Review of Riding in the Backseat with my Brother
Posted: 17 Mar 2022, 18:41
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Riding in the Backseat with my Brother" by Judi Blaze.]
Judy is from a family of Irish Travelers, otherwise called Gypsies, known for their transitory lifestyle. From a tender age, she grows accustomed to not having a place to call home. She spends a significant portion of her life riding in the backseat with her brother, Gary, as her family wanders from place to place in search of greener pastures. Before they establish a stable lifestyle in each new city, Judy’s parents develop itchy feet, and off they go riding to another destination. Their lives are characterized by leaving things behind: houses, pets, friends, schools, and even their brother, Dougie, who was given away in infancy due to their mother’s mental instability.
As Judy and Gary grow older, and with the birth of Linda (their sister), the Hudson becomes more cramped and less comfortable. With a father who is always away at work, a mentally disturbed mother, and their ever-changing lifestyle, Judy and her siblings learn to navigate through untold hardships on their own. Soon they grow weary of their parents’ wanderlust and crave normalcy. Will Judy and her siblings ever find stability? What price will they pay to have a stable lifestyle?
Riding in the Backseat with my Brother by Judi Blaze is a story based on the events in the author’s life. This book contains themes of wanderlust, hardships, infidelity, instability, juvenile delinquency, bravery, parent-child conflict, abuse, and neglect. This book is divided into an untitled prologue and twenty-seven chapters. The author narrates this story using first-person and third-person narrative techniques. The prologue was written using the third-person narrative, while the chapters were written from Judy’s point of view.
I like this book because it gave me an insight into the lifestyle, challenges, and peculiarities of the Gypsies. I have read books and watched movies with Gypsy characters, but none is as eye-opening as this. As adventurous as their lives may seem, it is not devoid of hardships. I like how Gary and Judy always found positivity in difficulties. I connected with the characters’ emotions; I particularly feared for Judy’s safety during her trip with Biff to sell rocks. And I was saddened by Linda’s tumultuous relationship with Alice, their mother. However, I didn’t like that nothing else was said about Dougie after his visit. Although the end wasn’t quite conclusive, in my opinion, reading this book was a voyage of discovery.
Riding in the Backseat with my Brother by Judy Blaze is a professionally edited book as I only found a few errors in it. I recommend this book to lovers of non-fiction and those interested in Gypsy stories. Although this book contains sexual abuse, it was not explicitly narrated, and I did not find it disturbing. In the light of the above, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
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Riding in the Backseat with my Brother
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Judy is from a family of Irish Travelers, otherwise called Gypsies, known for their transitory lifestyle. From a tender age, she grows accustomed to not having a place to call home. She spends a significant portion of her life riding in the backseat with her brother, Gary, as her family wanders from place to place in search of greener pastures. Before they establish a stable lifestyle in each new city, Judy’s parents develop itchy feet, and off they go riding to another destination. Their lives are characterized by leaving things behind: houses, pets, friends, schools, and even their brother, Dougie, who was given away in infancy due to their mother’s mental instability.
As Judy and Gary grow older, and with the birth of Linda (their sister), the Hudson becomes more cramped and less comfortable. With a father who is always away at work, a mentally disturbed mother, and their ever-changing lifestyle, Judy and her siblings learn to navigate through untold hardships on their own. Soon they grow weary of their parents’ wanderlust and crave normalcy. Will Judy and her siblings ever find stability? What price will they pay to have a stable lifestyle?
Riding in the Backseat with my Brother by Judi Blaze is a story based on the events in the author’s life. This book contains themes of wanderlust, hardships, infidelity, instability, juvenile delinquency, bravery, parent-child conflict, abuse, and neglect. This book is divided into an untitled prologue and twenty-seven chapters. The author narrates this story using first-person and third-person narrative techniques. The prologue was written using the third-person narrative, while the chapters were written from Judy’s point of view.
I like this book because it gave me an insight into the lifestyle, challenges, and peculiarities of the Gypsies. I have read books and watched movies with Gypsy characters, but none is as eye-opening as this. As adventurous as their lives may seem, it is not devoid of hardships. I like how Gary and Judy always found positivity in difficulties. I connected with the characters’ emotions; I particularly feared for Judy’s safety during her trip with Biff to sell rocks. And I was saddened by Linda’s tumultuous relationship with Alice, their mother. However, I didn’t like that nothing else was said about Dougie after his visit. Although the end wasn’t quite conclusive, in my opinion, reading this book was a voyage of discovery.
Riding in the Backseat with my Brother by Judy Blaze is a professionally edited book as I only found a few errors in it. I recommend this book to lovers of non-fiction and those interested in Gypsy stories. Although this book contains sexual abuse, it was not explicitly narrated, and I did not find it disturbing. In the light of the above, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Riding in the Backseat with my Brother
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon