The Boy Lost in the Maze
 | |
| Author | Joseph Coelho |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Kate Milner |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult fiction, verse novel, mythological fiction |
| Publisher | Otter-Barry Books |
| Publication date | October 2022 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 978-1-913074-33-3 |
The Boy Lost in the Maze is a 2022 young adult verse novel by British poet and children's author Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Kate Milner and published by Otter-Barry Books. The novel interweaves the story of a modern London teenager searching for his absent father with a reinterpretation of the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.[1] It examines subjects such as fatherhood, masculinity, identity, belonging and the distinction between heroes and monsters.[2][3]
The book won the 2024 Carnegie Medal.[4][5] Coelho was the first Black British author to receive the award, which is judged by children's and youth librarians.[6] The award was presentted on 20 June 2024 at a ceremony at the Cambridge Theatre in London.[7]
Plot
Theo Andino is a seventeen year old London schoolboy who has been raised by his mother and remembers little about his absent father. While studying Greek mythology in his English class, Theo becomes interested in Theseus, another young man who sets out to find his father. Encouraged by his teacher, Mr Addo, Theo begins writing a series of poems retelling the adventures of Theseus.[8] Theo also begins searching for his own biological father. His attempts lead him through a series of setbacks involving people who resemble the tricksters, criminals and monsters encountered by Theseus on his journey to Athens. The modern and mythological narratives alternate, with Theo using the story of Theseus to understand his anger, his mixed racial identity and his uncertainty about becoming a man.[3][9] As Theo revises the traditional myth, he questions whether the people killed by Theseus should simply be regarded as monsters. Sections narrated from the perspective of the Minotaur similarly present him as a victim of his family and circumstances rather than as an entirely evil creature. The separate stories of Theo, Theseus and the Minotaur gradually converge within the symbolic space of the labyrinth.[10]
Publication
Kate Milner's black and white illustrations appear throughout the novel. Her drawings combine imagery associated with Greek statues and hieroglyphs with visual conventions drawn from modern superheroes, connecting the mythological and contemporary parts of the story.[11][3]
The Boy Lost in the Maze was published in hardback by the independent British children's publisher Otter-Barry Books in October 2022. The British edition contains 320 pages.[12][10]
A United States edition was published by Candlewick Press on 26 March 2024. It retained Milner's illustrations and was marketed towards readers aged twelve and above.[13]
Reception
Reviewing the book for The Guardian, Imogen Russell Williams described it as a "muscular reinterpretation" of the Minotaur myth and a "striking and powerful retelling". She praised its consideration of masculinity, identity and belonging, as well as Milner's expressive illustrations.[2] In Books for Keeps, Clive Barnes called the novel a "daring and powerful text" which both honoured and revised the myth of Theseus. Barnes praised its portrayal of Theo's search for his father and his developing conception of manhood, although he considered some of the parallels between the two narratives strained and was less convinced by the interactive passages.[10]
Publishers Weekly praised Coelho's poetic experimentation and described the book as a nuanced examination of masculinity and a multidimensional reinterpretation of the ancient myth. The review also noted the way Milner represented Theseus as a contemporary superhero.[3] Kirkus Reviews considered the novel "thoughtful and well executed", highlighting its treatment of the Minotaur and the contribution made by Milner's ink illustrations.[8] Deirdre F. Baker of The Horn Book Magazine described Coelho's verse as expressive and arresting. She praised the combination of contemporary London settings with the grotesque elements of classical mythology, and wrote that Milner's illustrations provided a parallel expression of the mythological character of adolescent quests.[11] Rebecca Jung of School Library Journal called the book a strong addition to teenage library collections, praising its combination of accessible poetic forms, action, suspense and complex characters.[9]
References
- ↑ "The Boy Lost in the Maze". BookTrust. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- 1 2 Russell Williams, Imogen (23 December 2022). "Children's and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Boy Lost in the Maze". Publishers Weekly. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ Creamer, Ella (13 March 2024). "Carnegie medal for children's books shortlist announced". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ Battersby, Matilda (20 June 2024). "Yoto Carnegie Medal 2024: Joseph Coelho takes gong for The Boy Lost in the Maze". The Bookseller (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ Knight, Lucy (20 June 2024). "'Extraordinary' Joseph Coelho novel wins Carnegie medal for children's writing". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing awarded to Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho with double illustration win for Aaron Becker". The Carnegies. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- 1 2 "The Boy Lost in the Maze". Kirkus Reviews. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- 1 2 Jung, Rebecca (28 June 2024). "The Boy Lost in the Maze". School Library Journal. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 Barnes, Clive (18 November 2022). "The Boy Lost in the Maze". Books for Keeps. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- 1 2 Baker, Deirdre F. (17 April 2024). "Review of The Boy Lost in the Maze". The Horn Book Magazine. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "The Boy Lost in the Maze". Otter-Barry Books. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "The Boy Lost in the Maze". Candlewick Press. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2026.