BIBFRAME Work

Title

The boy lost in the maze

Type

  • Monograph
  • Text

Contribution

Subject

Genre Form

Language

Illustrative Content

Classification

  • LCC: PR6103.O358 B69 2024 (Status: nuba, p)
  • DDC: 821/.92
  • DDC: [Fic]
  • LCC: PZ7.1.C63537 Bo 2024 (Status: nuba, p)

Content

Note

Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, 2024

Summary

  • From the UK Children's Laureate comes a spellbinding YA novel in verse blending the ancient myth of Theseus and the Minotaur with the quest of a modern-day teen in search of his father. Theo, a seventeen-year-old London schoolboy with a single mother, is desperate to track down the father who left them, whom he scarcely remembers. At school he discovers Greek mythology and the ancient story of Theseus, a fatherless son driven on a similar search. As Theo focuses on Theseus in a series of poems he composes, it becomes clear the two journeys echo each other in uncanny ways. Theseus must conquer his enemies-a psycho Cyclops, a tree-bending murderer, a monstrous pig-while Theo is tricked and double-crossed, confronting obstacles ranging from a search-agency scam artist to a depraved lawyer. Poet Joseph Coelho brilliantly interweaves the boys' stories, following them through dangers, horrors, and false successes, revealing that Theo must be as resourceful and strong as his mythical hero. In a unique twist, readers are asked to take a role in picking which option the heroes should pursue when facing choices on their path to manhood. The two alternating stories, along with stories from the Minotaur's perspective, fuse into one in a riveting climax, as the protagonists meet in the heart of the labyrinth.
  • "This story is about two boys, separated by centuries, parted by myth, divided by reality. Two boys hoping to be men. Two boys severed from their fathers. Two boys searching a maze of manhood"-- Back cover.

Table of Contents

The oracle -- Theo -- The Minotaur's story -- Theseus in Troezen : the first labor -- Theo -- The Minotaur's story : a toddler -- Theseus and Sinis on the Isthmus -- Theo at Sinis solutions -- The Minotaur's story : a boy -- Theseus and the demon pig -- Theo and the Croydon sow -- The Minotaur's story : a teen -- Theseus and Sciron in Megara -- Theseus and Sciron the lawyer -- The Minotaur's story : becoming a man -- Theseus and Cercyon : the wrestler king in Eleusis -- Theo and the wrestler -- Theseus and Procrustes : the bed-stretcher on the plains of Eleusis -- Theo and the bed-stretcher -- Theseus and the labyrinth -- Theo -- Theseus in Greek mythology.

Authorized Access Point

Coelho, Joseph. The boy lost in the maze

Intended audience

  • Teenagers
  • Grade: Seven and up.
  • Age: 12 and up.
  • adolescent

Admin Metadata

  • Date: 2026-09-30T17:45:55.669785+00:00
  • Agent: cbc
  • Status: c
  • Derived from: 23283068

Admin Metadata

  • Date: 2026-09-30
  • Cataloger id: Unknown
  • Description level: http://id.loc.gov/ontologies/bibframe-2-6-0/
  • Description language: eng
  • Description authentication: pcc

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