Official Review: Somewhere in the Bronx by PJ Entwistle

That Reviewer · Post by **That Reviewer** » 17 Sep 2020, 02:12

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Somewhere in the Bronx" by PJ Entwistle.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Did you ever feel like being a kid was such a burden and couldn't wait to become an adult? Someone once said, "Growing up is a scam." I know many adults who wished they could go back to when they were children and didn't have to face all the world's cares. In Somewhere in the Bronx, P. J. Entwistle told an exciting story that reflected many teenagers and parents' dilemma in this 21st century.

Polly is a hardworking nurse and a mom to three children — Ronnie, who is also called Butch, Toddy, the adult-teenager, and Kevin, who is known as 'Crunch on the Hardwood.' Her husband left when her last child was only six weeks old. Toddy, her daughter, who is two months away from turning fourteen, now feels she is already an adult and wants the treatment and privileges that come with adulthood. She wants to have late nights and boyfriends like other teenage girls. She sneaks out to bars when her mother is off to work, and her younger brother, Kevin, goes to bed.

Meanwhile, Polly had been excommunicated some years earlier from 'the Temple' for fornication. Mama, Toddy's grandma, caught her one of those days she was on her way to the bar. They struck a deal — Toddy would talk her mother into following them back to 'the Temple,' and Mama would not say anything about Toddy sneaking out with her mother's wig and makeup. How would a mother who works 12 hours be able to keep a leash on her fun-seeking daughter? Would Toddy make the same mistakes her mother made?

This book depicts the story of many teenagers who feel their parents are keeping them from enjoying adulthood's pleasures. They feel caged by their parents. It also tells the story of parents who are almost out of their minds with their teenage children's troubles, bugging the life out of them for more freedom to rock the world. Many children do not learn until they see how cruel the real world can be, and most times, they make irreparable mistakes.

The book tells the story of teenage exuberance, love, parenting, lust, confusion, and impatience. The author's writing style is simple, conversational, and laced with a lot of humor. It takes the reader along without boring them.

What I liked most about the book was the realness of the story. The events and behavior of the characters were so real that I could relate to them. I loved the characters of Polly and Mama; they painted actual pictures of how mothers can be in different shades of love.

The book also talked about a sect of Christianity called 'the Way'; its members are called the Wayans. Bible passages were quoted in the book, and there was mention of God and Jesus Christ. These mentions might come off as religious to some, but it didn't seem so to me. They come up due to the religion of some of the characters. I had to mention this to benefit those disturbed by the slightest use of religious elements. However, the religious elements did not derail the book from its intended purpose.

My only concern was the plethora of grammatical and spelling errors that riddled this book. I believe this book would benefit from another round of editing. Though my enjoyment of the book was not affected, I took away one star from its overall rating because of the errors. Therefore, I rate Somewhere in the Bronx three out of four stars. I recommend this book to teenagers and their parents. Also, anyone who enjoys a fun family-based story would have a swell time with this book.

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Somewhere in the Bronx
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Kaitlyn Canedy · Post by **Kaitlyn Canedy** » 26 Sep 2020, 23:07

Teenagers tend to want that freedom, but these reasons can certainly vary depending on the familial situation (speaking from experience here). I may have to check this one out. Thanks for the review!