Review of Sound of Redemption

[Fola Moni]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Sound of Redemption" by William John Rostron.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Nostalgic, tense and tear-jerking are just some words I can use to describe the book Sound of Redemption by William John Rostron. It is the second book in the Cambria Series.

The year 1967 is one John Cippitelli will never forget.

It was the year all his dreams and aspirations came crashing down. It was a year of death and terror. The year he left Cambria Heights, New York and disappeared, leaving behind his girlfriend and family because of a madman’s quest for revenge.

Now it is 1990, and John is living under an assumed name in another city, trying and failing to forget the past. After a failed suicide attempt, he decided to pull his life together, and this set him on the path of an incredible discovery that would force him to set the record straight and go back home. However, he could not have known that someone was still thirsting for revenge.

The years 1967 and 1990 are those that John Cippitelli will never forget.

I thought the first book in the series, Band in the Wind, was a tear-jerker, but Sound of Redemption had me wiping my eyes more times than I could count. I loved everything about the book. Its strong themes of love, loss, music, nostalgia, crime, racism, and revenge made it a compelling read. I now understand why the author wanted people to read the first book before the sequel. There was no way one could have fully grasped the emotions of the characters and the intricacies of the plot otherwise.

The complexities of the characters are what really endeared me to the series. The author’s writing style had me identifying intimately with all the lead characters. For instance, the brotherhood of the five band members was unique and compelling. They all bonded over their love for music and their determination to escape their harrowing circumstances. Gio and John’s friendship stood out more than the rest, and it was emotional to read how their bond was tested in terrifying circumstances.

There is nothing I dislike about the book. I would definitely rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I did not spot any errors, so it is exceptionally well-edited. I would not recommend it to a younger/sensitive audience because of the racial slurs, profanity and bloody scenes I encountered. Mature readers who love crime and coming-of-age books would absolutely adore this book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

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Sound of Redemption
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