Scan barcode
ellelainey's review against another edition
5.0
Book - Petrocelli
Author – John Rachel
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages - 327
Movie Potential – None! They'd have to R rate it and have all kinds of warnings about violence.
Ease of reading – very easy to read, with few grammar/spelling mistakes
Would I read it again – Possibly.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
First, let me start with some warnings. This book contains extensive adult material and themes that may be considered offensive: human trafficking, child abuse, prostitution (particularly unwilling and underage), rape, mutilation, violence gallore, murder and slaves. Oh, and also offensive racist language, as well as swearing. None of this is graphic, but there are enough details to get the point across, so if these are triggers for you, you might want to have someone sympathetic read it first and let you know if you can stomach it.
After seeing that I had marked this as TBR on Goodreads, the author contacted me and offered a copy of the book, in return for a review. I was more than willing to help. The very idea of the story, from the blurb, intrigued me, after seeing it on someone else's shelf.
What I got was a surprise.
~
Let me first say that this book is unapologetically brutal. In that, I mean the swearing, racist language, detailed (telling not showing) and graphic horror that is displayed in the lives of these children, who have been trafficked. This is a no holds barred account of the true atrocities caused by human trafficking, from both sides of the fence – the young girls trafficked into factories or the sex trade, as well as the men who push the trade.
The blurb doesn't do it justice:
“Lenny Petrocelli had it made until his gangland bosses decided to set him up as the fall guy for a child trafficking prostitution ring.
If this gritty novel rings true, it’s for good reason. Petrocelli is based on actual stories from the violent and gruesome world of human trafficking, where millions of children and adolescents across the globe are held in bondage as slaves.”
Yes, all of it is true: it's gritty, it's based on actual true stories and doesn't hold the punches on the factual, devastating truth of the trade. But, it's so much more than that. It's a lesson in human faith, human kindness, politics and more.
~
Overall
This was one hard hitting, gritty novel. Heart-breaking at times, with a few light moments and use of humour as a coping mechanism that I never felt I was drowning in the heavy themes of the story. Due to the factual information that led to this story being written, I feel it's an important read. If you have any interest in human trafficking and need to know more about what these kids go through, then read this book. I knew nothing compared to what is contained in here and I'll never forget what I just read.
This story will stick to you like glue.
The pace was brilliant, the themes destroyed my emotions and the epilogue was a brilliant little addition, to let us know what happened after “The End”.
As said in Lenny's POV:
“He couldn't bear to look. He couldn't stop looking.”
~
To read the FULL review, check out my blog - https://ellelainey.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/book-review-petrocelli-by-john-rachel/
Author – John Rachel
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages - 327
Movie Potential – None! They'd have to R rate it and have all kinds of warnings about violence.
Ease of reading – very easy to read, with few grammar/spelling mistakes
Would I read it again – Possibly.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
First, let me start with some warnings. This book contains extensive adult material and themes that may be considered offensive: human trafficking, child abuse, prostitution (particularly unwilling and underage), rape, mutilation, violence gallore, murder and slaves. Oh, and also offensive racist language, as well as swearing. None of this is graphic, but there are enough details to get the point across, so if these are triggers for you, you might want to have someone sympathetic read it first and let you know if you can stomach it.
After seeing that I had marked this as TBR on Goodreads, the author contacted me and offered a copy of the book, in return for a review. I was more than willing to help. The very idea of the story, from the blurb, intrigued me, after seeing it on someone else's shelf.
What I got was a surprise.
~
Let me first say that this book is unapologetically brutal. In that, I mean the swearing, racist language, detailed (telling not showing) and graphic horror that is displayed in the lives of these children, who have been trafficked. This is a no holds barred account of the true atrocities caused by human trafficking, from both sides of the fence – the young girls trafficked into factories or the sex trade, as well as the men who push the trade.
The blurb doesn't do it justice:
“Lenny Petrocelli had it made until his gangland bosses decided to set him up as the fall guy for a child trafficking prostitution ring.
If this gritty novel rings true, it’s for good reason. Petrocelli is based on actual stories from the violent and gruesome world of human trafficking, where millions of children and adolescents across the globe are held in bondage as slaves.”
Yes, all of it is true: it's gritty, it's based on actual true stories and doesn't hold the punches on the factual, devastating truth of the trade. But, it's so much more than that. It's a lesson in human faith, human kindness, politics and more.
~
Overall
This was one hard hitting, gritty novel. Heart-breaking at times, with a few light moments and use of humour as a coping mechanism that I never felt I was drowning in the heavy themes of the story. Due to the factual information that led to this story being written, I feel it's an important read. If you have any interest in human trafficking and need to know more about what these kids go through, then read this book. I knew nothing compared to what is contained in here and I'll never forget what I just read.
This story will stick to you like glue.
The pace was brilliant, the themes destroyed my emotions and the epilogue was a brilliant little addition, to let us know what happened after “The End”.
As said in Lenny's POV:
“He couldn't bear to look. He couldn't stop looking.”
~
To read the FULL review, check out my blog - https://ellelainey.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/book-review-petrocelli-by-john-rachel/
wulfwyn's review
4.0
This is not an easy read. I do think it is an important read though. It deals with adult situations so I would not give it to young teens. I think the author is very knowledgeable about the subject. His writing is solid. I would recommend this to readers interested in human trafficking and crime lovers.
caomhin's review
4.0
This is a tricky book to describe. The fundamental plot of the story is Lenny Petrocelli's involvement with the activities around organised crime, specifically a prostitution ring, but on many levels that's more a background item in what is a very good work of observation on society. The fact it works makes this book quite a find, but it also left me with a niggling doubt that both aspects on their own would've been even more impressive.
Starting with the sociological study that this book presents John Rachel delivers some incredible writing. The depth of empathy shown by the author allows each character to hold views that are so believable it's easy to think the author is projecting his own views to try - until you get to the next section and another character presents polar opposite views with just as much conviction and plausibility. It took me a while to shake the feeling that this was a book with a personal agenda, and to stop trying to work out what that might be. It's actually a very accepting and forgiving work in that regard. Given it deals with some very challenging topics it is happy to show that the world is rarely binary simplicity. The characters have a humanity and realism to them that shows a deep insight into people.
Unfortunately that realism and fairness blunts the narrative of the main storyline a little. It could've grown into a full blown thriller. More exaggerated characters would've ramped up the tension and suspense. By handling these issues with sensitivity we get a lot of backstory, history, and facts - which no doubt make the sociological work above, but they do anchor the action in a reality that is a little more subdued than typical.
Overall it works quite well. Much as I came away thinking both aspects of the book had the potential to be more there are merits in the approach taken. By combining these works you end up with something more unique, something that actually is probably greater than the individual parts in an odd way. This offers a far broader appeal for example, with the narrative helping to soften the tone of the topic and the topic offering a clever background for the plot. This would be a very easy book to get very wrong, but John Rachel has delivered something of note - he displays impressive skills as both a writer and a social commentator. With Petrocelli he's opened up a very tricky subject and he can hold his head high. Books like this can put subjects on the agenda, they can be catalysts for more.
I received a copy of this book for review from the author.
Starting with the sociological study that this book presents John Rachel delivers some incredible writing. The depth of empathy shown by the author allows each character to hold views that are so believable it's easy to think the author is projecting his own views to try - until you get to the next section and another character presents polar opposite views with just as much conviction and plausibility. It took me a while to shake the feeling that this was a book with a personal agenda, and to stop trying to work out what that might be. It's actually a very accepting and forgiving work in that regard. Given it deals with some very challenging topics it is happy to show that the world is rarely binary simplicity. The characters have a humanity and realism to them that shows a deep insight into people.
Unfortunately that realism and fairness blunts the narrative of the main storyline a little. It could've grown into a full blown thriller. More exaggerated characters would've ramped up the tension and suspense. By handling these issues with sensitivity we get a lot of backstory, history, and facts - which no doubt make the sociological work above, but they do anchor the action in a reality that is a little more subdued than typical.
Overall it works quite well. Much as I came away thinking both aspects of the book had the potential to be more there are merits in the approach taken. By combining these works you end up with something more unique, something that actually is probably greater than the individual parts in an odd way. This offers a far broader appeal for example, with the narrative helping to soften the tone of the topic and the topic offering a clever background for the plot. This would be a very easy book to get very wrong, but John Rachel has delivered something of note - he displays impressive skills as both a writer and a social commentator. With Petrocelli he's opened up a very tricky subject and he can hold his head high. Books like this can put subjects on the agenda, they can be catalysts for more.
I received a copy of this book for review from the author.
wulfwyn's review against another edition
4.0
This is not an easy read. I do think it is an important read though. It deals with adult situations so I would not give it to young teens. I think the author is very knowledgeable about the subject. His writing is solid. I would recommend this to readers interested in human trafficking and crime lovers.
wendyb80's review against another edition
2.0
I tried really hard to get into this book, but with the stories bouncing around it was hard. Part of that's the fact I have several books going at once, part of it is this is the kind of book that you really need to focus on in order to keep track of everything. It was hard at first to follow but the further I got, the more it gelled and the better the story was. I wouldn't not recommend it, just know it's harsh and cold - and it needs to be. The reality behind the fictionalized story is very brutal and it shouldn't be sugar-coated.
More...