Review of The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid

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Kiprugut Paul
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Review of The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid

Post by Kiprugut Paul »

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" by Gary Robinson.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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Do we really have current data on the number of children that suffer from alcoholic parents' dysfunctional households? So let's get to know the characters from Gary Robinson's The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid. Three sections make up the book. Duke's life is followed in the first section, while Gary's life is followed in the second. Both characters appear in the third section. Duke, who was exposed to alcohol at a young age, joined the circus, which became his family, and left his dysfunctional household, which was plagued by alcoholism. He masters sword swallowing, fire eating, human pincushion, and human blockhead skills in the circus. He mostly does sword swallowing, a method through which he repeatedly escapes death. On the other hand, Gary, an unemployed graduate who is an alcoholic and struggles with meaning in life, is introduced to us. He finds himself engaging in a money-related challenge where his chest is covered in stapled notes. Later, the two cross paths in the small town of Chico, where they strike up a close friendship and experience a dramatic change in their lives.

This book delivers a lot, serving both instructive and inspirational goals. The author focuses on the wider picture of friendship and how meeting one person can completely change your life at the end of the novel, where Duke and Gary first meet. Duke, who was formerly an alcoholic but now mentors Gary in dealing with addiction, is someone we meet. This served more as a moral lesson, illustrating the fluidity of life. He also makes an effort to show how the people we encounter in life can actually turn out to be a blessing. Gary, who was about to be evicted, is saved by Angel, a total stranger he had previously met. In general, the author provided credit and explained what "friends who become family" really meant. Gary sees Duke as his mentor as he travels with him on his quest for meaning.

Nothing about this book bothered me. The writing is of the highest caliber. My interest was immediately peaked. The characters have such likable traits. The interactions and dialogue throughout the book really got me thinking. I had no trouble relating to the characters. I admired how upbeat the characters remained in spite of the ups and downs that were occurring in their lives. They engaged in live talks, debates, and conversations about topics like racism and religion, which are actually debates in today's society.

I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I can't take away a star from this book since it was so worth it. It involves more than just a review. If the readers read the book themselves, that would be satisfying. No typos or mistakes were present, which suggests that the work was professionally edited.

I recommend this book to those interested in character growth through both good and terrible moments in life, as well as to readers who love action-packed adventures and are intrigued by how circus life functions. This would put off readers who don't like reading about books that involve drug and alcohol abuse.

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The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
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JuliusOnyango
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Post by JuliusOnyango »

This book is amazing, one thing i like about it was the characters, duke and Gary and their eccentric friendship that went on.
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