Boy Underground
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- Create Date：2021-12-13 08:21:28
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Catherine Ryan Hyde
- ISBN：B08LYKTSVT
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Summary
During WWII， a teenage boy finds his voice， the courage of his convictions， and friends for life in an emotional and uplifting novel by the New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author。
1941。 Steven Katz is the son of prosperous landowners in rural California。 Although his parents don’t approve， he’s found true friends in Nick， Suki， and Ollie， sons of field workers。 The group is inseparable。 But Steven is in turmoil。 He’s beginning to acknowledge that his feelings for Nick amount to more than friendship。
When the bombing of Pearl Harbor draws the US into World War II， Suki and his family are forced to leave their home for the internment camp at Manzanar。 Ollie enlists in the army and ships out。 And Nick must flee。 Betrayed by his own father and accused of a crime he didn’t commit， he turns to Steven for help。 Hiding Nick in a root cellar on his family’s farm， Steven acts as Nick’s protector and lifeline to the outside world。
As the war escalates， bonds deepen and the fear of being different falls away。 But after Nick unexpectedly disappears one day， Steven’s life focus is to find him。 On the way， Steven finds a place he belongs and a lesson about love that will last him his lifetime。
1941。 Steven Katz is the son of prosperous landowners in rural California。 Although his parents don’t approve， he’s found true friends in Nick， Suki， and Ollie， sons of field workers。 The group is inseparable。 But Steven is in turmoil。 He’s beginning to acknowledge that his feelings for Nick amount to more than friendship。
When the bombing of Pearl Harbor draws the US into World War II， Suki and his family are forced to leave their home for the internment camp at Manzanar。 Ollie enlists in the army and ships out。 And Nick must flee。 Betrayed by his own father and accused of a crime he didn’t commit， he turns to Steven for help。 Hiding Nick in a root cellar on his family’s farm， Steven acts as Nick’s protector and lifeline to the outside world。
As the war escalates， bonds deepen and the fear of being different falls away。 But after Nick unexpectedly disappears one day， Steven’s life focus is to find him。 On the way， Steven finds a place he belongs and a lesson about love that will last him his lifetime。
Reviews
Marits
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Great storytelling regarding this period in history。 The underlying theme was handled well and graciously。
Brenda
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It was 1941 in the small rural town in California when Steven Katz became friends with Ollie， Suki and Nick at school。 They were all sons of workers on the farms around the area and three of the four boys were only fourteen。 Ollie was seventeen but the group were all close friends， camping， hiking the nearby mountains and just hanging out。 But that all changed when the US joined the war effort。 With Suki being of Japanese descent， he and his family were made to relocate to an internment camp at It was 1941 in the small rural town in California when Steven Katz became friends with Ollie， Suki and Nick at school。 They were all sons of workers on the farms around the area and three of the four boys were only fourteen。 Ollie was seventeen but the group were all close friends， camping， hiking the nearby mountains and just hanging out。 But that all changed when the US joined the war effort。 With Suki being of Japanese descent， he and his family were made to relocate to an internment camp at Manzanar。 Ollie enlisted in the army， prepared to do his duty for his country， while Nick had to disappear after his father told the police it was Nick who committed a crime。 Nick’s betrayal by his father hurt him badly， but Steven was prepared to help him stay safe。As the years passed and life continued， Steven turned eighteen the day war ended。 After Steven picked up Suki and his family from the internment camp and took them to the nearest bus stop， it was time for him to make his own life。 His first plan was to find Nick whom he knew lived in New York。 What would happen when the two friends met once again？ What would the future look like for the young man who had been a farmer’s son， and an outcast in his family life？ Boy Underground is another exceptional novel from Catherine Ryan Hyde。 I only recently found this author， and in the few of hers I’ve read， not one has disappointed。 She’s a wonderful writer， who certainly knows how to weave a story to captivate her readers。 I thoroughly enjoyed the experience， from the four main characters to the poignant ending。 Highly recommended。With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Arielle
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When I saw the words “WWII” describing this book， I almost said， no， I don’t want to read anything about WWII。 But this is Catherine Ryan Hyde - she never disappoints and so I bought the book。tAnd am I ever glad I did。There are many kinds of war - war against hate， war against ignorance， war against intolerance， war against just giving up。 And unlike physical wars， these wars go on and on and on。 I always identify with the characters in this author’s books and this was no exception even tho the When I saw the words “WWII” describing this book， I almost said， no， I don’t want to read anything about WWII。 But this is Catherine Ryan Hyde - she never disappoints and so I bought the book。tAnd am I ever glad I did。There are many kinds of war - war against hate， war against ignorance， war against intolerance， war against just giving up。 And unlike physical wars， these wars go on and on and on。 I always identify with the characters in this author’s books and this was no exception even tho the main character is a young gay boy。 I was immediately on his team。 Ms。 Hyde has a way of making us see and even understand things we might normally overlook。 We are all much better for the experience。 。。。more
Cathrine ☯️
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3。5 🌠 🌠 🌠This book was gifted to me and though YA， coming of age are not subjects I gravitate to， I enjoyed reading this way more than I thought I might and would definitely recommend this to anyone struggling to find their own voice and path in life or looking for a lighter read which tackles the tough circumstances and choices we all encounter in life。 I agree with the description life affirming but there is depth and accountability in getting there and Catherine Ryan Hyde knows how to tell a 3。5 🌠 🌠 🌠This book was gifted to me and though YA， coming of age are not subjects I gravitate to， I enjoyed reading this way more than I thought I might and would definitely recommend this to anyone struggling to find their own voice and path in life or looking for a lighter read which tackles the tough circumstances and choices we all encounter in life。 I agree with the description life affirming but there is depth and accountability in getting there and Catherine Ryan Hyde knows how to tell a good story。 It was gratifying company for me at just the right time （in more ways than you can know） which is why I choose to round up my rating with a new determination to get to those other titles by her languishing on my Kindle。 。。。more
Karen
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Catherine Ryan Hyde has created a brilliant coming-of-age story in Boy Underground。 The story is told in a flashback by ninety-four-year-old Steven Katz。 For me， the story reminded me of Stand by Me at times。 Steven， the fourteen-year-old son of wealthy farmers goes on a camping trip in the Sierra Mountains， with Japanese American， Suki Yamamoto。 Also fourteen， Nick Mattaliano， who is being raised by a single father who is a drinker and Ollie Franklin a baby-faced seventeen-year-old。 On December Catherine Ryan Hyde has created a brilliant coming-of-age story in Boy Underground。 The story is told in a flashback by ninety-four-year-old Steven Katz。 For me， the story reminded me of Stand by Me at times。 Steven， the fourteen-year-old son of wealthy farmers goes on a camping trip in the Sierra Mountains， with Japanese American， Suki Yamamoto。 Also fourteen， Nick Mattaliano， who is being raised by a single father who is a drinker and Ollie Franklin a baby-faced seventeen-year-old。 On December 6， 1941， Suki’s father， dropped the boys off to start a long climb to their camping site。 The next day， Nick’s father does not show up to pick them up and they need to get back to town on their own。 The world has changed while they were gone with the bombing of Pearl Harbor。 Hyde explores the relationships of the boys as Suki will end up in an internment camp with his family。 Nick will be blamed for something his father did and go into hiding with the help of Steven in an underground room under a shed on Steven’s farm。 Ollie joins the service。 I flew this book。 So many emotions。 I was angry with certain parents’ actions， cried over certain events these boys faced， laughed at times， and loved how the author ended the book。I encourage you to read this beautiful story of friendship， survival， and coping with loss， This is my first book by This author， but it will not be my last。 My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book。 The opinions in this review are my own， 。。。more
Diane Winger
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This quick， heart-felt read may be my favorite by this author。 This touching coming-of-age story which touches on issues of sexual orientation， bigotry， love， and trust。 Highly recommended。
Nancy M Davis
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Impeccably Catherine Like many of her novels， Catherine tells a story many would never think to tell。 And， like every other of her novels， she tells it beautifully。
Peggy Tomlinson
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Superb book。One of Ms。 Hyde’s best efforts。 All encompassing without being obnoxious。 There was nothing I dislike about it， except some of the characters。 I would suggest it be taught in high school classes。 Timely， historical book。
Karen Rose is truly one of the best
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MagnificentAt 77 years old， being born in 1944 so much I didn't know or understand has been clarified in a wonderful novel about wonderful people。 Thank you for writing about the place I ended up in MagnificentAt 77 years old， being born in 1944 so much I didn't know or understand has been clarified in a wonderful novel about wonderful people。 Thank you for writing about the place I ended up in 。。。more
Neylane Naually
