Title: Boy, Falling: The Sequel to House of Rougeaux (A Rougeaux Family Novel Book 2)
Author: Jenny Jaeckel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book Blurb:
2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist - Historical Fiction
Seeking to pursue his dream in music, and harboring a grave secret, young Gerard Rougeaux leaves his native Montreal for New York City in 1909, embarking on a journey that then takes him to Paris at the height of the Jazz Age. There, years later, Gerard becomes haunted by strange dreams of a boy falling through space, as his story entwines with the family he has left behind-his half-sister Jeannette and her two children, struggling to make their way in New York after the economic crash of 1929.
Continuing the family epic begun in House of Rougeaux, Boy, Falling weaves together human yearning and mystery, and what it means to be part of the fabric of life.
My Review:
The title suggests an almost negative connotation but that isn't really so. The 'falling' is how a boy fell from the structure his family had decided was for him. In many ways, this boy didn't fall but he soared. He experienced life in all its glory and horror. Few could truly appreciate the vagaries of life the way this boy does. He gets to enjoy the magic of music in Paris and gets to suffer the darkness of German politics in the early 1930s.
Boy, Falling is brilliantly written and cannily paced. The book is essentially two stories and how they weave together is magical. There is a certain denouement that comes from one character achieving in the end what the other had at the start. The girl in the book, who is featured, exemplifies the human spirit. You will finish this book and your soul will soar. A wonderful follow-up to the House of Rougeaux. Recommended to every fan of a family saga. Recommended to people who enjoy books that shine a light on the human spirit.
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Jenny Jaeckel is the award-winning author and illustrator of several books including her novel Boy, Falling--a companion book to House of Rougeaux, a collection of illustrated short fiction entitled For the Love of Meat, and the graphic novel memoir Spot 12: Five Months in the Neonatal ICU. When not writing, Jaeckel works as an editor and translator. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with her family.
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Reviewed by: Mr. N