A blistering tale of abuse and trauma…
Izzi’s outstanding latest offers poignant and profound examination of childhood abuse and trauma. Growing up in a small suburb in Chicago during the turbulent sixties and seventies, when the issues of household violence were seldom ever addressed, Robert and his four best friends: Marco Pezza, Petey Rodriguez, Billy Kozar, and Johnny Orozco all go through a relentless cycle of severe physical and sexual abuse during their childhood. Haunted by the demons of their tragic past, the friends struggle to cope with their childhood trauma all through their adult life. After Marco commits suicide, Robert, a Chicago Attorney, is the only one alive among the group. When a tragic family incident happens, it threatens to shatter Robert’s self-control. Will he give in or succeed in keeping his demons at bay? Told from the perspective of Robert, the novel takes the reader on an exhilarating ride as they witness the horrifying events that occur and the dire choices the friends make. Heart wrenching descriptions of the friends’ tortuous treatment provide the backdrop for Robert’s painful attempts at healing as he tries to restore his battered soul. The young boys’ struggles to survive and maintain their sanity are interspersed with sections from their adult life, showing how the physical and emotional toll of their childhood abuse still affects them. Izzi’s poignant depiction of the boys’ friendship of decades is as both authentic and relatable. The expert pacing and deeply realized, complex characters help keep the pages turning on the way to the shocking, heart wrenching climax. Readers will be left thinking long after they close the last page.
The Buzz Boys
By Edward Izzi
Cassino Publishing, Inc.
Pub date March 25, 2021
ISBN 9798590131075
Price $16.99 (USD) Paperback, $8.22 Kindle edition
