An Unusual Boy recounts the struggles of Jackson, a neurodiverse tween boy, and his family after he is accused of a terrible action against a younger girl. Higgins takes readers through strong emotions including regret, anger and helplessness, but also demonstrates love, acceptance, and justice.

I like that each character faces both joys and challenges, and through this, each character was developed well. I especially liked to see the growth of Julia and her mother-in-law's relationship, and how the family truly gathered around to support Jackson. This book didn't take me too long to read at all, and held my attention throughout.

Note: I was given a free ebook copy of An Unusual Boy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jackson is ‘neurodiverse’, which means he is different or unusual, as the title states. He is also loving, kind and wants to do the right thing. I found this book heart breaking as injustice was meted out. His mother was struggling with the demands of life, and his father was in denial. I really enjoyed the writing style, and connected with all the characters. Kept me engaged throughout. If only life really worked out as well as this book did.

I felt so emotionally involved in Jackson's story, and that's what made this book such a winner for me. Impeccable writing from Fiona Higgins, I would recommend this book to anyone. A great story about people and what makes them different, I loved it.

This is a highly emotional and thought-provoking story of a family struggling with the growing distance between them caused by mounting work and life pressures including the complex special needs of one of their children who is misunderstood and misdiagnosed as well trying to cope as a lone parent whilst the other always seems to be away on business. This is a rollercoaster of a book, disturbing, shocking and upsetting at times but ultimately heartening end enlightening.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking book that ultimately is about love and family and how sometimes being different is not a bad thing but actually an amazing blessing. This book is about a families love and learning to accept each other even if you can’t always understand each other. Everyone of us is magical and amazing just as we are and that’s what matters.

I’m definitely in the minority here giving this book only 2 stars but I could not connect to any of the characters and just lost interest at 29% complete. Just not for me! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

This book was amazing, it really opened my eyes. This book is a must read.

Jackson was my favourite character, yes he was ‘unusual’ but he was also such a kind, caring and wise boy - the world needs more Jacksons.
I really felt for his mum Julia because she had to go through so much with hardly any support at all, she was an inspiration.

There were so many great quotes in this book that made the story even more relatable and likeable. My favourite quote had to be ‘Patience (card game) is like life, you can’t control the cards you’re dealt but you can choose to use them wisely.’

Thank you so much to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for allowing me to be part of this tour.

‘Everyone’s unusual. Just you remember that. No one’s bloody normal.’

Unfolding from the alternate perspectives of music therapist, Julia Curtis, and her son, eleven-year-old Jackson, An Unusual Boy by Fiona Higgins is an emotive family drama about an atypical child and his typical family.

Both a source of joy and frustration for his parents and siblings, 9-year-old Ruby and 14-year-old Milla, Jackson is smart, honest, and sweet but also has several behavioural tics, and difficulties with the nuances of communication, which mark him as neurodiverse. Having recently relocated from the inner city to a coastal suburb, Julia is delighted when Jackson is invited to a schoolmate’s home, but the friendship is short lived when the boys are accused of a reprehensible act. With her workaholic husband largely absent, a shell-shocked Julia struggles to deal with the fall-out from the incident, and advocate for her unusual boy.

Higgins portrayal of her characters is authentic and sensitive. It’s easy to sympathise with Julia, a harried mother juggling the challenges of caring for her three children while working part time with little support from anyone, including her often absent husband. Carrying the ‘emotional load’ of a family is exhausting at the best of times, but is even more so when your child has additional needs, and Julia’s struggles and mistakes feel realistic as she tries to do the best she can.

Jackson’s unusual thought processes and behaviour are communicated well. He is both literal and linear in his thinking, and has obsessive-compulsive traits. Often overwhelmed by his thoughts and the workings of his prodigious memory, his behaviours are sometimes bizarre, and relating to others is a daily challenge. Jackson is an appealing character who evokes empathy in the reader, but in reality would likely frustrate and annoy adults who lack such insight, as shown by the impatience of his teacher, and the reactions to his headstands in a cafe. While society in general is more accepting of diversity these days, issues remain, particularly when those differences are not physically evident, and labels fail to neatly summarise a condition.

The incident (TW: sexual assault) which sparks a crisis for the Curtis family is dealt with sensitively by Higgins. The fall out highlights the common failings of adults when dealing with a neurodiverse child. It’s also a reminder that compassion, not judgement, should be our default when dealing with children, there is more than one victim here.

