Customer Reviews

Wolf Boy: A Novel

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Losing any family member in an auto accident would be terrible, but losing the big brother you've idolized for all of your 13 years is impossible to conceptualize. The task of coming to terms with such a loss is what faces the protagonist of Kuhlman's debut novel, set in early '90s Illinois. The book follows the Harrelson family as they struggle to keep living in the wake of the their golden-child Francis' death at age 19. The bulk of the story revolves around Stephen, an engagingly clever and imaginative13-year-old, although ample time is given to 9-year-old Crispy, their parents Gene and Helen, Stephen's next-door neighbor girlfriend Nicole, and Francis' college girlfriend. While the temptation must have been strong to concentrate on Stephen and his story, it's greatly to Kuhlman's credit that he's able to take us into the heads of all these other characters and come to care about each and every one.

As with so many families subject to such tragedy, the four remaining members cope by drifting apart into their own worlds. The barely communicating parents start sleeping in separate bedrooms. Ever-distant Gene spends more and more time sitting in his furniture shop with the blinds down and the "Closed" sign on the door. Meanwhile, Helen robotically goes through the motions of life until driven to a satisfying act of violence which leads to some long-overdue introspection. Crispy retreats into television and fantasies of being swept away by Mark Wahlberg (at that time he was a preteen idol known for his awful band and his Calvin Klein abs, I mean ads). However, it's Stephen we spend the most time with, as he has visions of his brother over the course of the year and tries to understand why he died. His main outlet is a quasi-autobiographical superhero comic-book he writes, Nicole illustrates, and they self-publish together. In what might be considered a gimmick (not by me, however), parts of these comic books appear in the novel, adding another layer to the storytelling and providing a particularly effective window into Stephen's grief.

In general, I tend to stay away from novels and films about tragedy and dysfunctional families. There are enough tough things to deal with in our own lives that I'm not particularly keen to use leisure time to grapple with fictional representations of even more. However, this is one of the few such works I can wholeheartedly recommend. Yes, it's very sad to see this family slowly fall apart, and the parents are especially painful figures to follow. But it's also hard not to root for Stephen to make it though the hard times and realize happiness with Nicole. There's a lot of gentle humor and sweetness that never gets cloying, and Kuhlman's simple, straightforward prose sets just the right tone. A very solid first novel about a very tough topic, skillfully handled. If you like Mark Jude Poirier, John McNally, or Tom Perrotta, check this out.

On January 9, 1993, the Harrelson family's lives were changed forever. That was the day they got word that eldest son Francis, a budding mycologist, was killed in an auto accident in a car driven by his fiancee, Jasmine, who survived. Each Harrelson deals with grief in a different way: father Gene hides in his furniture store with the CLOSED sign on the door and considers cheating on his wife with a former employee -- their already extant marital problems are brought into sharp relief by the extra stressor of Francis's death.

Meanwhile, sister Crispy writes letters to pop star Marky Mark (of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch), asking him to come rescue her, and figuring out a way to meet up with him in the meantime; and mother Helen walks the ledge of a nervous breakdown before seeking help from a support group.

Only Stephen channels his grief for the loss of his big brother and best friend (and his visions of Francis swimming in the sky) into something creative -- a superhero comic book called The Adventures of Wolf Boy, with art by Stephen's girlfriend, Nicole Strussman. This and Stephen's other attempts to keep Francis's memory alive are saddening and joyous, making me wish I knew the boy personally.

In one of the most blazingly original bursts of creative brilliance I have seen in quite some time, first-time novelist Evan Kuhlman (his short stories have appeared in Glimmer Train Stories, among others) has combined the literary family-grief story (think Ordinary People without the downer ending) with the superhero comic in his debut, Wolf Boy. Interspersed within the story of a family's loss are panels of The Adventures of Wolf Boy. (The comic is actually illustrated by identical twins Brendon and Brian Fraim -- check out examples of their clean lines and traditional approach at Fraimworks.)

In Wolf Boy, Kuhlman combines the best parts of John Irving, Jonathan Lethem, and Jonathan Franzen. This semi-autobiographical tale (Kuhlman lost his own brother at a young age) charms and delights; Kuhlman has managed to focus on a sad subject without making it depressing. The comic was a terrific idea, and watching how it parallels the novel's story is a wonder. But I especially admired how Kuhlman realistically portrayed the family's relationship with Jasmine following the accident -- a gradual separation followed by an almost complete cut-off, with only the smitten Stephen still in contact. One day she's practically their daughter, the next she's a pariah. It's maybe not the right way to do things, but it's the way that often goes.

