Book Review – The Other Side of Freedom

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney In a southern farming community in 1925, thirteen-year-old Salvatore and his Italian immigrant father become involved against their will in a crime that results in the murder of an innocent man and family friend. Will Sal keep the secrets about that night as his father asks, or risk everything he and his family cherish in their new homeland, including their lives?  2018 CATHOLIC PRESS ASSOCIATION BOOK AWARDS: Third Place, Children's  2018 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS: First Place, Children's/Juvenile Fiction First Place, Grand Prize Fiction Themes: This coming-of-age novel demonstrates a Catholic boy’s faith, courage, and desire to do right in the eyes of God, his family, his community, and his country. Review: This book is set in the 1920’s and told from the point of view of a middle school age boy – Salvatore. Toney effortlessly delved into the mind of a young boy who lived in Louisiana during the tumultuous Prohibition years, weaving together a fascinating tale of hardship, corruption and the importance of family and faith. This intriguing, coming of age story focuses on the difficult choices and decisions one Italian immigrant family must face while desperately trying to keep their family together. I didn’t know much about this interesting time in our history when Italian/Sicilian gangsters terrorized American communities, but was fascinated by this story and how these crime sprees affected law-abiding families of Italian descent. Besides being a captivating story, this book provides plenty of discussion topics including the repercussions that can arise when trying to do what is right, as well as the issues of: prohibition, segregation and immigration. Bravo to Cynthia T. Toney for creating yet another wonderful, thought-provoking teen novel. A Note From the Reviewer: As a writer and a mother, I’m always…