Boot Krewe Book Club
Book 1: Geese Are Never Swans
Welcome to the Boot Krewe Book Club. This book club will last for 6 months. Each month We will review and discuss a new book. This book club will be reading the genres you love most, whether that’s romance, true crime, poetry, erotic novels, historical fiction, sports or something else! This way we have something for everyone. Feel free to send in book suggestions, I’m excited to see what you guys are reading.
Book Number One: February 2021:
Geese Are Never Swans.
DEVELOPED BY KOBE BRYANT; BY EVA CLARK ‧ RELEASE DATE: JULY 21, 2020
Lala’s Review:
Okay, So first off Gus is a piece of work. He’s arrogant, cocky and really just does not give a fuck, and his mouth has absolutely no filter. I went into this book blind, knowing nothing about it other than Kobe Bryant had something to do with it, but this book is about so much more than that. While reading this book I ironically appreciated the mess, the anger, the sadness and the outrage of the characters, particularly Gus. Realizing that you can be all those things and still have hopes, dreams and want to be your own self. There is so much to take away from this book, but the thing that stands out the most right now, is that healing and grief is a process and examination of mental health in sports. This book has an amazing plot that keeps you entertained from cover to cover, what will truly stay with me is the very real depiction of mental illness. As someone who has recently dealt with depression due to losing a loved one, I also really appreciated the realness in the details. Like many books this one does end with a happy ending (or lack thereof), but it also foretells that Gus and those around him are on a journey that doesn’t just end on the final page. It summarizes so much more about depression and suicide than this review does its justice, but simply put, I did not expect for it to affect me this much or to be so glad to have found and read this one.
Rate: ★★★★☆ (Only because of the Ending)
Not recommended for children.
General Review:
Sixteen-year-old Gus Bennett lives in the shadow of his older brother, Danny, a former Olympic swimming hopeful who recently died by suicide. Gus does not have an easy home life: He has a strained relationship with his mother, a single parent who’s still struggling after Danny’s death; and his older sister, Darien, has a drug addiction and abandoned her now 18-month-old child to the care of their mother. But Gus hopes to train with Coach Marks, the renowned trainer who worked with his brother. He even sneaks into the country club to get access to the pool, willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. He has his eye on qualifying for the national team and seems poised for success, but he soon experiences a downward spiral and engages in reckless behavior. Although the side characters are underdeveloped, Gus’ first-person narration carries the story along smoothly. Conceptualized by the late Academy Award–winning basketball player Bryant and written by Clark, this emotional novel contains lyrical prose that beautifully captures the energy of swimming and short chapters that will keep readers engaged. Physical descriptions are limited, suggesting a white default, but naming conventions suggest some diversity among the swim team members.
Chat with me about this book.
At the bottom of this blog there is a – Start the Discussion- box (See photo below). Here is where we will be having conversations. This is not your typical book club. We say anything that comes to our minds. Don’t be afraid to unleash and lose yourself in the conversation. This is a no judgement zone, and no questions or statements are stupid. Wild opinions are welcomed.
