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The Prince of Venice Beach
Robert "'Cali" Callahan is a teen runaway, living on the streets of Venice Beach, California. He's got a pretty sweet life: a treehouse to sleep in, a gang of surf bros, a regular basketball game...even a girl who's maybe-sorta interested in him.
What he doesn't have is a plan.
All that changes when a local cop recommends Cali to a private investigator who is looking for a missing teenager. After all, Cali knows everyone in Venice. But the streets are filled with people who don't want to be found, and when he's hired to find the beautiful Reese Abernathy, who would do anything to stay hidden, Cali must decide where his loyalties truly lie.
What he doesn't have is a plan.
All that changes when a local cop recommends Cali to a private investigator who is looking for a missing teenager. After all, Cali knows everyone in Venice. But the streets are filled with people who don't want to be found, and when he's hired to find the beautiful Reese Abernathy, who would do anything to stay hidden, Cali must decide where his loyalties truly lie.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2014
36 people are currently reading
2311 people want to read
About the author
Blake Nelson
27 books403 followersBlake Nelson grew up in Portland, Oregon. He began his career writing short humor pieces for Details Magazine.
His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.
His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.
His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.
His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.
His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.
His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.
His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.
His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
July 30, 2020
This is not a good book. This is a very, very terrible book. I honestly really hate it. Not only is it poorly written and unrealistic, it’s horrifyingly sexist. I don’t know who thought publishing The Prince of Venice Beach was a good idea, but I honestly question their judgment. This book was just awful, with not a single redeeming quality.
First off, let’s just discuss our main character, Cali, and his situation. He’s 17, and he ran away from his foster home in Nebraska to come to LA when he was 14; now he lives on the streets. So far so good. Except he gets caught by the police, and they let him go without calling social services. Um. I’m not a police officer or anything but that sounds like something that could get you in a lot of trouble with your superiors. But not only does this police officer let Cali go, he gives him work as a sort of “junior private investigator”, and at the end of the book, he brings him along on a SWAT mission. No no no. This all makes a good story, but how likely is all of this in real life? NOT THAT LIKELY.
I was also just really troubled by how Blake Nelson portrayed Cali’s life on the streets, like it was all some big vacation. Everything in The Prince of Venice Beach was all fun, all the time. Cali didn’t seem to have any problems or struggles. How realistic does that sound? Being homeless isn’t a party, even when it is a choice.
And then there were general problems like Nelson’s really bad prose. It was very choppy, with short, repetitive sentences. The author doesn’t go into depth with any character or really give any mental or emotional insight. I found The Prince of Venice Beach to be extremely shallow, with juvenile writing and an unengaging writing style.
All the above are reasons that this book was never going to be a hit with me, but what really pushed my buttons was how Blake Nelson portrayed women in this. I was absolutely disgusted.
This was the first offense:
Let’s just unpack this. First of all, this girl is a nerd. Why? Because she wears glasses and likes Harry Potter. Well news flash for you, buddy, but pretty much the entire world likes Harry Potter, and a lot of people wear glasses. Are they all nerds, too? Second, Nelson is suggesting that there is something “abnormal” about a girl who fits this description, that she will never gain a “normal” boy’s attention. It’s insulting to say that she’s abnormal because of these qualities, which I’ve already explained are actually quite common. It’s even more insulting to suggest that the only value a woman has is whether or not a man will find her attractive, like the only opinion she should care about is a male opinion. Why not ask if this girl is happy with herself? Shouldn’t that matter most? I am so freaking sick of men thinking that everything women do has something to do with them. We wear big glasses—oh no, better change those, wouldn’t want guys thinking you’re ugly! We like certain books or movies—better not, those aren't "sexy" enough!
Hey, dudebros, in case you didn’t know: NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU.
My objections with the sexism in The Prince of Venice Beach go on beyond that one passage (which is honestly enough to damn the entire book). Cali talks about how his dream life includes a woman to make him dinner. Cali refuses to allow his friend to go places with him “because she’s a girl”. He meets two girls who are going shopping—why? Because they’re girls and that’s all girls do. Duh. And, apparently, "it's weird for girls to see movies by themselves"? Okay, Mr. Sexism.