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This is the third Catherine book I read and is the third that I favorited。 She is simply amazing and never fails to make me love her stories。 Boy Underground was even better than I expected （and I already expected a lot！） but the sheer sadness and lack of hope made me almost cry while reading it。 So many cruel twists and all with such a beautiful writing and so many feelings， it will probabily take me a great time to deal with how much I felt while reading it。 I'm amazed。The ending brought me jo This is the third Catherine book I read and is the third that I favorited。 She is simply amazing and never fails to make me love her stories。 Boy Underground was even better than I expected （and I already expected a lot！） but the sheer sadness and lack of hope made me almost cry while reading it。 So many cruel twists and all with such a beautiful writing and so many feelings， it will probabily take me a great time to deal with how much I felt while reading it。 I'm amazed。The ending brought me joy and a kind of closure that I very much needed， it was a rollercoaster of drama and little happines and everything going down and love， frendship， and unfairness and fate。 One of the best books of the year！P。 S。: fourteen years old Steven deserves an award for being such a sweetheart and always standing for his friends， wow boy。 。。。more
Joseph R。 Boggs
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WWIIExcellent story， well written and almost impossible to put down。 The story is so sad in some aspects yet uplifting in others。 Highly recommend！
Arlene Rawlinson
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4/5
LENETTE TILLMAN-GREENE
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Riveting！！！Catherine Ryan Hyde does it again。 Her books bring up so many emotions in me。 Boy Underground is a history lesson about war， bias， love， loss and ultimately， victory！
Diane Mckinney
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A Story that grabs your heart and never lets goEach of the four central teenage boys who are coming of age in the 1940s became so well understood to me， so interesting and loved by me that I will always think of them as someone I once knew。 I will always care about them。 Because， although these boys in the story might be fictional characters， I’m certain that real people lived as they did， learned what they learned， and will continue to pass down stories to new generations。 These stories must be A Story that grabs your heart and never lets goEach of the four central teenage boys who are coming of age in the 1940s became so well understood to me， so interesting and loved by me that I will always think of them as someone I once knew。 I will always care about them。 Because， although these boys in the story might be fictional characters， I’m certain that real people lived as they did， learned what they learned， and will continue to pass down stories to new generations。 These stories must be passed down。 They must be reflected upon and considered as we live our lives today and in the future。 Do you hate to think about what Hitler did to so many innocent people？ Who could stand by and let that happen， right？ What kind of people allowed that to take place in their own country？How many of you really know and comprehend what happened to the Japanese people in our United States？ Every once in awhile， a book comes along and if you are willing， if you can find the courage， your eyes will be opened。 I appreciate that what I learned was shared as gently and carefully as it was。 Told through the voice of kind， gentle Stephan and his friends， it was just a little easier to hear。 And reading with the skilled story telling skills of Catherine Ryan Hyde， the action keeps the reader intrigued throughout the story。 This is a book no one should miss！ 。。。more
Rebecca
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I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review。 I enjoyed this book。 Embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know much of anything about the Japanese camps in the US during WW2。 Definitely learned a lot， and am interested to learn more。 Didn’t love the way the book ended， but it was a very sweet story。
Ruth
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Whenever I see a new book from Catherine Ryan Hyde， I do not hesitate to grab it。 I will admit that Boy Underground dealt with some uncomfortable issues， but the author handled them with dignity and compassion。 It's a coming-of-age story suitable for young adults as well as adult readers。 The young Steven Katz appeared to be the most mature member of his family。 How fortunate he was to strike up a friendship with the wise Mr。 Cho。 It was interesting to read about the young people growing up duri Whenever I see a new book from Catherine Ryan Hyde， I do not hesitate to grab it。 I will admit that Boy Underground dealt with some uncomfortable issues， but the author handled them with dignity and compassion。 It's a coming-of-age story suitable for young adults as well as adult readers。 The young Steven Katz appeared to be the most mature member of his family。 How fortunate he was to strike up a friendship with the wise Mr。 Cho。 It was interesting to read about the young people growing up during World War II who were robbed of their carefree teen years。 Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance copy to read and review。 。。。more