I was consistently surprised by Kuhlman's choices in Wolf Boy. Not only in the imaginative format of the novel, but also in the way Kuhlman never makes the expected choices with his characters. He doesn't seem to have favorites, treating all of them with equal respect. This, in turn, causes us to root for all of them to successfully get through their struggles and come out stronger on the other side. And the ambiguous ending allows us to think that it might actually happen, if not necessarily soon.

To steal and change a line from a Tom Cruise flick, "You had me at Prologue." This book opens with a bit of a shock to the system, a fine young man has died, and follows the lives of those affected by the loss, especially the family, especially the younger son Stephen, over the next year. The writing is clear and captivating, and the included comics, a surprise, fit well and added much to the story. There are also some humorous moments, which you might not expect in a book like this, but they came off as quite natural. I truly cared about each of the characters, especially Stephen and his oddball girlfriend Nicole and his sister Crispy, which is quite rare for me (at most I usually only care about the protagonist, if that). If you are looking for something sweet, sad, and original, give this book a try.

This debut novel took my breath away. It's so haunting and real in its depiction of grief and loss, and yet realistically portrays a typical dysfunctional family as well as coming-of-age: while Stephen tries to grapple with the death of his idol, he is also trying to deal with his first kiss, going to high school, and how to reach his estranged father. All very relatable themes. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This novel is both wonderfully strange and wonderfully written, sort of literary fiction but with added comics. When I first heard about this novel I was worried that the comics would be cutesy or distract from the plot, but that wasn't the case at all, they fit in perfectly (especially when I got to know Stephen, the protagonist) and added much to the book, though I wouldn't mind if there had been one or two more. The subject of the novel is tough, the loss of a cherished son, but the writing is strong and the characters are endearing (though Gene, the father, will test your patience), and the art is as good as any comic book art you'll find. I read this book in two days instead of the more typical two weeks, probably because I had two concerns weighing on me, what happens to Stephen and girlfriend and his family, but also what happens to their comic book counterparts, the Laredos and Lila Butterfly. If you're looking for something unique and satisfying and a little bit odd, I'd highly recommend this book. I don't think you'll need to love comics to love this novel, since they only make up about 10-15 percent of the book. I've never seen anything like Wolf Boy and wonder if it will spur some imitations/rip-offs, and I do hope there will a sequel by the author (Kuhlman) and the illustrators before too long. Quite a debut.

I'll be honest, what drew me to the book when I first ordered my copy way back when was the illustrators, the Fraim Brothers. As a comic fan very familiar with their work, I chose to support another of their projects, even if they were second-string on the bill.

In any event, as I finally got around to read the book, I couldn't put it down. "Wolf Boy" may be a misleading title, considering it's mature subject matter of the unexpected death of a young family member. Evan Kuhlman, who I had never heard of before, makes you feel for every single character in the book. The depth of emotion felt off the page is unimaginable until you read it. It stunned me that this book, in it's intensity, cleverness, humor and availability to multiple demographics, didn't become more of a hit or even win an award.

Don't let the addition of the comic illustrations fool you, they are as much a part of the story as the text is, even stirring what I believe to be the redemption of one of the characters. Read it to see what I mean!

I highly recommend this title to anyone who likes to read, loves character driven stories and doesn't mind a semi-ambiguous ending. I personally feel the book ended on a good note, it left me wanting more. Which is more than I ever expect out of many books I get these days.

An enjoyable, imaginative, observant, well-written and all-around excellent book that you will want to read straight through. Yes you will. You can get the details from Compulsive Reader, Amazon, the book jacket...

Even Kuhlman's debut novel, "Wolf Boy," treats a common literary theme -- a family's response to the death of a beloved son -- with uncommon insight, tenderness and sympathy. The author understands that grief seeks expression in a variety of ways, some constructive, others destructive. When Francis Harrelson dies as the result of an unexpected car crash, his parents and siblings find themselves disintegrating by the centripetal forces of loss and despair. Kuhlman's compassionate treatment of those who bear the brunt of mourning makes "Wolf Boy" a sensitive examination of how the heart finds the ability to heal itself.