All of this went on. And on and on and on. The only two main female characters in this book are extremely stereotypical. We have the ugly, undesirable nerd girl. We also have the really hot, mysterious chick who Cali just wants to bang. I would complain that Nelson’s characterization of women is hopelessly two-dimensional, but then it’s not as if Cali is much better, what with his fantastic street-rat life that leaves him free to pass sexist judgment upon all and sundry.
This book was so disgusting and horrifying and gross. I first of all cannot believe that it was published. Moral objections aside, it’s just poor quality. I second of all cannot believe that anyone would actually write something so blatantly misogynistic as The Prince of Venice Beach. It is so, so far from okay. Every bit of me rejects this narrative. This book would get negative stars, if there were such a thing.
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First off, let’s just discuss our main character, Cali, and his situation. He’s 17, and he ran away from his foster home in Nebraska to come to LA when he was 14; now he lives on the streets. So far so good. Except he gets caught by the police, and they let him go without calling social services. Um. I’m not a police officer or anything but that sounds like something that could get you in a lot of trouble with your superiors. But not only does this police officer let Cali go, he gives him work as a sort of “junior private investigator”, and at the end of the book, he brings him along on a SWAT mission. No no no. This all makes a good story, but how likely is all of this in real life? NOT THAT LIKELY.
I was also just really troubled by how Blake Nelson portrayed Cali’s life on the streets, like it was all some big vacation. Everything in The Prince of Venice Beach was all fun, all the time. Cali didn’t seem to have any problems or struggles. How realistic does that sound? Being homeless isn’t a party, even when it is a choice.
And then there were general problems like Nelson’s really bad prose. It was very choppy, with short, repetitive sentences. The author doesn’t go into depth with any character or really give any mental or emotional insight. I found The Prince of Venice Beach to be extremely shallow, with juvenile writing and an unengaging writing style.
All the above are reasons that this book was never going to be a hit with me, but what really pushed my buttons was how Blake Nelson portrayed women in this. I was absolutely disgusted.
This was the first offense:
She had black hair and was lately wearing big black glasses, which gave her a dorky, robotic look. Which was fine except that she was eighteen, which was a little old for the robot-nerd thing. […] She shouldn’t be so weird and computer-like and into Harry Potter movies. But then, if she were normal, she would have normal guys taking her to the movies and she wouldn’t be bothering me.
Let’s just unpack this. First of all, this girl is a nerd. Why? Because she wears glasses and likes Harry Potter. Well news flash for you, buddy, but pretty much the entire world likes Harry Potter, and a lot of people wear glasses. Are they all nerds, too? Second, Nelson is suggesting that there is something “abnormal” about a girl who fits this description, that she will never gain a “normal” boy’s attention. It’s insulting to say that she’s abnormal because of these qualities, which I’ve already explained are actually quite common. It’s even more insulting to suggest that the only value a woman has is whether or not a man will find her attractive, like the only opinion she should care about is a male opinion. Why not ask if this girl is happy with herself? Shouldn’t that matter most? I am so freaking sick of men thinking that everything women do has something to do with them. We wear big glasses—oh no, better change those, wouldn’t want guys thinking you’re ugly! We like certain books or movies—better not, those aren't "sexy" enough!
Hey, dudebros, in case you didn’t know: NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU.
My objections with the sexism in The Prince of Venice Beach go on beyond that one passage (which is honestly enough to damn the entire book). Cali talks about how his dream life includes a woman to make him dinner. Cali refuses to allow his friend to go places with him “because she’s a girl”. He meets two girls who are going shopping—why? Because they’re girls and that’s all girls do. Duh. And, apparently, "it's weird for girls to see movies by themselves"? Okay, Mr. Sexism.
All of this went on. And on and on and on. The only two main female characters in this book are extremely stereotypical. We have the ugly, undesirable nerd girl. We also have the really hot, mysterious chick who Cali just wants to bang. I would complain that Nelson’s characterization of women is hopelessly two-dimensional, but then it’s not as if Cali is much better, what with his fantastic street-rat life that leaves him free to pass sexist judgment upon all and sundry.