Julia Richardson
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Catherine Ryan Hyde has a way of writing stories that stay with you for a LONG time。 This is one of them！ This is a story of Stephen that is beautifully told。 Stephen doesn’t fit in with the other members of his family， and when he finally makes friends with a group of boys who allow him to be himself， life seems to get better。 Little does Stephen know， but their lives will soon be turned upside down because of the war。 What a wonderful book！
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*
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EXCERPT: We bounced along on that rutted dirt road， saying exactly nothing。 It was cool， just after dawn， and the day was clear but no colour at all。 Like steel。 I had my back up against the tailgate， facing the mountains， watching them grow closer as we bumped along。 They had always been there， as long as I had been alive， but only as a background for my world。 They never seemed entirely real。 More like a movie set， or one of those theater plays with a painted backdrop to make it seem as if the EXCERPT: We bounced along on that rutted dirt road， saying exactly nothing。 It was cool， just after dawn， and the day was clear but no colour at all。 Like steel。 I had my back up against the tailgate， facing the mountains， watching them grow closer as we bumped along。 They had always been there， as long as I had been alive， but only as a background for my world。 They never seemed entirely real。 More like a movie set， or one of those theater plays with a painted backdrop to make it seem as if the stage has the depth of a real outdoors scene。 My stomach jangled with fear at going up there on foot。 They looked big and powerful and unforgiving， and that made me feel small。 I thought about what my father had said。 How it was rough country up there， and how I didn't get that yet。 How I hadn't had much in the way of hardship。 It gave me a chill。 Then I remembered the words that came right after。 My father saying， 'It'll make a man out of him。'My mother countering with， 'Unless he dies first。'It brought a shiver that I think the others might have seen if they hadn't been watching the view。 Still， I knew that whatever awaited me， there was no backing down now。 And I wasn't sorry about that。 I was scared。 But I was still ready。 ABOUT 'BOY UNDERGROUND': 1941。 Steven Katz is the son of prosperous landowners in rural California。 Although his parents don’t approve， he’s found true friends in Nick， Suki， and Ollie， sons of field workers。 The group is inseparable。 But Steven is in turmoil。 He’s beginning to acknowledge that his feelings for Nick amount to more than friendship。When the bombing of Pearl Harbor draws the US into World War II， Suki and his family are forced to leave their home for the internment camp at Manzanar。 Ollie enlists in the army and ships out。 And Nick must flee。 Betrayed by his own father and accused of a crime he didn’t commit， he turns to Steven for help。 Hiding Nick in a root cellar on his family’s farm， Steven acts as Nick’s protector and lifeline to the outside world。As the war escalates， bonds deepen and the fear of being different falls away。 But after Nick unexpectedly disappears one day， Steven’s life focus is to find him。 On the way， Steven finds a place he belongs and a lesson about love that will last him his lifetime。MY THOUGHTS: Steven may think that he is ready to face whatever is ahead， but he is wrong。 No one could possibly predict or be ready for the events that take place。 Life changes fast。Like Dicken's 'A Tale of Two Cities'， it is about to become both the best of times， and the worst。 Before they return home， the lives of all four boys will have changed irrevocably， taking them in directions they never could， nor should， have imagined。 Steven Katz is one of four fourteen year old boys at the centre of this story， which is told entirely through his eyes。 He is a boy who feels at odds with the world and those around him。 He just doesn't fit in until he meets Suki， Nick and Ollie， and a friendship is formed that will last their entire respective lives。 Catherine Ryan-Hyde is an automatic read for me and I looked forward to Boy Underground， expecting 'an emotional and uplifting' read as promised。 But it never happened。 I felt strangely detached from the story and never quite became fully invested。 In fact， I found myself skimming in places and， once or twice， debated not finishing。 I'm glad I did finish， but the fact that it took me four days to read this speaks for itself。 I loved the friendship between the four boys， the sense of solidarity and their need to protect one another。 But at certain points that should have produced a strong emotional response in me， I felt little or nothing。 Maybe it's me 。 。 。 I felt the thread involving Nick's father accusing his son of a crime that he himself had committed to be a weak link in the story。 It never rang true and seemed to drag on interminably。 I became bored and frustrated by the improbability of it。 The family dynamics of this era were interesting。 Other than the Yamamoto's， none of the boys had close family relationships。 Steven's family is very insular and remote from one another。 They don't talk。 Their characters are rigid and dogmatic。 There is no obvious affection between family members， and 'what people think' and their own social standing is extremely important to them。 