Jesus Boy by Preston L. Allen

In between reading From Cape Town with Love and Jesus Boy, I read Wild Seed by Octavia Butler. It’s so complex, and I’ve read it so many times, that I’m going to go out of order and review Jesus Boy by Preston L. Allen before I review Wild Seed.

Not to say that Jesus Boy isn’t complex, because it is, but it was so…NEW to me. And it was a complete surprise. I wasn’t expecting much. I had never heard of the book or the author before (somehow I feel like I should be ashamed of myself). I was trolling Amazon for something to read and it came up on someone’s list. I really don’t remember how I came across it. I’m just extremely glad that I did.

I really REALLY liked this book. The book started off weird. Well, maybe not weird, I don’t know if it was Elwyn’s (the main character) voice or what, it just took some getting used to. I mean, I downloaded a sample to my Kindle, and almost didn’t buy it. I think it was that, at first, I couldn’t tell if the story was being told in genuine tone or a sarcastic one. After a while, I realized the tone was whatever I wanted it to be. Again, I’m glad I finished it.

We meet the main character, Elwyn, in kindergarten where he refuses to sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat due to the song’s secular nature. Elwyn was a born member of Church of Our Blessed Redeemer Who Walked Upon the Waters. His religion is very strict. There is no drinking, smoking, cursing, wearing of pants by women, listening to secular music, NONE of that. Elywn thrives in this environment, though. His first rebellion is how he fabricates a religious experience to get his first piano. And he MUST get a piano to play like his childhood crush, Peachie. That’s his first act of deception. Other than that, he’s a model, upstanding member of his church. He spends his lunch hour witnessing to other children all through high school.

Until Elywn gets to be about 16, his is the only voice we see in the book. Everything is told from his perspective. Also at this time, the tone of the book changes from the religious one that kind of threw me off in the beginning, to a more wordly one.  Which also coincides with Elywn doing a very worldly thing. Then, we go back in time, to hear the voice of Elwyn’s grandfather and grandmother. And then we hear from Peachie, now also an adult. The story follows Elwyn all the way through college. I feel like I can’t tell the story of everyone else without telling key points of the story, and I want everyone to be as surprised as I was.
Jesus Boy tells completely the destruction of Elwyn’s naiveté. How the experiences in his life, the things he sees and come to learn shape the man he becomes. So many times while I was reading this, I said to myself “’this movie is CRAZY”, and then I remembered I was reading a book, not watching a movie. Everyone’s story (there are many) is told so completely, but so succinctly that it makes you feel like you know everyone intimately. I loved it. It reminded me a little bit of Lost. I’m not a HUGE fan of Lost, but I am of everyone’s back story on Lost. About the lives they lived before they got stranded on that island. That was my favorite part of the series.

Which made me think about what and how the things that have happened in MY life that shape the woman I’ve become. Books that make me think about me and who I am and why I believe what I believe are my favorite. I think that’s what books are for. Great stories started my interest in reading, but books that spur introspection are why I absolutely LOVE to read.

I highly recommend Jesus Boy by Preston Allen. I have to see what else he’s written. My next review will be of Wild Seed.  One of my all-time favorite books by one of my all-time favorite authors.  Have a great week everyone.