Module 7 - Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman

Bibliography:

Korman, Gordon. (2002). Son of the Mob. New York: Hyperion. ISBN: 0786807695

Summary:

Vince is not just any high school student. His dad is the mob boss for the area, which makes him the mob prince. But, although his brother Tommy has taken an interest in the family business, "vending machines", Vince wants nothing to do with the shady dealings of the mob. He is more interested in having a girlfriend, or hanging out with his best friend Alex. Urged to go to a college party one weekend by Alex, Vince runs into a girl named Kendra, a student at his school who once tried to interview him for the school newspaper when he quit the football team. In a wild act of insanity when Kendra tells Vince her dad works for the FBI, Vince grabs and kisses Kendra. Later, Vince finds out he has caught lice from Kendra, and they are forced to go home early from school, deciding to split the cost of the solutions at the pharmacy. They go back to Kendra's place to help each other with the lice shampoo, but when Kendra's father returns home early, Vince slips out the window. After that, Vince and Kendra start seeing each other regularly. But meanwhile, there are people coming to Vince, asking for his help to appeal to his father for more time on paying back loans. Vince is so taken in by these people that he decides to help them, getting caught up in the family business by doing so. Ray, a top dog under Vince's father, ends up helping Vince out girlfriend wise, but when Kendra breaks up with Vince the next day, Vince gets suspicious, and discovers that Ray is an inside man for the FBI. Vince gives Ray a heads up and by the end of the book, Ray is in the witness protection program, Vince is back with Kendra, and Vince's dad has taken care of the troubles Vince stirred up with his interferences.

Impressions:

When I first picked up this book and read the back cover, I immediately smiled because I knew it was a book I would enjoy. And the book didn't disappoint. The book was had realistic characters, with Vince having a family that was legally bad, but a loving and good family nonetheless. And of course, Vince was at an age where he was having to come to terms with the family "vending machine" business. But the part I loved the most was the romance between Vince and Kendra. I loved the modern, mob and FBI, Romeo and Juliet feel of the whole book. Their families are mortal enemies, yet they fall in love and are determined to make it work. I am actually really interested in reading the sequel.

Reviews:
"With its razor-sharp dialogue and bullet-fast pace, this tale could fly on either the small or big screen, yet it makes a page-turner of a novel. Korman shapes a believable and likable crew-despite the less than reputable profession of some... Funny and unexpectedly affecting, this will grab-and hold onto-even the most reluctant of readers."

(October 28, 2002). PWxyz, LLC.  [Review of the book Son of the Mob.]. Publishers Weekly. Available from booksinprint.com

"Vince is well aware of the absurdity of his situation and has a wonderfully dry sense of humor. His genuine struggle to find his own way in the face of family influences is appealing and grounds the story. Although this book will be most popular with the junior high crowd, older students who appreciate humorous writing will enjoy the clever twist on a Romeo-and-Juliet relationship."

Carstensen, Angela.. (February 1, 2003).  [Review of the book Son of the Mob.]. Voice of Youth Advocates. Available from booksinprint.com

Suggestions For Use:

I would put this book, as well as a few others that fall in the same category, up on display. The display could be about books that are similar to modern day Shakespearean books. This would fall into the category of being a modern day Romeo and Juliet. This display would attract a lot of attention since the topics and themes in Shakespeare are still great material today, especially when translated to modern day language and settings for readers today.