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Blue Boy [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

Rakesh Satyal (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)


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Book Description

May 1, 2009
Meet Kiran Sharma: lover of music, dance, and all things sensual; son of immigrants, social outcast, spiritual seeker. A boy who doesn't quite understand his lot-until he realizes he's a god...

As an only son, Kiran has obligations-to excel in his studies, to honor the deities, to find a nice Indian girl, and, above all, to make his mother and father proud-standard stuff for a boy of his background. If only Kiran had anything in common with the other Indian kids besides the color of his skin. They reject him at every turn, and his cretinous public schoolmates are no better. Cincinnati in the early 1990s isn-t exactly a hotbed of cultural diversity, and Kiran-s not-so-well-kept secrets don-t endear him to any group. Playing with dolls, choosing ballet over basketball, taking the annual talent show way too seriously. . .the very things that make Kiran who he is also make him the star of his own personal freak show. . .

Surrounded by examples of upstanding Indian Americans-in his own home, in his temple, at the weekly parties given by his parents- friends-Kiran nevertheless finds it impossible to get the knack of -normalcy.- And then one fateful day, a revelation: perhaps his desires aren-t too earthly, but too divine. Perhaps the solution to the mystery of his existence has been before him since birth. For Kiran Sharma, a long, strange trip is about to begin-a journey so sublime, so ridiculous, so painfully beautiful, that it can only lead to the truth. . .


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Satyal's lovely coming-of-age debut charts an Indian-American boy's transformation from mere mortal to Krishnaji, the blue-skinned Hindu deity. Twelve-year-old Kiran Sharma's a bit of an outcast: he likes ballet and playing with his mother's makeup. He also reveres his Indian heritage and convinces himself that the reason he's having trouble fitting in is because he's actually the 10th reincarnation of Krishnaji. He plans to come out to the world at the 1992 Martin Van Buren Elementary School talent show, and much of the book revels in his comical preparations as he creates his costume, plays the flute and practices his dance moves to a Whitney Houston song. But as the performance approaches, something strange happens: Kiran's skin begins to turn blue. Satyal writes with a graceful ease, finding new humor in common awkward pre-teen moments and giving readers a delightful and lively young protagonist. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"The best fiction reminds us that humanity is much, much larger than our personal world, our own little reality. Blue Boy shows us a world too funny and sad and sweet to bebased on anything but the truth." ----Chuck Palahniuk New York Times Bestselling Author

Product Details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation; 1 edition (May 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0758231369
  • ASIN: B002VPE936
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,643,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
By all appearances, Kiran Sharma is a good little boy. The 12 year old son of hardworking, religious immigrant parents who immigrated to the US from India, Kiran is an "A" student in most subjects, is quiet and respectful, attends religious services, and is a favorite among many of his teachers. He is also a loner, the only Indian student in his school, likes to play with dolls, has been known to experiment with his mother's makeup, and - when he stumbles on naked teenagers making out in a park - finds he is far more attracted to the young man than the girl. Not really sure what all that means, and nobody to confide in, Kiran feels isolated and different from his classmates and even the children of others of his faith. But a revelation about one of the Hindu gods, Krishna, who was also rather flamboyant, into music and acting out, and - with blue skin - obviously very different from everyone else, gives young Kiran hope, and he decides to emulate Krishna as much as possible, in his own life as well as portraying him in an upcoming class talent show.

"Blue Boy" is a sweet, captivating original story of a boy trying to make the best of a life his classmates tease him about, and to take strength from his beliefs and his parents' apprehensions about him. Alternately touching, sad and humorous, this is a coming-of-age novel of discovery and self-acceptance that anyone who has ever felt different can take to heart, and root for young Kiran as he strives to be the person he knows he can be. I give the book four finger-cymbal-clanging stars out of five.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
First, in the interest of honesty, I must say straight out that Rakesh Satyal is my editor. If I hadn't liked Blue Boy I simply would not review it; but since I did like it, I don't see any harm in saying so, and why.

Blue Boy is what is often called a "coming of age" story, about a boy's recognition and acceptance of his homosexuality. But this book, like the best of these, is so much more than that. Everyone who knows Satyal or works with him uses the same word to describe him: "brilliant." And this characterization is what distinguishes Blue Boy from so many similar stories. Satyal's voice is witty, sharp, somewhat cruel--the marks of a, dare I say it?--very masculine style.

Satyal has achieved what he set out to do, as explained in his Q&A at the end of the book: write a "humorous" and "playful" account of growing up Indian (Punjabi)-American in Middle America (Cincinnati). The scenes in which Kiran, the protagonist, discovers the escalating pleasures of pornographic magazines, are hilarious, speaking to everyone, of any gender or sexual orientation, who has gone through this essential rite of passage. And the payoff, a puncturing of a lyrical, misty embrace of sensuality, with an honest, coarse and pithy sentence, is, well, brilliant.

The hardest thing for a humorist to bring off is depicting serious emotion without spoiling the mood or sinking into sentimentality. Satyal manages this in an episode that truly made this reader laugh through her tears: the story of Kiran's dolls, Strawberry Shortcake and her sidekick, Blueberry Muffin. Anyone who's ever played with dolls knows there is a hierarchy. It's the acolyte, Blueberry, who meets a terrible fate, the incident made achingly poignant as Kiran acknowledges the sacrifice of the less valued one.

While the author's focus on his Indian heritage and his "differences" from the American children give the book a unique flavor, it's important to stress, as other reviewers have said, that the story's appeal is universal. A middle-aged, white-bread, New York woman, I was drawn in and captivated from the beginning, made just uncomfortable enough by the acerbic humor, the critical but affectionate look at Punjabi culture and the meticulously observed descriptions of people's physical appearance to know I was reading the work of a master.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
fascinating look September 26, 2010
By mac
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Blue Boy is, in some ways, a typical story of a young boy struggling to figure out who he is. He fits nowhere. He is of Indian parentage- adrift in Ohio. He is Hindu- again, in Ohio. His public school classmates are white and no more and no less cruel than children of 12 or 13 can be (which is certainly cruel enough for someone who is- and who perceives himself as- different). He does not fit in at home, where he spends time dancing, playing with dolls and using his mother's makeup. He does not easily fit in with the other Hindu children whom he sees weekly, either; he is outspoken, and it only points up his isolation.
Kiran is bright, artistic, a bit smug, and very lonely. When the child begins to see himself as turning blue, he rationalizes a new identity for himself.
The novel is quick reading, and both funny and agonizing. Kiran observes teens engaging in impersonal sex in the park, and this only serves to compound his uncertainty about himself. The resolution is a bit pat, but the struggle is very real as the boy works to come to terms with who he is.
The novel provides an unusual perspective on the Hindu religion as a child sees it, and insight into the life of a boy who is alone in the midst of people.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
True Blue
Kiran is your average boy...who likes to play with Strawberry Shortcake dolls and wear his mother's make-up. BLUE BOY is told from Kiran's perspective. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Eric A. Klee
Funny in places, but overall unsatisfying
There are without a doubt many funny scenes in the book, as the central character keeps thrusting himself into situations that you just know are going to go all kinds of wrong. Read more
Published 5 months ago by BookishBee
So fun!
This is a wild, heartwarming, coming-of-age book that made me laugh out loud a few times. Definitely worth a read.
Published 5 months ago by Pete Davidson
Blue on Blue
Rakesh Satyal's 'Blue Boy' proves the unspoken truth that children are usually crueler than adults, especially to each other. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jim Provenzano
Interesting, but not amazing...
The book touches on the inner struggle between modern life in the US and traditional hindu beliefs in a child. Does have some interesting aspects, but there's something missing. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Fabian Soria
fun to read but somewhat flat
Enjoyable read but after a while it feels a little flat. There are no other minorities in the boy's school except for Mrs. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Yerema Wisniowiecki
Very well written!
I was lucky to find this book on the list of Top 100 Free Kindle eBooks a few weeks ago. I didn't really know what it was about, but it had a nice cover, so I thought I'd give it... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Kelly Schuknecht
Nouns and Verbs?
This book is 90% adjectives. While this may be a good story, the book is almost completely devoid of nouns and verbs. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Avid Reader
Literature at it's Best
"Blue Boy" is a masterpiece of writing. Mr. Satyal's use of language paints a portrait the reader will long remember. Read more
Published 15 months ago by "Sunday Awakening" by KevaD
Beautiful
I loved this book. Satyal details the struggles of a twelve-year-old mind very well. His language is beautiful; his imagery is beautiful; everything about this book makes me... Read more
Published 16 months ago by S. Pagan
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
salwaar kameez, talent show act
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Rakesh Satyal, Nisha Auntie, Early Bird, John Griffin, The Clearing, Rashmi Auntie, Hilda Hinderlong, Country Crock, Principal Taylor, Kiran Beta, History Day, Evening Gown Barbie, Reynolds Wrap, Neha Singh, Rashmi Govind, Fire Engine, Daisy Duck, Baby-sitters Club, Ratika Aggarwal, Kevin Bartlett, Ratika Auntie, America the Beautiful, Headline News, Disney Adventures, Abraham Lincoln
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