This book was so disgusting and horrifying and gross. I first of all cannot believe that it was published. Moral objections aside, it’s just poor quality. I second of all cannot believe that anyone would actually write something so blatantly misogynistic as The Prince of Venice Beach. It is so, so far from okay. Every bit of me rejects this narrative. This book would get negative stars, if there were such a thing.
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August 20, 2014
Being a homeless runaway teen is super fun! You get to surf and play basketball all day! And live in a treehouse! And even stuff that seems bad (like getting robbed) is really pretty ok! You will totally start a career as a private investigator! And then go surf!
June 30, 2017
رابرت (کالی) کالاهان نبراسکا رو ترک تا بیاد توی سواحل وینز زندگی کنه. تقریبا بی خانمانه و توی ماشینش زندگی میکنه و توی یه خونه درختی میخوابه. از اونجا که بقیه میشناسنش، بهش اعتماد هم دارن. دوست داره که کارش رو به عنوان کارآگاه خصوصی ادامه بده، و برای مردم تحقیقاتی انجام میده هرچند از خودش میپرسه که آیا اینکار باعث نابودی زندگی بقیه میشه یا نه. متن کانسپت جالبی داره اما نویسنده واقعا شانس اینو داشت که مسائل مهمی رو دقیق تر بررسی کنه. فرار نوجوان ها، اعتیاد، خودکشی و غیره اما خب یه نوجوان به جاش طراحی کرد که بی خانمانه و در اوغات فراغتش، موج سواری میکنه. میتونست چیز خیلی بهتری از این اثر دربیاره ولی خب این تصمیم رو گرفت که به نظرم واقعی نبود. متن کتاب ساده س، و دیالوگ های دلگرم کننده و دلسوزانه خوبی داره. نثرش فلوی مناسبی داره.
March 11, 2014
I thought this book was a good read. I liked how the main character, Robert aka Cali, developed throughout the novel. I also enjoyed meeting his friends Jojo, Diego, Jax, Ailis, and Strawberry. The only character that bothered me was Reese Abernathy, the runaway whom Cali falls for. I wish her character was better developed. After reading the novel, I understand why Cali was given the nickname "The Prince of Venice Beach." Like a prince in shining armor, or in this case, like a prince riding a skateboard, he wanted to save others, but in the end, he really saved himself.
Read
November 29, 2013Super enjoyable, fast-paced story about a "boy detective." It's not really about that but it is. Features a street teen who isn't in high school but chooses to go back to school for a GED.
This one is along the lines of Paranoid Park, more than it is, say, Recovery Road. Great appeal for reluctant readers.
This one is along the lines of Paranoid Park, more than it is, say, Recovery Road. Great appeal for reluctant readers.
April 12, 2014
Blake Nelson does it again with another spectacular literary adventure. The Prince of Venice Beach is a poignant, beautiful book about living life on your own terms and thinking outside the box. Like all of Blake Nelson's books, I absolutely adored this story.
November 3, 2014
Robert “Cali” Callahan ran away from the foster system in Nebraska and has cut out a life for himself in Venice Beach, California. He has a pretty sweet set up, a treehouse to live in, friends, and above average basketball skills. When a private investigator asks Cali to help find missing people, who are presumed to be in Venice, his sweet set up gets a little better funded. The problem is people that go to Venice don’t want to be found.
I loved the setting of this story. I’ve always liked Venice Beach and the eclectic people that gather there. It’s one of those quintessential California places and Nelson brought it to life beautifully.
I also enjoyed experiencing Venice Beach through Cali’s eyes. He was an interesting character and I admired how independent and driven he was. Despite being a runaway with few options he was always looking to the future. He also had his own inner moral compass and I liked watching that grow and change throughout the story.
The writing in The Prince of Venice Beach was sparse. There wasn’t unnecessary dialogue or excessive inner monologues which I both liked and didn’t. Because the writing was bare I didn’t feel like I got to know the characters and their motivations as much as I would have liked to.
Overall, I enjoyed The Prince of Venice Beach. The setting was spectacular and I liked Cali but I wished there had been more details. I would have liked to experience more of Cali’s thought process and to have known him better.
