Official Review: Echoes From the Row by roger burdge

[ReneeBrown]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Echoes From the Row" by roger burdge.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Echoes From the Row is written by Roger Burdge who is a preacher, prison chaplain, and counselor. This book follows the story of Troy Farris who was convicted of murdering a deputy after a drug deal went wrong. The author presents to the reader that Troy was wrongfully convicted of the crime and that he was betrayed by one of his close friends. Troy is sentenced to death for his crime and is placed on death row.

I enjoyed this book because it contained journal snippets from Troy’s personal journal that he kept when he was in prison. The journal entries are thoughtful, detailed, and insightful into the thoughts and feelings Troy experienced while awaiting his death sentence. Since the author is a chaplain, there are numerous Biblical references and references to the power of God in the life of Troy. Throughout his time spent in prison and as his relationship with the author matures Troy becomes religious and close to God.

The aspect I liked most about this book was that it provided a unique and human perspective of someone on death row. Whether or not the reader knows for certain if Troy is guilty of the crime he was convicted of, the reader can feel that he is a regular person who experiences regret, loneliness, and the ups and downs of life. I also really enjoyed the in-depth look we got into the lives of some of Troy’s closest family members and friends, including his ex-wife, son, parents, grandmother, and current girlfriend. I thought that was a vital part of the book in order to understand Troy.

There are a few things wrong with this novel that could have been fixed with a little more editing. There were numerous, simple grammatical errors that became distracting throughout the book. The aspect I liked the least about this book was that it was extremely repetitive, sometimes having entire identical paragraphs repeating within pages of each other. The worst mistake I caught was that the same journal entry was on two different dates. Also, the organization at the beginning of the book was difficult to understand and too vague to be instantly hooked into the story. Indeed, the story does not really “take off” until about halfway.

I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because I think it is a unique book that deserves to be read despite the many grammatical errors. I think it paints a fair and hopefully accurate depiction of the life of a prisoner on death row. I would recommend this to any person who is interested in more fully understanding the prison system and those who live in it. It is a controversial book by nature since the author believes Texas puts people to death much too quickly and with little remorse. However, the book is not a political debate on the death sentence, but rather a reflective insight into the life of a specific man on death row who made the most of his final years of life by becoming closer to God and trying to be a better person.

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Echoes From the Row
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[xoxoAnushka]

This is going to be on my TBR list. I do love books which depicts perspectives of prisoners. I think he should be given 2nd chance or redemption.

[Prisallen]

I can't imagine how hard it would be to know someone who is on death row and believe they are innocent, especially if you are close to them. I hope the author gets the problems solved in the book as it has the basics of a good novel. Thanks for the great review!

[ReneeBrown]

This is going to be on my TBR list. I do love books which depicts perspectives of prisoners. I think he should be given 2nd chance or redemption.

Yes! I hope you check it out and enjoy reading it! Thanks for the comment!

[ReneeBrown]

I can't imagine how hard it would be to know someone who is on death row and believe they are innocent, especially if you are close to them. I hope the author gets the problems solved in the book as it has the basics of a good novel. Thanks for the great review!

Yes, I agree with you! It was a very compelling read because of that. Thanks for the comment!