Through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Mark Mupotsa-Russell is an astoundingly original story of heroes, villains and the messy reality between them.
Following the success of his debut novel, The Hitwoman’s Guide to Reducing Household Debt, Mark has crafted an exceptionally heart-wrenching and propulsive second novel. The Wolf Who Cried Boy places readers in the shoes of a six-year-old boy who believes his life is a fairytale.
Through Henry’s innocent lens, a childlike world of good versus evil and magic emerges. But when his mother’s past catches up with them, Henry’s fantasies begin to clash with the real world, making him unsure who the good guys truly are.
Readers will question what happens when the stories and white lies parents tell their children, with the intention of keeping them safe, make them more vulnerable to the outside world.
Exploring powerful themes – including family violence and loyalty, love and homesickness, abuse of power and men’s roles in breaking the cycle of violence – Mark creates a protagonist that you can’t help but want to protect from the world’s scariest monsters.
“I can’t wait for readers to meet Henry. Writing the world as he sees it was both incredibly hard and extremely joyful,” said Mark. “Henry let me look at everyday experiences with a new magic and explore complex issues through the quirky, optimistic perspective a child can bring. I’m so excited for this book to be out on shelves so readers can delve into a story I put my whole heart into.”
For fans of Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe, Emma Donoghue’s Room and Brooke Davis’ Lost and Found, The Wolf Who Cried Boy explores how cycles of violence, misogyny and corruption must be broken if we ever want our children to grow up free.
Six-year-old Henry believes his life is a fairytale. He’s a Star Prince, his mum is a Star Queen and they’re hiding from Henry’s father, the mysterious ‘Wolf King’. When news arrives that his Grandma is gravely ill, Henry and his mum must take a road trip across the country and back into the Wolf King’s orbit.
Henry isn’t afraid: he knows his magic powers will save them. But as the King draws ever closer, Henry’s world starts to fall apart. Who is the real baddie in his life? Who can he trust? And why don’t his powers seem to work?
Mark Mupotsa-Russell is a writer living on Wurundjeri Country in the Yarra Ranges. His debut novel, The Hitwoman’s Guide to Reducing Household Debt, won the 2023 Affirm Press Mentorship Award.
Before writing novels, he was a screenwriter, film reviewer, cocktail columnist, PR consultant and communications adviser in the suicide prevention sector. He lives among the trees with his art therapist superstar wife, hilarious son and a moodle majestically named ‘Mufasa’
The Wolf Who Cried Boy is published by Affirm Press and is available from all leading book sellers including QBD Books.
Image: The Wolf Who Cried Boy – courtesy of Affirm Press