The Astonishing Life of August March

Summary (from the publisher): Abandoned as an infant by his actress mother in her theater dressing room, August March was raised by an ancient laundress. Highly intelligent and a tad feral, August is a true child of the theater, able to recite Shakespeare before he knew the alphabet. 

But like all productions, August's wondrous time inside the theater comes to a close, and he finds himself in the wilds of postwar New York City, where he quickly rises from pickpocket street urchin to star student at the stuffiest boarding school in the nation. 

To survive, August must rely upon the kindness of strangers, only some of whom have his best interests at heart. As he grows up, he begins to year for love - which he may or may not have finally found in Penny, a beautiful, clever, and gifted con artist. 

Aaron Jackson has crafted an enchanting story, at once profound and delightfully entertaining. Like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The World According to Garp, and Be Frank With Me, this razor-sharp debut - a classic tale of a young innocent who finally finds his way - reminds us that everyone can find love. Even August March. 

Review: I received an uncorrected proof copy of this novel from HarperCollins. 

This is the charming story of August March, a literal child of the theater. Born in a theater dressing room in 1933, August was found and raised by an ancient laundress. Well versed in Shakespeare, he is totally naïve to the real world, having never left the walls of his theater home for the first several years of his life. When he is finally forced to leave his childhood home behind, he is thrust into the cruel world of the New York City Streets. Eventually, his fortunes improve and he finds love and meaning, but not without some complications along the way. 

In the spirit of the theater to which August is so devoted, this novel definitely takes the form of a farce. It is improbable and unlikely from its opening pages, when August's mother is able to deliver him in between scenes and nearly forgets him by the end of the play. Indeed, nearly all the details of August's childhood are delightfully absurd, from his ancient adoptive mother leaving him at night in the theatre even as an infant to everyone's belief that he's just a ghost of the theatre. August's story is charming and amusing and a blissful escape from the real world. 

With definite parallels to John Irving but with a more comedic bent, this was a highly enjoyable read and an impressive debut novel. This novel was clever and odd in the best possible way. My only regret is that it wasn't longer so I could continue to enjoy it even longer. 

Stars: 4