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The One-in-a-Million Boy
The story of your life never starts at the beginning. Don't they teach you anything at school?
So says 104-year-old Ona to the 11-year-old boy who's been sent to help her out every Saturday morning. As he refills the bird feeders and tidies the garden shed, Ona tells him about her long life, from first love to second chances. Soon she's confessing secrets she has kept hidden for decades.
One Saturday, the boy doesn't show up. Ona starts to think he's not so special after all, but then his father arrives on her doorstep, determined to finish his son's good deed. The boy's mother is not so far behind. Ona is set to discover that the world can surprise us at any age, and that sometimes sharing a loss is the only way to find ourselves again.
So says 104-year-old Ona to the 11-year-old boy who's been sent to help her out every Saturday morning. As he refills the bird feeders and tidies the garden shed, Ona tells him about her long life, from first love to second chances. Soon she's confessing secrets she has kept hidden for decades.
One Saturday, the boy doesn't show up. Ona starts to think he's not so special after all, but then his father arrives on her doorstep, determined to finish his son's good deed. The boy's mother is not so far behind. Ona is set to discover that the world can surprise us at any age, and that sometimes sharing a loss is the only way to find ourselves again.
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 5, 2016
About the author
Monica Wood
23 books901 followersMonica Wood is the author of four works of fiction, most recently The One-in-a-Million-Boy, which won a 2017 Nautilus Award (Gold) and the 2017 fiction prize from the New England Society in the City of New York. She also is the author of Any Bitter Thing which spent 21 weeks on the American Booksellers Association extended bestseller list and was named a Book Sense Top Ten pick. Her other fiction includes Ernie’s Ark and My Only Story, a finalist for the Kate Chopin Award.
Monica is also the author of When We Were the Kennedys, a memoir of her growing up in Mexico, Maine. The book won the Maine Literary Award for Memoir in 2013, and the Sarton Women's Literary Awards for Memoir in 2012.
Monica is also the author of When We Were the Kennedys, a memoir of her growing up in Mexico, Maine. The book won the Maine Literary Award for Memoir in 2013, and the Sarton Women's Literary Awards for Memoir in 2012.
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December 24, 2018I had an interesting reading experience with this book, which I'll be talking about in an upcoming video on my channel. Overall I thought this was a pretty good read! It didn't blow me away, but it was a nice and heartfelt contemporary.
November 30, 2022
It's sad, it's amusing, it's uplifting, and the writing is beautiful. This is the most unlikely of relationships - 104 year old Ona Vitkus and an 11 year old boy, but it's a joy to see it unfold, and watch how the story develops because of this relationship. Their friendship impacts on all those who know them, and just be sure to keep the tissues handy - you’ll need them!
May 3, 2016
4.5 enthusiastic stars
I'm stunned this book isn't receiving more buzz, as it is one of the better books I've read this year.
"The One in a Million Boy" is about a socially-awkward 11 year old boy who is obsessed with The Guinness Book of World Records (known to readers only as "the boy") and a 104 year old woman named Ona Vitkus whom the boy interviews for a school project. Of course, to say that the book is only about Ona, the boy, and the school project, would be like saying that The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is about a man who went out for a walk. "The One in a Million Boy" is filled with love and humanity without at all being saccharine.
I'm not saying anymore, because for me part of the joy was discovering the beauty of this book without any preconceived notions. In fact, DO NOT read the Amazon description, and be very wary of reading other reviews, unless they are from trusted reviewers who do not give spoilers (you may even want to skip the GoodReads blurb).
If you liked The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, or even Me Before You my prediction is that you'll enjoy this.
I'm stunned this book isn't receiving more buzz, as it is one of the better books I've read this year.
"The One in a Million Boy" is about a socially-awkward 11 year old boy who is obsessed with The Guinness Book of World Records (known to readers only as "the boy") and a 104 year old woman named Ona Vitkus whom the boy interviews for a school project. Of course, to say that the book is only about Ona, the boy, and the school project, would be like saying that The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is about a man who went out for a walk. "The One in a Million Boy" is filled with love and humanity without at all being saccharine.
I'm not saying anymore, because for me part of the joy was discovering the beauty of this book without any preconceived notions. In fact, DO NOT read the Amazon description, and be very wary of reading other reviews, unless they are from trusted reviewers who do not give spoilers (you may even want to skip the GoodReads blurb).
If you liked The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, or even Me Before You my prediction is that you'll enjoy this.
August 8, 2017
We never know his name but we come to know almost immediately the fate of the eleven year old boy who has a thing for world records and for counting and making lists and collecting things by 10. Is he just quirky or anxious or obsessive compulsive or lonely? Maybe a little of all of these but what we know for sure - he's smart and perceptive and has a special capacity for understanding as he connects with the lonely 104 year old Ona Vitkus , who he helps each week as he works toward his Boy Scout badges. Throughout the book we come to know just how much the boy gives to Ona - mostly it's the gift of friendship, but it's also the ability to come to terms with her past and her future. Telling the boy her story for a school project, she also somehow finds her native language, Lithuanian, even though she has been in the US for 100 years . The interview, the amazing interview tells us a little about the boy's life as well - his parents are divorced, he's bullied and has no friends, except of course, Ona Vitkus. The story is also about grief, regret, forgiveness. This is somewhat sentimental and sweet, and sad but I loved every word . It's also uplifting and a story I probably won't forget soon largely because of the boy and Ona, two characters that it took me all of a minute to fall in love with. I can't make a list of complaints because there is only one - I wanted to know his name .
October 17, 2016
My thoughts are awash after reading this story that I cannot stop thinking about. Books I’ve loved tend to do that. “Loved” kind of says it all, but because the boy in the book, who grabbed my heart, was a boy who liked to count and list things by groups of ten, I thought I’d form my own list of ten thoughts and feelings that tries to explain why this story so affected me:
1.) I cannot ignore the World records that were such a part of this 11-year old boy’s personality. I found myself looking forward to these lists as they popped up between chapters, in groups of ten of course. The best part: they pertained to and enhanced the story.
2.) Gosh, this book made me laugh. Inside and out loud.
3.) On the flipside - tears. Yeah, I was close. Quite a few times actually. I’ve said it before: emotions can lift a story to the next level.
4.) The friendship between this uncommonly wonderful boy and the 104-year-old woman named Ona defied proved that the boundaries of age are nonexistent and trivial.
5.) This boy’s stamp on many hearts made a deep impression on mine. A boy so young and seemingly small yet whose presence remains large. He is the intangible that binds.
