Review of Brat

[Alice Heritage]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Brat" by Bobbi Kay.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The teen years are tumultuous for many, and having to move home every few years may only add to the stress. In her creative non-fiction novel Brat, author Bobbi Kay recounts the coming of age of Belamie, who is what is known as an "air force brat" because of her father's career. "The Globe" is a McConnell family heirloom that Belamie's father Jack uses to point out the destination ahead of each move. Belamie likes to sneak out and party in the woods, but once the family is stationed in the Philippines, going off base can be dangerous.

Belamie's mother, Jean, seems the cornerstone of the family at first. However, we see her slide into alcoholism as the marriage falls apart. Perhaps because the family in the book was based on the author's own, the characters were vivid and realistic. I enjoyed a description of Jack "fixing" a car, which mainly involved him standing around drinking beer with other men. Belamie's younger siblings, prodigy Peter and family pet LizzyB, were also beautifully drawn.

Certainly, one of the major plus points of this book was the character of Belamie herself and how she grows through life's storms, whether literal Philippines typhoons or midwestern blizzards, or more figurative personal tempests. She's an avid journal writer, one of the many details that strongly evoked the story's 1970s setting.

Description was a strength in general. I appreciated phrases like "chunky wet air" to describe the atmosphere in Guam, for example. The style was lyrical, often elliptical. There were many sentences like this: "To snag a puppy before vaccinations believed the crowning prize. The dog would grow, then eventually killed and eaten." (Brat by Bobbi Kay, p.19.) Such sentences appear to be missing words, but I wasn't sure whether this was deliberate or not. At any rate, there were many clear errors throughout, meaning that this book would benefit from professional editing.

An editor might also suggest structural improvements, as the narrative took many detours, even allowing for the tendency of memoirs to meander. It was hard to understand why incidents were recounted out of chronological order. The ending was also too abrupt even if there will be a sequel.

Taking into account the volume of errors throughout, a certain vagueness in the writing and the structural deficiencies, I rate this book two out of four stars. Those negatives were, however, offset by the lively characters and descriptions. I can recommend this to those who appreciate coming-of-age faction. This might appeal to those seeking a nostalgic read about the 1970s if you don't object to loosely structured memoirs. As it features substance abuse, violence and swearing, this is not suitable for very young or sensitive readers.

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Brat
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[Akinola John]

This is a non-fiction book that talks about the life story of Belamie and her family. The description of this book was excellent, and the style was lyrical. The editor might need a little work on this book. Thanks for the great review.

[Paully_]

I could almost deduce the theme of the book through the name. It would make a great read when it's properly edited. Nice review.

[kasedy Fairbairn]

Military books are always fun for me to read. Based on your description I may actually be able to get through this one. Thank you for the honest review.

[Sopulu Ezidimma]

I like your sincerity in your rating. Thanks for the review.