Heather’s Bookshelf: It Was a Riot
Author: Daniel Hall
Released: 06/28/24
Genre: Coming of Age, Adult Fiction
“Even as the pain seared through me, I felt something else: the sickening thrill of power that came from feeling my full strength. I had never felt powerful before. For several seconds, adrenaline coursed through me, flooding me with euphoria. Like I could do anything. I felt like a king.”
“It Was a Riot” introduces Eddy Turner, a young man in East London in the 1990's. His mom’s a supportive caregiver, but his father’s a domineering brute who can’t seem to connect to his son.
Growing up, Eddy faces bullying and relentless verbal and physical abuse by his peers. His father pushes him into boxing. While skilled, he soon realizes violence is not for him. Knowing he’s not like the other boys but unsure what it actually means, he seeks solace in his interest in medicine.
Attending med school, a young relationship leads to unexpected consequences. Decisions and loss lead Eddy to enlist, becoming a part of the Falklands War. A feeling of absolute abandonment leads Eddy to Northern England where he finds love and acceptance but new demons like loss and drugs. AIDS has riddled his friends and his community and he feels helpless, once again.
A protest-turned-violent finds Eddy on trial for his life. A devastating realization and a long-held secret provides clarity on what truly matters. But is it too late for Eddy and those he loves?
Trigger Warning: violence, adult language, sexual references and situations, discrimination and discriminative language, bullying, homophobia, abortion, smoking, alcoholism, drug use, suicide
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It’s not exactly a feel-good kind of a tale, but it is filled with emotion and heart. There’s definite trauma throughout the book in multiple forms and the toll it takes on Eddy is clear and palpable. Eddy’s such a warm and open-hearted kid, it’s really sad to feel his confusion about himself and his father. He’s a great protagonist and the author does well in showing him as he grows from a child into a young adult and beyond. Eddy is a complex character, with multiple sides to him and many instances that beg for someone to shake him into making better decisions. His relationships with Debbie and then Brian offer love and hope, but ultimately can’t overcome his or their insecurities. When Eddy attends university, you begin to really see how his upbringing has affected him. The hold that his father has on him through much of the book is crushing and influences many (if not all) of the decisions he makes throughout his life. Unfortunately for Eddy, most of these decisions are not the best for himself or those around him and ultimately lead to some irreversible consequences. The author did well in including many different experiences key to the timeframe including the Falklands War, Live Aid, and the AIDS epidemic. The ending of the book pulls everything from the tale together. It feels purposeful and final. I especially liked the format of the epilogue and how every decision made led to the seemingly inevitable end.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A heartbreaking look at the hold a parent can have on their child and how one man had to lose everything before realizing it.
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Check out my interview with Daniel Hall
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