Review of Biko Lives

[That Reviewer]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Biko Lives" by Robert Gardner.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Madison Whitehouse, also known as Biko, has been accused of being a betrayer and a traitor, among other things, by America. Madison's side of the story is unknown, and he decides to let the world know the truth of the matter. This leads him to write his side of the story in a book. To find out if he's guilty or not, I suggest you read Biko Lives.

In my opinion, one of the most captivating parts of this story was the book's title. On seeing the book's title, I was immediately curious to know why a book was given such a weird title. It was pretty commendable and brilliant of the author to give me this sense of curiosity from just the book's title.

From describing the title of the book as captivating, I expected the story itself to be exciting. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. Robert Gardner combined the elements of suspense and tension perfectly, leaving me exhilarated. I couldn't predict the outcome of any event in the book. One event that stood out for me was when Madison hid under a pile of dirt and leaves while General Susi and others urinated and defecated on him. I imagined myself in that situation and wondered if I would have given myself up.

A flaw I noticed was the lack of proper clarification of some details by the author. From the story, I understood that Madison was undergoing divorce proceedings and was given two weeks to bring the list of items in his house to concur with that of his wife. This was part of the beginning of his trials. However, the author didn't clarify if the events that occurred in Madison's life were between the space of two weeks or less. His cousin's discovery of the manuscript and the constant letters he (the cousin, Janice) wrote hinted that the divorce proceedings were going on in Madison's absence. I needed clarification because the author pointed out that it took Madison several different attempts to write his story. I believe he spent at least two days under torture and more than a week recovering. So, how did he successfully write and mail a manuscript, with the prevailing circumstances, within a two-week time frame? Also, according to Janice, it was two years that Madison was away. I hope the author clarifies this.

I would have deducted a whole point due to the concern I mentioned above. However, on second thought, I felt it might be too harsh. The number of errors was also within an acceptable limit. Holistically, I'd rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Biko Lives
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Priya_Singh]

I feel bad at the urinating scene. Nobody deserves to be treated like this. However, Thank you for your wonderful review!

[Precious DA]

I have to agree with you on the name issue. I was also quite curious to see what the name was about. Excellent review!

[Ntombifuthi Londi]

The book's title, in particular, piqued my interest. I can't picture Madison's reaction to being urinated on. Surely, he felt less of a human and disgusted as a result of that. But, now, I'm curious as to why he was hiding in the first place. To learn more, I'll need to read the book. Great review

[Astral Magi]

A book filled with suspense and intrigue is just what I'm looking for.
Can't wait to find out more about Madison's life. Thank you for an insightful review.

[Nkgchidimma080]

I hope he was able to tell his own side of the story and explain himself,nice review.

[Amy Luman]

Madison sounds like an interesting character. Are we told why he is determined to be a traitor? I wonder how the divorce proceedings are connected.

[Mene Joy]

The book seems to be a good one. The name, am curious to the know the truth madison had wrote in this book

[Gabriella1997]

I find the name of this book funny and intriguing, hoping he tells his story at the end, beautiful review.