Review of Mingo

Please use this forum to discuss historical fiction books. Common definitions define historical fiction as novels written at least 25-50 years after the book's setting.
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Kennedy NC
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Review of Mingo

Post by Kennedy NC »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mingo" by W. Jeff Barnes.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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It is often said that the worth of a person’s life cannot be measured by any amount of money or material value he possesses. While trying to bridge the gap of inequality, two brothers, once inseparable, begin to grasp the ugly side of reality. In this book, W. Jeff Barnes exposes his audience to some common evils that still exist in society.
 
Mingo is a piece depicted in the 20th century that shows the vast divide between the working class and the upper-class citizens, where many people are fighting blindly for the cause they believe in. It explores the depth of the topics of love, friendship, and power. The Matney brothers are destined to remain on opposing sides of the struggle, fighting for what they believe to be the right thing. Due to their different experiences in life, the brothers construct their separate conflicting beliefs about how the world is supposed to be, what they are to make of their lives, and how to fit into society properly. Can Durwood and Bascom stop the incessant fighting and unite both sides? How can each brother learn to swallow their pride and truly value life? Find out more in this engrossing novel.

I found some positive aspects in this book. There were a lot of time skips, all of which were adequately indicated by the writer. This ensures that the reader is able to follow the plot or storyline without getting unnecessarily confused or lost. Also, The book is filled with detailed and well-rounded characters like Mother Jones and Grace Hopkins, who have certain messages and moral lessons to convey to the audience. The dynamism of these characters ensures that the story comes alive to the readers. The most important lessons the characters taught in this book were the lessons of loyalty and freedom. These are essential parts of society, even today.
 
Another positive aspect that I would like to applaud is the vocabulary contained in this book, which clearly shows proof of detailed research and experience on the writer's part. I did not notice any negative aspects in this book. However, I did discover some minor errors, which can be corrected with another round of editing. That notwithstanding, the book was professionally edited. I enjoyed reading this book because it was enlightening and well written.
 
As a result of the reasons previously stated, I rate this book four out of four stars. The author crafted a piece with many different and controversial elements but with a great outcome. I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and those interested in conflicts. I also recommend it to anyone interested in controversial fiction and thrillers.

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Mingo
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Tehreem_Khan
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Post by Tehreem_Khan »

Kennedy NC wrote: 27 Feb 2022, 21:02 It is often said that the worth of a person’s life cannot be measured by any amount of money or material value he possesses. While trying to bridge the gap of inequality, two brothers, once inseparable, begin to grasp the ugly side of reality.
I liked the way you phrased it.
Social commentary becomes quite hectic to read sometimes if not done correctly. The book seems to have done this accurately judging from your review.
Thanks for the nice review.
Reading_Jack
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Post by Reading_Jack »

The issue of class and social inequality has been in our society since time. I would love to read on how this story was presented. Wonderful review.
Blessing Odii
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Post by Blessing Odii »

I think a lot can be learned from these two brothers' relationships in the book. I love the fact that the book is made up of different themes. Nice review.
Pauls_
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Post by Pauls_ »

The book seems didactic. I appreciate historical fiction. I will try it out. Lovely review.
Emmanuela Amasiobi
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Post by Emmanuela Amasiobi »

The book seems inspiring to me. The society often places standards on how people should live, which is quite saddening. Nice review.
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Mbenma Esther 080
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Post by Mbenma Esther 080 »

Historical fictional engaging my memory. Thanks for the review.
Aisha Yakub
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Post by Aisha Yakub »

Seems to mirror a pressing societal issue. Great review.
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