I loved the setting of this story. I’ve always liked Venice Beach and the eclectic people that gather there. It’s one of those quintessential California places and Nelson brought it to life beautifully.
I also enjoyed experiencing Venice Beach through Cali’s eyes. He was an interesting character and I admired how independent and driven he was. Despite being a runaway with few options he was always looking to the future. He also had his own inner moral compass and I liked watching that grow and change throughout the story.
The writing in The Prince of Venice Beach was sparse. There wasn’t unnecessary dialogue or excessive inner monologues which I both liked and didn’t. Because the writing was bare I didn’t feel like I got to know the characters and their motivations as much as I would have liked to.
Overall, I enjoyed The Prince of Venice Beach. The setting was spectacular and I liked Cali but I wished there had been more details. I would have liked to experience more of Cali’s thought process and to have known him better.
June 15, 2016
This is one of the first books that came in my book box subscription. It is not one that I would have picked up on my own (which was the point of getting the subscription). I would not say that it is one of my favorites, but it's not too bad. The story kept me interested, and the characters are likable. This is a quick "mild" YA read. The story is nearly all dialogue and action without a whole lot of long descriptive passages, which speeds the story along. The language and content are very accessible to teenage readers.
June 21, 2014
Cali, a homeless kid in Venice, CA, turns out to have dreams of being a private investigator and it turns out he's good at it. An interesting portrayal of the homeless lifestyle. Does't make it sound glamorous though Cali's life is not rough all the time but he is stuck. Because Cali has a stable situation, we're able to see a broader picture of life for the many different people you've seen or heard about living on the streets in southern CA.
February 1, 2015
This book had the chance to touch on so many problems: Homeless youth, suicide, mental disorders, domestic abuse, stereotypes, bad parenting and violence, however the author disregarded all these problems mentioned within the book. Such an awful book. The diction is awful, the plot is cliche and boring, the characters have no character, and serve the wellness of the protagonist.
July 19, 2017
This book was just "ok" for me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters at all and the writing style was more a recitation of events than any true character building. As someone who has actually been a homeless teen, there just wasn't enough depth in the story to make me rate this book any higher. The idea and plot were good - but we had this whole gritty world and interesting main character and we got nothing about him.
February 12, 2020
Well, it wasn’t a good book. But at least I might be out of my reading slump. Quick and easy with no real plot, and no character development, a cop-out ending for the secondary main character, and a weird conspiracy plot that’s never explored... what more could you ask for?
May 28, 2022
This book was a fun and fast read but it’s definitely for younger readers with a more imaginative mind. It was pretty unrealistic and was lacking on the emotional side. It was a fun summer read about teenagers seeming to get a taste of the real world, overall, good.
-C
-C
October 11, 2024
Read this in like 2 hrs. It was okay, the ending was expected but still a good quick read. Not very realistic ig
May 24, 2014
Robert (Cali) Callahan left Nebraska far behind him a couple of years ago and now lives in Venice Beach, California. While he is practically homeless, he is better off than most teens on the local streets. After all, he has a tree house where he sleeps, and because he knows the streets and its inhabitants pretty well, others trust him. Plus, Cali has ambitions of making something of himself once he is a little older. In Jay Gatsbyesque style, he makes lists of things he needs to do in order to improve himself and he dreams of becoming a private investigator. Although he has some success, he begins questioning how he knows the truth about the individuals for which others are searching, and he wonders if he is causing harm to come to at least one of them. When he meets Reese Abernathy, another troubled runaway, he isn't sure how much of her story to believe. The author does a marvelous job of portraying Cali and showing how gullible he is, despite his street wise ways. His gentleness is shown through his interactions with Strawberry, a homeless teen that he teaches about how to find a way to keep clean even while living on the streets. This is a page-turner, and readers will race to the end to see what happens to Cali, Reese, and Ailis, Cali's business partner and possible romantic interest. Because the large and small tragedies of their lives are only hinted at, they seem even more complex than they would otherwise. For me, a sign of a good book is when I miss the characters I just met in a book. I already miss Cali with his noble spirit, princely ways, and desire to help others. I love how this book subverts assumptions about homeless teens too.
September 1, 2016
(this review was published in School Library Journal on 4/13/14)
Robert 'Cali' Callahan, a 'rad' teenage runaway, knows everyone in Venice beach. Because of this, he becomes the go-to guy for private investigators searching the area. Cali succeeds- until he's hired to find a gorgeous teenage girl and he realizes he doesn't know who to trust.
This was alright! Very fun and interesting, with vibrant characters. Really crazy towards the end!
The characters! Loved the characters! They were vibrant and loveable. Each one had a good side and a bad side and sometimes you had no idea which was which. The characters were the best part I think.
His lifestyle was also really rad of course.
I liked how it dealt more with the 'street people'. They were portrayed well, not like they are usually thought of.
Cover's good. Alright.
Doesn't reflect a lot as he doesn't have a VW van and he looks different.
Somewhat shallow and something lacking... the voice was amazing for the first paragraph but it got lost. However, I think that makes it great for reluctant readers.
Honestly, I would recommend this to someone who doesn't read a lot. A teenage guy (or girl who's not picky about if it's a romance or not!) who likes a mystery, a thrill, and a little bit of beach sand thrown in would enjoy this.
(read as an Advanced Reading Copy)
This review was published on School Library Journal.
Robert 'Cali' Callahan, a 'rad' teenage runaway, knows everyone in Venice beach. Because of this, he becomes the go-to guy for private investigators searching the area. Cali succeeds- until he's hired to find a gorgeous teenage girl and he realizes he doesn't know who to trust.
This was alright! Very fun and interesting, with vibrant characters. Really crazy towards the end!
The characters! Loved the characters! They were vibrant and loveable. Each one had a good side and a bad side and sometimes you had no idea which was which. The characters were the best part I think.
His lifestyle was also really rad of course.
I liked how it dealt more with the 'street people'. They were portrayed well, not like they are usually thought of.
Cover's good. Alright.
Doesn't reflect a lot as he doesn't have a VW van and he looks different.
Somewhat shallow and something lacking... the voice was amazing for the first paragraph but it got lost. However, I think that makes it great for reluctant readers.
Honestly, I would recommend this to someone who doesn't read a lot. A teenage guy (or girl who's not picky about if it's a romance or not!) who likes a mystery, a thrill, and a little bit of beach sand thrown in would enjoy this.
(read as an Advanced Reading Copy)
This review was published on School Library Journal.
June 16, 2014
Meh. The Prince of Venice is a novel that didn't really leave me feeling a lot of anything. It's not a bad book, it just didn't really hook me in any special way. I also found I felt some unresolve after finishing the novel. The last two chapters have a sudden twist in the plot and I don't feel that the aftermath of the situation was thoroughly handled. It was a life altering event for the main character and we need to see him deal with the consequences and involve as a character and human being. However, if I were to recommend this novel to anyone I would say pre-teen boys who are looking to get into a little stronger reading. The themes and characters could be appealing to young men and this novel makes for a good transitionary work from juvenile to teen reading.
June 1, 2017
I started this book when I was in Santa Monica, California. It was interesting to be reading a book about the area I was visiting. The book had an interesting concept but the actual story was rather disappointing. The plot was slow. The characters were not dynamic and instead rather stereotypical. I was also disappointed with the narrative. The book was narrated by Cali, a homeless runaway teen, but it didn't have much personality. There were feeble attempts to give the book a bit of voice, but these overall failed. For the most part the book was merely "I said this..." "Then this happened..." "I felt this..." Overall it seemed like a juvenile diary.
The ending was slightly more interesting but highly predictable.
The ending was slightly more interesting but highly predictable.
November 20, 2017
Considering that I got it for $1 at the Dollar Tree, it wasn’t all that bad. Is it really well written and all the fancy stuff you would expect from some highly acclaimed book? No. But it was a light read that at least kept me interested. Life on the streets is tough, but he’s lucky enough to have a shelter to sleep in and friends that try to take care of each other no matter what (aren’t those what’s really important?). Certainly not a waste of money in my opinion. I wouldn’t have spent the list price of $18 on it, but I rarely buy books full price- I have a stock pile of bargain books that I find and save. I’ll never have the time to finish them all and so far, I’ve lucked out!
