Tony Romano

This book was fantastic! It's based a real event ,the 1958 horrible school fire in Chicago , that killed many students and nun instructors. It's the story of one person who survived and how the huge guilt he felt for being a survivor almost destroys his life. He breaks his leg, deliberately and a horrible ex cop who sees this takes it as proof that he was the one who set the fire and proceeds to make his life hell. He lives with his grandmother and talks to his dead sister, who died in the fire.There many twists and turns, but basically he begins to turn his life around and heal inside and out… (altro)

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The story, based on real events, intrigued me: a fictional survivor of a very real horrific school fire lives with the aftermath, dealing with survivor's guilt and PTSD (PTSD was never specifically addressed it was definitely implied). While the author tried to show all the aspects of the mental strains that such tragedies can cause, I felt he went a bit overboard and tried to encompass too many things without really bringing everything together. I respect that this story may have been cathartic for the author, but for the average reader who has no knowledge of the real tragedy behind the fiction it may seem unfinished and scattered.
I received this book through Library Thing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.… (altro)