Official Review: The Bond by A.M. Grotticelli

[Kibet Hillary]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Bond" by A.M. Grotticelli.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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“For an eight-year-old— or really anybody— St. Michael’s Home for Young Boys and Girls was a scary place. Even when the sun shone, a dark fear of the unknown hung heavy in the air. Nothing felt safe or secure.”

St. Michael’s Home was a nightmare for the children who lived there. The author narrates how he was forced to endure a thorough beating when he refused to surrender a cheap gold ring that his father had given him. The counselors would force the children to fight in the 'Friday Night Fights' they had arranged secretly. No one would reveal this to the administration for fear of profound repercussions. Therefore, it was a great relief when A.M. Grotticelli received news that he would be transferred to a foster home together with his brother and sister. They were looking forward to a happy family after witnessing constant and violent fights between their biological parents and the harsh treatment at St. Michael’s Home.

The Bond: How a Mash-Up of Foster Kids Became a Family for Life was authored by A.M. Grotticelli. The book is 144 pages long and contains 23 chapters. The author narrates both the joyous moments and the cruel treatment they received at the hands of Gilbert and Nina Nelson. What is amusing is that the foster children did everything they were commanded to do because they wanted to be loved in return. This is a story of eight children who survived mistreatment for years and eventually formed an enviable family. They had to perform strenuous tasks while the biological sons of the Nelsons did nothing. There were some enjoyable occasions once in a while, though.

The story was gripping down to the concluding page. All eight children had interesting backgrounds, and their personalities were perfectly described. However, they were not treated as individuals but just a number. This kind of treatment had debilitating effects on almost every one of them. The author narrated a dilemma they all faced when they were caught in between loving their spouses, those who loved them then, and those who used to love them, the Nelsons. This was a believable struggle they faced since any other child would have felt the same way later on. The fact that the biological parents of most of the children were alive but chose to give them up illustrated the adverse consequences of dysfunctional families. One of the things I admired most, though, is that none of the eight fosters children never gave up on their children when they finally had theirs.

The story was a unique combination of many amazing themes including family, acceptance, drug abuse, child abuse, survival, adolescence, greed, and ambition. All these themes were meticulously intertwined to generate a compelling and informative memoir. The author left nothing to chance as he described sorrowful moments and the sweet adventures they always looked forward to. The most prevalent themes were family and acceptance which were fueled by the earnest desire for the kids to regain stability in their lives. The realization that they had been treated well because of their monetary value was a sad realization for each one of them as they reached the age of eighteen. The state withdrew its funding, and Mrs. Nelson's attitude towards them instantly changed.

There is nothing I did not like about the book. The language employed was straightforward and accordingly making it easy to read. The book was also professionally edited. It highlighted important issues like the use of foster children as income-generating projects and neglecting their welfare. More importantly, how eight people, united by shared upbringing and mistreatment, formed a strong family connection was intriguing. Consequently, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to all fans of memoirs. It will appeal most to those who would want to learn how foster kids can be mistreated. I hope it serves to ensure closer monitoring of foster children to avoid cases of neglect and cruelty.

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The Bond
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[khaulah]

I would definitely want to learn about mistreatment of foster children. This sounds like the perfect book for it.Thank you!

[Magnify3]

It is a sad thing to keep children only as a means of getting money and then not treat them well as soon as their monetary value is gone. Thanks for this review!

[Wyland]

The descriptions on what kids under foster care are forced to undergo will make me want to read this book. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[mmm17]

I believe it is so important to be aware of how children are treated, for their whole lives depend on these formative years. It's such a shame to see any child be mistreated.
Thank you for a great review!

[Somto4u]

We need to know how kids are treated more so this book is an eye opener to what most kids go though under foster parents. I would love to read more of this.

[Amit Kumar Sharma 1]

"The Bond" is a memoir by A.M. Grotticelli, detailing the mistreatment of eight children at St. Michael's Home for Young Boys and Girls. The book, rated 4 out of 4, narrates the children's experiences, including drug abuse, adolescence, and greed. It also addresses issues like the Nelsons' use of foster children for income and neglect.