Johnny Cruel is born with strange appendages on his back and
ends up in a freak show traveling the South in the 1930s. Is he an angel or a
devil? What does it mean to be different?
Boy With Wings
by Mark Mustian
Genre: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
"Vibrant and
alive, the kind of book where the blood pumps mightily." —Kristen Arnett,
NYT bestselling author of Mostly Dead Things
What does it mean to be different?
When Johnny Cruel is born with strange appendages on his back in the 1930s
South, the locals think he's a devil. Determined to protect him, his mother
fakes his death, and they flee. Thus begins Johnny's yearslong struggle to find
a place he belongs. From a turpentine camp of former slaves to a freak show run
by a dwarf who calls herself Tiny Tot and on to the Florida capitol
building, Johnny finds himself working alongside other outcasts,
struggling to answer the question of his existence. Is he a horror, a wonder,
or an angel? Should he hide himself to live his life?
Following Johnny's journey through love, betrayal, heartbreak, and several
murders, Boy With Wings is a story of the sacrifices and
freedom inherent in making one's own special way-and of love and the miracles
that give our lives meaning.
Winner, Grand Prize
for Fiction, Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Winner, da Vinci
Prize for cover art
Winner, Bronze Medal
for Historical Fiction from Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY)
Finalist, Hawthorne
Award for Fiction
Finalist, Cross-Genre
Fiction, International Book Awards
Finalist, Literary
Fiction, National Indie Excellence Awards
Shortlisted, Shelley
Ward for Paranormal Fiction
“…a magical, highly imaginative tour de force... Boldly original and unexpectedly
profound…"
—Readers’ Favorite Reviews
“Mustian’s story is a study in acceptance, diversity,
kindness, and the possibility of marvels in life… Vibrant with discovery, Boy With Wings is a winner.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Boy with Wings is a lyrical, mesmerizing blend of the magical—feathered wings—with
social realism…”
—Historical Novel Society Reviews
“…riveting… An
evocative historical novel that celebrates distinctive individuals in the
Depression-era South.”
—Foreword Book Reviews
“In this imaginative
novel filled with magical realism, religion and morality are turned inside
out and upside down.”
—Southern Literary Review
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Mark Mustian is the author of the novels "The
Return" and "The Gendarme," the latter a finalist for the Dayton
International Literary Peace Prize and shortlisted for the Saroyan
International Award for Writing. It won the Florida Gold Book Award for Fiction
and has been published in ten languages. The founder of the Word of South
Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee, Florida, his new novel,
"Boy With Wings," is the winner of the Grand Prize for Fiction from
Next Generation Indie Book Awards and has received numerous other honors,
including winning the Bronze Prize for Historical Fiction from Independent
Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) and being named a finalist for the Hawthorne
Award for Fiction.
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