6.) The dad realizing that he cannot go back, but can still love the son that was lost and understanding the blessings of the love he did not see.
7.) The mom whose broken heart finds solace in forgiveness, and the knowledge that the same heart can yet love another.
8.) The way a child can teach a 104-year-old friend to recall the best parts of a life; that age is only a number; and beginnings can occur at any point.
9.) Gorgeous, heartfelt wording:
1.) I cannot ignore the World records that were such a part of this 11-year old boy’s personality. I found myself looking forward to these lists as they popped up between chapters, in groups of ten of course. The best part: they pertained to and enhanced the story.
2.) Gosh, this book made me laugh. Inside and out loud.
3.) On the flipside - tears. Yeah, I was close. Quite a few times actually. I’ve said it before: emotions can lift a story to the next level.
4.) The friendship between this uncommonly wonderful boy and the 104-year-old woman named Ona defied proved that the boundaries of age are nonexistent and trivial.
5.) This boy’s stamp on many hearts made a deep impression on mine. A boy so young and seemingly small yet whose presence remains large. He is the intangible that binds.
6.) The dad realizing that he cannot go back, but can still love the son that was lost and understanding the blessings of the love he did not see.
7.) The mom whose broken heart finds solace in forgiveness, and the knowledge that the same heart can yet love another.
8.) The way a child can teach a 104-year-old friend to recall the best parts of a life; that age is only a number; and beginnings can occur at any point.
9.) Gorgeous, heartfelt wording:
”Then ten, and ten again, chiming from concealed spots above and between and around the houses and garages and parked cars and telephone poles and the light urges into the astonishing hour, each chime pecking a pinhole in the sheeted dark until the last layers shred completely and the light pours in and in.”10.) Beautiful endings.
September 19, 2017
This is the season of the Jewish High Holy Days.....
A time to reflect - a time for moral self-assessment-seeking forgiveness from others we have harmed- making amends as appropriate.
This story fits with the season!!!
In Monica Wood's book....."The One-In-a-Million-Boy"......
After the loss of his son, a father carries on the boy's commitment to a 104 year old woman, named Ona.
The father was resistant at first....but because of the boys devotion and obligation to Ona, the father soon reaps the value himself -by obtaining a terrific friend and perceptibility about himself. In the most unexpected way people and history come together.
This is a beautiful story about unusual friendships.
The writing is poetic, humorous, tender & sensitive.
The universal themes of friendship, love, regret, forgiveness, and atonement are not sugar coated --not sappy - simply awe-inspiring and enjoyable!!
A time to reflect - a time for moral self-assessment-seeking forgiveness from others we have harmed- making amends as appropriate.
This story fits with the season!!!
In Monica Wood's book....."The One-In-a-Million-Boy"......
After the loss of his son, a father carries on the boy's commitment to a 104 year old woman, named Ona.
The father was resistant at first....but because of the boys devotion and obligation to Ona, the father soon reaps the value himself -by obtaining a terrific friend and perceptibility about himself. In the most unexpected way people and history come together.
This is a beautiful story about unusual friendships.
The writing is poetic, humorous, tender & sensitive.
The universal themes of friendship, love, regret, forgiveness, and atonement are not sugar coated --not sappy - simply awe-inspiring and enjoyable!!
November 18, 2017
A diligent, hard-working 11 year old boy who loves making lists and counts everything bonds with a 104 year old woman over animal crackers and milk. The boy is committed to earning a Scout badge for volunteering to do her yard work and, despite ‘firing’ previous young lads, Ona Vitkus sees something in this boy that is rare and special.
When the boy can no longer keep his commitment, his father, Quinn, steps in to complete the seven remaining scheduled Saturdays. Quinn considers himself a failed husband, a failure as a father, and is bemused by the fact that he may be the oldest working musician who has never had a recording offer.
Quinn’s twice-ex-wife Belle agrees with his self-assessments but also has her own problems to bear. Like magnets, they keep being drawn to Ona and her ambitions set in motion by the boy to become a respected entry in the Guinness World Book of Records.
The dynamics between the characters in this book are unreservedly captivating. I bonded with almost every character mentioned in the book for various reasons and shed tears for – and with – many of them, too.
This story is unique and breaks your heart at times, yet the strong notes of redemption and triumph are always there in the wings, awaiting their moment. I found this book to be very moving and tangible. The people are genuine, their story dramatic, yet without a hint of soap opera or melodrama. Real people, living real lives, experiencing the realities of each other and the bright notes where their realities touch each other’s. A beautiful book that will bring light into your life and a song in your heart.
When the boy can no longer keep his commitment, his father, Quinn, steps in to complete the seven remaining scheduled Saturdays. Quinn considers himself a failed husband, a failure as a father, and is bemused by the fact that he may be the oldest working musician who has never had a recording offer.
Quinn’s twice-ex-wife Belle agrees with his self-assessments but also has her own problems to bear. Like magnets, they keep being drawn to Ona and her ambitions set in motion by the boy to become a respected entry in the Guinness World Book of Records.
The dynamics between the characters in this book are unreservedly captivating. I bonded with almost every character mentioned in the book for various reasons and shed tears for – and with – many of them, too.
This story is unique and breaks your heart at times, yet the strong notes of redemption and triumph are always there in the wings, awaiting their moment. I found this book to be very moving and tangible. The people are genuine, their story dramatic, yet without a hint of soap opera or melodrama. Real people, living real lives, experiencing the realities of each other and the bright notes where their realities touch each other’s. A beautiful book that will bring light into your life and a song in your heart.
October 18, 2016
4.5 stars I just loved this book! So heartwarming, funny, sad, you will feel it all. Ona Vitkus a 104 yr old Lithuanian immigrant and the most unlikely friends she made just make this an awesome read.
January 27, 2020
It started with tears and ended with happiness, what a beautiful story about friendship and love!
June 13, 2016
This was a very sweet book, which I thank Goodreads and the publisher for my hard copy. I have never seen such a specific layout in a book before, and this made a lovely story into a quirky reading experience.
I love to read about the underdog, and here we meet a lovable 11 year old boy who forms an unlikely friendship with Ona – who happens to be 104 years of age! I also love to watch a character, seemingly flawed, grow from something not to be proud of into something to be absolutely so. Quinn was this character for me, this time around.
The boy loves numbers, he counts, and this is just one of his many quirks. Born to Belle and Quinn he’s an old soul. Quinn has been an absent father and is a musician and doesn’t seem to have bonded with his son. The last scene of this book brings us some clarity here, the ending was special.
