A review by serendipity_viv
The Boy Who Drew the Future by Rhian Ivory

5.0

Originally posted on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk

I hadn't expected to read The Boy Who Drew The Future as quickly as I did. My TBR pile was practically toppling over, but I couldn't resist a sneak peak at the first chapter, when I received it. That was it. I was completely drawn into the story and couldn't put it down.

The author has a exquisite descriptive voice, that allows you to immerse yourself straight into the story. The book is told from two view points. Firstly we have the present day, where we meet Noah. You realise from the first chapter that Noah is carrying a lot of guilt, but you can't quite put your finger on what that guilt might be. All you know is that he feels his unusual talent is the root of this guilt. As the story unfolds you realise he blames himself for something which he couldn't possibly have controlled. He seems hell bent on making sure the situation doesn't happen again. His journey through the story is about learning to overcome his unnecessary guilt.

Noah's parents don't understand how special he is. Their reaction to his talent really surprised me, but I suppose no one wants their child to be singled out for being different and Noah's talent does attract a lot of negative attention when it becomes apparent. Personally, I think it would be awesome to be able to draw the future.

The second point of view in the book is Blaze's, an orphan from the 1800's with only his beloved dog as his companion. Blaze has the same talent as Noah, but during the 1800's, his ability was considered to be witchcraft. Blaze suffers for his talent. I adored Blaze, I really felt he had a beautiful soul.

There is another character who really touched my heart. Dog. Blaze's faithful companion. The author's descriptions of him, were so lifelike, I felt as much love for him as I did for Manchee in The Knife of Never Letting Go.

The river features heavily in the book and is a forceful link between both characters, connecting them over the time divide. The descriptions of the river, really bring it to life, making it feel like a character in its own right, creating a menacing and threatening presence at times.

I really enjoyed this beautifully haunting and unusual tale and look forward to even more from Rhian Ivory in the future.