Victor’s life is turned upside down at the young age of 15. Diagnosed with Hansen’s disease (leprosy), he’s forced to leave his family and move to Carville, LA to a federal leprosarium. Scared and alone, he wants to flee. However, with the wide and varied cast of characters in his new home at Carville, he finds hope, love, and tragedy…but always hoping for the elusive cure. When Victor’s time at Carville nears the end, difficult choices must be made. You’ll find you are holding your breath at many points of this story. I could not put it down.
King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner, (List Price: 28.99, Flatiron Books, 9781250843005, July 2023)
Reviewed by Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana