Review: Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

You know what they say: Better late than never! Shortly after Christmas I promised to write one or the other review about the books I received as gifts, but unfortunately didn't really get around to it until now. The first book I would like to talk about is Matthew Dicks'/Green's Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend.  (N.B. In case you are confused about some editions of the book appearing under two different names, this site explains it all: Introducing Matthew Green).

Let me start by saying that I loved this book from beginning to end. It was quite unique and different from most books I've read before. Well, maybe except for Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. The narrator of the story, Budo, is an imaginary friend and with his four years is exceptionally 'old' as most imaginary friends, so we learn in the story, usually disappear again quite quickly. His creator, Max, lives with a form of autism (even though a specific diagnosis is never named in the book) and is something like a social outcast at school. Budo as his only friend provides a fabulous insight into Max's inner world - he makes you laugh, cry and worry for both his and Max's well-being. I'm not going to spoil your fun by going into greater detail about the plot, but let me reassure you that the story eventually becomes very exciting and even nerve-wracking. 

All in all, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is simultaneously funny, smart, heart-warming and suspenseful: Clearly a must-read!!