Review| Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, by Matthew Dicks

Full Title: Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend
Author: Matthew Dicks (Published under the name Matthew Green in the UK)
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (Macmillan)
Publication Date: August 2012 (expected)
My Copy: Advance reader copy via Shelf Awareness

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Just because we can’t see them does not mean that they don’t exist. Imaginary friends are, in fact, real. Their human friend thinks them up, but then they have their own thoughts and emotions and ideas. They need their friends to imagine them into existence and believe in them to stay alive, sure. But this is just a form of life support, not proof that they’re fake!

Budo, he’s one of the oldest imaginary friends around. Max imagined him into existence, and has believed in him for over five years. Max is a bit different, possibly autistic (it’s never explicitly stated), and has quite the imagination. He imagined Budo being both smart and very human-looking. That, coupled with his age, makes Budo the envy of other imaginary friends. But all is not well for Budo: he worries a lot. Max is bullied in school, and Budo worries for his safety. Max’s parents’ arguments are mostly about Max, too. Budo worries about his friends disappearing as their human imagineers stop believing in them. Mostly,though, Budo is preoccupied with thoughts of his own death. He want to exist for as long as possible, to never disappear. And then, another worry: Max falls into a new and terrible danger. Only Budo knows the truth, and he must save his friend.

This novel is simply wonderful. It’s like a kids adventure story, but made especially for adults. Budo sees the world in a unique way, and he shows us his world the best he can. He is wise but still very childlike, and is the perfect narrator for this tale. This very real imaginary friend takes the reader on a ride and manages to connect on an emotional level. He feels as we humans do, and not only does he learn as he goes along, he grows as well.

With its interesting premise and fast pace, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is a most unlikely coming of age story. For adults looking to indulge their inner child, this book is highly recommended.

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