A very interesting book which explores a lot of issues without seeming to do so. Edgar Jones is born in a very beast-like manner and we see his transformation from this state to inventor extraordinaire (sort of). Perhaps this is a comment on the Victorian condition. Edgar however is beset by difficulties; he is torn between a desire to show his father, a man left behind in the previous century, that he is worthy and please his masters of apprenticeship. A side story tells us of his mother's condition and the way in which public opinion is swung against her. This is well worth a read and I found myself drawn in to the story by the beautifully portrayed characters. ( )

Edgar Jones was differently gifted in an age when his skills were not valued. He was unable to master reading and writing, but he did have a gift for anything mechanical. His father, unable to educate him, apprenticed him to a blacksmith as a young boy. Here he met an Oxford anatomy professor whose work was challenging the conventional notion of a God-created universe. And here is where the story breaks down for me. The professor is building some type of a museum for his specimans made of iron and employs Edgar, age 12 at the time, to help him raise this structure. The narrative describing the structure needed *something* because I was unable to follow what was going on. Was it too technical, or not technical enough? I think the latter. Was it the gap between British English and American English that caused my confusion? I can't be sure, but I was unable to follow the more technical aspects of this book. The characters were well done. The plot was loosely based on actual characters and events, but rather too much license was given, in my opinion. ( )

The Ingenious Edgar Jones tells the story of a mysterious dark-haired boy, born ahead of his time on a lightning-filled night in the Oxford of the 1800s. Immediately upon his arrival, he disappoints and vaguely puzzles his mother- she had wanted a girl- and delights his father- but slowly, as his life goes on, this state of affairs is somewhat reversed.

The boy Edgar, while supremely gifted with what would now be called mechanical abilities, lags behind in reading and writing and thus remains functionally illiterate until as late as seven or eight. Constantly drawn to the great outdoors, he figures out ways to escape his lessons and roam free in the wilderness outside his home. Then, one day, on a sojourn right into the city, he comes across a fascinating place- an iron forge- and promptly offers himself up for an apprenticeship.

Later he is taken in by a Professor of Anatomy from one of Oxford’s colleges- the old man, never named, sees the spark in the boy’s creativity and takes him on in an apprenticeship of his own. But all the while, what Edgar wants as badly as he wants to invent things of metal and bone, is that eternal quest for most children- parental approval- and that espcially from his father.

His master at the forge, the Professor, and lastly his kindly master at the invention shop- Mr Stevens, all fall short of his desires for validation. Naturally. His father, William, is unable to look beyond Scripture and accept his boy’s somewhat different vision and talents.

And this is the crux of the story. A child, born both different and gifted; the religious climate in the England of the 1800s where Science and God are raging against two sides of the debate, and the devastating social justice of the time that Edgar finally comes up against.

The story ends with a somewhat different outcome- magical realism, almost, which did not jibe well with the rest of the story. However, Edgar is a curious and engaging fellow; you do want to follow along on his adventure, want to laugh with him (and he does laugh an awful lot) and weep when his brave heart is disappointed yet again. His inventions, whether of bone or metal or lcloth, are marvelous, his imagination fierce and his spirit tender yet powerful.

Elizabeth Garner is a writer of both vision and precision, each of Edgar’s futuristic inventions outlined with spare yet well-rounded detail. The emotions are evoked more from the reader, rather than laid out on the page in grandiose prose. I enjoyed the tale as much as the telling, and would love to read more from Garner. ( I almost wish for a sequel to Edgar.) ( )

Very interesting story of early Victorian era Oxford, a born inventor, and the society that does not recognize his worth. ( )

--A Bittersweet Brilliant Literary Debut--

During the mid 1800's, at the time of the Victorian Industrial Revolution, an unusual baby boy is born to a barmaid and an Oxford University watchman. This incredibly odd boy named Edgar Jones arrives into the world with a fur lined spine and a feisty personality of unbound curiosity and strength. From his toddler years into his early teens, Edgar is a willful unruly boy forever challenging everyone's patience. He shows no aptitude for learning his books, but oddly enough, is talented in ways of ingenious invention. Edgar is a tinkerer, he has a keen eye for solving problems of steel and iron and can unravel and rebuild any gadget or invention put in front of him at the blink of an eye. Shrugging the life of a scholar, his early years are spent working with the local blacksmith, as apprentice to the bellows and fire that melt and mold the town's wares of iron.

Seeing this boy's potential, a local professor buys Edgar's apprenticeship from the blacksmith and brings him to Oxford's grounds where a monumental gothic natural history museum is being erected. Edgar finds himself in his element, surrounded by steel girders, gothic arches and flying buttresses. There he swings high in the rafters and climbs ratlines of monstrous metal, assisting other steelworkers to create one of Oxford's greatest architectural wonders, and proves his young brain is more than talented. But sadly when the project is finished, Edgar is discarded by the professor he came to love as mentor, and tossed aside to apprentice again as an assistant to a local inventor. A local merchant with a shop to keep, the inventor retrains Edgar to now hone his talents towards creating mechanical toys, timepieces, and scientific instruments.

This is a bittersweet story of a boy misunderstood by his simpleminded God-fearing parents, a tale of a boy born for destiny and fame at the wrong time and place. Inner demons haunt Edgar's dreams, his secret wish to once and for all prove his worth to his father who is easy to condemn his achievements and squash his dreams, and gain respect among his mentors, torment him day and night. Frustration and revenge soon invade Edgar's heart when time after time his abilities are disregarded. At a time when Christianity still reigned over science and technology, moral and religious ethics enter the story offering the reader an insight to Victorian philosophy and into the views on what will soon become the age of invention, and the shocking realization of mankind's birth and evolution.

In trying to prove himself among his peers, and at the same time retaliate against his enemies, tragedy strikes in an innocent accident causing disaster. Edgar's life is at stake, questions of legal and moral rights for a child come into play. Edgar's innocence, and the negligence of his parent's guidance are thrown before a judge and jury, this innovative heartbreaking novel now becomes intense as the court brings the reader a startling verdict. Readers will love the character of our playful and inventive Edgar Jones, and will enjoy his growth from baby to boy as his heart and mind show us how innocent faith and determination can win against the odds. However, this story is also a wake up call to the cruelty and ignorance of people at a time when the Victorian world is rocked on it's heels with new wonders that threaten God's existence. The beauty and wonder of this world is shown to us through the eyes of a child, evoking a heartwarming experience for the reader that will travel full circle from mechanical marvels, to the menace of man, only to return back to the beginning with the magic of invention.

Garner's command of the language to write beautiful prose and bond the reader's heart to Edgar, shows amazing new talent to the literary world. I loved this story for it's innovation and creativity and can't wait until she writes another. This would be a fabulous book for any book club group as there are many topics worth discussing, as well as a great choice to top a high school required reading list. The Ingenious Edgar Jones is a sensational debut not to be missed ( )