The only thing I thought was out of place in the novel was the use of currently nonexistent VR technology used to underscore the vulnerability of children online. There are possibilities aplenty for the exploitation of children via the internet without the need for a ‘sci-fi’ element, and unsupervised access is not the only condition for risk.

Beautifully written with grace and humour, An Unusual Boy is a thought-provoking, tender and moving novel that explores diversity, family, and humanity.

Jackson is special, exceptional even. But he also is misunderstood. I was drawn into the story right from the start, felt the pain and confusion alongside Jackson, almost became his mother. Great story with the potential to get people talking about something important for a long time.

Well, it’s difficult to even put into words how special this book is.

I just loved Jackson, and the insight into the way his mind works is both remarkable and so captivating. I work with children with special needs, and this just felt so authentic and compassionate.

The story is told from both Jackson’s and his mum, Julie’s points of view. It’s a plot that flows so well, and I really couldn’t put it down. There’s an almost mesmerising quality to the writing and it feels so real.

It’s an emotional read, be prepared to both smile and cry!

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It’s truly special.

An Unusual Boy is a deeply moving book that touches you on so many levels. Within a few pages, my heart went out to the whole family but especially Jules and Jackson struggling to cope with a father who is absent most of the time and doesn’t seem to even try to understand Jackson when he is home. As you get to know each member of the family and see how they cope with the hand they have been dealt, each of them finds their own place in your heart, although personally I became particularly attached to Milla, who is grown up beyond her years.

There are multiple moments throughout the book that felt like I had been punched in the stomach, such was the depth of the hurt the characters endured, but there are just as many moments of pure joy that counteract the pain.

The chapters told from Jackson’s perspective provide a wonderful insight into how life appears to a neuro diverse child, and I loved that Fiona Higgins chose to include this point of view rather than just showing things from the perspective of a mother of a child like Jackson.

An Unusual Boy is a challenging read about trust, betrayal and a mother’s love for her children. It isn’t always comfortable reading, but it is a book that will stay with me for some time and one I would thoroughly recommend you read.

Wow! What a gem of a book. Totally different from my usual genre and I’ve found a new author too! This book was so easy to read, I quickly found myself absorbed in the story and the characters. There are a few heart stopping moments which brought the tears on a little, but it was totally worth the read. Definitely recommended to everyone!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An Unusual Boy is a very heavy story, but with a feel-good, heartwarming happiness to it.
The story is told from dual-POVs -- Jackson, the titular 11 year old unusual boy, and his mom Julia. What seems like a relatively normal story following a semi-dysfunctional family as they live their day-to-day life turns into something awful after one fateful day at school.
Jackson isn't quite like other kids. He's undiagnosed and unlabeled, but his brain definitely doesn't function the way most brains do. Jackson can remember things from when he was really super little, he needs to stand on his head to calm his racing mind, and he speaks to his dead grandmother through his shoe-phone. Yes, he's unusual, but he's also sweet, innocent, and easy to like.
His mom and sisters occasionally struggle with him, and his dad is barely in the picture (he's away for work a lot), but they make things work to the best of their ability.
When Jackson starts spending time with his friend Rigby, things go downhill from there very quickly.
Jackson gets in trouble one day in class and is sent to the bathroom. Rigby sees him and convinces Jackson to follow him into the girl's bathroom to "play a trick" on a little 9 year old girl. This event is what sets off the rest of the book, and things are not easy or pretty.
It's tough to get through, and I found myself having to put the book down a few times to go discuss the events of the story with my husband. As a parent to a special needs son, my heart hurt for both Jackson and Julia. I can't even imagine the pain, frustration, and anger Julia had to work through while dealing with everyone. From the police to the school to everyone in-between. And Jackson didn't quite understand what was going on, and his inability to verbalize things properly made things even more difficult for him and his family.
There is a bit of a twist near the end that I suppose I should have seen coming, as the signs were there, but it definitely took me by surprise.
I have to say, I really liked most of the characters in the story. Riley, Miss Marion, even Pamela, as well as the Curtis family. They were all great characters who really made the heavy stuff a little lighter. I definitely didn't like Rigby or his parents. There was another character I was iffy about at first, started to like, and then hated by the end. I won't spoil that, though.
If you're looking for an interesting story about an unusual little boy who will make your heart smile, and if you can tough it out with the taboo subject matter, definitely give An Unusual Boy a read.
4.5 stars from me.

