Review of Broken Bloodline
Posted: 14 Mar 2025, 10:00
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Broken Bloodline" by John J Jagemann.]
Broken Bloodline by John J Jagemann is a historical novel about the Scallaci family, who emigrated from Sicily to America. Jagemann is a lifelong resident of Long Island, New York.
The narrator is a young Italian American man, Patsy Scallaci, who lives in the Bronx, New York City. It is 1969, and Patsy is working as a security guard until he’s old enough to apply to be a police officer. Criminals break into Patsy’s workplace, and after a shooting, there is a police investigation. The story then goes back many years to when some of the Scallaci family emigrated to America. They settled in New York and struggled to make ends meet. They lived in tenements that were run down and overcrowded. They were infested with rodents, and disease spread amongst the tenants. Their first jobs were as street vendors selling fruit and vegetables.
Over the years, more Scallaci family members arrived in New York, and the family established a grocery store. One family branch belongs to the mafia, and the leader is in Sicily. The Scallaci family lived through many significant events, including World War I, World War II, the prohibition of alcohol and the Great Depression. The story returns to 1969 and Patsy Scallaci’s life. Patsy stayed with family friends in the Adirondack Mountains. He soon realised there is a mystery to be solved that has sinister connotations.
The writing style is pacy and flows well. The narrator is likeable and brings energy to the story, particularly in the first and last chapters. His character is well-drawn and believable. The story of the Sicilian immigrants to America was fascinating, and the details brought the story to life. The theme of bloodlines was cleverly woven into the story.
This book has numerous storylines, including Patsy’s life as a young man, the Scallaci family being immigrants in America, historical events and a mystery to be solved. Although these stories are well told, I felt there were too many strands in the narrative, and they didn’t always merge. In addition, there were so many named characters within the Scallaci family that it was difficult to keep up. Some characters mentioned weren’t part of the story and didn’t need to be named.
Broken Bloodline would appeal to readers who enjoy history and are interested in stories about Italian American immigrants. I only noticed a few editing errors. I have taken two stars off due to my comments in the paragraph above. I award this book 3 out of 5 stars.
******
Broken Bloodline
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Broken Bloodline by John J Jagemann is a historical novel about the Scallaci family, who emigrated from Sicily to America. Jagemann is a lifelong resident of Long Island, New York.
The narrator is a young Italian American man, Patsy Scallaci, who lives in the Bronx, New York City. It is 1969, and Patsy is working as a security guard until he’s old enough to apply to be a police officer. Criminals break into Patsy’s workplace, and after a shooting, there is a police investigation. The story then goes back many years to when some of the Scallaci family emigrated to America. They settled in New York and struggled to make ends meet. They lived in tenements that were run down and overcrowded. They were infested with rodents, and disease spread amongst the tenants. Their first jobs were as street vendors selling fruit and vegetables.
Over the years, more Scallaci family members arrived in New York, and the family established a grocery store. One family branch belongs to the mafia, and the leader is in Sicily. The Scallaci family lived through many significant events, including World War I, World War II, the prohibition of alcohol and the Great Depression. The story returns to 1969 and Patsy Scallaci’s life. Patsy stayed with family friends in the Adirondack Mountains. He soon realised there is a mystery to be solved that has sinister connotations.
The writing style is pacy and flows well. The narrator is likeable and brings energy to the story, particularly in the first and last chapters. His character is well-drawn and believable. The story of the Sicilian immigrants to America was fascinating, and the details brought the story to life. The theme of bloodlines was cleverly woven into the story.
This book has numerous storylines, including Patsy’s life as a young man, the Scallaci family being immigrants in America, historical events and a mystery to be solved. Although these stories are well told, I felt there were too many strands in the narrative, and they didn’t always merge. In addition, there were so many named characters within the Scallaci family that it was difficult to keep up. Some characters mentioned weren’t part of the story and didn’t need to be named.
Broken Bloodline would appeal to readers who enjoy history and are interested in stories about Italian American immigrants. I only noticed a few editing errors. I have taken two stars off due to my comments in the paragraph above. I award this book 3 out of 5 stars.
******
Broken Bloodline
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon