Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The Conjurer's Boy-Michael Raleigh

The Conjurer's Boy


Michael Raleigh

Harvard Square Editions, Nov 1 2012, $15.95

ISBN: 9780983321668



Their father had them move five times in six years. However, as the Cuban Missile Crisis is the big news, high school student Thomas Faye learns from his mother that his dad deserted them. Stunned, Thomas wanders around smoking Salem while trying to comprehend why. Eventually he enters a second hand store filled with junk where he meets the owner Arthur Farrell the magician wounded WWII veteran with healing power and angry homeless Meyer the survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto atrocities.



They mentor Thomas who begins to open his eyes to the world few can see as he seeks to understand what normal is and why fate set in motion his trek back in 1962. He begins his solo journey using and discarding roles along the way with his only link being his two spirit guides and a disturbed Rachel.



This profound coming of age low keyed fantasy is an engaging thought provoking tale starring a fascinating lead character who, after meeting his mentors, needs to know why him. With a nod to the higher levels of the expanded Maslow’s Hierarchy, The Conjurer's Boy is a delightful tale of the human need to achieve self-esteem and cognitive awareness, but first one must belong somewhere.



Harriet Klausner

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