September 2, 2014
I really liked this book since I go to venice beach a lot and it is easy to see all the the things this book talked about. The book was spot-on with the description of Venice beach, California. The main character, Cali, was a great guy, and fit the role of a private detective in a way you would never imagine. My favorite character was actually Jojo, and my favorite scene was when Jojo gave away his fresh pair of $240 Jordans to another guy for a pair of spongebob shoes. This book was a really great book because it showed how a kid got back on his feet and did something with his life.
December 12, 2016
It was a book that I could relate to.
March 26, 2014
Read for review.
March 11, 2020
Author of “Paranoid Park”, Blake Nelson released “The Prince of Venice Beach”, a young adult mystery, in 2014. This story highlights the life of the homeless teenagers in California through adventure and mysteries.
Robert Callahan, better known as Cali, is a runaway orphan from the Midwest. He spends his days living in Venice, in a hippie woman, named Hope’s backyard tree house. He spends his days riding his skateboard along the city and boardwalk, and shooting hoops with his other street friends. But one day, his life gets a little more interesting. He is approached by a private investigator, looking for someone named Mugs. When Cali does eventually find Mugs, he is rewarded with lots of cash, and approached with another job opportunity. Cali finds he is good at this sort of investigation thing, and decides he wants to do it for a living. With his street smarts, he helps find runaways along the pacific coast. Until one, Reese Abernathy, turns up missing, and Cali is assigned to the case. Then danger ensues.
In “The Prince of Venice Beach”, Nelson portrays the naiveness of Cali, and how some people just purely cannot be helped. While reading this book, I learned that not every story has a happy ending. Cali was trying to be the good guy, helping solve mysteries and always saving the day. But he soon learned that not all cases are about “good and bad”. Things in life can get complicated and messed up, and he learns that through tragedy. The entire book is carefree, uplifting, a very good read. Then with the ending twist, it flips the whole world around and shows that sometimes unexpected, and unfair things happen in real life, as well as this story. It is relatable, because after something bad happens, to cope humans usually distract themselves doing the things they love. And that is exactly what Cali does, he has to move on and go back to basketball, skating around on his board, and enjoying the California atmosphere. Nelson also does a great job of illustrating California itself, because I have been there many times and could picture myself there again.
Would I recommend it? Yes. Nelson does an excellent job of keeping the readers interest. The story winds through ups and downs of mystery, through Cali having a new assigned runaway to track down, and then giving us the rush of questioning how he’ll find them next. Then finally the high of finding them and completing his job, starting all over with a new assignment. Nelson always finds new and intriguing ways to introduce characters, and their own internal/external struggle. His narration and symbolism of the California weather mirroring the events to come are a nice touch to the entire read. If you are someone interested in a mystery novel with it's ups and downs of problem solving and adventure, “The Prince of Venice Beach” is the book for you.
Robert Callahan, better known as Cali, is a runaway orphan from the Midwest. He spends his days living in Venice, in a hippie woman, named Hope’s backyard tree house. He spends his days riding his skateboard along the city and boardwalk, and shooting hoops with his other street friends. But one day, his life gets a little more interesting. He is approached by a private investigator, looking for someone named Mugs. When Cali does eventually find Mugs, he is rewarded with lots of cash, and approached with another job opportunity. Cali finds he is good at this sort of investigation thing, and decides he wants to do it for a living. With his street smarts, he helps find runaways along the pacific coast. Until one, Reese Abernathy, turns up missing, and Cali is assigned to the case. Then danger ensues.
In “The Prince of Venice Beach”, Nelson portrays the naiveness of Cali, and how some people just purely cannot be helped. While reading this book, I learned that not every story has a happy ending. Cali was trying to be the good guy, helping solve mysteries and always saving the day. But he soon learned that not all cases are about “good and bad”. Things in life can get complicated and messed up, and he learns that through tragedy. The entire book is carefree, uplifting, a very good read. Then with the ending twist, it flips the whole world around and shows that sometimes unexpected, and unfair things happen in real life, as well as this story. It is relatable, because after something bad happens, to cope humans usually distract themselves doing the things they love. And that is exactly what Cali does, he has to move on and go back to basketball, skating around on his board, and enjoying the California atmosphere. Nelson also does a great job of illustrating California itself, because I have been there many times and could picture myself there again.
