Review of The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid

Hakeem nuel · Post by **Hakeem nuel** » 23 Apr 2023, 19:01

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" by Gary Robinson.]

5 out of 5 stars

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The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid is an interesting book written by Gary Robinson, who divided the book into three parts to enable him to narrate the story of the main characters properly. The first part is about the sword swallower, Duke, and his life’s journey from childhood to adulthood. The second part is about the Chico kid, Gary Robinson, and his encounters from childhood to adulthood. The third part draws the connection between these two characters and narrates the story of their friendship.

Gary was a bright kid from childhood, but he often got into trouble and was also emotionally drained by his alcoholic mother. He was seen as a self-destructive person. On the other hand, Duke lived an erratic lifestyle. He left home at a young age to join a circus, where he learned the act of sword swallowing. They both came into contact and became very close friends while they both lived an erratic lifestyle. They were known for drug abuse and alcohol addiction. However, an incident occurred at the Jerry Springer Show, which made Duke have a rethink about sword swallowing. What could this incident be? Grab a copy of the book to find out.

There were many positive aspects to this book. The book was perfectly written, and it had an intriguing story. The story captured my attention, and I was eager to find out how the main characters, Duke and Gary, met and became really close friends. I love the use of flashbacks by the author. It gave me a better understanding of the storyline. I must commend the author for the character development. The characters were well developed, and I applaud the author for the efforts he put into this. Another aspect I appreciate is the way the author divided the book into three parts, so one could easily understand the book as it was written chronologically. I was caught up in different emotions when reading the book, and most importantly, I learned about a famous sword swallower, Captain Don Leslie, to whom the author dedicated the book.

I found nothing wrong with the book. However, I felt the erratic lifestyle of the main characters was a result of bad parenting. Well, this is a mere observation, and it doesn’t in any way affect my general opinion about the book. Children should be given proper training and guidance from a tender age. The author made the best selection for a cover page. It gave an idea of what the book was about. I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. I found no negative aspects, so it deserves a complete rating.

I didn’t spot a single error in this book because the book was exceptionally well edited. I recommend the book to lovers of sword swallowing and to those who want to learn from the experiences of Gary and Duke because they would learn from their mistakes.

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The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
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