A recording device is used by the boy to tape Ona as she muses over her life, the way in which this was captured was clever, we see the to-ing and fro-ing of the conversation. Ona thinks she’s seen it all and is very moved to realise how much this child has taught her over such a small period of time, after all it should be her teaching him, shouldn’t it?
The boy has a lot to teach, even his absent father. I love the imagery at the very end where birds have captured a musical note on his recorder that the boy was not able to capture. His dad would have been so proud of this. This is a slow to burn story, patience is a requirement but will be rewarded.
December 16, 2016
What a beautiful book. And that ending - the might have been if what happened had not happened. The sadness that . And that wonderful epilogue abut Ona. What a woman!!!
Okay so I am a bit lost for words. Read it. You will not be sorry.
Okay so I am a bit lost for words. Read it. You will not be sorry.
July 2, 2016
As this story begins, Ona Vitkus is a hundred and four years, one hundred and thirty-three days old. Born in Lithuania, raised in Maine where she’s lived since she arrived at the age of 4 years old. Her parents fled with her to the US in fear of the coming Russian invasion. Her parents spoke little English, where Ona can speak only English, a word or two of Lithuanian floating through her memory now and then.
The boy’s father, Quinn, appears two weeks after the boy had last visited Ona, doing what scouts do, assisting the elderly with chores that need periodic tending. Ona has been disappointed in all the previous Scouts until this latest boy, Quinn and Belle’s son. He’s different from the rest, more attentive, inquisitive. In his journal he’d written of her: “Miss Vitkus is EXTREMELY inspiring in her magic powers and AMAZING life events!!!” Quinn knows this since he has been reading this diary, a way for him to get to know his boy on a level he never could any other way, anymore.
The boy has been fascinated with numbers since he first learned to talk, his first words being: “one, two, three.” He’s fascinated with counting things, has an obsession objects in his lists in stacks of ten. He’s obsessed with world records, the Guinness World Records and begins recording sessions with Ona as she tells the story of her life according to his lists and questions. Ona is quite taken with him; he has become the closest thing she has had to a friend in a number of years. She enjoys the boy’s company, enjoys having something to look forward to. And so, over the course of time, as all love stories go, they become friends.
The more time that Quinn shares with Ona, the more he feels all the reasons why his son loved coming here. He has six more weeks to go before his 7 weeks of duty are finished, but he discovers that he really doesn’t mind being there. As he looks around he sees things that show touches of the boy’s presence. Maybe through his visits he’ll come to understand the boy.
The friendship between the boy and Ona is priceless. Charming. Endearing. The friendship which evolves between Quinn, and even Belle and Ona equally heartwarming. There are other people you come to know through Ona retelling the story of her life, some still living, some not. It’s all wonderful.
One young boy who’s a bit reminiscent of Owen Meany’s un-childlike tendencies (A Prayer for Owen Meany) and a storyline that is a bit reminiscent of Harold Fry’s Pilgrimage (“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”), add salt from a few tears and you’re close to understanding a little bit about the magic that occurs between the pages of “The One-in-a-Million-Boy. ”
Tissues might come in handy.
May 28, 2016
I crept out of bed at 3:30 a.m. this morning to finish this book and I must have read the last sentence ten times with my heart in my throat. Back in bed next to the open window, I heard the slow beginning and then the full morning chorus of birds as the darkness receded through the woods. It gave me goosebumps. I realize that may sound cryptic but when you read the book – and you must read this book - you’ll know just what I’m talking about. This story could not possibly have ended more powerfully.
Monica Wood’s writing is delightful and endearingly quirky but her characters are the star of the show. She has created this brilliant boy, his father, and their mutual friend Ona as shining human beings, each on their own journey toward self realization. Their story reflects on all the things that one person can be for another and how family is not always formed through blood or by marriage. It’s a story of sorrow, regret, penance and absolution. It’s a story about love.
I’m going to say what other reviewers have already said and that’s this: if you haven’t yet read the blurb on the inside flap of this book, don’t do it. Just open it up and meet Ona, Belle, Quinn and the boy, and witness their extraordinary gifts.
Monica Wood’s writing is delightful and endearingly quirky but her characters are the star of the show. She has created this brilliant boy, his father, and their mutual friend Ona as shining human beings, each on their own journey toward self realization. Their story reflects on all the things that one person can be for another and how family is not always formed through blood or by marriage. It’s a story of sorrow, regret, penance and absolution. It’s a story about love.
I’m going to say what other reviewers have already said and that’s this: if you haven’t yet read the blurb on the inside flap of this book, don’t do it. Just open it up and meet Ona, Belle, Quinn and the boy, and witness their extraordinary gifts.
June 4, 2022
5 Exquisite Stars
My Goodreads friends Mike and Ron have been touting this book for a while now, and an enormous thank you goes out to each of them for keeping this book near the top of my list. I found The One-in-a-Million Boy to be a magnificent read! In fact, it is in the frontrunner for my best read of 2022.
This is character-driven novel and is one of the best I’ve ever read.
The story is about connections. Connections between a 104-year-old woman and a counting boy with a major interest in world records and lists, connections between a wayward father and son, and connections between a lost husband and a disappointed wife. I was sucked in immediately and remained transfixed throughout.
The story is beautifully written. It touches upon loss, grief, regret, loneliness, disappointment, hope, redemption, and triumph. There is humor. There are lists galore and records, lots of records. There are touching conversations—one side clearly written, and the other side written in ellipses. This is so unique, quirky, and fun. My emotions were all over the place as I read this book. And yeah, tears. Plenty of those. Perhaps more than with any other book. And that ending? Perfection. Pure and simple perfection.
Different, heartfelt, poignant, and so gorgeously written. I don’t have the words to fully describe the beauty of this book and cannot recommend it more highly to anyone searching for the perfect character-driven novel. I will be seeking out more from Ms. Monica Wood and adding this book to my permanent library.
My Goodreads friends Mike and Ron have been touting this book for a while now, and an enormous thank you goes out to each of them for keeping this book near the top of my list. I found The One-in-a-Million Boy to be a magnificent read! In fact, it is in the frontrunner for my best read of 2022.
This is character-driven novel and is one of the best I’ve ever read.
The story is about connections. Connections between a 104-year-old woman and a counting boy with a major interest in world records and lists, connections between a wayward father and son, and connections between a lost husband and a disappointed wife. I was sucked in immediately and remained transfixed throughout.
