2018
WISE Score
Amazon
A red-eyed boy navigates a world that calls him 'Devil Boy' in this heart-tugging story about misfits, faith, and finding where you belong.
4.6
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Think of this as 'Wonder' for grown-ups (or almost grown-ups). It’s a sweeping, emotional life story that avoids being 'brain rot' by actually challenging how we think about disability and difference.
It’s not a light read, and the bullying is heavy, but the payoff is a solid, meaningful story about resilience. If your teen is a strong reader who can handle some F-bombs and real-world themes, this is a fantastic pick that will actually stick with them.
While written for adults, this is a perfect 'crossover' book for mature 13+ readers who liked 'Wonder' but are ready for something with more weight and real-world grit.
The core of the story is about the enduring power of friendship and a mother's fierce, protective love. While the bullying is brutal, the emotional payoff and the way the 'misfit' characters show up for each other is deeply grounding.
It's a grounded, realistic coming-of-age story rather than a fantasy world, but the unique perspective of a protagonist with red eyes (ocular albinism) offers a creative lens on how appearance shapes a life.
This is an adult novel, so expect adult language, some sexual content, and intense bullying. It’s safe for the intended audience, but younger readers might be caught off guard by the grit and a specific late-story tragedy.
Massive empathy builder. It tackles prejudice, the complexity of religious faith, and the reality of living with a visible disability without being 'after-school special' cheesy.
If your reader has outgrown the middle-grade shelf but isn't quite ready for the bleakness of some "gritty" YA, this is the bridge. It’s often compared to Wonder because of the physical difference at the center of the story—Sam is born with ocular albinism, giving him red pupils—but Robert Dugoni is playing a much longer game here. We aren't just watching a kid survive fifth grade; we’re watching a man look back at forty years of being "the different one."
The synopsis mentions this book "nestles in close to the border" of John Irving territory, and that is the most accurate way to describe the vibe. It has that sprawling, Dickensian feel where every character matters and every childhood interaction feels like a seed planted for a payoff decades later.
If you’ve got a teen who liked The Perks of Being a Wallflower or even The Goldfinch, they’ll appreciate how Sam’s life doesn't just resolve in a neat "I’m okay, you’re okay" bow. It’s messy. He grows up, becomes an eye doctor, and travels the world, yet he’s still carrying the weight of being called "Devil Boy" in a small-town Catholic school. It’s a great pick for showing that growing up isn't about the trauma disappearing—it's about learning to integrate it.
The real engine of the book is the trio of Sam, Ernie, and Mickie.
This isn't your typical "misfit" trope where they just sit in a basement and complain. They protect each other with a ferocity that is genuinely moving. For a young reader, seeing how these friendships evolve from childhood playground pacts into adult lifelines is one of the book's best lessons. It moves the needle from "having friends" to "choosing your people."
Parents should know that the religious backdrop is thick. This isn't a "faith-based" book in the marketing sense, but Sam’s mother is a devout Catholic who views his red eyes as "God’s will." The book does a fantastic job of showing the friction between that kind of rigid faith and the reality of a kid getting his teeth kicked in by bullies.
It asks the big questions: If this was "designed," why is it so painful? Why do the "good" people at the school look the other way when the bullying starts? It’s a highly-rated favorite for book clubs precisely because it doesn't offer easy answers.
Be ready for the fact that the second half of the book deals with adult-sized grief. There is a specific tragedy that shifts the tone from a "school story" to a "life story." It’s the reason the book won the Crimson Scribe Award—it handles the emotional gravity of loss without becoming a total downer. If your kid is sensitive to stories about parents or lifelong friends, you might want to read this one alongside them. It’s the kind of book that practically begs to be discussed over dinner.
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