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Going the Wrong Path
The Botelho family emigrates from the African country of Angola to the United States of America for a better life. Antonio, the younger son, is a good kid and is serious about his future. Silvio, the older brother, is on the wild side, and begins to deal drugs with the lure of easy money. After a tragedy occurs in the family, Antonio is left under the care of Silvio. Since Silvio is Antonio's only adult relative in the country, he is faced with a moral dilemma: help Silvio deal drugs or live on the street. This is a compelling story of a teenage boy trying to be a good person and having a successful future, while being forced into a life of crime.
428 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2017
7 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 9, 2017
Very good coming of age book. A must read. Found myself worrying and rooting for Antonio. Good character development. There is violence and tragedy but all is necessary for the storyline.
December 27, 2017
I didn't expect that I would enjoy so much reading this book. The story of Antonio ( and his brother) is taking and catching. It offers piercing visuals and feelings. It deals too with the question of motives when you have a difficult choice to do and how people can influence you in these motivations. I wanted to know, through pages, what would happen to Antonio in his trajectory... And I couldn't stop my reading until the end. I highly recommend it !
October 12, 2017
As an immigrant myself I know how tough things can be when you come to a foreign country. You have to learn the language, the culture… You need to figure out who truly wants to help you or who can take an advantage of you. And sometimes it`s so hard to be strong all the time. Sometimes it`s just easier to lose control and get in trouble, and lose your dream piece by piece, little by little. I like the way the story is written. You understand the characters, you sympathize them, even though sometimes their decisions are wrong but we would never make a mistake if we all lived in a perfect world. I recommend this book, it captivates you and you want to keep on reading. The good thing is the book is long and you can enjoy it for many hours.
February 19, 2018
A story of a young man navigating through a life full of tragedies and choices. I love that he doesn't always make the right choices, but he remains a good person. The story is very detailed (and for my short attention span - at times difficult to stay focused on) however, the author has done an amazing job of painting a clear picture of Antonio's life. Without giving any spoilers, suffice it to say the story is full of heartbreaking moments and victorious situations as well. One thought that occurred to me as I read was that the author would make a great play writer. The attention to detail is incredible! Well worth the read!
December 26, 2017
“How Two Children Survive”
This is the story of two brothers, Antonio and Silvio Botelho. Their family emigrates from Africa to America for a better life, but when their parents are killed, the boys are left on the street. Now they need to survive, and hope to continue their education, but Antonio must join his brother in the criminal activities he has been involved with already. This is their story, and how they reach their goals through diversity.
I’ve read better coming of age stories, and you don’t have to be an immigrant to face hardships in this land of plenty. Nor do you need to turn to crime to survive; you do it because you want to. Poverty is not limited to one group or race, and there are plenty of starving kids out there. Our own veterans are overlooked, as well as mental patients, while we pour money into welfare programs. But this is one of those stories where crime is an out, and it is an interested story about these two brothers. I highly recommend it for those readers who especially like coming of age stories facing immigrants.
This is the story of two brothers, Antonio and Silvio Botelho. Their family emigrates from Africa to America for a better life, but when their parents are killed, the boys are left on the street. Now they need to survive, and hope to continue their education, but Antonio must join his brother in the criminal activities he has been involved with already. This is their story, and how they reach their goals through diversity.
I’ve read better coming of age stories, and you don’t have to be an immigrant to face hardships in this land of plenty. Nor do you need to turn to crime to survive; you do it because you want to. Poverty is not limited to one group or race, and there are plenty of starving kids out there. Our own veterans are overlooked, as well as mental patients, while we pour money into welfare programs. But this is one of those stories where crime is an out, and it is an interested story about these two brothers. I highly recommend it for those readers who especially like coming of age stories facing immigrants.
March 11, 2018
Actually the exact rating would be 3.75.
It's a wonderful read. There were parts that were quite repetitive or unnecessary. Deep themes were discussed like violence and drugs. Overall, I love how this novel is an eye-opener to the world of drug dealership, and assessment of moral values.
Enjoyed the read, it elicits emotions out of me, and I just love how the events turned around. It's like seeing a life story of a person that went through a lot. I see this as a movie.
Thanks Arthur for sharing this wonderful read!
It's a wonderful read. There were parts that were quite repetitive or unnecessary. Deep themes were discussed like violence and drugs. Overall, I love how this novel is an eye-opener to the world of drug dealership, and assessment of moral values.
