Review of Wild World

[pat peltier]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Wild World" by Peter S. Rush.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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"Wild World" is a coming-of-age story. As the story opens Steve, the main character, is just finishing his undergraduate studies at Brown University. He delays entrance into law school to stay with Roxy, his girlfriend. He views himself as her protector: she is, he believes, innocent and easily overwhelmed. Interestingly, however, he is drawn to her strength of conviction and her willingness to speak out against unfairness. Steve, on the other hand, is still trying to figure out exactly what he believes. They are balancing one another, although they aren't particularly aware of this.

Steve and Roxy attend a presentation given by Officer Durk, a police officer who has successfully worked to rid his station of corruption and discrimination. Steve is inspired by him and he applies for a job with the local police force. He is acutely aware of the conflicting values, but he is determined to right the wrongs. He becomes the pariah of the police station and often finds himself at odds with his boss. The presence of clear opposition enables him to clarify his beliefs and, in the end, to act in accordance.

The story is set in the early 1970s complete with anti-war demonstrations, Woodstock, Judy Collins, Kent State, the draft lottery, drugs, and free love. "All we are saying is give peace a chance," they sing. The chapter titles are even lines from the music of the times. For me, this was pure nostalgia. True to the era, this is a journey of self-discovery. It is a time of pushing against expectations and refusing to swallow the introject without question. Steve is the embodiment of these struggles.

I truly enjoyed "Wild World". The setting sparked many memories for me; some were wonderful, some more tempered by time passed. The author has mastered the art of engaging all the reader's senses and, by doing so, fully immerses us in the story. There are lessons to be learned along the way; life is neither black nor white; to be true to ourselves we must invest in the choices we make; relationships are made up of different and separate people no matter how much we pretend we're just alike; life isn't simple but that's not a bad thing. There were sad and disturbing moments on this journey; sometimes I just wanted to listen to the music.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 as low and 5 as high, I rated "Wild World" as a 4 out of 5. There were numerous editorial errors which I found to be distracting.

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Wild World
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