Waiting For Pops - John Philip Riffice

Waiting For Pops by John Philip Riffice

Date Released: March 30th 2011
Publisher: INDI Publishing Group
Pages: 340 pages
Date Read: July 1st.
Source: Author

Summary:

Waiting For Pops, a mainstream biographical novel, is a tale of a young boy’s appalling mistreatment at the hands of his alcoholic mother. It is a tale of spousal secrets and parental lies. It is a tale of love, friendship, and, above all else, betrayal. Pops is seen through the eyes of an innocent boy growing steadily into manhood in 1950s Chicago. Johnny Ryba tells his story and transports the reader into his small, blue-collar existence—his mother’s alcoholism, his much-loved father’s sudden death in an auto accident, his beloved little sister’s autism. Later, as the reader accompanies Johnny into his teen years, they experience as well the painful heartbreak of his first love and loss. 

The storyline rapidly evolves and ultimately centers on a mystery that Johnny attempts to solve as a mature adult, resulting in a shocking revelation that reverses almost everything he once believed about his mother and father, as well as his own harrowing past. He inadvertently discovers his parents’ role as accomplices in a lifelong conspiracy of silence, and also becomes aware of a misplaced affection for his deceased father. Johnny must finally come to terms with the most important aspect of his life: the truth about his parents, and about himself, too.

From Goodreads

My Review:

Bitersweet.

If I had to describe this book in one word that would be it. Bitersweet.

It was such a beautiful book, but at the same time, very sad. Though I think those two kinda go hand in hand. Can’t have on without the other.

You start the book with Johnny as a kid, you see through his innocent eyes his circumstances and his current superhero: his dad. I felt sorry for him a few times, but also sympathized so much with him.

You advance into his teen years and with the dead of his father, you also enter this miserable world he seems to be living in, which IS sad but, I was laughing so hard at some parts and I could see things different, like they could actually get better for Johnny.

As for the ending. . . Wow, I had never been so surprised with an ending I think. Just W.O.W.  it was shocking and sad at the same time, but when the last chapter ended, I had this little smile on my face – I still have it actually – it was. . . right. The right ending. One word: Beautiful.

I Loved it. Can’t even describe it right, I just loved it. I sure as hell am re-reading this and recommending it to Every Single Person I Know.

Special thanks to John Philip for the book, it’s worth gold.

"Let me tell you a little something I've learned in my life: people do what they want to do and don't do what they don't want to do. That's all there is to it."