Benji Saintaubin is an 11 year old boy living in Victorian London. Unlike other boys, he has lived most of his life in his attic due to a physical disability. Benji loves to read the story of the Imaginary Boy that his father wrote for him. The Imaginary Boy is a hero who has to fight a dragon, only the story is not finished. Benji wants nothing more than to finish the story and deliver it to his mother for Christmas. After an accident trying to get out of the attic and downstairs to his mother, mother decides that it is time for Benji to venture out into the world. However, a night out at the opera turns into Benji being separated from his mother and going on an adventure of his own. Benji will see the good and bad of people and their perceptions of his disability, more importantly, he will meet another young man, Thomas, who will show Benji that he can be the hero that he has always dreamed of and defeat a different kind of dragon.

This is an exciting story full of adventure, villains, unexpected heroes and overcoming adversity. Going in a completely different direction from where I thought the story would go, there is almost a fairy tale-esque feeling, even though everything happening to Benji is based in reality. Right from the start I fell in love with Benji's attitude about life, his determination to finish his story and his courage in the face of many dangerous events. Though written for a middle grade audience, there are some terrifying scenes throughout. Not only was Benji's situation scary enough to begin with; due to his disability, having to live in the attic of his otherwise very nice house, but navigating the streets of Victorian London with its unsavory characters, smells and a monster roaming the streets is not for the faint of heart. From being almost sold into slavery, to being seen as a monster himself and then being taken in by someone who is rich and powerful, but not very good, Benji does his best to survive. The descriptions of the settings and Benji's emotions were so detailed and vibrant that they kept my heart pounding. I loved Thomas' character, he seemed to be a complete contrast to Benji, yet as they got to know one another, they found more similarity than difference. I also thought that the dragon was an ingenious and particularly vile villain and a provided a perfect ending for Benji's story.

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review. ( )

"To Benji it was not his strange body that made him different. He often felt like a stranger passing through this world, not yet to his destination, but on his way, going somewhere far off. Sometimes he felt as if he were caught between this world and another; a space between spaces, a ghost who lived on memories of being alive."

Imaginary Boy is unlike anything I've read, and not solely because it features a diverse protagonist. Benji is a strong hero -- despite all odds -- and I felt an affinity with him throughout the book. There were times when I wanted to jump in and rescue Benji from the evils of the world. Who among us hasn't felt like an outcast? I know I sure have. I was cheering for him from start to finish.

I would have given it five stars, but the copy I read still had a few errors and the primary antagonist seemed a little too cartoony (I couldn't stop picturing him twirling his mustache). However, I can't hold it against the author too much. This story will resonate with underdogs, misfits, and anyone who enjoys a gripping story well told. I'd definitely read more of Benji's adventures!

Thanks, LibraryThing, for the opportunity to read and review this for free! ( )

Plot overview:
Benji is a young boy with a disfigured face and body, who lives locked inside his mothers attic. His only access to the outside world is books, and his prize possession is an unfinished novel which his father wrote for him before he died. This unfinished story is called "The Imaginary Boy", and tells of an evil Dragon, a young Hero, and a powerful Lost Sword. Benji longs to know the ending of the story, and to become a hero like the Hero of the book.
One day Benji's mother takes him to the Opera, but the two of them become separated. Benji goes looking for her and gets hopelessly lost. He meets a variety of people as he wanders the streets looking for his mother and his home, such as dangerous street children, a kindly catholic priest, and a strange man named Mr Krum.
Meanwhile we meet Thomas Argentein, a rich young man who is uhappy with the life of a wealthy man. An old friend comes to him begging for help solving a case in London; there is a monster on the lose! children are going missing, and the police are incapable of investigating the issue. Thomas reluctantly agrees. He's paired up with Chief Inspector Asa Archibald, a man with a nasty reputation who nobody likes.
Benji is still lost. Mr. Krum convinces him to help "recover" something for his employer, Simon Talbot. Mr Talbot promises to look for Benji's mother, he takes him under his wing.
At first Benji is treated well, even given some semblance of freedom, but soon the truth is revealed. Benji meets another child, a girl named Eve, who is locked in the room below his, and has been captive for a very long time. Benji is beaten and starved by Simon Talbot, who he has come to think of as the evil Dragon, like in his fathers story. Finally Benji finds a way to escape the Dragon's mansion, and he and Eve make their getaway. They end up stuck on the banks of the Thames with the tide coming in. Eve doesn't make it, but Benji is rescued by young Thomas Argentein, who has been patrolling the river, looking for clues about the supposed monster on the loose in London.
Rescued, nurtured, and protected by Thomas, Benji believes he has found a true Hero, as in his father's story. Thomas searches for Benji's mother finding her and rescuing her from an insane asylum. He plans a grand ball where he can reunite Banji and his mother. Inspector Archibald visits Thomas's mansion, and Benji reveals that he is the evil Dragon which had been holding him captive, leading Thomas to believe that he is the Monster which has been terrorizing London. Learning that Benji is in Thomas's custody, Archibald and his henchmen attack the mansion, but are defeated.
Finally the grand Ball arrives, and Thomas is ready to reunite Benji and his Mother, who has finally healed from her ordeal at the Asylum. However, Archibald attacks and murders many people at the party, nearly killing Benji, his mother, and Thomas. Desperate to save his mother and friend, Benji finds the strength to kill the Dragon, and realizes that he has been a Hero all along. Benji and his Mother are reunited.
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Although this book was an quick read, it is badly in need of some editing. The writing style is disjointed, confusing, and the sentence structure is very static, making it seem like everything was chopped up, instead of smooth and easy to read. It seems like the author made use of a thesaurus while writing without keeping in mind the way some words may connote or denote differently. The writing style may be appropriate for early readers or younger adults, but some of the the subject matter is be a little bit too gory for children. The story itself was interesting, but there are times when it seems like the author didn't know where he was going to go with the story, or forgot where he was coming from; Important plot keys seem like an afterthought. There is an overarching theme of good vs evil which at times seems a little bit theological and preachy. ( )

Benji, shut away in the attic all his life due to a birth defect, knows little of the world except as relates to the hero story his father began writing (but never finished) before his death. Benji uses his father's unfinished story as a parable for his own struggles. When his mother takes him to the Royal Opera House as a treat and Benji is subsequently lost on the streets of London, he must survive those who would use and abuse him for nothing more than his unusual looks as he attempts to find his way home. Along the way, he meets the personifications of "The Dragon" and "The Hero" from his father's story, and learns that his conception of a hero is perhaps different from his original idea.

This is an interesting realistic historical fiction. The writing is, perhaps, a little abstract and metaphorical at times, but it fits well with the fairy tale feel of the overarching story of the hero and the dragon. What Benji faces is at times truly horrific, and the abstraction helps to blunt that, a little, for tween audiences. Fans of Palaccio's Wonder might enjoy this one, as might historical or mystery fans. ( )

I am not normally drawn to this type of book. However, this book was filled with depth of character and interest. Overall, a good story for both YA and adult audiences. ( )