The story is beautifully written. It touches upon loss, grief, regret, loneliness, disappointment, hope, redemption, and triumph. There is humor. There are lists galore and records, lots of records. There are touching conversations—one side clearly written, and the other side written in ellipses. This is so unique, quirky, and fun. My emotions were all over the place as I read this book. And yeah, tears. Plenty of those. Perhaps more than with any other book. And that ending? Perfection. Pure and simple perfection.
Different, heartfelt, poignant, and so gorgeously written. I don’t have the words to fully describe the beauty of this book and cannot recommend it more highly to anyone searching for the perfect character-driven novel. I will be seeking out more from Ms. Monica Wood and adding this book to my permanent library.
May 22, 2021
Wow ! The One In A Million Boy is outstanding !!
You never know his name, but you won't forget him.
This book was recommended to me and I was told to not read any reviews, "just read it". I'm surprised there isn't more talk about it.
It's a beautiful novel that is engaging, sad, but not without hope, funny, poignant. The author draws so many emotions from you.
The story of an 11 year old and a woman who is 104. The boy seen through Ona's eyes is such a sweet character.
The story of a Father who didn't think he loved his son enough.
It's very character driven, but all of the characters are special to the story and very believable
This book is about life and friendship.
It's hard to do a review on a book like this and give it justice. I will just say that I highly recommend it.
It's ultimately uplifting and hopeful. It had all the feels for me
You never know his name, but you won't forget him.
This book was recommended to me and I was told to not read any reviews, "just read it". I'm surprised there isn't more talk about it.
It's a beautiful novel that is engaging, sad, but not without hope, funny, poignant. The author draws so many emotions from you.
The story of an 11 year old and a woman who is 104. The boy seen through Ona's eyes is such a sweet character.
The story of a Father who didn't think he loved his son enough.
It's very character driven, but all of the characters are special to the story and very believable
This book is about life and friendship.
It's hard to do a review on a book like this and give it justice. I will just say that I highly recommend it.
It's ultimately uplifting and hopeful. It had all the feels for me
April 19, 2016
I'd rate this 4.5 stars.
Well, I know I'm a sap, but this one had me in pieces. Or maybe there was just something in my eye.
Ona Vitkus is 104 years old, a Lithuanian immigrant whose prickly exterior belies a warm heart, a mischievous spirit, and a lifetime of regrets. When the local Boy Scout troop assigns an awkward yet earnest scout to help her with household tasks to earn a merit badge, she's ready to scare him away as she has the others, if he doesn't disappoint her first.
Yet there's something about this boy that makes Ona let down her guard. Perhaps it's his lack of self-confidence, or his incessant curiosity about her life. Perhaps it's his emotional openness and his desire to be won over by everything she does. Or perhaps it's his obsession with the Guinness Book of World Records, which even fuels in Ona a desire to find a record she can achieve, even at her age.
The two form a close bond, made more so as he chooses her as an interview subject for a school assignment. But when one weekend when the boy doesn't show up, and his father Quinn, an erstwhile musician who had trouble connecting with his son, appears in his place, Ona feels hurt and disappointed that he abandoned their relationship and their quest. It isn't long, however, before she realizes the boy died suddenly and inexplicably, and Quinn decides to pick up his son's tasks in an effort to better understand the boy who bewildered him, who never seemed to get what Quinn wanted to give him.
Quinn is adrift, wanting to land on his feet professionally yet feeling utterly lost psychologically. Belle, his ex-wife (twice) and the boy's mother, won't let him share in her anger or her guilt, and all she wants to do is make Quinn pay for not giving their son the love and security he needed and deserved. But while she wants both to mourn her son and get on with her life, she starts to realize that Quinn might have the right idea in forging a relationship with Ona in an effort to keep the boy alive.
The One-in-a-Million Boy is moving, beautiful, and even a little whimsical. Ona and Quinn are particularly fascinating characters, and I love the way Monica Wood gave Ona so much more depth than I first expected. Amazingly, however, it is the boy who is the most memorable character, despite the fact that we never learn his name, and you mostly see him through the eyes of Ona and his parents, as well as his myriad lists of Guinness record-holders.
This is a special book, one which dwells not on surprising plot twists but rather on pure emotion. You may know where Wood will take her characters, but you savor the journey anyway, and if you're like me, you may tear up (at the very least) a time or two.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
Well, I know I'm a sap, but this one had me in pieces. Or maybe there was just something in my eye.
Ona Vitkus is 104 years old, a Lithuanian immigrant whose prickly exterior belies a warm heart, a mischievous spirit, and a lifetime of regrets. When the local Boy Scout troop assigns an awkward yet earnest scout to help her with household tasks to earn a merit badge, she's ready to scare him away as she has the others, if he doesn't disappoint her first.
Yet there's something about this boy that makes Ona let down her guard. Perhaps it's his lack of self-confidence, or his incessant curiosity about her life. Perhaps it's his emotional openness and his desire to be won over by everything she does. Or perhaps it's his obsession with the Guinness Book of World Records, which even fuels in Ona a desire to find a record she can achieve, even at her age.
The two form a close bond, made more so as he chooses her as an interview subject for a school assignment. But when one weekend when the boy doesn't show up, and his father Quinn, an erstwhile musician who had trouble connecting with his son, appears in his place, Ona feels hurt and disappointed that he abandoned their relationship and their quest. It isn't long, however, before she realizes the boy died suddenly and inexplicably, and Quinn decides to pick up his son's tasks in an effort to better understand the boy who bewildered him, who never seemed to get what Quinn wanted to give him.
Quinn is adrift, wanting to land on his feet professionally yet feeling utterly lost psychologically. Belle, his ex-wife (twice) and the boy's mother, won't let him share in her anger or her guilt, and all she wants to do is make Quinn pay for not giving their son the love and security he needed and deserved. But while she wants both to mourn her son and get on with her life, she starts to realize that Quinn might have the right idea in forging a relationship with Ona in an effort to keep the boy alive.
The One-in-a-Million Boy is moving, beautiful, and even a little whimsical. Ona and Quinn are particularly fascinating characters, and I love the way Monica Wood gave Ona so much more depth than I first expected. Amazingly, however, it is the boy who is the most memorable character, despite the fact that we never learn his name, and you mostly see him through the eyes of Ona and his parents, as well as his myriad lists of Guinness record-holders.
This is a special book, one which dwells not on surprising plot twists but rather on pure emotion. You may know where Wood will take her characters, but you savor the journey anyway, and if you're like me, you may tear up (at the very least) a time or two.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
June 12, 2016
A fantastic and heartwarming story about an unlikely friendship between an 104-year-old Lithuanian immigrant and a 11-year-old Boy Scout. The bond they share is uniquely special, and will definitely touch your heart.
I took the advice of several Goodreads friends, and did not read the blurb for this book. It really was best not knowing too much of this story beforehand and letting it just unfold as it goes. You are in good hands as Monica Wood delivers a well written story that will make you think about life and those that you share it with.
After finishing this book the night before, it was a solid 4.5 stars. But after wanting to reread the final chapter the next morning, I felt it became a five star book. Well done, Monica Wood.
I took the advice of several Goodreads friends, and did not read the blurb for this book. It really was best not knowing too much of this story beforehand and letting it just unfold as it goes. You are in good hands as Monica Wood delivers a well written story that will make you think about life and those that you share it with.
After finishing this book the night before, it was a solid 4.5 stars. But after wanting to reread the final chapter the next morning, I felt it became a five star book. Well done, Monica Wood.
March 21, 2017
3.75★
“But certain others, they move in and make themselves at home and start flapping their arms in the story you make of your life. They have a wingspan.”
A life-affirming story of how a boy spread his wings producing turbulence in the lives within his airspace. Just about any reader would enjoy it, particularly anyone who has or works with a special needs, or should I say specially gifted child. Or perhaps you could use some inspiration in your winter years and be reminded that it’s never too early or late to live a life that really counts.
“But certain others, they move in and make themselves at home and start flapping their arms in the story you make of your life. They have a wingspan.”
A life-affirming story of how a boy spread his wings producing turbulence in the lives within his airspace. Just about any reader would enjoy it, particularly anyone who has or works with a special needs, or should I say specially gifted child. Or perhaps you could use some inspiration in your winter years and be reminded that it’s never too early or late to live a life that really counts.
June 23, 2016
“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”
----Joan Powers
Monica Wood, an award-winning best-selling author, pens a heart-rending tale of friendship in her new book, The One-in-a-Million Boy that narrates the story of a boy, and a 104-year old immigrant lady and the boy's father, who form a strong bond of friendship over loss and grief and their passion for Guinness World Records.
Synopsis:
Miss Ona Vitkus has - aside from three months in the summer of 1914 - lived unobtrusively, her secrets fiercely protected.
The boy, with his passion for world records, changes all that. He is eleven. She is one hundred and four years, one hundred and thirty three days old (they are counting). And he makes her feel like she might be really special after all. Better late than never...
Only it's been two weeks now since he last visited, and she's starting to think he's not so different from all the rest.
Then the boy's father comes, for some reason determined to finish his son's good deed. And Ona must show this new stranger that not only are there odd jobs to be done, but a life's ambition to complete.
This heart-warming tale is about an eleven-year old boy, a boy scout and and used to help out a 104-year old lady, Ona Vitkus with some odd jobs over the weekend, who is now dead and has left a strings of people who care for him deeply and is trying to adjust with the void that he created with his death, or rather say fighting hard everyday to cope up with the loss. But mostly this is that old lady's tale who is 104-years old and has a lot of bird feeders. After the boy's death, his father, Quinn, takes up his job with Ona, who figures that just like other 11-year old boy scouts, "the boy" too have quit. His father, Quinn, is a guitar player, and used to travel a lot from one place to another for gigs and had given very less time to family life with Belle, his wife and "the boy". And through Ona, Quinn, realizes that the boy has left his great presence with her rather than in his home.
Well, I never ever read anything so beautiful and delightful in my entire lifetime. A death of someone could result in sadness and that sadness beheld by the author is extremely fascinating. The author gave positivism to death. "The boy"- he is at the center, surrounded by his parents, Quinn and Belle and that old lady, Ona. How he left them with a void after his death and how these three human beings try to comprehend with his absence in their lives, moreover, what changes it brings to their old demeanor, all these are the main highlights of this story. You might be wondering why I'm saying "the boy" instead of using his? Because that's the idea of the author to not to use name of "the boy" in order to contemplate with loss of the other characters he left behind.
The writing is evocative and eloquent and the author has poured her soul and deep heart-felt emotions into the story while writing it. The narrative is extremely poignant and engaging and will keep the readers glued till the end of the story. The pacing of the nook is medium as the book evolves in a slow manner with Ona and Quinn's friendship and also with the fact that "the boy" is dead. "The boy's" passion for Guinness World Record Holders is extremely rare and enlightening thereby just like "the boy's" passion, the author too will try to make her readers develop that passion, by featuring the real names of some of the Guinness World Record Holders in various categories, in between this story.
The characters of the book are the gems of this book and just like the captivating story line, the characters too are absorbing and are we ll-developed with their flaws and weaknesses. The author depicted them in their vulnerable moments and that can be only when a human being is hit by a death of his closed one. The author have explored the friendship among Ona and "the boy" and Ona and Quinn. One and "the boy's" friendship is enchanting an d very precious, how the old lady begins trusting "the boy" based on his eccentric attitude towards Guinness World Record Holders. Ona is depicted as someone who is brave and intense and still knows how to survive in a modern world. Her life story is featured in the form of recordings done by "the boy" for the Guinness World Record title. The friendship between Quinn and Ona is really deep with lots of compassion that will eventually make the readers feel their raw pain and grief for "the boy". Quinn is a flawed character, not a good father but he evolves through out the story finally becoming an understanding and caring friend to Ona. The supporting characters are too well-developed and they too hold a power to leave an imprint long after the end of this story.
This is a voyage through loss, especially for Quinn, and on the way, he finds a great friend like Ona, a Lithuanian immigrant. Together they share the memories and together they share hope and loss, eventually dealing with life, as a whole, thereby beholding a power to bring tears to the eyes of the readers and at times bringing a smile to the face of the readers.
Verdict: Yes this a must read for all. Drown yourself into the depths of this story and let your emotions get controlled by the course of this story.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Monica Wood's publicist for giving me an opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.
----Joan Powers
Monica Wood, an award-winning best-selling author, pens a heart-rending tale of friendship in her new book, The One-in-a-Million Boy that narrates the story of a boy, and a 104-year old immigrant lady and the boy's father, who form a strong bond of friendship over loss and grief and their passion for Guinness World Records.
Synopsis:
Miss Ona Vitkus has - aside from three months in the summer of 1914 - lived unobtrusively, her secrets fiercely protected.
