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gracchus's review
5.0
I have finished the novel "The Pike Boys" by Cherry Danny Jr. I have read gangster epics by Mario Puzo and Dennis Lehane before. This novel is as good as the works by the aforementioned authors. We have been told the story of a brother gang, the Pike Boys. The backdrop is the 20s of New Orleans. Every or most protagonists and antagonists are ambivalent or bad. The main protagonist is plagued by his bad childhood. The story also enhanced such sparkling sentences as "Men, especially unhappy men, pillow-talked to prostitutes like they were shrinks in lace brassieres." These are the three features of a noir story, a superb one. The author puts a little bit more drama and fate in the novel than the other authors, because he can do it well.
caitrionas77's review
4.0
If only Goodreads let me give a 3.5 but I feel this is so close to 4 stars, I don't hesitate to give it. Beautiful setting of NOLA in the 1920s, an excellent portrayal of the internal conflict of 'good men who do bad things', a nice twisty story with an abundance of vibrant characters suited to the time, place and story. Female characters are lacking a little but could see them getting their own story in a (hopeful) sequel. Thoroughly enjoyed.
unhingedbookbitch's review
5.0
5⭐️
Tags: 1920s New Orleans gang, historical fiction drama
Triggers: gun violence, mürder, drugs, prøstitution, gangs, r@cism, cheating, prison, alcoholism, @buse (all kinds),
I don’t even know where to start. This story had depth and heart with amazing details that painted a picture of every scene, setting, and character. You can tell Danny (the author) put a lot of thought, love, and research into this story and the characters.
I was born and raised in New Orleans and got my bachelor degree in Criminology so when Danny reached out to me about The Pike Boys, I knew it would be right up my alley.
I think a lot of people don’t understand the vicious cycle (both in individual lives and generationally) of a life of crime. We hope that people can change and, sometimes expect them to, but honestly that want for change isn’t enough. This book portrayed the fact that we live in a society (especially in the south) where you are born into a class and can rarely rise above it. It also exemplified the fact that just wanting to change and have a good, honest living doesn’t work out for everyone.
Each member of the Pike family had different vices that lead to a life of recidivistic crime. Poverty, mental health struggles, drugs, alcohol, and more were factors that played into their tendency to go back to old habits. I think this book amazingly portrayed the eternal struggle of each child’s goal to be better than their parents but being held back by generational trauma and situational circumstances.
It’s so easy for us to sit back and judge others for their life choices but can we judge them if that’s all they know? If that’s the only way they know how to survive? As you read this book, you become attached to the characters and want them to be better people. Sadly, though, like many people in real life, they have already walked down a path that you can’t come back from. We hope for change but sometimes it can’t happen if the same set of cards aren’t dealt to each person. You feel for the Pike boys and their inequality from others. How often do you root for gangster criminals in a book (besides a Mafia romance obvi)?
Big big thank you to Danny Cherry Jr. for providing me a copy of this book. I’m hoping each day it’s picked up by HBO cause this story would make one hell of a series! But, for now, grateful and excited for this book and his future stories.
Tags: 1920s New Orleans gang, historical fiction drama
Triggers: gun violence, mürder, drugs, prøstitution, gangs, r@cism, cheating, prison, alcoholism, @buse (all kinds),
I don’t even know where to start. This story had depth and heart with amazing details that painted a picture of every scene, setting, and character. You can tell Danny (the author) put a lot of thought, love, and research into this story and the characters.
I was born and raised in New Orleans and got my bachelor degree in Criminology so when Danny reached out to me about The Pike Boys, I knew it would be right up my alley.
I think a lot of people don’t understand the vicious cycle (both in individual lives and generationally) of a life of crime. We hope that people can change and, sometimes expect them to, but honestly that want for change isn’t enough. This book portrayed the fact that we live in a society (especially in the south) where you are born into a class and can rarely rise above it. It also exemplified the fact that just wanting to change and have a good, honest living doesn’t work out for everyone.
Each member of the Pike family had different vices that lead to a life of recidivistic crime. Poverty, mental health struggles, drugs, alcohol, and more were factors that played into their tendency to go back to old habits. I think this book amazingly portrayed the eternal struggle of each child’s goal to be better than their parents but being held back by generational trauma and situational circumstances.
It’s so easy for us to sit back and judge others for their life choices but can we judge them if that’s all they know? If that’s the only way they know how to survive? As you read this book, you become attached to the characters and want them to be better people. Sadly, though, like many people in real life, they have already walked down a path that you can’t come back from. We hope for change but sometimes it can’t happen if the same set of cards aren’t dealt to each person. You feel for the Pike boys and their inequality from others. How often do you root for gangster criminals in a book (besides a Mafia romance obvi)?
Big big thank you to Danny Cherry Jr. for providing me a copy of this book. I’m hoping each day it’s picked up by HBO cause this story would make one hell of a series! But, for now, grateful and excited for this book and his future stories.
bookshelfenigma's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
"I know there's good in you, I've seen it, but just because you feel bad about the bad things you do and have done, doesn't make them go away. You want absolution, fine, but it won't be with me."
Jesse Pike is the protagonist of this story, and he's undoubtedly a gangster. However, he's determined to find a way out of his current life. The story explores whether this is possible in 1920 and how Jesse navigates the various challenges that come his way. After leaving college, Jesse runs a brothel due to his brother's incarceration, which forces him to leave Rose, the love of his life, behind. Jesse feels he has no choice but to continue down this path-- he feels like he will never be able to leave.
Out of all the characters in the book, Jesse stood out to me the most, and I found myself rooting for him throughout the story.
The narrative is engaging, with each page-turning revealing new twists and turns in the plot. I was emotionally invested in each of the Pike boys, especially Clyde, and the struggles he faced. There were times when I wanted to reach out and hug him and other times when I wished I could shake some sense into him.
I must admit that I had some reservations about the book, but those were quickly dispelled as I became engrossed in the story. Danny's talents as a storyteller are evident in this book. He shares how he came up with the idea for the story, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative. His initial idea was to create a comic book character, Jesse "Quick Draw" Pike and Claude, a random 1920s gangster, to escape his existential fears. However, he transformed this idea into the compelling story of the Pike family's struggles against poverty, violence, substance abuse, mental illness, and their quest to rise above it all while living in the crime-ridden New Orleans of the gangster era.
Danny wrote this book when he was younger and acknowledges that he was less mature and more raw. He admits he did not have the words for all the "big themes" yet. However, this is what makes this book so beautifully written.
I recommend 10/10
Jesse Pike is the protagonist of this story, and he's undoubtedly a gangster. However, he's determined to find a way out of his current life. The story explores whether this is possible in 1920 and how Jesse navigates the various challenges that come his way. After leaving college, Jesse runs a brothel due to his brother's incarceration, which forces him to leave Rose, the love of his life, behind. Jesse feels he has no choice but to continue down this path-- he feels like he will never be able to leave.
Out of all the characters in the book, Jesse stood out to me the most, and I found myself rooting for him throughout the story.
The narrative is engaging, with each page-turning revealing new twists and turns in the plot. I was emotionally invested in each of the Pike boys, especially Clyde, and the struggles he faced. There were times when I wanted to reach out and hug him and other times when I wished I could shake some sense into him.
I must admit that I had some reservations about the book, but those were quickly dispelled as I became engrossed in the story. Danny's talents as a storyteller are evident in this book. He shares how he came up with the idea for the story, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative. His initial idea was to create a comic book character, Jesse "Quick Draw" Pike and Claude, a random 1920s gangster, to escape his existential fears. However, he transformed this idea into the compelling story of the Pike family's struggles against poverty, violence, substance abuse, mental illness, and their quest to rise above it all while living in the crime-ridden New Orleans of the gangster era.
Danny wrote this book when he was younger and acknowledges that he was less mature and more raw. He admits he did not have the words for all the "big themes" yet. However, this is what makes this book so beautifully written.
I recommend 10/10
stephnm26's review
4.0
4.5! The detail shows that there was so much time and research put in before and while writing this story. Each character may be different but you fall and care about each on a different level. This was beautifully written.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are completely my own!
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are completely my own!
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