Scan barcode
A review by pres_shoob
Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams by Brent Hartinger
5.0
Once again, Brent Hartinger has written a captivating book! I started reading Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams at around 9 PM, and while I tried to put it down several times to give myself the chance to read it over a longer period of time, I found myself picking it up again and again until I finished the novel at around 2 AM that same night. There were plenty of aspects to the story (not to mention some tension!) that kept me captivated the entire way through.
Overall, it's been amazing to watch Russel grow from a sophomore in high school trying to solidify his identity to a 24-year-old man following his dreams. Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams provides an inspiring story for those who do not know what they want out of life or those who have come across a rough patch in chasing their dreams, and teaches the valuable lesson that while the journey may not be exactly what you expect, everything will turn out as it needs to in the end so long as you have perseverance. More specifically, seeing Russel catch up with an old friend and work on a project with him has motivated me to reach out to some old friends whom I haven't seen in a while and gave me confidence to know that friends who I'm having a rough patch with might be well worth reaching out to in the future. In many ways, the Russel Middlebrook series has given me the inspiration I need to work things out in life, and Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams is no exception to the rule.
Like the other book in this trilogy, anybody with no prior experience with the series can pick the book up and enjoy it; however, it is best for readers to start from the beginning of the series (or at least the trilogy) to get the full experience of watching Russel, Kevin, and all his friends grow and develop over time. Speaking of Kevin and Russel's other friends, I was very pleased with the ending of this book! All the loose knots were tied up, and I'm excited for the next book in the series, to say the least! I would highly recommend Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams to just about any reader, as the message it sends is ultimately pretty universal to the human experience.
Overall, it's been amazing to watch Russel grow from a sophomore in high school trying to solidify his identity to a 24-year-old man following his dreams. Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams provides an inspiring story for those who do not know what they want out of life or those who have come across a rough patch in chasing their dreams, and teaches the valuable lesson that while the journey may not be exactly what you expect, everything will turn out as it needs to in the end so long as you have perseverance. More specifically, seeing Russel catch up with an old friend and work on a project with him has motivated me to reach out to some old friends whom I haven't seen in a while and gave me confidence to know that friends who I'm having a rough patch with might be well worth reaching out to in the future. In many ways, the Russel Middlebrook series has given me the inspiration I need to work things out in life, and Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams is no exception to the rule.
Like the other book in this trilogy, anybody with no prior experience with the series can pick the book up and enjoy it; however, it is best for readers to start from the beginning of the series (or at least the trilogy) to get the full experience of watching Russel, Kevin, and all his friends grow and develop over time. Speaking of Kevin and Russel's other friends, I was very pleased with the ending of this book! All the loose knots were tied up, and I'm excited for the next book in the series, to say the least! I would highly recommend Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams to just about any reader, as the message it sends is ultimately pretty universal to the human experience.