The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

My name is Boy, although some call me monster because of my hunchback. Father Petrus told me I'm a miracle, but I should never reveal myself. This is most important! Now, I'm on the road with a pilgrim named Secundus who is collecting relics of Saint Peter. He says he was once in Hell but hopes taking the relics to Rome will get him into heaven. He can't touch them without getting burned, so I've agreed to help. I don't like how people look down on me, so I'm also hoping this quest will help cure my hunchback and make me a real boy. However, I made a big mistake last night and accidentally revealed the truth of my hunchback to Secundus. He's frightened of me and has told me to go away. I can't believe what he says about my back, but what am I to do?

I must admit this book won't appeal to everyone, but it offers an unusual story with a strong spiritual twist. Saint Peter was the first pope, and all of the characters believed his relics would create miracles. Secundus professed that he wanted to protect the relics from thieves, but Boy started to wonder about his motivation. The pilgrim's story about being from Hell made his character difficult to figure out. Did his character have positive virtues, or did his character create more of a conflict? I'm not sure. The real story surrounded the revelation of Boy's secret about his hunchback, a truth his character was not willing to accept. The revelation occurred at the mid-point of the plot, but I don't want to spoil it's importance by sharing it here. On a humorous note, Boy attracted animals all along the way, and Secundus playfully suggested they have a contest by guessing what kind of animal would be laying next to him in the morning. This unusual ability actually offered another curious clue regarding Boy's true identity. Overall, I liked the story, although it wasn't the kind of book I'd normally choose. For that reason, I won't give it a strong recommendation.