3 out of 4 stars
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“Down the hatch, without a scratch!”
Duke Reynolds was one of the most famous sword swallowers of his time, but he came from a humble beginning. At the age of 15, Duke bravely left home where alcohol abuse and oppression in the name of religion made for a toxic home-life. After joining the circus, his first job involved helping with the pony rides, and he soon found a mentor in the circus' Argentinian sword swallower. Duke had thankfully found a new life, purpose, and happiness.
By the time Duke replaced his teacher as the sideshow's resident and legendary sword swallower, he knew the circus was where he belonged. His career continued, with the circus and alcohol as his life, but unfortunate circumstances and Duke's self-sabotaging behavior led him to step out of the limelight.
Part 2 reintroduced the novel's fictionalized version of Gary Robinson, a Chico kid, but his life's trajectory was already troubling. With each of Gary's escapades, he seemed to only be a hopeless delinquent. Then he happened to meet a “strange tattooed man in old circus performance clothes.” And in Part 3, a mentorship develops, but with Duke being terminal and Gay appearing to be incorrigible, will the sword swallower be able to save a Chico kid?
The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid by Gary Robinson is really a novel of second chances and life lessons. Universal themes and words of wisdom appear consistently throughout the book. They are also complimented by absolutely fascinating descriptions of Duke and his life as a circus sideshow performer. The details about Duke's marvel acts, the people who make up his circus family, and the general history and logistics of the circus were definitely one of my favorite parts of the novel. Duke's thoughts on faith, religion, and morality were equally exceptional.
Gary's story in Part 2, however, was less enjoyable. For the majority of his narrative, I found him to be detestable. I could have tolerated him more if there had been fewer examples of his drunken and drug-fueled exploits. It became almost sickening to read. I was relieved when Duke re-entered the story and began to mentor Gary. Unfortunately at the same time, however, the dialogue, especially Gary's, became quite contrived. It was forced and unbelievable.
On the other hand and overall, Robinson expressed himself very eloquently and in an effective, entertaining manner with most errors being backwards quotation marks and the like. His diction was apropos and easy to read. This is why I rate the book 3 out of 4. I highly recommend this novel to those interested in the circus. From the misunderstood and antisocial head clown to the joyful and loving “Missing Link,” I fell in love with all the characters in Duke's circus life, including Duke himself who had a “soft spot for troubled souls.” I do not recommend this book, however, to those sensitive to curse words and drug abuse. I felt that meth, cocaine, and alcohol use was romanticized throughout most of the story. This is also why I would not recommend the book to those under the age of 18. For everyone else, read this book to get swept away with the “majesty of the circus” and find out if a Chico kid, Gary, can face his demons before they destroy him completely.
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The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
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