Title: Cain’s Children: A Tale of Sex, Greed, Crime, and the Human Condition
Author: Estefan San Martin
Publisher: XlibirsUS
ISBN: 978-1533644817
Pages: 642
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
Erma Bombeck once said, “There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” In author Estefan San Martin’s book Cain’s Children: A Tale of Sex, Greed, Crime and the Human Condition, a truly one of a kind dark comedy with themes of steamy romances and suspense take hold over absurd and outrageous characters that readers can’t help but be invested in.
The book explores the lives of a unique family. After the death of his older brother, Dante Martino sets out on a shocking adventure to reunite with his family in order to give his brother’s eulogy. Along the way he experiences some odd flashbacks to times with his brother, crazy troubles with girls and phone etiquette, and finally the absurdity of his childhood and family life. However the problems intensify as relatives begin dying all around him, making him a suspect, and is dealing with passionate love triangles, criminals seeking to destroy his family and more in the first of this dark comedy series.
This is a lengthy read, delving deep into the backstories and history of these characters as well as their larger than life personalities and motivations. At nearly 700 pages, the book takes a deliberate approach to its storytelling, marking a slow burn style writing technique that draws the reader in more and more with each page. The author does a marvelous job of blending the dark comedy themes with suspense and romance along the way.
This is definitely an adult book for adult readers, as it features strong language and “steamy” situations. However while some may think this another entry in the genre made famous of late by books such as Fifty Shades of Gray, there is no mistaking this book for that, as it features a large array of other elements. As a fan of suspense and dark comedy, I was immediately drawn into the narrative and found myself intrigued by Dante’s family and the protagonist’s life in general.
A book not for the faint of heart, author Estefan San Martin’s book Cain’s Children is a heart-pounding, humorous and engaging read that readers need to see for themselves. A book meant for adult readers, this novel is a sexual, drug fueled and outrageous comedy that masks an intriguing mystery and characters you have to read to believe. Readers who enjoy a good murder mystery style family gathering setting with hilarious characters and scenarios and steamy romances will not want to miss out on this rare read.
