Review of Hard Knocks

[Verna Coy]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hard Knocks" by Ray Lopez.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hard Knocks by Ray Lopez is a memoir. The first volume in a series of three, this book covers part of the author’s life. The title is an apt description of his early and formative years. Ray was a rough-and-tumble type of youngster. He could hold his own in a fight with other kids at school, and he tried to respect some of the rules despite his mischievous nature holding him back. Would there be a way for him to find success in his world? To find out, you must read this book!

The writing style of this memoir is made up of a first-person narrative that works well in this context. It is also interspersed with pieces of poetry written in a contemporary style of free verse. Each one illustrates the emotions of a particular story or event. This effect highlights the depth of feeling behind the tales and helps readers connect with the characters. Each chapter is followed by a verse from the Holy Bible that highlights the lessons learned in that chapter.

The volatility of the outward expressions of anger and rage in this author’s youth attest to an inner struggle. The intensity of deep emotion keeps the reader riveted to the pages as the plotline moves forward. I found myself hoping for good things for Ray as I read about his life and choices.

Many of the stories related in this book are about a young child being bullied in school. The subject of bullying is prevalent in our present-day problems. These examples illustrate some of the reasoning that happens in a child’s mind when being bullied and offer answers as to why they become enraged when they are denied justice.

The author also includes adorable stories of his childhood. When Ray decided to run away from home, his mom helped him pack. She even packed him a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches. Luckily, he returned home after he remembered he hadn’t done his homework. These instances show the affection and caring in Ray’s relationship with his mom and provide an example of excellent character development.

There is a good deal of self-deprecating humor in this story. I often found myself grinning or laughing outright at some of the situations this author survived. That ability to see the humor in situations that would scar others for life may be one of the best things about this story. Aside from the character development, that is what I liked best about the book.

Written by an evangelist, this memoir shares the spiritual exploration of the author and his discovery of Christ. This book shares a simple and resounding message. Even the roughest of characters have some chance at success. As Ray’s life takes one dramatic turn after another, readers are taken on a journey of discovery with him. Hard lessons are experienced and passed along to readers. As a memoir, these aspects, although Christian in nature, suit readers of all denominations or religions, including those of no religion at all.

As a negative point, the atmosphere throughout much of this book is heavy. Some of the scenes in the book feature excessive violence. Many places in the narrative tell tales of beatings, as well as a particularly gruesome poem that describes prison rape.

This memoir is exceptionally well edited. I found only one small typo in it, and the narrative format interspersed with occasional poetry works well. For these reasons, it has achieved a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to a mature audience as it contains violence, gore, profanity that ranges from mild to severe, and explicit sexual content. It will appeal most to fans of drama and coming-of-age stories.

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Hard Knocks
View: on Bookshelves

[Oluwasogo Familusi]

What a good review. I specifically like the aspect where the book shows that there is a chance for everyone.

[Titus Fuller]

I know whats like to be bullied, I can relate to this memoir by Ray Lopez.

[Elenimo Chembe]

The life of Ray Lopez sounds interesting especially when it comes to bullying. This is a good book.

[Sumto Nii]

I would pass on this book. I was not inspired by the contents of the book. This is a good review though. I hope others find it interesting.

[Odala J Phiri]

One thing I have come to learn in life is that people who have gone through a lot in childhood, give great testimonies in future. Am glad he used Bible verses to give examples.