The boy, with his passion for world records, changes all that. He is eleven. She is one hundred and four years, one hundred and thirty three days old (they are counting). And he makes her feel like she might be really special after all. Better late than never...
Only it's been two weeks now since he last visited, and she's starting to think he's not so different from all the rest.
Then the boy's father comes, for some reason determined to finish his son's good deed. And Ona must show this new stranger that not only are there odd jobs to be done, but a life's ambition to complete.
This heart-warming tale is about an eleven-year old boy, a boy scout and and used to help out a 104-year old lady, Ona Vitkus with some odd jobs over the weekend, who is now dead and has left a strings of people who care for him deeply and is trying to adjust with the void that he created with his death, or rather say fighting hard everyday to cope up with the loss. But mostly this is that old lady's tale who is 104-years old and has a lot of bird feeders. After the boy's death, his father, Quinn, takes up his job with Ona, who figures that just like other 11-year old boy scouts, "the boy" too have quit. His father, Quinn, is a guitar player, and used to travel a lot from one place to another for gigs and had given very less time to family life with Belle, his wife and "the boy". And through Ona, Quinn, realizes that the boy has left his great presence with her rather than in his home.
Well, I never ever read anything so beautiful and delightful in my entire lifetime. A death of someone could result in sadness and that sadness beheld by the author is extremely fascinating. The author gave positivism to death. "The boy"- he is at the center, surrounded by his parents, Quinn and Belle and that old lady, Ona. How he left them with a void after his death and how these three human beings try to comprehend with his absence in their lives, moreover, what changes it brings to their old demeanor, all these are the main highlights of this story. You might be wondering why I'm saying "the boy" instead of using his? Because that's the idea of the author to not to use name of "the boy" in order to contemplate with loss of the other characters he left behind.
The writing is evocative and eloquent and the author has poured her soul and deep heart-felt emotions into the story while writing it. The narrative is extremely poignant and engaging and will keep the readers glued till the end of the story. The pacing of the nook is medium as the book evolves in a slow manner with Ona and Quinn's friendship and also with the fact that "the boy" is dead. "The boy's" passion for Guinness World Record Holders is extremely rare and enlightening thereby just like "the boy's" passion, the author too will try to make her readers develop that passion, by featuring the real names of some of the Guinness World Record Holders in various categories, in between this story.
The characters of the book are the gems of this book and just like the captivating story line, the characters too are absorbing and are we ll-developed with their flaws and weaknesses. The author depicted them in their vulnerable moments and that can be only when a human being is hit by a death of his closed one. The author have explored the friendship among Ona and "the boy" and Ona and Quinn. One and "the boy's" friendship is enchanting an d very precious, how the old lady begins trusting "the boy" based on his eccentric attitude towards Guinness World Record Holders. Ona is depicted as someone who is brave and intense and still knows how to survive in a modern world. Her life story is featured in the form of recordings done by "the boy" for the Guinness World Record title. The friendship between Quinn and Ona is really deep with lots of compassion that will eventually make the readers feel their raw pain and grief for "the boy". Quinn is a flawed character, not a good father but he evolves through out the story finally becoming an understanding and caring friend to Ona. The supporting characters are too well-developed and they too hold a power to leave an imprint long after the end of this story.
This is a voyage through loss, especially for Quinn, and on the way, he finds a great friend like Ona, a Lithuanian immigrant. Together they share the memories and together they share hope and loss, eventually dealing with life, as a whole, thereby beholding a power to bring tears to the eyes of the readers and at times bringing a smile to the face of the readers.
Verdict: Yes this a must read for all. Drown yourself into the depths of this story and let your emotions get controlled by the course of this story.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Monica Wood's publicist for giving me an opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.
November 22, 2017
4.5 stars rounded up. An 11 yr old boy scout comes to help a 104 yr old woman. Over a 10 week period of Saturday mornings a wonderful friendship grows between them. The boy records Ona talking about her life on a dicta phone. He turns off the tape to ask questions and by reading her side of the conversation you can fill in his voice. The book is interspersed with guiness book of records facts relevant to the story, these records were an interest of the boy, and his hope to imortalise Ona. Lovely characters.
July 5, 2023
There are certain times, certain people-
. . .
They take up room. So much room. I was married to Howard for twenty-eight years and yet he made only a piddling dent in my memory. A little nick. But certain others, they move in and make themselves at home and start flapping their arms in the story you make of your life. They have a wingspan. (PART 4, no page number)
The story is told in parts with Lithuanian words. The reviews are spot on about this book here on GR which is why I picked it up in the first place. My friends here have great taste in storytellers. Monica Wood is in my eyesight from now on. She is so witty and brings these broken characters to life. The story itself turns out to be sad, I mean how can a 104 year old woman outlive an eleven year old boy? Should not happen but it does but as a reader I wasn't sad and bummed out. I wanted to know what happened to these people. How do you deal with your baby being gone?
Ona Vitkus is the answer. She had a special bond with the boy. The boy's name is never revealed. He is simply "the boy." She wants to fulfill his obsession with Guinness World Records, Oldest (fill in the blank). This obsession brings all the characters together and helps them heal.
Wonderful, highly recommend. I'm book-stalking you, Monica Wood! (in a friendly non creepy way)
. . .
They take up room. So much room. I was married to Howard for twenty-eight years and yet he made only a piddling dent in my memory. A little nick. But certain others, they move in and make themselves at home and start flapping their arms in the story you make of your life. They have a wingspan. (PART 4, no page number)
The story is told in parts with Lithuanian words. The reviews are spot on about this book here on GR which is why I picked it up in the first place. My friends here have great taste in storytellers. Monica Wood is in my eyesight from now on. She is so witty and brings these broken characters to life. The story itself turns out to be sad, I mean how can a 104 year old woman outlive an eleven year old boy? Should not happen but it does but as a reader I wasn't sad and bummed out. I wanted to know what happened to these people. How do you deal with your baby being gone?
Ona Vitkus is the answer. She had a special bond with the boy. The boy's name is never revealed. He is simply "the boy." She wants to fulfill his obsession with Guinness World Records, Oldest (fill in the blank). This obsession brings all the characters together and helps them heal.
Wonderful, highly recommend. I'm book-stalking you, Monica Wood! (in a friendly non creepy way)
August 27, 2024
The story of your life never starts at the beginning. This is how The One-in-a-Million boy by Monica Wood begins.
This is a beautiful story about unusual friendships.
The writing is poetic, humorous, tender & sensitive.
The universal themes of friendship, love, regret, forgiveness, and atonement are not sugar coated --not sappy - simply awe-inspiring and enjoyable.
