The Wrong Boy is the debut novel of Liverpudlian playwright Willy Russell and was published in 2000. The story revolves around a precocious and misunderstood teenager named Raymond Marks from Failsworth, Manchester, who just can't seem to find his place in this world. Despite artistic leanings, Raymond's life has been beset with trauma and unfairness ever since an incident at a canal during his schooldays. A series of fairly innocuous events were blown out of all proportion by a zealous headmaster and led to him being expelled from school and erroneously stigmatised as the local "beast" boy and weirdo. He became a complete pariah looked at with deep suspicion ..  Read the complete review

Haven’t we all been there? I’ll be totally honest, until I picked this book up I had never heard of Willy Russell before. How I never got to read about him I will never know. Born in Liverpool and rising through the mists of obscurity, he’s a successful playwright with some award-winning plays, later made into films. Who could ever forget the amazing “Educating Rita” and “Shirley Valentine?” From stage to screen and then to books, this talented man brings his lowly background into play with this novel. The Plot. In a nutshell, this is a story about a young boy who through no fault of his own becomes entrapped in an adolescent ...  Read the complete review

I've had The Wrong Boy sitting on a shelf since my last birthday, when a friend of mine lovingly wrapped and presented it to me, swearing blind that it was the best thing she'd ever read. "Thanks", I said, going through the Willy Russell-ography in my head which contained such uncool horrors as Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers. Neither of which I've actually seen, but both of which through second hand accounts I'd long associated with the kind of thing my mum would really, really like. Eventually, last Thursday, I picked it up. Yesterday, I put it down. At some point fairly soon I'll pick it up and read the whole thing again as ...  Read the complete review

The Wrong Boy is the touching tale of Raymond Marks whose life was turned upside down while he was still at primary school. Suddenly friendless and lonely, Raymond's life leaves him miserable and confused for many years until he finds solace in Morrissey and The Smiths. We join Ray as he is about to make a fresh start, beginning with a journey to Grimsby. Like so much else in his life, the journey takes an unfortunate turn for the worse and as he travels, Ray writes about what is happening to him and about his past. Told largely through flashbacks and all from Ray's own perspective, the story unfolds. The author is Willy Russell, making his first foray ...  Read the complete review

This is a review of "The Wrong Boy" a book written in the year 2000 by famous playwright and musical expert, Liverpool-born Willy Russell. The Wrong Boy is the best book I've read in ages! Seriously, a recommended read. I just loved it and wanted to pass it on to several friends who I know will also love it. I was expecting good things when I saw the author was Willy Russell. I went to see his musical "Blood Brothers" a few years ago and loved it but have never sought out any of his books (as I didn't realise there were any) until now! A bit about the story: We follow Raymond Marks, a twenty something through his ...  Read the complete review