There is a wonderful， wise character by the name of Gordon Cho who rapidly became my favourite and a surrogate father/sounding board for Steven。 I would have liked this more， I think， had we been able to see into the other boy's lives。 I would have loved to know more about the Yamamoto's lives in the internment camp; how Ollie felt as he set off for war; and Nick's experiences as he struck out on his own。 'The older I get， the less I know。 I mean that in a good way。 It seems that most of the trouble in this world stems from the things that we're sure we know。 Now that I'm old enough and experienced enough to know that I know nothing， the world is a constant， pleasant surprise。 And the things that I allow life to bring me are consistently better than anything I might have sought - or even imagined - for myself。' And while I am sure that the world is not entirely 'a constant， pleasant surprise，' this is a sentiment that I can definitely relate to。 Boy Underground was a good read， but not a great one， although I seem to be an outlier on that point。 As I said， maybe it's me 。 。 。⭐⭐。8#BoyUnderground #NetGalley I: @catherineryanhyde @amazonpublishing T: @cryanhyde @AmazonPub #comingofage #historicalfiction #sliceoflife #WWII THE AUTHOR: I am the author of more than 30 published and forthcoming books。 I'm an avid hiker， traveler， equestrian， and amateur photographer。DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Boy Underground by Catherine Ryan-Hyde for review。 All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinion。 For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads。com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday。wordpress。com This review is also published on Twitter， Amazon， Instagram and my webpage 。。。more
Karin
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3。5 stars
Jeanne
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The author has done a wonderful job again bringing a group of people together and crafting a heartwarming story。 A 14-year-old Steven shows up for baseball practice and is captivated by a young Japanese boy trying out。 Neither one wants to play baseball so they leave and Suki introduces Steven to his friends， Nick and Ollie， leading to life long friendships。 Steven's father is a landowner， Suki's and Ollie's dad works for another farmer and Nick is being raised by a father who doesn't take a lot The author has done a wonderful job again bringing a group of people together and crafting a heartwarming story。 A 14-year-old Steven shows up for baseball practice and is captivated by a young Japanese boy trying out。 Neither one wants to play baseball so they leave and Suki introduces Steven to his friends， Nick and Ollie， leading to life long friendships。 Steven's father is a landowner， Suki's and Ollie's dad works for another farmer and Nick is being raised by a father who doesn't take a lot of interest in son。 They take a camping trip up into the mountains and it is a magical time for all of them but when they come down from the mountain the world has changed。 Pearl Harbor has been attacked， we are at war and Nick's father has been arrested for putting a man in a coma。 These boys have an incredible bond。 Steven helps Nick until he can clear his name。 Suki is put into an interment camp at Manzanar and Ollie goes off to fight in the war。 The story for the most part covers 1941 to 1945 and the epilogue is 2019 when they are in their 90's。 I would have liked to know more about what they did in the interim but that is a tribute to the author that she made me want more。Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union for my copy of this book。 。。。more
Sandra
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A fantastic read by Catherine Ryan Hyde。 I read all her new books。 Although i was not looking for another memoir type book about WWII era， I am so glad I read this。
RoshReviews
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In a Nutshell: A brilliant coming-of-age story with the perfect balance of character and story development。 This will be one of my favourite reads of 2021。Story:Fourteen year old Steven Katz is the son of wealthy landowners in rural California。 Because of certain personal issues， he has moved away from his old friend circle and found new friendship with Nick， Suki and Ollie， the sons of farm workers。 Needless to say， his parents don’t approve of this new friendship， and not just because of the c In a Nutshell: A brilliant coming-of-age story with the perfect balance of character and story development。 This will be one of my favourite reads of 2021。Story:Fourteen year old Steven Katz is the son of wealthy landowners in rural California。 Because of certain personal issues， he has moved away from his old friend circle and found new friendship with Nick， Suki and Ollie， the sons of farm workers。 Needless to say， his parents don’t approve of this new friendship， and not just because of the class differences。 This is December 1941。 When Pearl Harbour is bombed， the lives of the four friends get upended in a way that they never foresaw。 Will they have a future together after so much of turmoil in their lives？The entire story comes to us in the first person perspective of Steven Katz and is written in flashback from a contemporary time。 