4 out of 5 stars
Imagine if your existence depended on the imagination of a child. Whether you talk, have ears, eyebrows, feet or hair – it's all up to the child who believes you are real. Until the child stops believing, and then you disappear.
This is Budo's world. His child, Max, is (presumably) autistic, so Budo had been around a lot longer than most imaginary friends (which range from kids to fairies to talking dogs and a spoon) and is pretty high functioning. Budo can read, imagine, and walk through walls. He doesn't need sleep or food, and he likes to go out at night when Max is sleeping. He loves Max unconditionally, and his top priority is helping Max navigate his day. Helping includes keeping Max company (because Max doesn’t like to interact with other kids or be touched), standing guard so Max can poop in private at school, watching for bullies, and helping Max when he gets "stuck" inside himself.
Budo's voice is that of a child, albeit an introspective one, and his story is clever, poignant, and at times hilarious. But wait, there's more. Something terrible happens to Max, and suddenly it's up to Budo and some of the other imaginary friends he knows to make things right. The suspense and at times frightening events that follow kept me up way past my bed time. And realizing along with Budo that helping Max survive and grow will ultimately lead to Budo's own demise as Max gradually needs him less was both heart wrenching and totally engrossing.
Budo's world, the "rules of order" for imaginary friends and what happens to them when they're no longer needed raises a lot of questions. At times I thought there were some creative opportunities missed, but then there were also ideas that I thought were brilliant. I think a concept like this is kind of like time travel – you have to leave a little wiggle room in your brain and just accept it for what it is. And then enjoy the ride.
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