Review of The Forgotten Soldier

[Love Ukaegbu]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Forgotten Soldier" by Dr. Angelique Barabara.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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From the book's title, The Forgotten Soldier, by Dr. Angelique Barabara, you will have an idea of what the book is about. This book is a true life story of a man named Curtis Dagley who served in the army to avoid jail time for accidentally killing a woman.

The book starts with the protagonist Curtis, who lived an average life with his parents and siblings; he had two friends, Bobby and Joe. It was a time when being respectable made a difference in society. However, Curtis's parents wanted him to settle down with a girl named Susie, and he wanted to be with another girl named Grace. He felt Susie was too polished for him and wanted Grace because he felt he could relate better to her.

One evening, while driving home with his friends, Curtis got into an accident and mistakenly killed a woman. Although this accident wasn't entirely his fault, the odds were against him, and he was at risk of being sent to jail. Seeing that he was almost 18 years old, his father pulled some strings. He was sent to the military to avoid jail time, where he enlisted and started his twelve-week boot camp. Although coping in the military was difficult, he pulled through and showed exemplary strength and discipline. His growth made his superiors assign him to a critical mission. While on the mission, he meets a terrible fate, where he is imprisoned for serval months for a crime; every day, the chances of him leaving the prison grow smaller and smaller. Will Curtis survive this trying time, and will he ever get rewarded for his service in the military? Find out as you read this book.

There are many reasons why I love this book, but the major one is how the author details Curtis's time in jail. It was described in a way that made me feel his despair. I liked how the author explained how Curtis's jail mate, Dr. Stefan Wozniak, a Polish doctor, kept encouraging him to stay strong. The author noted that his calm demeanor made Curtis feel somewhat peaceful. The book was well-written and straightforward; the author did not bore me with unnecessarily long explanations, nor did she fill the story with unimportant characters. The storyline flowed beautifully, making it easy for me, as a reader, to follow.

The only part of this book I didn't like so much was the love story between Curtis and Grace; the book lacked details about their story. I wanted to see how their story progressed and see a little bit of romance between the two. Aside from that, this short story is perfect and worth the read.

Despite the previous paragraph stating my concerns about the book, I will rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. This is because the downside I mentioned did not make the book less interesting, nor did it affect its overall message; the book is detail-oriented and has a unique plot, hence the perfect rating I gave it. I recommend this book to lovers of military stories.

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The Forgotten Soldier
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[patricia MGBEMENA]

It is sad that Curtis had to find himself in such a complicated situation in life and I appreciate the effort of his dad to save him from jail term.

[Joe Alex 2]

From the review, The Forgotten Soldier sounds like an intense, emotional story, especially with Curtis’s time in jail and his struggle to survive. I can see why the book has such a strong impact, particularly with how his bond with Dr. Wozniak offers some peace amid all the chaos. The love story with Grace might’ve been a bit lacking, but the rest of the plot seems well done and compelling. Definitely seems like a book I’d pick.

[Louis Donald]

The story sounds compelling, especially with Curtis’s time in jail and the bond he forms with Dr. Wozniak. I can see how the lack of romance between Curtis and Grace might be a bit disappointing, but the rest of the plot seems intriguing. I’d be interested in reading it to explore Curtis’s journey further.

[Rebecca De Figueiredo]

The way the prose has been arranged, the short, readable paragraphs, the personable and comfortable way that the story is told, creates and inviting tone. I immediately feel sympathy for the likeable Curt, and know this book is an entertaining read. Thanks for the review.

[Alida Spies]

It seems that Curtis was doomed to spend time in jail. He managed to avoid jail by joining the army, but then lands in jail anyway while on a critical mission for the army. It's admirable that Dr. Wozniak maintained a calm demeanor and encouraged Curtis to stay strong during his incarceration. Thank you for your informative review.

[Leen282]

When reading the review, I immediately wondered if Grace would still be in the picture after the accident, the enlisting in the army, the time in prison. Looks like I will also be a bit disappointed that this part is not overly present. The book is an interesting read about a soldier growing discipline, going on a critical mission and ending up doing jailtime.

[Amy Luman]

Isn’t it. Interesting to note that even though Curtis went into the military to avoid jail time, he ended up in another one anyway? Congratulations on BOTD!

[Ashley M Murphy]

From the review, this book sounds like a story the reader will get lost in and feel as though they are present in the moment. A sign of a well written work is that it makes you feel the way the characters do. You said that you felt the despair, but also the small glimmer of hope, so this makes me want to read the book as well. Thanks for the review.

[Jasmine Crabtree]

Honestly, reading this review of the book makes it sound like a story you can get immersed in. It sounds like a deeply moving story one can find interesting and alluring. I can't wait to read the book

[Nazma P]

This sounds like a poignant, relatable and inspirational read. Many can relate to the protagonist's emotions and situations. I think I'll enjoy this book as it's has a meaningful narrative. Thanks for the free copy.

[Rady Espinoza]

Dr. Angelique Barbara's book, The Forgotten Soldier: Based on the True Story of Private Curtis Dagley, tells the true of his story who enlisted in the army to avoid jail time for unintentionally killing a woman, and event that was not his fault.

[Marianne Loogma]

The review is written beautifully and is generally interesting. Though the description of the book doesn't appeal to me in the slightest I love the slight romance element mentioned.

[Amos Osinya]

An emotional story of the journey of Curtis. Since I have downloaded, I will do goot to read this story and learn how the journey of this gallant soldier ended up. It is so sad that love could have turned around significantly the love of Curtis.

[Devesh Patel]

This review does a great job of summarizing "The Forgotten Soldier" while capturing its emotional depth. The reader's appreciation for the prison scenes and the protagonist’s resilience is especially compelling.