Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron

Viking Penguin, 2013

ISBN-13: 978-0670786206

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, audiobook

I don’t read a lot of YA fiction, as I tend to enjoy a harder, darker horror in general, but I have enjoyed it from time to time, and the concept of Man Made Boy intrigued me.

It is indeed an interesting book filled with fun ideas. Man Made Boy is the story of Boy, the son of the Frankenstein monster and his Bride. Boy and his parents live in a New York City refuge for monsters; hidden in plain sight from the public as a part of a freak show, the monsters live in a labyrinth behind and underneath a theater in the city. I LOVED this concept. The set-up is beautifully done and creates a wonderful environment that is both gothic and surreal.

Boy is a teenager and this for sure is a road trip coming-of-age novel. Boy decides he wants to leave the show and live in the outside world, which is not the easiest thing to do when you are made up of re-animated body parts, but he gets out there and gets a job. As he travels, he meets other monsters, falls in love and has adventures. Where the story gets muddied is in a secondary plot about Boy’s love for hacking; he creates a villain named Vi, a sentient computer virus, in effect making Boy like Doctor Frankenstein.

The theme is not subtle, it is about responsibility. I thought the novel was fun overall and would be perfect for young teens. There is some strong language and suggestion of sexuality, entirely off camera. The book is targeted to ages 12 and up, and I think that is fair n terms of age-appropriateness. YA collections should have this book– kids looking for a light-hearted fantasy will enjoy it. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by David Agranoff