Customer Reviews

The Sons of Shea

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4 star:		(1)
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I didn't know what to expect from this book because I'd never heard of the author, but something about it just made me really want to give it a read. WOW!!! I'm really glad I did. It felt like I knew each one of the characters personally. It's a long read, a lot deeper than it looks, but by the end (I don't want to give away the story) there is a part that physically brought me to tears. Well, I won't say too much more, but I'll leave it at this...get this book, read it all the way through to the end, and you'll be glad you did. I was!!! Great job Mr. Davohn. When will your next book be available?

Dame DaVohn's novel is brave and honest in its unflinching attempt to examine the revolutionary spirit of an inner-city community depleted of hope and possibility. The Sons of Shea begins with the necessary death of an old front in order to usher forth a new one. The question then is whether or not the old generation has kept with the tradition of bequeathing the new generation the intellectual tools necessary to sustain that tradition. Perhaps so.

DaVohn's novel is centered around the pervasive and engulfing dilemma of two complex issues: the Stonegate community and the New Rock Movement. Bishop returns to his hometown of Stonegate to find it in a terrible state of social decay, drug infestation, and industrial collapse. He believes that with a little self-sacrifice, committed leadership, and fearless courage, the community can rise again. With the help of childhood friends and local residents Bishop steers the path for neighborhood revitalization. But, as with all great community movements, jealously, envy, and corruption takes its proper place and ultimately becomes just as potent and important in the machinations of social change to which the movement has vowed to enact.

This is a timeless story because it revisits a time in our history when people cared about their communities, their neighbors, their children, their surroundings, and were willing to stand up and fight to preserve the peace and order of the community. The real heroes lived next door and folks went to church, prayed and kept the faith. This is a historical story because it touches on some of the same tenets of self-help, community upliftment and social responsibility that signified the leadership of great black titans like John Dancy and Adam Clayton Powell. But it is an American story because it is told in the Utopian spirit of love, compassion and humility.

A must read!

This book is filled with passion, adventure and inspired passages. I have several places underlined in my copy. If you are a teacher, social worker, activist or you care about communities at risk, I highly recommend this book.

This is the story of a group of young people who come together to save their community from violence, gangs and indifference. The characters are so well written I found myself falling in love with one of them (oops)!! Yet the author was able to convey the characters internal struggles as well as their triumphs. There is also some amazing symbolism.

The end will surely break your heart! I can't wait until the movie comes out but at least I will be able to say I read it first!!