Thus we get to see not just what happened but also Steven’s musings on what he now feels about what happened then。 This adds to the personal touch of the story as you actually feel that the character is speaking to you through the pages。 I have read many books this year that include too many social themes within their storyline。 And this overdose creates a saturation of sorts。 All these authors should learn from Catherine Ryan Hyde about how themes should be tacked on to a story without going over the top。 Each of the four main characters deals with specific one or two issues。 And the focus stays only on those。 There is no umbrella solution provided for all the problems of the world， nor is there a diluted stance presented on matters unconnected to the story。 I loved how she built her themes in a very logical way， keeping the problem within the natural flow of the storyline rather than forcing it in just to make a social comment。The characters in the book are impeccably written。 They aren’t perfect; they are as real as can be。 As the story comes to us from Steven， you learn the most about his feelings and struggles。 The way he matures out of his initial under-confident personality and learns to speak up for himself is touching。 His friends too will leave a mark on your hearts and minds， though not all of them get equal focus in the story。 Nick， who has a father that loves his freedom more than his son， and Suki， whose only crime is that he belongs to a Japanese family， will touch you with their sincerity and values。 Ollie and his bravado in enlisting though he is underage will leave you simultaneously awed and bewildered。 The titular “boy underground” can stand for any of these four teenagers in the story， as all of them struggle with some repression and are forced to keep some part of themselves “underground”/hidden， whether physically or emotionally。The attack on Pearl Harbor plays a crucial role in this story though it isn’t directly included in the narrative。 Rather， the storyline dwells more about the aftermath of the bombing on these people who weren’t even in Hawaii。 （I’m not surprised that the release date for this book was set for 7th December 2021， the 80th anniversary of the bombing。） This insight into how the laypersons’ life in America was affected by events happening so far away deserves credit as it is written very sensitively and honestly。 The only minor complaint I would make is that the foreshadowing goes a little overboard at times。 It does created an added hook as contemporary Steven knows things that 1941 Steven didn’t know and even we readers don’t know。 So the curiosity factor improves greatly。 But when there’s foreshadowing again and again， you tend to lose track of how many things to keep in mind。 （Obviously， this is a problem only for those who like to keep the foreshadowed content in mind for future reference and “Aha！” moments， i。e。 readers like me！）Overall， this is a heartfelt novel that depicts what the bildungsroman genre should truly be about。 Read it for its storyline。 Read it for its beautiful writing and plenty of cherishable and thought-provoking lines。 Read it for its characters。 Read it to see a boy coming of age not just in calendar years but also in personal strength and maturity。 Read it to see how one can live a dignified life while staying true to one’s character and identity。 4。5 stars from me for this amazing read。My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of “Boy Underground”。 This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book。***********************Join me on the Facebook group， Readers Forever！， for more reviews， book-related discussions and fun。 。。。more
Phyllis Jones Pisanelli Reviews
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Boy Underground by Catherine Ryan Hyde will leave you with a tangle of feelings。 It makes you happy， sad， heartbroken and optimistic。 It's a wonderful story。 This is one author I don't hesitate when I see a book by her。 I snatched that baby up because I know I want to read it。 Coincidentally， this book releases on December 7 which is the anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor。 If you've read anything about the internment camps in the United States for the Japanese during WWII then y Boy Underground by Catherine Ryan Hyde will leave you with a tangle of feelings。 It makes you happy， sad， heartbroken and optimistic。 It's a wonderful story。 This is one author I don't hesitate when I see a book by her。 I snatched that baby up because I know I want to read it。 Coincidentally， this book releases on December 7 which is the anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor。 If you've read anything about the internment camps in the United States for the Japanese during WWII then you will know a little bit about this book。 It is about four friends that are inseparable until the war tears them and their families apart。 This book addresses many topics that will make you stop and think。 Maybe it will change how you feel about things。 I wasn't sure， after I learned what this book was about， if I really wanted to read it。 I'm glad I did。 I've had this happen a couple of times lately。 I've learned that you can't judge a book by its cover， subject matter or the synopsis。 Do judge it by the author and how well they have handled sensitive subjects in the past。 I'm so glad I didn't turn my back on this book。 I still know I want to read anything Catherine Ryan Hyde writes！ I received a complimentary copy of this book from #LakeUnionPublishing and #Netgalley。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more
