Co-written by Linda Scarpa and Linda Rosencrance, The Mafia Hit Man's Daughter is billed as the true story of what it's like to grow up with a mob hit man for a dad. The events detailed in the book were compelling, but unfortunately, the writing was not. At all.
Linda Scarpa says she doesn't want this book be a pity party for her, but it really comes off as one. Now, I wasn't raised by a hit man - I had a normal, suburban upbringing with normal, unconnected parents, but I have to say, I'm a bit disturbed by how disconnected Scarpa is from the things her father, Greg Scarpa, aka The Grim Reaper, was responsible for. It must be very difficult to know that your father is a terrible person but telling us repeatedly what a great dad he was when he wasn't out murdering people is a little off-putting. There doesn't seem to be much compassion or remorse (not that I think Scarpa should feel remorse exactly for things she wasn't responsible for) for her father's victims. She says she feels bad for the families of those he murdered, but at the same time, she recounts a time when she tried to cheer her dad up after he gunned down the wrong person by telling him to not feel so bad because after all, that guy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. the thing Scarpa seems most saddened by is that she no longer has the luxurious life she was brought up to believe she deserved.
I was annoyed throughout the entire book. Half of my annoyance came from the absolutely abysmal writing (seriously, did anyone even try to polish this thing up? And if so... how bad was the original?) and the other half came from the whining tone and constant excuses from Scarpa and her awful mother.
I don't recommend this one for anyone. There have got to be far better books on what it's like to be part of a mob family out there.
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