A review by longlost
The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

WOW this was a good book. These are the types of books that need to be published, so that marginalized kids and adults can see themselves in the pages. 

Lonesborough gives us an incredible look at life through the eyes of a queer Aboriginal teen coming to terms with his sexuality. Jackson's developing relationship with Tomas is so, so sweet, and you feel for his fears of
being outed as not straight.
Lonesborough showcases his anxieties wonderfully, in a way that makes us understand what Jackson may have to lose if he embraces his identity. 

The relationship between Jackson and his family was incredibly heartwarming to read about -
one scene that hit me hard was when one of Jackson's cousins was bitten by a snake while they were out in the bush, after which Jackson and the others had to rush him to hospital. The quiet understanding of his mother and Aunt Pam and their refusal to blame him for the accident made the entire scene so much more heart-wrenching.


The book can be a hard read - Jackson faces a lot of conflicting feelings in regards to his identity, along with systemic racism and homophobia in several places in the book - but in my opinion that makes it even more worth reading. Lonesborough writes Jackson's story while drawing from his own experiences, and it provides a unique understanding of the life of someone who belongs to these two intersecting identities. I've always found it easier to learn from fictional books rather than non-fiction, and I definitely appreciate the glimpses this book gives us into Aboriginal culture with Jackson and his community. 

Tomas and Jackson; I loved reading about them. Seeing their relationship grow, and Jackson's uncertainty as his feelings around his identity changed with it, was beautifully comforting.
The fact that the book ends on a happy note despite Jackson and Tomas now being long-distance endeared me to it even more.


I would recommend this book to literally everyone. It's incredibly heartfelt and it's so clear how much passion Lonesborough had for these characters and the story, and it just makes the book even more enjoyable to read. 
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