Gypsy Boy

Synopsis: Mikey was born into a Romany Gypsy family. They live in a closeted community, and little is known about their way of life. After centuries of persecution Gypsies are wary of outsiders and if you choose to leave you can never come back.
This is something Mikey knows only too well.
Growing up, he rarely went to school, and seldom mixed with non-Gypsies. The caravan and camp were his world.But although Mikey inherited a vibrant and loyal culture his family’s legacy was bittersweet with a hidden history of grief and abuse.
Eventually Mikey was forced to make an agonising decision – to stay and keep secrets, or escape and find somewhere he could truly belong.

Review: An incredibly difficult story to read because it's so upsetting. Your heart just goes out to Mikey and even though you know he's only little and has only known Romany life, there are times that you just want him to make a break and run for it. You feel that any situation he may find himself in if he runs away would have to be better than the living hell he's encountering at home.

This is a true account of Mikey Walsh born into a Romany Gypsy family. Apparently his family are fairly notorious amongst the Gypsies, known, amongst other things, for their strength and prowess in bare knuckle fighting.

In each country, there is one man that wears the crown in the sport most favoured by Gypsy culture: bare-knuckle fighting. This crown is the Holy Grail amongst Gypsy men, but whether they go for the crown or not, all Gypsy men will have to fight as part of their day-to-day life. It would be impossible for any Gypsy man, no matter how much he might wish for a quiet life, to be in the company of other Gypsy men without being asked to put his hands up. And when he is asked, that is what he must do. No matter how little chance he has of winning, he must defend his honour, even if he will simply end up a bloddy and battered notch on the belt of an aspiring fighting man or, more often, a two-bob bully.'

That bare-knuckle crown had been in the family since Mikey's great-grandfather had won it but Mikey's father had stood no chance against his more powerful brother and 'with his own hopes frustrated, he pinned them on his son'. Mikey was from a very early age (four years old) forced to undergo daily training sessions with his father, which basically consisted of his father punching him as hard as he could repeatedly. He was also made to fight boys much bigger and older than himself, if he failed to beat them, which was nearly always the case, he got a further beating from his father. His mother did her best and would regularly intervene but only earned herself a beating for it. As he grew up though and it became obvious that he wasn't going to grow into the prize winning champion his father was hoping for he was beaten for every slight perceived misdemeanour The abuse and violence shown towards him was so relentless and shocking that you wonder how his little body was able to withstand it. And when he thought he had found solace with a sympathetic Uncle, things turned even more ugly. Naturally he grew into an anxious, bedwetting child, terrified of his father and dreaming of escape.

The book is full of larger than life colourful characters, salt of the earth types, rogues and villains. It was disappointing to read that some of the stereotypical characteristics that some Gorgias (non-Gypsies) taint all Gypsies with are, by and large, true. Shoplifting and theft is rife and so is the extortion of money from (mostly) elderly people for odd jobs and badly laid tarmac drives (which were basically just the thinnest skim that would turn to sludge once the rain came.) Most disturbing though was the revelation that they pick up homeless people (or Dossa's as they call them) and get them to work for them, as slaves practically. Perhaps this is just Mikey's experience amongst the people he knew, there are good and bad types in all society, I hope so anyway.

Throughout though, it's clear that Mikey is immensely proud of his Gypsy heritage and despite everything loves his family dearly. He's never self pitying or resentful and writes with great humour and understanding. The language is pretty ripe as you would expect and the content often harrowing. I would have liked to have read a bit more about the adult Mikey but knowing that he is now settled and happy is enough.

A truly compelling tale, I couldn't put it down until I had read him into a happier life.