Review of The Moth

[Jelani Stewart 1]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Moth" by Scott Archer Jones.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Moth by Scott Archer Jones is a book about Frank. He was born to a Protestant Irish father and a Lithuanian Catholic mother. His mother shaped his life, and so did his father. The book talks about Frank's childhood up until his time as a pawnshop owner in East LA. Frank never had it easy in life. He was still a teenager when his dad passed away. Shortly after, his mother had cancer and died too. Frank was left alone and in debt. This book uses his life to show readers about the underworld and its impact on society. This book talks about Frank's journey of survival and how he continued to escape death in the dangerous world he lived in.

Frank's character was highly flawed and never really had a redemption arc. Even though he was flawed, I could not help but root for him. I rooted for him because I know that deep down, he has a good heart. He was just a victim of his circumstances. That being said, that grace can be applied to everyone. However, actions have consequences, and people need to take what they can dish. Frank took and dished all his life. He earned everything he got, whether good or bad.

His relationship with Molly is what I could not wrap my head around. How does one actively fall in love with a hooker? It amuses me as well as infuriates me. I get that he cared for her, but I don't get that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. I don't see how that helps him. Anyways, I loved her for him regardless. She brought him peace.

I didn't find any error in the book. It shows how meticulously edited it was. I disliked the pacing, as it made the storyline hard to keep up with. I also disliked the frequent time skips. I could hardly keep up. For these reasons, I rate the book four out of five stars. I recommend this book to lovers of pawnshops, lovers of history, and those who love action books.

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The Moth
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[NetMassimo]

Frank's personal story seems complicated, but at the same time, it seems interesting for the reflections you can obtain. It's true that many people haven't easy lives: basically, they're given lemons, but no one teaches them that they can make lemonade. Is that Frank's case as well? Thank you for your great review!

[Onyemuwa-dave]

This is a very candid and insightful review of The Moth. You've captured Frank's flawed but rootable nature perfectly, and your reflection on actions and consequences is compelling. It's interesting how his relationship with Molly "amuses as well as infuriates" you, while also bringing him peace. Your points on pacing and time skips are helpful. Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts.

[Clare Brown]

This story reminds me of guy in my neighborhood when I was a child. He really was alone yet he found peace in doing odd things, I guess happiness is defined differently from individual differences. You really did a nice job reviewing this book The Moth, it highlights the important part and I do feel your frustration with his decisions about Molly. Overall I guess I just have to read it for myself