Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel Author: Visit Amazon's Matthew Dicks Page | Language: English | ISBN:
1250031850 | Format: PDF
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel Description
Review
“A novel as creative, brave, and pitch-perfect as its narrator, an imaginary friend named Budo, who reminds us that bravery comes in the most unlikely forms. It has been a long time since I read a book that has captured me so completely, and has wowed me with its unique vision. You've never read a book like this before. As Budo himself might say: Believe me.” —Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Sing You Home
“Wholly original and completely unputdownable. MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND is a captivating story told in a voice so clever and honest I didn’t want it to end. The arresting voice of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME with the emotional power of ROOM and the whimsy of DROP DEAD FRED, but in a class of its own.” —Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters
"An incredibly captivating novel about the wonder of youth and the importance of friendship, whether real or imagined. Delightfully compelling reading." --Booklist
"[A] fun read and engaging exploration of the vibrant world of a child's imagination." --Publishers Weekly
"Quirky and heartwarming" --Kirkus
"Funny, poignant . . . Budo's world is as realistic as he is imaginary. We would all be lucky to have Budo at our sides. Reading his memoir is the next best thing." --Library Journal
About the Author
MATTHEW DICKS is a writer and elementary school teacher. His articles have been published in the Hartford Courant and he has been a featured author at the Books on the Nightstand retreat. He is also a Moth storyteller and a two-time StorySLAM champion. Dicks is the author of two previous novels, Something Missing and Unexpectedly Milo. He lives in Newington, Connecticut, with his wife, Elysha, and their children, Clara and Charlie.
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- Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (May 7, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1250031850
- ISBN-13: 978-1250031853
- Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
- Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
On every level, this book is worthy of five stars. The story is original, touching and memorable. Budo (the narrator and main character) is a captivating mixture of innocence, childlike wisdom, love, wonder and fear. Matthew Green's characters are so vivid that they remain with the reader after the book is finished. Right from the opening page, the novel engaged my full attention, stirring up emotions that grew stronger as the story progressed. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is a masterclass in storytelling.
Budo is the imaginary friend of a nine-year-old boy named Max. Though not explicitly stated, it is implied that Max suffers from some type of autistic-spectrum disorder: we are told that he is 'different'; Max's mother and father argue over whether or not to raise him as 'normal'; Max does not like to be touched; when faced with too many stimuli or choices, he becomes 'stuck', retreating into his inner universe and becoming unreachable for a period; at school, he is bullied because of his unorthodox way of relating to the world. Budo lives in constant fear of disappearing. Imaginary friends, you see, exist only as long as their imaginer believes in them. Having existed for five years, Budo is the oldest imaginary friend he knows. When Max is abducted from school, Budo witnesses the crime and recognises the abductor. He is unable to tell anyone, though, as Max is the only human who can see or hear him. Setting out on a quest to save Max, Budo enlists the help of other imaginary friends. These strange creatures come in an intoxicating array of forms, as imagined by their human creators. Budo's desire to save his friend is driven by two forces: (1) his transcendent love for Max; (2) his fear that Max might stop believing in him, which would lead to his vanishing into nonexistence.
Writing a story from the perspective of a child's imaginary playmate is sheer genius. One has to be brilliant to pull something this extraordinary off and do so with the finesse that Matthew Dicks has done with Budo, the imaginary friend of 8-year-old Max. Budo is not like other imaginary playmates and Max is very different from most of his peers. Max has Asperger's Syndrome, the spectrum partner to autism.
Budo is a runaway train. He literally has his own mind, personality and insights. He describes what makes him different from other imaginary friends, whom he knows. He was created by Max when Max was 4. He had a distinct human shape and human features. He lasted way longer than Max' peers' imaginary friends. He describes how he was created in full detail whereas other imaginary playmates were amorphous blobs; mutant dinosaurs with weird features and a myriad of other weird characters. Budo will tell readers himself that imaginary playmates are reflective of the personality and needs of the children who create them. However, another distinguishing feature Budo has is that he is an Inner Self Helper, a term often applied to people who suffer from DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder. Not that DID applies here, but Budo IS Max' Inner Self Helper and often guides Max into making decisions, even if it is seemingly simple such as choosing what color popsicle he wants to eat and the variables that go along with that. Budo also helps Max navigate tricky social territory and even has his preference of the teachers in Max' life.
Budo is very clever and resourceful. He knows where other Imaginary Friends congregate and he as well as other Imaginary Friends are able to see and communicate with each other.
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