Review of The Good One

[Nzube Chizoba Okeke]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Good One" by Ervin DeCastro.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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David Goodwyn Jr grew up with a father whom he despised, and his father also seemed to despise him. There was undoubtedly no fatherly love from him or romantic love toward his wife, David's mother. When David lost his parents, he received an irresistible offer from Caesar, his father's boss.

As he learns more about the job and the system, he begins questioning what goes on there and his role. When he finally reaches his breaking point, David will have to find out the kind of person he is — and how much more he is willing to take.

Reading The Good One by Ervin DeCastro proved to be an unforgettable experience. I was wholly absorbed in the story, like being sucked into a whirlwind. Despite reading more than halfway into the book, I had no idea how it would end, and the anticipation kept building until the worthy climax. The action was well described; I could feel the intensity in each scene, especially the more emotionally charged ones. Some of those scenes would stay with me for a long time because they made such a lasting impression. Like those final moments of David Jr. reading his mother's journal and the moment Caesar revealed to him the prices he "won" after those three fateful games. The suspense was high, and I had no idea how things would play out and the resolution — I couldn't have seen it coming.

I found the plot unique, offering insight into a world few people experience. The book was packed with many surprises. It drove home the long-lasting impact of split-second decisions and how many innocent people could get caught in the crossfire. Mary, David's mother, was one of those people — a product of other people's decisions and bound to a life she did not choose. Her story was very heartbreaking to read.

The character development was just amazing. Each character had a distinct personality, even the ones that appeared briefly. Since the story was told from the point of view of the main character, David, I could get into his head to understand his behavior. Caesar's character was such an enigma in the early parts of the book because there was a contradiction between the actions I saw him carry out and his representation in Mary's journals. As the story played out and I saw the full scope of his character, I found my opinion changing drastically.

I commend the author for the beautiful plot outline and flawless execution of this book. There's nothing to dislike about this book. However, for the sake of more sensitive readers, I like to warn that there are triggering themes of violence, murder, sexual assault, rape, and drug use, and it should be approached with caution. There are errors, enough to warrant a deduction from the rating. Therefore, I rate The Good One 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to readers who love crime or thriller novels.

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The Good One
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[Dee French]

Good review of an interesting plot with many surprises. I’m glad the reviewer took the time to outline the characters and their personalities or circumstances they found themselves in. Perhaps there were unintended consequences to what the reviewer refers to as “impact of split-second decisions. It makes me want to read the book to see what was so captivating to this reader.

[Jennifer Coxon]

A great enthusiastic review. I like when an author manages to hide the ending from the reader, not many succeed. It's great that you highlighted the sensitive topics, but they wouldn't put me off reading it. The story is not what I expected from the title or the book cover though - I was expecting romance.

[NetMassimo]

This seems like a crime thriller in which there are many revelations about plot and characters that slowly form a sull picture. Thank you for your great review!