I found this book so captivating, it was difficult to put down! Told in dual perspective chapters, alternating between Jackson and his mum Julia, it offers a fascinating insight into the devastating effect a single incident can have on a family.

Jackson has been described as an ‘atypical’ boy who is neuro-diverse. This means he sometimes struggles to communicate clearly. It is this difficulty that has massive repercussions when he is accused of an incident at school and his answers implicate him more than he realises.

The relationships within the story are fascinating; from Jackson’s need to be loved by his often-absent father, to Julia’s growing reliance on soccer coach Steve, and the thawing of her relationship with mother-in-law Pamela.

It shows how empathy, compassion and understanding can have a profound affect on how we respond to others and how the opposite can be unimaginably destructive.

There were moments when I held my breath, such is the quality of the writing. A highly-recommended read!

11 year old Jackson is quirky, he has differences and sees the world unlike anyone else.

Unfortunately people take advantage of that and can lead him down wrong paths, dark paths. This was what Digby did.

Jackson's mother Julia is currently playing single parent as her husband Andy is working away for weeks at a time. She has 14 year old Milla who is hormonal, Jackson and 9 year old Ruby who just wants to express herself.

Their world is turned upside down following Digby's actions and Jackson has a journey back to the comfort that he knows.

This is a book I shall remember for a long time and it is written in a style I have never experienced before.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If there’s one thing that I like doing it’s discovering new authors and Fiona Higgins is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘An Unusual Boy’ and it certainly sounded like an interesting read and then some. This book was a little out of my comfort zone as I usually read family sagas or crime novels. They do say that a change is as good as a rest and so I eagerly grabbed a copy of the book and settled down for an afternoon of reading. Having just finished reading ‘An Unusual Boy’, all I can say is ‘wow’. I really enjoyed reading ‘An Unusual Boy’ but more about that in a bit.
I really felt for Jackson, who is Julia’s son. Jackson is an extraordinary young lad, who stands out at school. In that respect I could totally empathise with Jackson. When I was at school, I stood out from the others as I was tall, had ginger hair and a bit on the plump side, which made me a target. I know how my experiences affected me so my heart broke for Jackson. I kept wanting to jump inside the pages of the book to protect him.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this story. The story was perhaps a little slower in pace than the books I normally read, but that was fine. By the time I got to the end of the first half a dozen or so pages, I knew that I would find it difficult to put the book down for any length of time. I was spot on too. I just had to know how the story panned out for Jackson and his family. I would say that the latter half of the book was faster paced and I seemed to race through it. I reached the end o the story quicker than I had anticipated.
‘An Unusual Boy’ is well written. The author writes about some very difficult subjects but she writes with great compassion and sensitivity. The author has clearly done a research into the different subjects and this shines through in the quality of her writing. Fiona has one of those writing styles that grabs your attention and draws you into the story. She also has a way of making the reader feel included and as though the reader is part of the story themselves. That is how I felt at any rate. I found myself becoming emotionally involved in the story in the sense that everything the different characters went through I went through. I found this to be an emotive, compelling and gripping read.
In short, I did enjoy reading ‘An Unusual Boy’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Fiona’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

Jackson is an 11-year-old boy who is described as neurodiverse. He talks to Dead Granny on his shoe phone, does head stands and blinks a lot when he is stressed. He is very literal and sometimes struggles to express himself. Mom, Julia, is a busy mother with three kids, a job and her husband is away a lot for business. They recently moved to Queenscliff and Jackson is adjusting to a new school. He makes a new friend in Digby and has his first play date but Digby wants Jackson to keep secrets. When he is questioned by the police because of an incident at school he gets himself in trouble by not really understanding the questions with almost disastrous results.

I thought all of the characters were well developed. Having grown up with a brother who had issues I can appreciate the juggling that Julia had to do. She has to balance Jackson's needs without neglecting the other two children. When the police become involved she is so upset she becomes somewhat unreliable. I loved the two girls. Ruby was nine years old, a little fashionista that sparkled. Milla is 14 and somewhat serious. She writes poetry and has her first boyfriend in Riley who really is the type of guy that anyone would want for their daughter. Andy, the father, was a bit less defined. He was away so much for business that even though he loved his family his absences made him more of a stranger to the every day workings of the household. I also liked Nanna Pam. At first she seemed very distant, not having a good relationship with Julia but through the course of the book they become closer. She delivers my favorite line in the book. "Normal doesn't exist, darling. It is just a setting on the wash machine."

