Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys Paperback – August 1, 2023

When Elliot, a boy who "loved to lie," gets dropped off by his parents at a home for unruly youths, he has no idea about the impending life-changing adventures ahead of him, for this is no ordinary reform school. “Headmistress” Madame Eldridge is no conventional teacher, and the curriculum to come is neither common nor comforting.Once Madame Eldridge enters the tale, she wastes no moment, moving quickly to rename the boys and informing them they have arrived to be transformed. She christens Elliot as Fibbsy, and the other boys receive similarly descriptive nicknames based on their specific issues or vices, resulting in such jarring epithets as Stealer, Bully, Cheater, and Defiance.As this increasingly urgent story unfolds, each boy must decide to embrace or confront the nature of his new name along with every new challenge posed by their eccentric educator. Soon enough, these boys must learn to devise solutions and collaborate if they are to unravel the many mysteries of this Victorian residence, as well as Madame Eldridge's enigmatic role, and the dubious motivations behind her increasingly daunting and cruel assignments, which spur the boys toward stranger and more dangerous conditions every day.What the boys uncover, and how they do this, is the result of an extraordinary series of quests that run the gamut of fear and courage, natural and paranormal, future and past, innocence and maturity, appearance and reality. Their interlinked ventures, brisk dialogues, surreal surroundings, cryptic incidents, and magical happenings, help to drive this ambitious debut novel forward with much anticipation, little delay, and no maddening misdirection.Madame Eldridge is consistently complex and captivating, always provoking reconsideration of her true intentions and alliances. All the characters are quite convincing, evolving, and pivotal to the plot. Through the boys’ collective wide-eyed curiosity—and their penchants for mischief, discovery, and disobedience—we witness much darker forces at work in the Wayward Home, and we find there are reasons behind the anomalous and ominous phenomena there.But beyond each how lies a larger why (and sometimes a when or a who) that begs to be answered. Answers do arrive, though, often enough, new questions tag along, and there’s ever a sense of a deeper story looming around each bend, where nothing's accidental, everything and everyone is at risk, and anything may reveal a crucial truth.CONCLUSION: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS. Highly recommended for fans of classic and contemporary fantasy, speculative fiction, magical realism, mystery, suspense, young adult literature, and adventurous tales. Ryan delivers on all the essentials of “good storytelling”—a persevering plot, compelling characterizations, creative conflicts, good pacing, spectacular settings, not to mention a unique style that reaches all the way down to the very purposeful chapter titles.Scene by scene, the book is intensely illustrative. Between its fast-paced and dynamic character-driven narrative, its fantastically vivid visuals, and its cinematic sequences, this book (at least for this reviewer) suggests a considerable “book-to-screen” potential, either as a possible motion picture or a broader online streaming series.Beyond that, admirable themes of friendship, cooperation, and tenacity—not giving up before seemingly impossible situations—ground this sorcerous storyline in a positive, youthful, and relatable humanity that allows us to care about these budding characters, their paths and choices, and their instincts to outgrow fears and embrace their truest selves (and each other) as they aspire to heroic feats and dare to escape the dismal and deathly realms of limitations.

I don’t read books in this genre, but I do like a good book regardless of the target market. This book deserves every five star rating it got. The characters are well written and unique. The setting is easy to see in your mind’s eye. The pacing is wonderful, there is no ‘soggy middle.’ The boys undergo a growth arc from being individuals to being friends and teammates. It involves magic and that aspect of the book can turn things a little dark, but it would be boring without it. It would be a great book to put on your kids summer reading list. The characters being boys might draw in reluctant boy readers, but it’s a classic story of good versus evil that everyone can enjoy.

Madam Eldridge's Home for Unruly Boys is brilliant! Each of the characters is captivating, full of sass and defiance. We never know if someone will bully, steal, cheat, tell a fib, or if slobbery will cause a drift. However, one thing is sure: a secret will keep you on the edge of your seat. The boys encounter vandalism, and it's a bummer as they embark on an unexpected journey. The story is a peculiar tale that will keep you turning pages until you've figured it all out. Author Benjamin Ryan creates a whimsical world filled with thrilling suspense, giving the readers invaluable lessons in every word. It is thought-provoking and exciting fun. The plot twists will have you clutching your pearls. Each character is well-developed; the dialogue is phenomenal. I adore this story and will re-read it because it was so much fun. I highly recommend this masterfully written story, and I will keep watch for whatever Ryan publishes.

I first saw this novel on Twitter and had to check it out. It features a group of juvenile delinquents sent to Madame Eldridge's program to "cure" them. They are named by their "faults"--Fibbsy, Stealer, Slob, etc.--instead of by their proper names. It's a mystery, fantasy, time-travel, and humorous novel. If you like the magical items in "Harry Potter," you'll like this novel. If you like the juvenile delinquents in "Holes," you'll like this novel. Heck, if you liked "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," you'll like this. I read it in less than 24-hours and was hooked the whole time. The narration style of third person omniscient is done EXTREMELY WELL!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDOriginally I assumed it was a YA story, but for all the apparent innocence, it's a very adult story as well.Charmingly crafted and as entertaining and relevant for an adult as for adolescents.There is room for sequels if the author is inspired. I'd read them.

An interesting set of main characters, four of whom really get a chance to shine as they become friends and work through their issues, a bit of magic, a healthy dose of suspense, and just enough of a cliffhanger to leave me wondering when the next book is coming. Really enjoyed this read.

I can’t label this book “fun” because there are some really dark elements. But the premise IS fun, whimsical even. A program for boys who each have a flawed personality trait, one so big that when they enter Madame Eldridge’s home, they are simply called by their “problem,”‘i.e. Cheater or Bully. So I think alluring or unputdownable describe the story best. Ryan uses everyday young adult issues, lying, stealing, back-talking to name a few, as a basis for lost magic. The more in-tune the kid is with his “problem” emotion, the more magical ability he controls. The thing is—Madame Eldridge’s isn’t a place to hone their magic. In fact, just the opposite is happening. What are Madame Eldridge’s intentions? Are the boys safe? Only time will tell… Definitely a compulsive read which leaves you desperate for the author’s next installment!

This is a very enjoyable middle-grade fantasy. I recommend to anyone interested in the genre. Now to wait for the sequel...

An original concept, a compelling cast of weird and wonderful characters, who you felt you shouldn't love but can't help but root for, a story that starts off with a normal family wanting to 'fix' their child's lying problem and ends up with a deep-dive into obscure magic, time travel and general fantasticalness. This is not a book to miss!

Amazing.

While I was reading this book, I felt like an elementary school student again. I was reminded of the book reports I used to do when I was in elementary school, because it is summer vacation in Japan now. I read books and thought about other worlds that are not here somewhere, going into the forest to look for a door to connect the real world with the other world, sneaking into an empty mansion, and so on.As we grow older, have we forgotten the childhood sense of challenge and adventure that we used to feel when we were children, using the barrier of reality as an excuse? This book will remind you of the faint, passionate hearts and memories you try not to remember. It may hurt you at times. But that's what adventure is all about. The main character in this book seems to like to lie, but you won't want to lie about your life.By the way, I used to lie all the time when I was in primary school. So I felt even more familiar with this book. And the author's meticulous psychological and landscape descriptions. It reminded me of my somewhat nostalgic, tender and pale youth and friendship days.

This is a great book for YA readers. It has superb character interaction, and as the story grows, the reader is pulled into the spooky excitement of the narrative. Just the sort of thing that teenagers will love and want more of