Greg Northwood is the heart and soul of 'The Lost Boy,' and honestly, his journey wrecked me in the best way possible. He's this scrappy, resourceful kid who gets separated from his family during a wartime evacuation, and the story follows his desperate attempt to find his way back home. What makes Greg so compelling isn't just his courage—it's the little moments where his vulnerability peeks through, like when he trades his last keepsake for a meal or hums his mother's lullaby to himself at night. The author nails that balance between survival instincts and childish hope.
I reread the scene where he builds a 'home' out of scrap wood in an abandoned train car at least three times—it captures his character perfectly. He's not some idealized hero; he gets angry, makes foolish choices, but never gives up. That grit stuck with me long after finishing the book. If you love underdog stories with raw emotional depth, Greg's your guy.