Overall rating and opinion of " The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" by Gary Robinson
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Re: Overall rating and opinion of " The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" by Gary Robinson
- Christina Rose
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I agree. The lack of proper development leaves too many questions unanswered.kfwilson6 wrote: ↑13 May 2018, 20:37I found the skimpy bits of information about the secondary characters quite bothersome. When one of the guys goes missing, we never find out if he was ok or not. There were so many interesting characters in this. Their development would have really enhanced this book.Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑07 May 2018, 16:28 I enjoyed reading and reviewing this book. I loved the imagery and the symbols used like the metaphor of the circus. I especially liked the usage of Tattooing as a symbol to validate the arbitrary nature of morality. Tattooing, an art that was tabooed in the past, is today a part of mainstream culture. Another imagery that fascinated me was the significance of Chico. Chico is described as a breeding ground, in which even a ‘tumbleweed’ like Gary himself can grow roots and flourish. However, I was disappointed with the writers’ treatment of the minor characters. I was especially left wanting for answers with regard to the fates of Gonad, Wubby, Lucy and the other members of the circus family, after the dismantling of the circus. I was astonished to see Duke Reynolds does not make any efforts to get in touch with his former friends once out of jail, despite describing them so fondly. Similarly, the character of Angel too was not fleshed out well. We know nothing of the source of her troubles except her drunken rants on love and hurt. Her relationship with Gary Robinson seems less convincing. These pitfalls leave you feeling that the plot has many loose ends.
- Christina Rose
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I agree that obscenities are not necessary. I actually find books less appealing if there is too much, or it seems forced and unnatural.kfwilson6 wrote: ↑16 May 2018, 20:28Younger people may be exposed to obscene language but the more prevalent it is, the more they will see it as the norm. I think if their exposure can be limited, they are less likely to pick up the habit. I saw an interview with Mary Higgins Clark about how she never uses sex or curse words and every new book she puts out is a bestseller. So anyone wanting to say these things are necessary in order to appeal or relate to readers is wrong.Bookmermaid wrote: ↑16 May 2018, 11:33 The use of obscene language by authors is far from the taboo that it had been centuries ago in many territories. Quite often it expresses the character's frustration or recklessness about a particular event. In suggested,reading list for students, the use of obscene language, in the text remains a highly contentious issue as some parents and church bodies have strong objections towards it. Critics and some educationalists argue that students are often already exposed to such language and the merits of the critical issues the texts feature far outweighs the demerits of the language use.Like Kfwison6 I prefer not to read it in a text and I am more impressed when an author is able to express the emotions of his or her characters without having to frequently blurt out obscene language.
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My favorite part was how Duke and Gary became friends. Seems like it was meant to be. I think Gary met Duke when he needed it to wake up. He learned a lot from Duke during the time they had together. For example, he was impressed with Duke’s stories about joining the circus and the sideshow. He was also impressed with the eclectic amount of books Duke read.
I liked reading about Duke’s sword swallowing act in the circus and the streets. Every time I was in tension. When he finally had an accident and cut his esophagus, it still was super sad because he could not do it again.
I did not like reading that much about how both Duke and Gary abused drugs and alcohol. The author, thankfully, did not make these scenes gratuitous, but I wanted them to stop.
I also liked learning about the circus. I did not know how hard it was to put everything together, get ready, do the show, clean up, and then get ready to go to the next town. It must have been grueling.
I put the book in my 4 stars bookshelf because I think the author put a lot of emotion into the story. I hope Gary writes more books.
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What I liked least: I thought the religious angle was a bi contrived.
I would recommend the book to just about anyone.
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Very true. I felt that was one of the flaws in the book. I too was anxious to know what happens to some of the minor characters which were just brushed aside in the novel.kfwilson6 wrote: ↑13 May 2018, 20:37I found the skimpy bits of information about the secondary characters quite bothersome. When one of the guys goes missing, we never find out if he was ok or not. There were so many interesting characters in this. Their development would have really enhanced this book.Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑07 May 2018, 16:28 I enjoyed reading and reviewing this book. I loved the imagery and the symbols used like the metaphor of the circus. I especially liked the usage of Tattooing as a symbol to validate the arbitrary nature of morality. Tattooing, an art that was tabooed in the past, is today a part of mainstream culture. Another imagery that fascinated me was the significance of Chico. Chico is described as a breeding ground, in which even a ‘tumbleweed’ like Gary himself can grow roots and flourish. However, I was disappointed with the writers’ treatment of the minor characters. I was especially left wanting for answers with regard to the fates of Gonad, Wubby, Lucy and the other members of the circus family, after the dismantling of the circus. I was astonished to see Duke Reynolds does not make any efforts to get in touch with his former friends once out of jail, despite describing them so fondly. Similarly, the character of Angel too was not fleshed out well. We know nothing of the source of her troubles except her drunken rants on love and hurt. Her relationship with Gary Robinson seems less convincing. These pitfalls leave you feeling that the plot has many loose ends.