Review: Johnny Boy by John Califano

A compelling work of fiction bearing the authentic voice of a memoir, Johnny Boy by John Califano is a visceral slice of life from a skilled, but subtle pen.

Raised in a claustrophobic home in Brooklyn, young John Caruso must navigate the sullen anger of his father, the quiet struggles of his mother, and the occasional invisibility of being the youngest in the house. His older brother and sister, Frank and Connie, are his protectors and guides, helping him see past the narrow-mindedness and violent tendencies of his father, and explore his own potential as he grows up fast.

Over the years, readers watch a young man in the throes of a reckless childhood, full of backyard scrapes and raised fists, both inside and outside the home. The story is a rough-and-tumble catalogue of the hard lessons adolescence teaches so many of us, in so many different forms, as well as the beautiful bonds only siblings truly form. Early con jobs, a sharp witty tongue, epic neighborhood brawls, and the drama of every child’s reality plays out in an accessible and intimate way that can be appreciated by readers of any age.

Narrating through the eyes and mindset of a young boy can often come across as overly sentimental, but Califano artfully captures the innocence of childhood – and the savage loss of it. The writing occasionally dips into stream of consciousness, where the narration becomes a seamless blend of thought and action, which successfully emulates the feverish and passionate mindset of youth. Casual asides in the prose foreshadow the man John would become and the way he would look at the world. As the story progresses, these small bits of internal monologue take on much greater meaning, revealing Califano’s impressive skills of draftsmanship.

The dialogue throughout the novel is rich and evocative as well, capturing a variety of colloquial speech patterns, from Italy to New York City, without ever feeling stereotypical or predictable. This fine attention to detail makes the story immediately immersive, as though readers have been transported into a grainy and somewhat romanticized home movie reel. Profanity is found in every corner of the prose, but it flows naturally in the atmosphere Califano creates, to the point where it’s instantly natural. The detailed minutiae of descriptions keep the scenery vivid and engaging, while the oddball bits of colloquial language add zest and style to almost every conversation. There are few wasted words, and while the editing isn’t perfect, there is something about the manic flow of these chapters that makes these small lapses more forgivable.

Without a clear plot arc, the vignette-style telling of this story does leave the story without much suspense. Additionally, some scenes don’t feel as critical or formative as others, and some redundant life lessons in multiple points could be trimmed. That being said, the majority of this raucous peek into a culture, community, family and one young man’s experience is evocative and powerful. This vulnerable account of growing up makes for excellent, heartfelt reading, and Califano shows abundant skill in this debut novel.