Review of Wild World

[Fatima Hasan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Wild World" by Peter S. Rush.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Wild World written by Peter S. Rush belongs to the genre of historical fiction. The story is set during the period of the Vietnam War. The Protagonist, Steve is a student at Brown University and lives on the campus with his girlfriend Roxy. It is a period where the younger generation is questioning the rationale behind waging a war in Vietnam and the older generation who had seen the World Wars and participated in them are adamant that war is important. The students at Brown were protesting that the war should be brought to an end, which somehow leads to a scuffle with the police and the police fired shots at the student protestors. All this makes Steve question his life choices and what role he could play to stop such violence. This is when he comes across a policeman who is a lone wolf trying to do the right thing and standing up to his peers in the police force. This inspires Steve and he joins the force instead of going to law school, but it proves to be very demanding. Will he be able to stand up to his fellow policemen and do the right thing and also come out unscathed in this whole process is what this book is all about.

I like that the book is fast-paced, it covers a lot of incidents and happenings and still manages to keep it interesting. The other thing about this book that I like is how realistic it feels, the author doesn't shy away from describing the gory details of the criminal world and how the police department works, what happens on the sideline and even how difficult it was for Steve to adjust in that environment. Steve is portrayed as a guy who is not afraid of a fight and he is not a quitter but how it was affecting his mental health was quite evident throughout the book as it was so subtly presented.

Steve's love for Roxy is so beautifully written, the way he understands her and her ambitions, and how much he respects her and her beliefs, is a pleasure to read. The book contains sexual scenes and profanity but it does not look out of place as it is abreast with the tone of the book.

I'll give this book 4 out of 4 stars, as it is well written and has covered an important period in time successfully by articulating different points of view and a new way of thinking that went on to shape America as we see it today. It is well edited as I could find very few errors.

I would recommend this book to people who like historical fiction, and drama and also those who are critical thinkers. Children and people who are sensitive to controversial issues should avoid reading it. Otherwise, the book has a lot to offer and will prove to be an interesting read.

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Wild World
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