Thirteen-year-old Stephen Harrelson emerges as the pivotal character of the novel. Acutely aware of his marginal status in the family and bruised by his understanding that his parents favored either Francis or his younger sister, Stephen grasps the reality that he must, on his own, come to grips with a stunning loss. His technique is the creation of a comic-book super hero, Wolf Boy, whose fantastic abilities in combating evil compensate for Stephen's powerlessness in confronting death. Wolf Boy's willingness to face danger, fight wrong and accept his unique physiological and psychological make-up symbolizes the confused and anguished boy's hopes for release from pain.

As a novel, "Wolf Boy" travels in a unique direction. Kuhlman collaborates with two comic book artists, Brendon and Brian Fraim, and incorporates Stephen's comic book into the text. This inclusion gives "Wolf Boy" the texture of a graphic novel and permits the reader to actually see the product of the teenager's imagination. Stephen's imagined family mirrors that of his real life. His father has been broken by the death of the oldest son; he retreats from life and nurses a sense of cosmic injustice but refuses to act as guardian of the household. Stephen's mother shuts down and then melts down; the imagined version portrays her as a sympathetic android whose emotional control system has gone terribly awry. Stephen's girlfriend, Nicole, whose encouragement and rough-edged fondness inspire Stephen, emerges from a cocoon as Lila Butterfly.

Kuhlman is not above tweaking social workers and psychologists who rigidly adhere to the five-step process of grief. When Stephen's mother assaults an office clerk and his father wrestles with his conscience in deciding whether or not to have an affair with an employee, the author reminds us that dealing with death is no tidy, linear process. Instead, each of his characters reflects a myriad of emotions, ranging from detachment to anger, resentment to kindness, surliness to congeniality. One of the delights of "Wolf Boy" is that we never know what emotion will surface.

Although the novel has some trouble with voice and several of its episodes defy belief, "Wolf Boy" satisfies. Evan Kuhlman knows that even the most imperfect of families contain elements of resiliency and that even the most brokenhearted of children discover the resources to face, comprehend and accept death.

I knew nothing about the novel "Wolf Boy", or its author Evan Kuhlman when I picked it up at the library. I was drawn to the title of the book and the idea of a family coping after a lost loved one, but what sold me was the graphic storyline of "Wolf Boy". A comic book infused into a novel! What a great idea. I am a big fan of graphic novels and love to read novels, but combining the two, well, that would be like mixing chocolate and peanut butter. A yummy idea that can't miss.
This book is about a family that is torn apart by the death a Francis, the oldest of three children. Stephen, the middle child, feels that not only has he lost an older brother that he idolizes, but he also lost his mother and father, both who are so grief-stricken that they become empty shelled aliensto him. Stephen's only recourse is to deal with his lost by creating a comic book character called "Wolf Boy" with the help of his already off-balanced girlfriend Nicole.
I find it hard to actually pinpoint the main voice of this book. Stephen is definitely the glue that holds the story together, but the mother and father, I think, are the true voices of this story. They already had marriage troubles before Francis died (Gene and Helen have separate bedrooms). Watching them shamble around like zombies you want to take and smack them a good one and say "Stop grinding your gears about what happen to your dead son and concentrate on your two live ones. Concentrate on what you have and not what you lost."
Bottom line: The graphic comic book infused in "Wolf Boy" didn't move the story along as well as I would have liked, but the idea is still a bold move. The characters didn't seem to blend well together, which, in this case, works because this is a family in trouble. The family feels like a real family that at one time worked fine but now is broken. Great job for a first novel.

An excellent story about loss, art and the excruciatingly slow healing process. I'm a bit puzzled as to why "Wolf Boy" didn't receive more exposure. I suspect that when people looked at the book and the subject matter they assumed the story would focus mainly on the comic book aspect of the novel, and wrote it off as a glorified graphic novel. I feel sorry for those who did because they've missed out.

The Wolf Boy sequences are well drawn (by brothers Brendon and Brian Fraim) and told, revealing the discord in the family and clarifying the themes of death and creation. But Wolf Boy is only part of the story and it's the family's all too real despair and struggles over the next year that kept me turning the pages. The father drifts off into a lazy affair and lets his business suffer, the mother sinks into a depression so deep that she can barely feel anything (the subplot involving multiple death certificates is an excellent detail), the young daughter wants to run away and the surviving son takes his grief (and visions he keeps having of his dead brother) and creates an alternate world.

I had no idea of who Evan Kuhlman was before reading this novel but now I'd like to see what he does next. I'm hoping that with the inevitable paperback release of this novel that its reputation grows and finds a larger audience. This isn't a book to be missed; if you did look at it once in the library or a bookstore and then put it down, pick it up again.