Last Stop On the 6 Review

Last Stop On the 6 Review
By Patricia Dunn

Author Patricia Dunn used her experiences growing up in The Bronx as inspiration for Last Stop On the 6, and her authentic voice shines through to create an excellent novel about an Italian-American family living in Pelham Bay.

Angela Campanosi travels from Los Angeles to The Bronx so she can attend her estranged brother’s wedding. It’s her first time returning to her childhood home in 10 years. She brings along a giant pile of experiences and a number of standard East Coast tropes. The rest of the book unpeels assumptions and snap judgements to weave a compelling story.

Patricia Dunn calls her memories as a child in The Bronx her ghosts. It’s easy to see Angela wrestling with similar ghosts with mixed results. Some of her ghosts included imperfect memories and assumptions as Angela comes to terms with her adult realizations. Most of the characters have changed, but the biggest change ultimately is Angela.

Dunn did a wonderful job bringing The Bronx and the Campanosi extended family to life. I was drawn into the story by her vivid portrayal of the neighborhoods. Her dialogue is well-written, adding credibility to her characters by making the conversations as convoluted and messy as most families do. She admirably depicts her characters’ growth in a way that feels genuine. 

Instead of contriving a happy ending, Dunn reminds us that family relationships are always a work in progress. She wraps up the loose ends of the plot while acknowledging that growing up requires a re-evaluation of relationships. After all, remember what happens when we ass-u-me.

I would like you to make one assumption – assume that you want to read Last Stop On the 6.

Thank you, Meryl Moss Media Group and Bordighera Press for providing an advance review copy of this excellent book.