Would I recommend it? Yes. Nelson does an excellent job of keeping the readers interest. The story winds through ups and downs of mystery, through Cali having a new assigned runaway to track down, and then giving us the rush of questioning how he’ll find them next. Then finally the high of finding them and completing his job, starting all over with a new assignment. Nelson always finds new and intriguing ways to introduce characters, and their own internal/external struggle. His narration and symbolism of the California weather mirroring the events to come are a nice touch to the entire read. If you are someone interested in a mystery novel with it's ups and downs of problem solving and adventure, “The Prince of Venice Beach” is the book for you.
April 17, 2018
“He finds people who don’t want to be found.” The Prince of Venice Beach was a great book, and I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. I would give it this because it has lots of action, emotion, and hard decisions that have to be made. When it talks about Cali’s life as a runaway it makes it seem like everything’s always fun, and you never have any problems. This isn’t very realistic, but it does make a very good story. It is also interesting, and surprising to see how the main character, Cali, turns his life around. The only thing that I would change is the end of the book, for me it was too sad, but then forgotten about more quickly then it should’ve.
The setting is in Venice and Santa Monica California. This is where Cali lives, and where he hangs out. He plays basketball with his friends every morning against new people from different places. He started off finding people when a few years ago he found a bike thief. After that the person he worked for referred him to some other people, the he was getting multiple cases. In this book he ended up solving three. It felt like his first two cases were just to show the reader how it worked. The bulk of the story was about the rich and beautiful Reese Abernathy. She was convicted her dad was trying to hurt her, and would do anything to stay hidden. When Cali was put on this job he knew it would be tough, but eventually she found him. She convinced him do do something that would put him in an awkward position.
Cali is the main character, and his story isn’t very realistic, but it’s what makes the story good. He ran away from “home” when he was 14, and is now 17 and is living in a nice ladies tree house in her back yard. Both his parents died, and he was put into foster care, but didn’t like it so he ran away. He wants be a private investigator with his friend Ailis. The start to form a business. The other main character is Reese. Her dad is getting closer to locating her but the day, and Reese feels the need to run away. She was majorly effected by the death of her mom, and wanted to run away to start a new life, but she can’t with her dad and all of his other people trying to track her down. The were also many other important characters in this story, but they aren’t in this review.
I overall lovers this book, and wish they would make a sequel, even though there isn’t one. It wasn’t very realistic, but it was packed with action, and suspense. I would read this book again, because they jumped right into the private investigator stuff so fast, it almost got confusing. I would reread it so I could understand what was happening more, and pick up on some of the details I didn’t see the first time I read it.
The setting is in Venice and Santa Monica California. This is where Cali lives, and where he hangs out. He plays basketball with his friends every morning against new people from different places. He started off finding people when a few years ago he found a bike thief. After that the person he worked for referred him to some other people, the he was getting multiple cases. In this book he ended up solving three. It felt like his first two cases were just to show the reader how it worked. The bulk of the story was about the rich and beautiful Reese Abernathy. She was convicted her dad was trying to hurt her, and would do anything to stay hidden. When Cali was put on this job he knew it would be tough, but eventually she found him. She convinced him do do something that would put him in an awkward position.
Cali is the main character, and his story isn’t very realistic, but it’s what makes the story good. He ran away from “home” when he was 14, and is now 17 and is living in a nice ladies tree house in her back yard. Both his parents died, and he was put into foster care, but didn’t like it so he ran away. He wants be a private investigator with his friend Ailis. The start to form a business. The other main character is Reese. Her dad is getting closer to locating her but the day, and Reese feels the need to run away. She was majorly effected by the death of her mom, and wanted to run away to start a new life, but she can’t with her dad and all of his other people trying to track her down. The were also many other important characters in this story, but they aren’t in this review.
