twisting all the way through; and then there are the Earthers who are (in my opinion) a little creepy...
This was a great book. I really enjoyed this dystopian society and its various bits, but I was curious -- If Mary was in Section One and Taylor from Section Seven -- where are the other Sections? Where are the people in them? I also felt like the ending and the explanation at the end about the disease/d was kind of a cop-out...thus 4 instead of 5 stars. But still a VERY GOOD read.
Read More >>> Excerpt and Giveaway Follow.
From Mary’s Point of
View
I hoped a new arrival—someone who hadn’t spent every day locked inside—might bring a sense of adventure, or at least have interesting stories. But Taylor doesn’t even want to talk to me. What a letdown.After lunch, I go back to class. When I see who’s sitting at the desk next to mine, my face grows hot. It’s bad enough I have to suffer through another of the Matriarch’s lectures, but to have Taylor beside me the whole time, that’s going to be torture. I sit at my desk and face the front wall—painted black, with lines of chalk dust ground into the cracks.Taylor speaks in a faint mumble. “Sorry.”When I can no longer stop myself from looking, I turn my head. Taylor’s eyes catch mine. Blue eyes. Haunting eyes. I open my mouth to speak, to accept the apology, but can’t even breathe.The Matriarch steps inside the room and flashes one of her fake smiles. “Taylor, would you come to the front of the class?”The girls whisper as Taylor inches forward. Hanging above is an Emergency Room sign. A piece has broken off, and some of the letters have peeled away. Now, the sign reads EMERGE.
Praise for The Only Boy
“It’s not a dystopia that does a good job—it’s a great book that happens to be a dystopia.”
Rachel Miller, Editor
“This book is one of the best of its genre I have read, it kept me gripped to its satisfying end.”
Janet Love, Amazon UK Reviewer
“If you like a different take on the dystopian genre then I would highly recommend this unique and amazing book.”
Tamara Bass, The Avid Book Collector
About the AuthorJordan Locke lives in Connecticut with his wife, two lively daughters and a well-behaved whippet. A graphic designer by trade, his creativity spilled over into the literary world. After years of writing, reading and learning the craft, his fifth novel, The Only Boy, brought him offers of representation from two well-known agents. Now, after the dog is fed and the kids are in bed, you will find him tapping away at the keyboard.
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I'm very intrigued by your review, Stephanie. It's like the opposite of Defy, but in a good way, because I really enjoyed Defy.
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