Finding Marco

Finding Marco

Kenneth C. Cancellara

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date: June 2010

Publisher: Synergy Books

Pages: 211

Book Site: http://www.findingmarco.com/

My Rating: 3.25/5

Source: Received for review from Phenix Publicity

Synopsis

[from goodreads.com]:

As a young boy, running through the mountain valleys of Italy, Mark Gentile dreams of success-the kind of success that happens in a boardroom, far away from the country life. So after graduating from law school, Mark quickly climbs the corporate and legal ladder, eventually becoming CEO of a leading auto manufacturer. But after butting heads with company leaders, Mark fears he has compromised his ethics. With his wife's blessing, Mark returns to Acerenza, his birthplace in southern Italy. While enjoying the leisurely pace of the new life he's found in his old home, however, Mark must make a decision: Should he abandon his roots for a second time and satisfy his innate hunger for the struggles and rewards of corporate life? Or should he embrace his native land and create a more balanced life for himself and his family?

Review:

FINDING MARCO was an enjoyable read. It was slow-paced but filled with vivid descriptions and a “homey” kind of writing style that was very easy to get lost in. Mark “Marco” Gentile has been successful all his life after his big move to Canada with his family as a child. He graduates from law school top of his class and spends many years as a successful lawyer. Mark eventually finds a niche as a CEO of a top North American auto manufacturer. But shortly after taking over, the business strategy of the company is up for debate and Mark’s views disagree with those of the company leaders. So instead of compromising his ethics and integrity he decides to resign from his position.

After resigning Mark heads back to Acerenza, Italy where he was born in hopes of finding something to help guide him into the next stage of his life. In Acerenza the corporate world seems to fade away as Mark immerses himself in the simplistic beauty of his birthplace. He comes back into contact with an old friend and finds the time to reflect on his life. Not really a mid-life crisis, Mark is struggling to come to terms with what to do now that he has achieved so much in his life already. Mark’s journey is a reflective one that I think most adult readers will come to appreciate and enjoy.

After reading a little of the author’s background, I can definitely see some similarities between him and Mark. Kenneth Cancellara has been through much of what his character has and successfully uses the events in his life to help shape Mark’s. Being a business major myself I found the first part of the novel extremely interesting. Mark’s corporate career dealing with business strategies and running a company involved things I had talked about earlier this year in college and I admit I liked knowing exactly what was going on. I wanted to mention the fact that that the first part of the novel is filled with business terms that some readers may find a little boring or overwhelming.

I also wanted to say that I did have some trouble personally connecting with Mark. Overall he was a very developed character. It might have been the fact that the story was in written in third-person, but I’m not too sure. I just felt distant from his character if that makes sense at all. And that’s just a personal thing I’m sure. Like I said, the book was enjoyable and so was Mark (along with the other characters). I think FINDING MARCO focuses more on the journey rather than the character taking it and because of that I think many readers will be able to find some part of Mark’s journey that they can connect with.