4 out of 4 stars
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The Sword Swallower and A Chico Kid- Review
The Sword Swallower and A Chico Kid is a time machine which traverses you to the time of the 1960s and gives you an impeccable account of societal norms of the era. Gary Robinson, the author, knows how to entertain his readers with his exquisite narrative style.
The story is told in three parts. The first part is about a talented circus worker, the Sword Swallower, Duke Reynolds. The second part goes on to tell the story about a young man named Gary Robinson, the Chico Kid. The third and the concluding part shows the union of these titular characters.
Duke Reynolds works for a circus sideshow, exhibiting his diverse and exceptional talents including sword swallowing. You'll know it from the beginning that this is the person you must root for throughout the book. Duke is an alcoholic and a drug addict. As a part of the circus show, he starts inhaling methamphetamine and eventually becomes an addict. Duke is fundamentally flawed, and he’s not very good at making the right decisions. Gary Robinson is a student at Chico, California. The story continues into his life for over thirty years describing all the wrong decisions he makes which eventually destroys his entire career. Gary becomes an alcoholic as well. These two souls meet in an unexpected way like a divine intervention. What is the outcome of this beautiful friendship? Does Gary finally get a life which he deserves but has no hope of getting? Read the book to find out.
There are so many things to like about this book. There are only so many people that know how a circus actually works. The book accomplishes this job beautifully. After reading the book, the reader will feel like he knows the ins and outs of a circus. The life, the people, the deformities for which they are paid and for which they are famous is very fascinating to read. The characters are layered, and they have the precise amount of backstory which will let the reader know why they are in a certain situation in the present timeline. The narrative style is soothing and satisfying, fully with emotions.
There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this book except for a few minor spelling mistakes scattered about throughout the book which I’m sure can be rectified. This does not deteriorate the reading experience at all. As there’s nudity, alcohol, and drugs involved in the book for a significant part, I would suggest this to readers aged 13 and above.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars overlooking the errors because it would be unfair to take that petty reason into account. The extraordinary story outweighs them fair and square. Go ahead and get this great book.
HAPPY READING!
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The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
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