Melanie
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Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my all time favorite authors so there is not a surprise that I was blown away by how great Boy Underground was！ She has an exceptional talent for such insightful and introspective views of people and life that really make you pause and think about for a while。 I actually find myself thinking about things she has written in her books for YEARS （such as every time I pay it forward in the drive thru of my favorite coffee chain）。 She also always creates characters that Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my all time favorite authors so there is not a surprise that I was blown away by how great Boy Underground was！ She has an exceptional talent for such insightful and introspective views of people and life that really make you pause and think about for a while。 I actually find myself thinking about things she has written in her books for YEARS （such as every time I pay it forward in the drive thru of my favorite coffee chain）。 She also always creates characters that are so easy to want to read about， and ones that are so REAL。 We read about some heavy topics in her newest novel and reading them in the eyes of a teenager was eye-opening。 Steven and his new friends experience firsthand the pain， emotion， and wrath of prejudice， racism， abuse， homophobia and more。 It is heart wrenching and emotional to see what these boys face and tackle， though it does make them become stronger， more mature， more wise （although maybe too soon as they are so young still）。 Boy Underground is like no other book I have read and it is such a moving and IMPORTANT book to read。 I rarely give five star reviews but this one was easy to rate that way。 I have no doubt that this will become a huge bestseller and will hopefully be on film。 Incredibly moving and important novel。 。。。more
Carol
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Boy Underground takes place from 1941 to 1945 but the war plays only a peripheral role in this book。 The story centres around Steven Katz who is 14 when the story begins。 He lives on a farm in California with his mother， father and older brother。 He has difficulty fitting in and doesn't have many friends until he meets up with Suki， Ollie and Nick。I became totally involved in this story， the characters and the events that shaped Steven's life。 He comes across as much older than his years as he r Boy Underground takes place from 1941 to 1945 but the war plays only a peripheral role in this book。 The story centres around Steven Katz who is 14 when the story begins。 He lives on a farm in California with his mother， father and older brother。 He has difficulty fitting in and doesn't have many friends until he meets up with Suki， Ollie and Nick。I became totally involved in this story， the characters and the events that shaped Steven's life。 He comes across as much older than his years as he reflects on many facets of life with great maturity。 His parents are very distant and offer him little support plus his mother sounds like a terrible cook， worse than me！ The story， told by Steven in 2019 at the age of 94， is extremely well written and was a pleasure to read。 Highly recommended。 4。5 Stars！！I wish to thank Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel。 All opinions expressed are my own。Available December 7， 2021 。。。more
Audrey Haylins
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I always enjoy a good coming-of-age story; it’s one of my favorite tropes。 And this， my first novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde， is a beautiful example — the tale of a teenage boy’s awakening， both to his sexuality and to the flawed， complex world around him。 Steven Katz is 14 years-old and living on a farm in rural California when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor。 The event marks a watershed for Steven and his close-knit group of friends。 Ollie enlists in the army。 Suki is sent to an internment camp with hi I always enjoy a good coming-of-age story; it’s one of my favorite tropes。 And this， my first novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde， is a beautiful example — the tale of a teenage boy’s awakening， both to his sexuality and to the flawed， complex world around him。 Steven Katz is 14 years-old and living on a farm in rural California when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor。 The event marks a watershed for Steven and his close-knit group of friends。 Ollie enlists in the army。 Suki is sent to an internment camp with his family。 And Nick is forced into hiding （in Steven’s root cellar）， after being accused of a crime he didn’t commit。 With everything he knows shifting on its axis and a narrow-minded family he’s unable to turn to， Steven must find the courage to navigate his own path and stand up for what he believes in — a tough ask for a boy of such tender years。 Ryan Hyde’s writing is fluid and immersive， her descriptive passages headily evocative， transporting the reader to the mountains and deserts of the Sierra Nevada。 I loved the historical setting and that the author does not shy away from exposing unpleasant truths about a shameful period in American history。 