Review of the big red bus

[Christabel Uzoamaka]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "the big red bus" by graham francis.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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In the 1960s, boy bands were all the rage. Bands like The Beatles, Queens, and some others dominated the charts and had teenagers and young adults excited for new song releases. Graham Francis has drawn inspiration from this scene to deliver the easygoing young adult drama that is The Big Red Bus.

The Big Red Bus is an Australian boy band with four members: Ian, Paul, Bomber, and Dennis. The boys live like most other young adults; they try to make a living, love cars and go out with girls. Ian goes out with Helen, and Paul is with Rhonda. On top of the band making things a bit more busy for them, they have to deal with unexpected events that threaten to complicate their lives and relationships. What future awaits Ian and Helen following the band’s success? How will the band stay strong and grow as a group while each member yearns for their individual growth?

The author did a good job of painting the 1960s scene and the lightheartedness that came with young adults of that era. I enjoyed the band’s banter when all its members were together. I also enjoyed reading about Ian and Helen sneaking around together. I was impressed that, even though the writer made extensive use of dialogue, the dialogue was not overbearing or annoying. I was able to follow each character as they spoke easily, and I could tell the characters apart. This seamless use of dialogue improved my reading flow and helped me imagine each scene vividly.

I like that this book is easy to read. The Big Red Bus is the perfect book to pass some time on a boring afternoon because the book is non-committal and entertaining at the same time. This book is not for readers looking for a challenging or stimulating read. There is hardly any suspense or real action; there is just young adult drama. This novel is great for readers who like young adult drama and an easy read. However, I did have issues with this novel. I found some occurrences bewildering. Most things seemed too easygoing, which I found unrealistic.

I found the character development subpar. Ian took some questionable actions, which drastically reduced my likeness of him, and sometimes, his character felt flat. The story mostly followed Ian and Helen’s relationship and the band’s performances. So I did not see much of other characters, making it hard to connect with or root for them. The frequency of sexual activity did not suit the setting. To top it off, I do not think that this book received professional editing. I found several errors, and new chapters began like they were just new paragraphs. I am sure that the book will benefit from re-editing and re-formatting. Even though I enjoyed the easygoing plot, I must rate this book 2 out of 4. I removed one star for the subpar editing and another for the other issues already explained.

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the big red bus
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[Edit_or]

Group growth is as important as individual group too. really wonder how they’ll create a balance. Thanks

[Mbenma Esther 080]

Association can indeed mode people into becoming who they want whether good or bad. Good review

[Gabriella1997]

Social environment can easily influence someone into become a good or bad person, thanks for the honest review.

[Luchris_michael]

The growth of a relationship is essential. The society has an influence on relationship too. Good review.