BOOK REVIEW: GOODBYE RUDY, KAZOODY

GENRE: Fiction, Young Adult

The book tells the story of a young immigrant. His name is Joey, he is Italian and he lived with his family in the Orange, New Jersey. When moving to America, life was not easy as he had to adapt to a lot of things. He didn’t know the English language and the people around did not speak Italian that made communication a little impossible. 

Told in first person, the author takes us through the life of this young Italian boy. He was later nicknamed “Priest” by friends and had also joined a gang called the “Black knights”. Joey’s cousin influenced his joining the gang, and it was beneficial to them at the time because it gave them a feeling of belonging and protected Priest from the bullying other kids faced.

The story of innocent Joey, his transition from a young boy through his years in the Bronx is one thing that made me love book. Through Joey, the author told the narrative of many young people like him. A lot of teenagers go through what Joey went through; the journey of discovering self, fitting in, adolescence, growing up and eventually finding your own personal path can be related by many.

While reading through the book, I pictured life as Joey saw it. The challenges he faced, his fears, innocence and the role of Rudy Kazoody made the book enthralling. The mystery of Roody Kazoody, the man who could have been linked with the unfortunate fate of the gangs in the 1960s the reading more engaging.

The plot from the beginning was interesting and I particularly loved the character development. A. A. Freda’s style of writing stands out not only because the reader enjoys how the stories flow, but also because a lot can relate to the subjects in the book. Though a piece of fiction, “Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody” touches on a lot of elements in the real world.

I would recommend this book to teenagers who enjoy reading good stories. Spike’s and Joey’s journeys are for sure what teens need to read about. The good diction and easy to understand language will also motivate teenagers as most of them are in school. Literature has a way of triggering discussions and “Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody” will have young people talk about societal issues they face.

I immensely enjoyed reading the book and was deeply drowned in the plot and the storyline. It was impossible to put the book down once I got hold of it. At no point will you come to a plain or flat scenario through the chapters. Every story has a bottom-line that has the reader admire the author’s writing.

The themes the author covered in the book include history, friendship, mob life, transition, family life and its complexities; The case of Spike’s father eloping with a woman to California and leaving spike with the burden of supporting their family is one of the things that had me emotional when reading. 

It is a great book that is filled with mystery and ordinary life tales. I would rate it with 4 out of 5 stars as it had me hooked to the end