But what I most enjoyed about this reading experience was the unusual first person narrative， which is delivered， not in the present， as one might expect， but as recounted by Steven’s 94 year-old self。 We thus get a voice that is not only mature but also quietly reflective， with memories visited through a lens sharpened by decades of wisdom and experience。 It speaks with keen understanding — of a gauche， lonely teenager， his search for a meaning to life and his place in it; of the invaluable lessons learnt from the unlikeliest of people; and of the role of fate in one’s destiny。 The epilogue， narrated in the present， is an unexpected and delightful denouement to Steven’s story — a solemn but uplifting testimony to the bonds of friendship， the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love。 It moved me to tears。 。。。more
Drea
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A lovely book with central issues of friendships and race and discrimination based on race and class and sexuality set in 1941。 This is my first book by this well-known author。 I can see why she is well admired and her books highly sought。 I’d recommend this book to a YA reader。 For my taste， this was a bit basic and heavy-handed with tropes that fit too neatly into boxes without enough deep character development。 That said， it has a lovely ending and I appreciated the exposure of these issues t A lovely book with central issues of friendships and race and discrimination based on race and class and sexuality set in 1941。 This is my first book by this well-known author。 I can see why she is well admired and her books highly sought。 I’d recommend this book to a YA reader。 For my taste， this was a bit basic and heavy-handed with tropes that fit too neatly into boxes without enough deep character development。 That said， it has a lovely ending and I appreciated the exposure of these issues taking place in one period of shameful American history。 Heartfelt thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy。 It publishes on Dec 7。 Coincidence？？ 。。。more
Cheryl
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Friendships through the worst of timesCatherine Ryan Hyde is a favorite author of mine and I'll read anything she writes。 This book quickly became another on my favorites list。The story starts with a group of young teenage boys in 1941 right before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor。 Steven's father is a landowner in California near the Sierra Nevada mountains and Steven becomes friends with three boys who work the land - Suki， Nick， and Ollie。After Pearl Harbor is bombed， Suki and his family are mo Friendships through the worst of timesCatherine Ryan Hyde is a favorite author of mine and I'll read anything she writes。 This book quickly became another on my favorites list。The story starts with a group of young teenage boys in 1941 right before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor。 Steven's father is a landowner in California near the Sierra Nevada mountains and Steven becomes friends with three boys who work the land - Suki， Nick， and Ollie。After Pearl Harbor is bombed， Suki and his family are moved to an internment camp; Ollie joins the service; and Nick is falsely accused of a serious crime， while Steven tries to sort out his feelings about all that is going on and how best to handle the different situations。I enjoy Hyde's writing style very much and each of her books， while encompassing different subjects and characters， still shines with her personal touch。 I highly recommend this book and each and every one of her books。I received this book from Lake Union Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review。 。。。more
Carrie Cappiello
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This is the story of the unlikely friendship between 4 boys during WWII。 Suki and his family are forced into an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor。 Ollie prematurely enlists in the army。 Nick is falsely accused of a crime。 And Steven is finding out more about himself as the central character and storyteller。The story is told as 94 year old Steven is remembering his life from the year he was 14 in 1941 onward。 While the war is the backdrop and sets the timeline， this is not a war s This is the story of the unlikely friendship between 4 boys during WWII。 Suki and his family are forced into an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor。 Ollie prematurely enlists in the army。 Nick is falsely accused of a crime。 And Steven is finding out more about himself as the central character and storyteller。The story is told as 94 year old Steven is remembering his life from the year he was 14 in 1941 onward。 While the war is the backdrop and sets the timeline， this is not a war story。 Instead， I’d describe this as a coming of age book where the characters develop deep friendships while standing up for what is right and determining their own truth。 The book tackles issues of belonging， loyalty， identity and loss。 Because the boys are teenagers for most of the book， there are times it feels a bit YA。 The epilogue is an absolute treat。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Boy Underground
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Boy Underground&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Boy Underground&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0