Enjoyed the read, it elicits emotions out of me, and I just love how the events turned around. It's like seeing a life story of a person that went through a lot. I see this as a movie.
Thanks Arthur for sharing this wonderful read!
January 11, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book. The book had well developed realistic characters and the author has done a really good job with the little details. The plot was also pretty unique, or at least I have never read something like this before. My only complaint with the book would probably be its length. Though the plot keeps you booked it's a really long book and it took me a few weeks to read. however, if you enjoy reading long books, then this book is a must buy.
May 16, 2018
With The Right Heart
This is a very well written story. It gives a view of the lives of many enter city kids across America. The characters are relatable, the storyline flows with a smooth steady rhythm. A great clean story for those with struggles, giving hope of a happy ending.
This is a very well written story. It gives a view of the lives of many enter city kids across America. The characters are relatable, the storyline flows with a smooth steady rhythm. A great clean story for those with struggles, giving hope of a happy ending.
June 26, 2018
Good book. Excellent storyline. I can say it kept me interested. However, I do feel the book could have been told in a lot fewer pages.
February 9, 2018
Great read!
This book in my opinion was a great read. Antonio was a true hustler and I admire that most about him. He worked hard and excelled in school. I highly recommend this book. I rate it 5 stars.
This book in my opinion was a great read. Antonio was a true hustler and I admire that most about him. He worked hard and excelled in school. I highly recommend this book. I rate it 5 stars.
July 1, 2017
Very interesting book. There were many intense moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I just couldn't stop reading.
January 24, 2018
This was a very emotional and intense book. The characters in this book seemed so real that from the first few chapters I was already invested in the outcome. As you read this book you can't help but think about your own life and then Antonio. The strength of character, acceptance, forgiveness, and overall strength of his heart was amazing to read. This was such a deep, amazing book and the author did an amazing job writing this story.
January 24, 2018
Finished this book much quicker than usual for me as I could not put it down! Truly a fantastic book with very interesting and well-developed characters. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable read.
December 14, 2017
Strong, well-developed characters
I would give this book a strong 3.5 stars. The story has a great concept and strong, developed characters. I did find that the chapters were quite long and the book itself could probably be shortened, quite a bit, without jeopardizing the quality of the story. I also found it a bit jarring that between almost every chapter, multiple years would pass.
Again, overall this book has amazing, well-developed characters, I would just have liked the length of the story to have been condensed. That said, it's still a really good book.
I would give this book a strong 3.5 stars. The story has a great concept and strong, developed characters. I did find that the chapters were quite long and the book itself could probably be shortened, quite a bit, without jeopardizing the quality of the story. I also found it a bit jarring that between almost every chapter, multiple years would pass.
Again, overall this book has amazing, well-developed characters, I would just have liked the length of the story to have been condensed. That said, it's still a really good book.
March 10, 2018
Great book !!!
I liked the book because it had a happy ending. I really admired Antonio because all the unfortunate events that occurred in his life and still managed to make something out of himself. Antonio is a good example for all immigrants. Of course he made his mistakes but definitely make up for it. I gave this book four stars because I still cannot believe that Antonio got away from criminal life. Usually, people who end up in Antonio’s situation they wouldn’t be a happy ending. I would give it 4.5 stars but this review would not let me.
I liked the book because it had a happy ending. I really admired Antonio because all the unfortunate events that occurred in his life and still managed to make something out of himself. Antonio is a good example for all immigrants. Of course he made his mistakes but definitely make up for it. I gave this book four stars because I still cannot believe that Antonio got away from criminal life. Usually, people who end up in Antonio’s situation they wouldn’t be a happy ending. I would give it 4.5 stars but this review would not let me.
March 7, 2018
4.5
Easy to read with plenty of dialogue, the young men in this story were faced with realistic situations & challenges. Detailed storyline was good in showing how Antonio handled the obstacles surrounding school, illegal activities, females & violence. I felt he dealt with the predicaments the best he could, as his brother Silvo at times made difficult requests. This was a good read & recommended to all.
Easy to read with plenty of dialogue, the young men in this story were faced with realistic situations & challenges. Detailed storyline was good in showing how Antonio handled the obstacles surrounding school, illegal activities, females & violence. I felt he dealt with the predicaments the best he could, as his brother Silvo at times made difficult requests. This was a good read & recommended to all.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews