Review of The Rankins of Pratt County

[Friederic Schröder]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Rankins of Pratt County" by Robert L. Bingham.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Rankins of Pratt County by Robert L. Bingham is a fictional novel that centers on Russell Rankins, a fifteen-year-old juvenile delinquent in Lancaster, Illinois. The novel dates from the late 1900s to the early 2000s.

Russell Rankins was born into a shattered family; his father, Peter Wallace Rankins, a veteran, was charged with public intoxication, and his mother, Loretta Packer Rankins, was charged with being drunk and disorderly. Russell had a hard time growing up as a teenager; his father was admitted to Holcomb Valley Hope Center for recovery, and his mother had migraines, so she was unable to work for herself. His mother, Loretta, had a boyfriend named Dominic DiNardo, who disliked Russell, and his dislike for Russell placed him in a juvenile detention center when he bumped into Officer Benjamin Skinner. With the help of Ingrid Bohars, a probation officer, and Brad Terrell, once Russell's coach at Simon Brewster High School but now a juvenile assistant superintendent, Russell was given parental guardianship to his grandmother, Esther Rankins, in North Carolina, when his mother fled away with her boyfriend, leaving Russell in detention and Rachel, his younger sister, in grandma's care in Chicago. Now that Russell can start afresh in North Carolina, what journey lies ahead for him there? Would he finally feel loved? At Pratt County High School, would he make the same exceptional grades as he did at Simon Brewster High School? Find out more when you grab a copy of this novel, The Rankins of Pratt County, by Robert L. Bingham.

Russell and his sister Rachel had a rough life, but what I found most admirable from Russell's early life experience was his strength to endure heartbreak from his broken family and his mother's departure. I also admired his determination to be better off than his parents. He stood out in his academics and also stood out in sports at Pratt County High School, which made him a famous kid at Pratt County High School. He was an active member of the Colby United Methodist Church with his grandmother, Esther Rankins. He met April McNaughton, a girl at Pratt County High School, who transformed his life and never made him feel alone; she was his first love, and they spent good times together. Russell had people who were always there for him every step of the way in his life, from his detention in Lancaster juvenile court to his admission into McClendon University. I was touched to see what a stranger like Ingrid Bohars and a coach like Brad Terrell did to give Russell a secure and safe future. Brad Terrell was more of a godfather to Russell; he stayed in Lancaster, but he made sure Russell was in good hands in North Carolina. Another aspect of this novel that I adored was how unpredictable it was. I never expected Rachel to join the Navy, but she did. She became a navy officer, while Russell was a history teacher.

I find the use of profane words to be dislikeable. I wasn't bothered by the usage of profane words in this novel; I was only bothered that the profane words came from a teenager and that profane words were used by Russell and Rachel too often, and it did affect the way I felt about Russell and Rachel at first. This was the only fact I found dislikeable in this novel. Apart from this, I found every chapter of this novel interesting and exciting to read.

I had a wonderful experience reading this novel. Seeing underdogs like Russell and Rachel being productive in their lives and society was inspiring to me. This novel deserves a rating of 5 out of 5 stars, despite the dislike mentioned above, because it was not just an exciting novel but, in my opinion, a motivational novel. I would also state that this novel has been professionally edited, as I spotted grammatical errors in my process of reading this novel.

Lovers of fiction novels in the action, drama, and romance genres would find this appealing and exciting to read, so I would recommend this novel to those readers. I would also recommend this novel to readers who love to see underdogs prevail in life and society.

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The Rankins of Pratt County
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[Victor Ayub Migos]

I really feel sorry for Russell, he had a hard time growing up. I hope those kids who have shitty, drunkard parents will one do better than them.

[Catalina Isabel]

This sounds like an inspirational story of Russell who came from a very difficult upbringing, but still managed to be better than where he came from. It's great that many people helped him along the way. Thanks for a great review!

[Ivy_reads]

Very sad about the parents. I am intrigued. I want to know more about his highschool life. Nice review!

[Fergie Jessica Edeni]

The story of Russell is one of inspiration, as he emerged from a challenging upbringing to surpass his circumstances. It's heartening that he had the support of many individuals who aided him on his path to success. Excellent review.

[Odichimma Okoye]

Russell's life seems like a difficult one indeed. I didn't think that one could be charged with drunkenness and disorderliness. Maybe if we are considering those qualities in the context of parenting, I guess it's possible. Step-parents, most times in fiction, often portray themes of hostility or envy.