Review of Dani Capello: Shadows of Men

[Laney K]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dani Capello: Shadows of Men" by M.S. Izbicki.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Dani Capello: Shadows of Men by M. S. Izbicki is a coming-of-age novel that focuses on the troublemaking character of Dani. She was sent away to an all-girls boarding school after insulting a friend of the family who might have ties to the mob. To Dani, this is a punishment at first, but she soon begins making friends, and suddenly the new school isn't that bad. However, the problems back home are never too far away, adding another issue that Dani must face on top of navigating her new school, new friends, unexpected romantic feelings, and her own questioning of her sexuality.

The character of Dani was my favorite part of this book. Dani struggled with her sexuality and the difficulties of hiding that from her unaccepting family. She was afraid to even tell her closest friends because she was sorting through feelings and thought her revelation might change their friendship. This brought about a sort of isolation that is relatable to many people. She also felt isolated because of her family secrets; she didn't want anyone to know about her connection to the mob. It was a dangerous connection, and it was not one she would ever be able to escape entirely.

The only part I disliked about this book was the ending. It felt a bit abrupt and didn't seem to provide a satisfying conclusion. However, this is a minor issue, and I only point it out as it is my only dislike of the book.

I am happy to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The ending is not enough to warrant taking a star off the rating. I also did not spot any grammatical errors in the book; it was exceptionally well-edited. I also believe it was professionally edited. When I started reading this book, I didn't want to put it down because of how the character of Dani drew me in. I would absolutely read another book by this author.

This book contains a lot of potentially triggering topics including strong language, drug and alcohol use, rape, abortion, and violence. Readers should keep that in mind before selecting this book. This book is also only suitable for adults. If you want to read a book about an LGBTQ+ teen struggling to find acceptance, then this is the book for you. I would also recommend it to those who enjoy romance with undertones of mob violence mixed in.

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Dani Capello: Shadows of Men
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[Monale Bariyima Ueh]

I can relate to the isolation that Dani felt. A lot of times we few like we are living in our own world different from everyone else and no one will understand the inner workings of our world. Or maybe it's a fear of rejection and not having acceptance that makes us think that way.

[Ebele Ekelobi]

From your review, I already find Dani's character interesting. I'd love to read a lot more about her struggles with her sexuality.

[ndombilindah]

Understanding one's feelings and clearly defining them is always a challenge. However, I can't imagine how hard it must be to struggle with one's identity as Dani does. Thank you for this review; definitely on my booklist.