I would totally recommend this book to friends. Thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me a copy.

Thought-provoking, beautifully layered and sensitively written, Fiona Higgins’ An Unusual Boy is a gripping and fascinating tale about family, relationships and the power of love I am still thinking about weeks after reading the book.

Julia Curtis is a busy mother of three whose days are spent juggling a million and one things whilst trying to remain calm, composed and serene – a feat which is becoming increasingly difficult with every passing day. With her husband frequently away on business, it falls squarely upon Julia’s shoulders to look after the house and their three kids whilst coping with a demanding mother-in-law and a stressful career. Julia feels as if she is forever lurching from one crisis to another and with her children growing up, a tranquil existence feels like light years away.

As if having to cope with her fourteen year old daughter falling in love for the first time and her nine year’s penchant for wearing fashions nobody can dissuade her from isn’t enough, it is Julia’s middle son Jackson who is giving her the most worry and concern. At 11 years of age, Jackson is a boy who many would describe as different and unusual. He is nothing like his sisters. Or his classmates. Or anybody else for that matter. Jackson is one of a kind and Julia cannot help but worry about him. Is she simply being overprotective? Is she letting her worries and imagination run away with her? Or does she have legitimate reasons for her concerns?

Being different is hard – especially in a society where everybody strives to conform and be homogenous. When Jackson makes a friend, Digby, Julia is relieved that her son has met somebody at school he can be friendly with. But little does she realise that her problems are only just beginning when one Monday morning, Jackson follows Digby into the toilets at school and what happens next changes all of their lives forever.

Her boy has never needed her more than he does now and Julia vows to do whatever it takes to save her son from an unjust fate in a world where being unusual is the most unwanted thing one could possibly be.

Fiona Higgins’ An Unusual Boy is the perfect book club read. Written with great compassion and understanding, An Unusual Boy is a heart-wrenching tale about a mother’s love, family loyalty and the lengths we are prepared to go to for the people we love. A novel that deftly and skilfully examines resilience, forgiveness and courage, An Unusual Boy is a haunting, devastating and stirring tale that is highly emotional and wholly inspiring.

Fiona Higgins is a brilliant novelist I hadn’t read before, but after being so moved by An Unusual Boy, I shall make sure to keep an eye out for future releases by her.

What a beautifully written novel!

A story that has so many hidden messages that you can't help but sit and ponder over after.

A story so unlike any other I've read, I was sucked right in and as a mother it pulled so tightly on my heart strings. It does make you question who's right or wrong and just how judgemental people can be. As I was always told "if you cant say anything nice, say nothing at all".

The characters are brought to life in every sense. Not only can you picture them crystal clear in your mind, you can feel their raw emotions, their physical struggles and at times the mental torture, especially Julia. Even the minor characters are developed just as brilliantly. I must say though that even now I've reached the end of the book I still don't like Andy.

Narrated from the POVs of Julia and Jackson, you get to really 'feel' this story from both perspectives.

I adore the fact that this author isn't scared to push the boundaries and write about subjects that some others may shy away from. Complex disorders, child abuse, grooming and alcoholism to name a few. Bit they were all written sympathetically, gently and with obvious research behind them.

A stunningly told story of love, family and heartbreak.

Compassion, strength, harrowing, complexity.. all given in masses!

*Milla's Rainbow Poem was outstanding!*

The biggest thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Beautifully written novel. Characters come to life on the pages. This novel teaches us that - "misunderstandings usually happen when people don't walk in other people's shoes." - to have compassion for others - to understand that we are all different - and that perception is everything. Jackson is a brilliant and creative young boy with neurodiversity which makes him perceive things differently. He takes things very literal and he responds with many different kinds of tics that he is continually trying to deal with in his day to day life. He has two beautifully creative sisters that adore him just the way he is even with the strain it puts on life at times. His mother is trying to do the best she can for Jackson even though she gets minimal help from the professionals. It takes a tragic occurrence for her to realize that she really wasn't communicating or understanding her son. I loved that much of the book is in Jackson's voice so we get a window into his thoughts and into the complexity of his day to day. It was heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time. It leaves you with much to contemplate - I enjoyed reading this exceptional novel.