I'm not saying anymore, (except maybe, expect a few tears), because for me part of the joy was discovering the beauty of this book without any preconceived notions.
This is a beautiful story about unusual friendships.
The writing is poetic, humorous, tender & sensitive.
The universal themes of friendship, love, regret, forgiveness, and atonement are not sugar coated --not sappy - simply awe-inspiring and enjoyable.
I'm not saying anymore, (except maybe, expect a few tears), because for me part of the joy was discovering the beauty of this book without any preconceived notions.
May 7, 2017
Book club read #6, May 2017.
Outstanding characterizations sparkle and shine in this heartwarming book about second chances. An eleven year old Boy Scout has met a sudden end, but lives on through his journals and tape recordings of 104 year old Ona Vitkus. His duty to help her around the house and to try to get Ona into the Guinness book of records was to end soon too, but is taken up by his guilt - laden father Quinn. Quinn and Ona end up helping each other more than anyone could have predicted. This touches on themes of grief, friendship, family, music, aging (of course), and our obligations to and acceptance of our fellow human beings. I listened to the audio and had the book close by for clarification of some things, since this will be discussed later in book club.
Outstanding characterizations sparkle and shine in this heartwarming book about second chances. An eleven year old Boy Scout has met a sudden end, but lives on through his journals and tape recordings of 104 year old Ona Vitkus. His duty to help her around the house and to try to get Ona into the Guinness book of records was to end soon too, but is taken up by his guilt - laden father Quinn. Quinn and Ona end up helping each other more than anyone could have predicted. This touches on themes of grief, friendship, family, music, aging (of course), and our obligations to and acceptance of our fellow human beings. I listened to the audio and had the book close by for clarification of some things, since this will be discussed later in book club.
December 5, 2015
I agreed to read this book when I received an email off the publisher with a brief description of this novel. The write up and the subsequent reviews painted a fabulous picture of a novel not to be missed, so I eagerly looked forward to reading this book.
It would be unfair to say the book was not worth the read but I did feel a little let down after reading about it previously. What I got was a well written novel that touched the heart strings as expected but didn't deliver the exceptional novel I hoped for.
The book is a story of an unlikely friendship, between a woman of 104 and the world-records-obsessed eleven-year-old boy tasked with doing odd jobs around her decaying property so that he can earn a scouting badge.
104 year old Ona discovers an unexpected rapport with the young scout and they become great friends.Then one week he doesn't show up. He has died unexpectedly and His absent father, Quinn is sent by his ex wife to complete the young scouts tasks. Through Ona the father discovers the love of the son he barely knew.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Headline for supplying me with a copy of 'The One in a million boy' in exchange for a honest review.
It would be unfair to say the book was not worth the read but I did feel a little let down after reading about it previously. What I got was a well written novel that touched the heart strings as expected but didn't deliver the exceptional novel I hoped for.
The book is a story of an unlikely friendship, between a woman of 104 and the world-records-obsessed eleven-year-old boy tasked with doing odd jobs around her decaying property so that he can earn a scouting badge.
104 year old Ona discovers an unexpected rapport with the young scout and they become great friends.Then one week he doesn't show up. He has died unexpectedly and His absent father, Quinn is sent by his ex wife to complete the young scouts tasks. Through Ona the father discovers the love of the son he barely knew.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Headline for supplying me with a copy of 'The One in a million boy' in exchange for a honest review.
November 11, 2016
Sadly, I completely lost interest in The One-in-a-Million Boy about half way through and pretty much forced myself to finish it. The story seemed to drag on and on without much really happening and I had trouble connecting with the characters.
I also felt like the book jumped around too much and made the plot and characters extremely hard to follow. Each time I started a new chapter, I felt like I was starting the book for the very first time. It always seemed I was half way through the chapter before I could get my footing.
This book may work for some, but I never found myself reaching for it or wanting to keep reading. The world records that are referenced are interesting, and I enjoyed the clever way Monica Wood ended the book, but beyond that, I don't have many positive things to say.
I also felt like the book jumped around too much and made the plot and characters extremely hard to follow. Each time I started a new chapter, I felt like I was starting the book for the very first time. It always seemed I was half way through the chapter before I could get my footing.
This book may work for some, but I never found myself reaching for it or wanting to keep reading. The world records that are referenced are interesting, and I enjoyed the clever way Monica Wood ended the book, but beyond that, I don't have many positive things to say.
June 28, 2019
As he comes and does jobs around the place for her, an eleven year old boy scout connects with 104 year old Ona Vitkus. But then one day he doesn’t come. Two weeks later Quinn turns up instead. Quinn is a musician and the boy’s father who has largely been absent for a lot of his son’s life. Quinn has never really taken the time to try and understand his son, who has a passion for records, loves to count things in batches of tens and seemingly has no interest in music. Quinn sets out to complete the weeks of tasks in the yard that his son had previously undertaken.
This story starts with Ona, who was born in Lithuania in 1900, telling her story on tape. Snippets of the taped story continue throughout the book. I loved the way this book was presented with Ona’s life story being revealed. In those transcripts the reader is asked to read between the lines. We hear the boy’s questions and comments even though they are not stated. It’s very effective. The inclusion of so many Guinness book of records facts adds a fascinating dimension that is relevant to the story. But especially I was drawn to the characters and the way the plot unfolded. Just when you think you know which way it will go. It takes a little bit different tangent.
From the beginning this gentle story of love, friendship, regrets, family and relationships, grief, choices and consequences, had me absolutely hooked. There are moments of humour and others where tears will come to the surface in this emotionally engaging book. I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while and was so pleased to get my hands on it, that other books I had brought home from the library or had sitting here were quickly ignored. Often when a book has had a lot of hype and expectation are up, a reader can be disappointed. Not with this one! I loved everything about it, including the ending. Thought provoking this book is a joy to read and to savour. I highly recommend this beautiful book.
This story starts with Ona, who was born in Lithuania in 1900, telling her story on tape. Snippets of the taped story continue throughout the book. I loved the way this book was presented with Ona’s life story being revealed. In those transcripts the reader is asked to read between the lines. We hear the boy’s questions and comments even though they are not stated. It’s very effective. The inclusion of so many Guinness book of records facts adds a fascinating dimension that is relevant to the story. But especially I was drawn to the characters and the way the plot unfolded. Just when you think you know which way it will go. It takes a little bit different tangent.
