Review of The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid

[Temi Book]

[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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In the book The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid, real-life events are mixed in with fictional ones. Duke Reynolds, a person the author encountered in his life, served as an inspiration. When the doorbell rings, Gary is spending some happy and tranquil time with his grandson. The door was opened to reveal a present from Mrs. Starlight. A picture of a circus performer named Duke doing his sword-swallowing performance can be found within the packaging. Gary's memories were stirred by this.
 
Duke Reynolds was raised in a troubled household where there was constant conflict and resentment. He had always enjoyed seeing the circus whenever it visited his town; therefore, this led him to join at a young age. Duke has ten various acts, the major one of which is sword swallowing. He also has a drinking and drug addiction. A young man named Gary Robinson has struggled with alcoholism since high school. His mother is a drinker. He breezed through college, scarcely taking any classes and visiting multiple fraternity parties. Gary eventually had to work odd jobs to make ends meet. Gary and Duke eventually crossed paths when Gary had had enough of life. How was Gary's life changed by Duke?
 
I had a great time reading this book. I made sure to finish reading it. Fortunately, there weren't too many pages, so the reader wouldn't become bored. Because there are lessons to be learned from each person's lifestyle, mistakes, and achievements, including this one, I've always enjoyed reading about them. The author's realism impressed me. He did not attempt to shield his readers from the brutal realities of the 1960s. We get to learn about their way of life even though we weren't present at the time.
 
I do enjoy that about Duke, though. He has no regard for the opinions of others and lives his life for himself. Living in the present and not thinking about the future is his personal philosophy. That's definitely the reason he was perpetually broke throughout the book. Today, we can't act that way. The way the circus performers interact with one another is admirable. I appreciate Gary's openness to learning and adapting, too. Duke's lessons affected his life because of this. The effects of growing up in a chaotic home are visible throughout Gary's life. The youngsters are typically negatively and occasionally permanently impacted. I admire Gary Robinson for sharing his life experience with us openly and honestly.
 
The heavy drinking and drug use in this book are the only aspects I didn't appreciate. However, I am aware that the author was attempting to capture the 1960s way of life. I don't have any additional dislikes besides these. But despite this, I still find the book enjoyable. I rate this 5 out of 5 stars for this. No mistakes were discovered. Thus, it has flawless editing.
 
I'll suggest this to mature audiences due to the story's subject matter. For those who are interested in circus stories, it is also appropriate.

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The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
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[Azuka Jessica]

Gary and Duke seem to have gone through a lot together. This book has an intriguing cover page. I am beginning to get the feeling of how it will be. Amazing review.

[John Aburzzi]

Gary and Duke have been the most amazing characters so far in this book. There were well developed and gave this books it's fun. Though the story line isn't something I enjoyed.

[Amy Luman]

I am impressed that Duke was willing to take Gary ”under his wing”, so to speak. This is especially important since he didn’t seem to have anyone else.

[salem_deeman]

If there is ever something that caught my eye in this book, it will be the encounter with Duke changed the author's story for better. People like that are sadly in shortage nowadays.

[Gabriele Mattia Leonardo]

Haven't read this book yet but reading your review has given me an insight on how interesting it's going to be. Nice review!

[Amanda Warner]

I haven't read this book yet, but I believe Duke and Gary's lives were interlinked for them to eventually cross paths. I would love to know how Gary and Duke's story ends.

[Famzi Ken]

I wondered about the life of Gary and Duke. They lived for the day. While that idea sounds interesting, I don't know if I can do it. Great review.

[Chibee Glory]

I enjoyed reading your review, although I haven't read the book. One thing that caught my attention was the power of influence. Garry was influenced by Robinson into alcoholism, with Duke in the picture, I hope he influences Gary to change.

[Blessing Chi Peculiar]

This book made me understand that parents have an important role in their child life. I learn a lot from this book, especially from Duke. Good job.

[Onyeso Njoku]

It is true and I strongly believe that the environment we grow up in has a lot of impact on our lives. Nice review.

[Jesse Shon Voyamba]

Aside the thrill that comes with reading this beautiful piece of function, I learned a few things about the lives and attitudes of circus performers in the 1960s.

[Okafor Prosper]

This is one novel that I thoroughly enjoyed the character development of both main characters. There are a lot of lessons to pick up from here, and I'm happy to see that you enjoyed the book as well.

[Oyedeji Funmilayo]

I am thrilled by the title of this book. I poom forward to knowing why the kid is called Choco called and his relationship with the sword swallower.

[Joyce Nwaogazie]

The Sword Swallower and the Chico Kid had a lot of adventures attached with it. The details of the Circus appealed to me. Well done.