A one-in-a-million story for anyone who loves to laugh, cry, and think about how extraordinary ordinary life can be. Not to be missed by readers who loved THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, ELIZABETH IS MISSING or THE SHOCK OF THE FALL.
Miss Ona Vitkus has - aside from three months in the summer of 1914 - lived unobtrusively, her secrets fiercely protected.
The boy, with his passion for world records, changes all that. He is eleven. She is one hundred and four years, one hundred and thirty three days old (they are counting). And he makes her feel like she might be really special after all. Better late than never...
Only it's been two weeks now since he last visited, and she's starting to think he's not so different from all the rest.
Then the boy's father comes, for some reason determined to finish his son's good deed. And Ona must show this new stranger that not only are there odd jobs to be done, but a life's ambition to complete . . .
Miss Ona Vitkus has - aside from three months in the summer of 1914 - lived unobtrusively, her secrets fiercely protected.
The boy, with his passion for world records, changes all that. He is eleven. She is one hundred and four years, one hundred and thirty three days old (they are counting). And he makes her feel like she might be really special after all. Better late than never...
Only it's been two weeks now since he last visited, and she's starting to think he's not so different from all the rest.
Then the boy's father comes, for some reason determined to finish his son's good deed. And Ona must show this new stranger that not only are there odd jobs to be done, but a life's ambition to complete . . .
Before this book I have read two very powerful books that have been truly amazing. This one took a little longer to get into, purely because it wasn't quite as strong as the other two. But once it got going I really got into it. This is a story based on the friendship between a 11 year old boy and a 104 year old lady. The boy is a scout and comes around to help out a little, he is obsessed with world-records and he wants to help Ona to break one of the world-records.
One day however instead of the boy his absent father turns up. The little boy has died unexpected and his father is fulfilling his duty for him. Not only does the Father build a friendship with Ona himself, being at her house and talking to her brings him closer to the son he has barely known.
This is story about friendship and about grieve. We get a few glances of the friendship between the boy and Ona, plus recordings of Ona speaking about her past, but mainly its the Fathers story we follow. Ona is an incredible character and she made me laugh often. Certainly not a shy old lady. But its the change in the father through the story that is truly amazing.
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a really fast paced book but it was really lovely, charming and uplifting. What will stay with me is how much the boy is still affecting every ones life after he is gone and in such a positive way.
I have received this book as a total surprise and I am glad I got to read this, even if it didn't quite blow me away, its still touching and memorable.
Thank you to Headline for my beautiful copy in exchange for my honest review.
The One-In-A-Million Boy is out now.
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