From the beginning this gentle story of love, friendship, regrets, family and relationships, grief, choices and consequences, had me absolutely hooked. There are moments of humour and others where tears will come to the surface in this emotionally engaging book. I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while and was so pleased to get my hands on it, that other books I had brought home from the library or had sitting here were quickly ignored. Often when a book has had a lot of hype and expectation are up, a reader can be disappointed. Not with this one! I loved everything about it, including the ending. Thought provoking this book is a joy to read and to savour. I highly recommend this beautiful book.
November 5, 2017
This was a lovely story of love lost, found, and regained. It was a story of how no matter what age you are, one can always find what is needed to make your life worthwhile and whole again. "“At times, we are the bridge that allows another to re-enter the world after a loss. Don't mistake it for more or its beauty may be lost.”
― Danielle Pierre
― Danielle Pierre
June 22, 2018
How could you not like a 104-year-old woman who is gunning for a Guinness Book record as oldest licensed driver? Or an 11-year-old boy who is determined to coach her and get her into the record book? The boy is a Boy Scout assigned to help Ona Vitkus on weekends with chores around her house. He’s small for his age, picked on by other children, very bright, and is obsessed with counting and lists. As unlikely as it seems, the two become friends. They tell each other secrets and fears that they haven’t admitted to anyone else.
When the boy unexpectedly dies, his divorced dad, Quinn, takes over his chores with Ona. This one act of penance changes not only Quinn and Ona’s life, but many of their family and friends.
The book alternated with chapters about Ona and the boy, Quinn’s family in the present time, recordings that the boy made interviewing Ona for a class project and the boy’s Guinness record lists.
This makes a great book club book because there is so much to discuss. And the discussion will be even better if you have some of Ona’s mystery cake!
https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/rec...
When the boy unexpectedly dies, his divorced dad, Quinn, takes over his chores with Ona. This one act of penance changes not only Quinn and Ona’s life, but many of their family and friends.
The book alternated with chapters about Ona and the boy, Quinn’s family in the present time, recordings that the boy made interviewing Ona for a class project and the boy’s Guinness record lists.
This makes a great book club book because there is so much to discuss. And the discussion will be even better if you have some of Ona’s mystery cake!
https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/rec...
July 2, 2016
This is a lovely, gentle novel about the relationship between a 104 year old woman, an 11 year old boy and his often absent musician father. Ona Vitkus, born in Lithuania in 1900 lives a lonely life in her empty house in Portland, Maine. Every Saturday the local Scoutmaster drops off a boy scout to help out with odd jobs. Mostly Ona finds the boys quiet and shy, until one day a very different boy turns up who is also a bit of a misfit in this modern world. He is fascinated with her age and gradually through getting her to talk about her life they become friends. One day the boy's father Quinn turns up in his place to do his Saturday morning chores. Separated from his family, he has never really understood his son and what makes him tick but starts to get an inkling of what he's missed from the relationship his son has forged with Ona.
I loved the way Monica Wood has written this novel with the story interspersed with lists of Guiness Book records and tape recordings on Ona's story. Her prose is wonderful and she has written a beautiful story that touches on all the joys and grief of living - birth, marriage, love, friendship, loss and aging. It's one told with humour and affection for her quirky characters who through their bonds teach each other to stop living in the shadows and grab on to what life has to offer. Highly recommended.
I loved the way Monica Wood has written this novel with the story interspersed with lists of Guiness Book records and tape recordings on Ona's story. Her prose is wonderful and she has written a beautiful story that touches on all the joys and grief of living - birth, marriage, love, friendship, loss and aging. It's one told with humour and affection for her quirky characters who through their bonds teach each other to stop living in the shadows and grab on to what life has to offer. Highly recommended.
September 11, 2017
--4.5 to 4.75--
I thoroughly enjoyed this book – from the spunky 104-year-old Ona Vitkus and the young boy, so clearly different from his peers – to the physical structure of the book, which included scenes, as well as taped interviews of the woman as she responded to the boy’s questions, plus various lists of world record facts. The parents of the boy (whose name we never learn – making him that much more ethereal), Quinn and Belle, are also well-drawn, flawed characters.
Ona and the boy are so thoroughly characterized with incredible language:
Ona, when viewing an elderly World Record holder:
She looked at the woman’s picture again – taken on the poor thing’s one-hundred-twentieth birthday. “That face could halt an anvil in mid-drop,” she muttered.
Ona’s observations about the Boy:
… His hopping around the kitchen last week had rattled her. He didn’t move the way other children moved – he carried a marionette-ish precision in his wrists and shoulders – and it had made her feel sorry for him.
Monica Wood’s writing is assured and lovely, and Ona’s observations will frequently have you laughing out loud. The skill with which Wood writes the one-sided responses on the tapes is mesmerizing, and her knowledge of music is laudable as well.
In the end, this is a tender upmarket-to-literary story about friendship, love, forgiveness, the things that inspire us to dream and the power of harnessing those dreams. It’s also a story about the impact a single person can have on a life. It was the perfect read for me on my treadmill – transporting me to a different world filled with heartache, happiness, love and discovery. Also a bit of a surprise was the mention of a genetic rarity, which my mother actually has.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book – from the spunky 104-year-old Ona Vitkus and the young boy, so clearly different from his peers – to the physical structure of the book, which included scenes, as well as taped interviews of the woman as she responded to the boy’s questions, plus various lists of world record facts. The parents of the boy (whose name we never learn – making him that much more ethereal), Quinn and Belle, are also well-drawn, flawed characters.
Ona and the boy are so thoroughly characterized with incredible language:
Ona, when viewing an elderly World Record holder:
She looked at the woman’s picture again – taken on the poor thing’s one-hundred-twentieth birthday. “That face could halt an anvil in mid-drop,” she muttered.
Ona’s observations about the Boy:
… His hopping around the kitchen last week had rattled her. He didn’t move the way other children moved – he carried a marionette-ish precision in his wrists and shoulders – and it had made her feel sorry for him.
Monica Wood’s writing is assured and lovely, and Ona’s observations will frequently have you laughing out loud. The skill with which Wood writes the one-sided responses on the tapes is mesmerizing, and her knowledge of music is laudable as well.
In the end, this is a tender upmarket-to-literary story about friendship, love, forgiveness, the things that inspire us to dream and the power of harnessing those dreams. It’s also a story about the impact a single person can have on a life. It was the perfect read for me on my treadmill – transporting me to a different world filled with heartache, happiness, love and discovery. Also a bit of a surprise was the mention of a genetic rarity, which my mother actually has.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,263 reviews