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A review by ellelainey
Petrocelli by John Rachel
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/