Book Review - Riding by Cassia Cassitas

Before I start let me apologize to the author for extending review for so long. Actually, I have read a few road trips & trekking related awesome books 2 years back. I liked the genre and then I saw this book in Goodreads giveaway. So I participated in the contest. I got the copy in exchange for an honest review, but somehow book was shifted to a lonely place called "Back Shelf". Determined to finish all our pending work, we started giving equal priority to older review copies as well. And here we are to discuss the book "Riding"

Book Blurb

Amidst real events and landscapes, men and women like us wander the cities we inhabit, rehearsing happier lives in the pages of this motivational novel. From each one, destiny took a part to make them perfect.

When he is born, André propels his mother’s life in a new direction, shifting her focus away from her professional aspirations. His father, an executive who organizes Olympic competitions around the world and doesn’t know when to come back home, strives to make him a worldly citizen. Cycling, his life acquires purpose: becoming an Olympic para-athlete.

Together with his friends, he experiences disappointments and new beginnings. A doctor that builds robots, the daughter of a lonely teenager, and a retired athlete teach André how to overcome his limits and live his dream.

Set in Curitiba with breaks in Los Angeles, Seoul, Johannesburg and Soweto, Barcelona, ​​Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London, the narrative ends in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro.

As a tribute to all those who choose to sign the next episodes of their lives, this book is about overcoming one’s self amid achievements, obstacles, love and heroism, written behind the scenes of life.

Yes as the blurb suggests, the story is about a para-athlete Andre Propels. The protagonist of our story is born to a family where both parents were working with Olympic executions, so they kept moving from one city to another. But when Andre was affected by Polio and lost both of his legs, his mother took the call of being a full-time mother. She didn't want his son to have a life of crippled. Then starts challenging the story of Andre and how he overcame his disability and through his hard work achieve something which is not possible even with a person without disabilities. Read the book to know more. I hope I haven't revealed much.

Strong points about the book

• The book is written in a dual style, you may consider this as a sports fiction or a travelogue. If you are a fan of even one genre the book is good for you. 
• Coming to narration style author's writing style is a little bit poetic. It may be difficult at points if you are new to English. 
• Family values. Elizabeth & Mario (Andre's parents) were portrayed with an emotional brush. By Elizabeth, you will feel how the mother goes through the difficult times of a family and how her sacrifice made the family as one in time of need. On another side, Mario also understands the family value and his unavailability towards family chores at a time can be sensed while reading the book.
• Motivational part. Which shows the success of Andre to everyone who thinks things could have been better with them.

Overall a serious read. Will required efforts from readers at the same time will provide a good source of inspiration after reading it.

Ratings

1. Cover - 4
2. Content - 4
3. Characters - 5
4. Overall - 4

Book can be found at Amazon India & Amazon USA

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads