willy russell's 'the wrong boy'

[shebangsthedrums]

hi
this popped up on my amazon recommendations and i thought id give it a go, and it was just lovely.
its not about morrissey, but the book is in the form of a series of letters to morrissey, about the characters life and a series of events which have shaped his life.
its really difficult to say any more about the book as it would spoil it.
i really enjoyed it- its funny and poignant and heartbreaking in places.
i didnt think id enjoy it just because it was willy russell but really- id recommend it as a good read. theres a good few quotes and funny references in there, he tries a lot to parady moz's style but in a subtle way.
sorry if its been said before, but i though it was worth mentioning

 

[L'Estrange]

yes, i enjoyed it too.

 

[cossy]

i believe it is being made into a movie last i heard by granada. how soon is never is another good read

cossy

 

[Still Tired]

I just loved this book, it’s so sweet and funny, the characters are just wonderful but believable and I especially like the use of the northern colloquialisms. I did find myself despairing as to how things just seemed to be conspiring against poor Raymond; it’s so heart-breaking in places. This book actually got me to listen to Moz /The Smiths in the first place, I was so intrigued by this Morrissey figure and some of the lyrics quoted that I went and bought the Smiths Greatest Hits and haven’t looked back since then!

I’m reading The Severed Alliance at the moment and I can’t help wondering if Willy Russell had just been reading it previous to writing The Wrong Boy, there just seem to be slight influences and correlations between some of the things written. Just slight things like the awful headmaster and the comic collecting… maybe not, but the more I learn about Morrissey, the more references I find myself realising in the book that I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. I really like that.

That’s interesting to hear it may be turned into a film, I just hope they don’t mess it up too much, there’s nothing worse than your favourite book being botched in a shoddy interpretation, or having cheesy actors wrong (really the wrong boy ) for the role.

 

[nightandday]

I just loved this book, it’s so sweet and funny, the characters are just wonderful but believable and I especially like the use of the northern colloquialisms. I did find myself despairing as to how things just seemed to be conspiring against poor Raymond; it’s so heart-breaking in places. This book actually got me to listen to Moz /The Smiths in the first place, I was so intrigued by this Morrissey figure and some of the lyrics quoted that I went and bought the Smiths Greatest Hits and haven’t looked back since then!

I’m reading The Severed Alliance at the moment and I can’t help wondering if Willy Russell had just been reading it previous to writing The Wrong Boy, there just seem to be slight influences and correlations between some of the things written. Just slight things like the awful headmaster and the comic collecting… maybe not, but the more I learn about Morrissey, the more references I find myself realising in the book that I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. I really like that.

I bought The Wrong Boy very cheeply at a sale in the library a couple of weeks ago.I couldn't believe my luck.

Severed Alliance even made me cry a few times during the part about Morrissey's childhood I find myself sympathizing so much with him. There are so many things I identify with, makes me think of some of my own teenage problems, despite all the differences. I realized why I've always identified with many of his songs so much. Another Morrissey fan who has just borrowed the book from me and read the first 100 or so pages says she is reminded of her own teenage troubles.

 

[Walkers Crisp]

I've heard they are currently making a film out of the book.

I quite enjoyed the read. It's not literature in the strictest sense, but quite funny. Dear Morrissey, i just had some chicken legs...hehee.

 

[cossy]

see link below

http://www.willyrussell.com/page1intro.html

cossy

 

[vivaissy]

i would be interested in the film but i really didnt enjoy the book. i read it on a recommendation from my best mate who loved it

 

[prisoner77]

I can see the film now, Brenda BLEEDIN Blethyn as mum it's a pity the original Adrian Mole isn't young enough.

 

[Still Tired]

Severed Alliance even made me cry a few times during the part about Morrissey's childhood I find myself sympathizing so much with him. There are so many things I identify with, makes me think of some of my own teenage problems, despite all the differences. I realized why I've always identified with many of his songs so much. Another Morrissey fan who has just borrowed the book from me and read the first 100 or so pages says she is reminded of her own teenage troubles.

I've just got past the first 100 pages and on the one hand it sounds terrible for Morrissey but then it also makes me think how much I hated Secondary school and with-drew into my head like it seems he did. It's not helping my mood though, just reminding me of how horrible it all was! And now I'm at the stage of trying to decide what on earth to do with my life and I'm pretty much stuck in the house reading all the time.. too many similarities!! But then at least he appears to have made it out the other end now somehow... just have to wait another 20 years for things to work out then...