Review by JeanyJean -- The Juicy Fruit Man by LaMar Going

[JeanyJean]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Juicy Fruit Man" by LaMar Going.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Juicy Fruit Man by Lamar Going
Lamar Going, through his main character Declan Noakes starts off the novel with very intriguing and mind probing questions: “What is harder? To fight against your enemy in war? Or to fight against the inner demons that you bring back with you?” These questions serve as a summary of the entire story in the novel The Juicy Fruit Man.
Declan is an ex-soldier who fought in the American Vietnam war. After the war, Declan goes back home with a partially wounded eye, but he seems grateful because he is alive. He chooses to live the life of a wanderer just to avoid the chains and tethers that come with settling down. He yearns to live a life of freedom which of course comes with a price to pay. For Declan, the price of freedom is worth paying.
Declan takes up the business of selling the “Juicy Fruit” which is marijuana. He smuggles a lump sum amount of marijuana and starts selling it to sustain himself. His illegal moves catch the attention of the police. Officer Miguel and Ike set out to hunt him down. Unfortunately, Rachel, who is Declan's cousin and best friend, gets caught up in the mix because she helps Declan to hide the “Juicy Fruit” in her farm yard.
This novel is very interesting. The story of Declan is easy to relate to. It’s the story of a good man whose good deeds brought him demons that haunt him for the rest of his life. It’s a story of a man trying to save himself from the demons in his head, but ends up landing the only people that love and care for him in trouble. The big question in this novel is whether Declan is selfish. When he puts his cousin in trouble does, will he escape and live her to save herself or is he capable of taking a bullet for his best friend?
This book has no profanity, no sexual scenes and borderline grammatical errors which can not hinder one from enjoying the flow of the story. The plot flows systematically. The author must have had his plan well outlined, because, at no one point does the story line look lost. I would recommend this book to readers who love thriller stories.
It is really difficult to point out what I hated in this book. However, I must say that at the very beginning, the author seemed to delay bringing forth the story line. He dwelt too much on descriptions which for me can make a novel very boring.
I love the novel because of its simplicity. It is easy to understand and very simple to follow. The number of characters are just enough to keep the story line flowing. I also loved the suspense in the story and the element of action where the police are tracking down Declan. It gives the reader a thrilling sensation. The author uses Declan to highlight on the challenges faced by ex-servicemen as they try to put their lives together after their service in war. I enjoyed the description that the author uses when Declan travels by train to give a clear picture of the American landscape. The author is original in his style of narration and this makes his book unique and enjoyable to read. I also love the fact that the novel was professionally edited.
Therefore, I would definitely give this novel a perfect score of 4 out of 4 stars.

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The Juicy Fruit Man
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Ellylion]

Sounds like an engaging read, touching on important subjects. Thanks for a great review!

[Vic Chimezie]

I really would love to read this book. I said so when it made BOTD. I loved reading your review too, as it was both detailed and insightful. Good job!

[Dominik_G]

Declan sounds like quite a resourceful and relatable character. Thank you for your review, I enjoyed reading it!

[Prisallen]

This sounds like an intriguing and exciting book. I think I would enjoy reading it. Thanks for an informative and interesting review!

[TasiWin]

I love your review. it is very detailed and insightful. Soumds like you enjoyed reading it.

[jollyangel81]

The review is right on point. The title is also eye catching and the characters are okay

[xsquare]

Sounds like a book that deals with a lot of thought-provoking issues related to war. Great review!

[Njoxs-19]

What a good review, out of it I would really love to read the book.

[Kelyn]

I'm not much into mysteries or crime thrillers, nor am I fond of stories that the author drags out for some unknown reason. While I find Declan and his choices and views of 'freedom' fascinating, I 'm afraid I'll be skipping this one. Excellent review, thanks!

[riyosha]

Not my cup of tea, but definitely a good review

[NetMassimo]

A tough story that is far too common in a lot of people who served in many wars fought in the past and present. Thank you for your great review!

[Rael C]

An insightful review.The book should be on my shelf since it's a thriller.

[JeanyJean]

Sounds like an engaging read, touching on important subjects. Thanks for a great review!

Thank you. Try reading it. It's very interesting

[JeanyJean]

An insightful review.The book should be on my shelf since it's a thriller.

Please add it to your shelf,you will not regret it.