Review: The Island of Worthy Boys by Connie Hertzberg Mayo

The Island of Worthy Boys
by Connie Hertzberg Mayo

Publisher: 

Pages: 

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:   In Boston at the turn of the century, two indigent adolescent boys, Aidan and Charles, are brought together by a common desire: earning enough money each day to feed themselves (and, in Aidan’s case, his mother and sister). Together, they achieve this goal by robbing drunken sailors in the brothel district of the city—until one night they accidently kill their victim. To avoid arrest, they leave the city, conning their way into an island school that only accepts boys with squeaky-clean pasts. But the pressure of keeping their stories straight soon fractures their friendship—and when the cracks begin to show, they find out that they are not as safe from the law as they had hoped.


Kritters Thoughts:  A historical fiction that really felt real and I loved that.  There are three parts and an epilogue make up this book - the first part is when these two boys meet in Boston and become friends and it ends with a night that goes downhill fast; the second part is when these boys head to an island to a boy school that prides itself on building up good boys and keeping them on a good path not setting them from a bad path to a good path; the final part is labeled justice and not to spoil anything It is just that.

I loved these boys.  They had gumption and wanted more for themselves than what the streets of Boston could provide and with the help of an interesting "friend" they end up at the home that could really really help them and I loved reading about a book that centered around boys.  I also loved reading about a school that had a mission in keeping boys who could fall off the tracks on and it seemed like an upstanding school and I hope that there were many of these in the country at a time when youth were easily falling into trouble with parents who couldn't help them.

I am a fan of historical fiction and definitely try to read a "quota" of sorts per month that are historical fiction, but if you are a reader that shies away from historical fiction - try this one out.  These boys' story feels real and it may very well could be, but that realness made this a book that I couldn't put down and read in just two sittings.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from BookSparks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.