I overall lovers this book, and wish they would make a sequel, even though there isn’t one. It wasn’t very realistic, but it was packed with action, and suspense. I would read this book again, because they jumped right into the private investigator stuff so fast, it almost got confusing. I would reread it so I could understand what was happening more, and pick up on some of the details I didn’t see the first time I read it.
July 9, 2019
So, I'm a little conflicted on this one. *Some spoilers ahead.
I liked it. Coming in at 240 pages its a short book, but it was also a quick read. The writing style was very easy and simple, witch went well with the tone of the MC's (Cali) voice. I also enjoyed the characters. I think the author did well with creating all the different characters he did to go along with the concept of this book. Characters with different backgrounds and personalities. It's also a pretty light read.
I think that's where the confliction starts. I enjoyed the lightness of the book, but I'm not sure how I feel about the portrayal of being a homeless kid in this book for YA. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't shy away from or forgoes mentioning the hardships that comes along with being homeless. However, Cali's situation (which was not always so good as is mentioned) is kind of like the "ideal scenario" for being homeless. Witch sounds completely awful I know, but is true.
He lives in a tree house in the backyard of a nice woman, Hope. He gets to use her computer, washer & dryer, microwave, etc. He's able take showers at the beach using the outside showers. It's mentioned briefly that one of his friend's sisters reguraley gives him bags of oranges. So he's not starving. And he happened to cross paths with a detective whom he was able to help out who is no sending other jobs his way.
I could picture in my head a kid imagining that this is how its going to be if he/she ran off. Now again, its not all dolled up and pretty. More realistic views and living is mentioned throughout the book in conjunction with other characters. but the one you're reading about is Cali.
As someone who isn't in the YA age range anymore who still reads the genre, its something that I had to think about and consider. So that's where I am at. I liked it, but...
I liked it. Coming in at 240 pages its a short book, but it was also a quick read. The writing style was very easy and simple, witch went well with the tone of the MC's (Cali) voice. I also enjoyed the characters. I think the author did well with creating all the different characters he did to go along with the concept of this book. Characters with different backgrounds and personalities. It's also a pretty light read.
I think that's where the confliction starts. I enjoyed the lightness of the book, but I'm not sure how I feel about the portrayal of being a homeless kid in this book for YA. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't shy away from or forgoes mentioning the hardships that comes along with being homeless. However, Cali's situation (which was not always so good as is mentioned) is kind of like the "ideal scenario" for being homeless. Witch sounds completely awful I know, but is true.
He lives in a tree house in the backyard of a nice woman, Hope. He gets to use her computer, washer & dryer, microwave, etc. He's able take showers at the beach using the outside showers. It's mentioned briefly that one of his friend's sisters reguraley gives him bags of oranges. So he's not starving. And he happened to cross paths with a detective whom he was able to help out who is no sending other jobs his way.
I could picture in my head a kid imagining that this is how its going to be if he/she ran off. Now again, its not all dolled up and pretty. More realistic views and living is mentioned throughout the book in conjunction with other characters. but the one you're reading about is Cali.
As someone who isn't in the YA age range anymore who still reads the genre, its something that I had to think about and consider. So that's where I am at. I liked it, but...
July 9, 2022
8 years later and finally giving this a try...
That was nonchalantly...intense.
I really liked it!
Cali is a sweetheart and i really like Ailis.
I read some reviews before, and honestly, since this was from the perspective of Cali and with the voices of the people he lived around or ran into, I had no problem with the female portrayal, the homeless portrayal, or even the 'police drop all charges if he comes to help out a situation'. Ok the last one is a bit unrealistic, i feel like there would be more consequences after everything, but the police using him, as a friend of the person in trouble made sense to me.
And the open ending was satisfying in a way even though we have no idea how life will go for all the kids we met. Homelessness isn't glorified. But taking money from random strangers is and I'm definitely concerned for the future cases...
That was nonchalantly...intense.
I really liked it!
Cali is a sweetheart and i really like Ailis.
I read some reviews before, and honestly, since this was from the perspective of Cali and with the voices of the people he lived around or ran into, I had no problem with the female portrayal, the homeless portrayal, or even the 'police drop all charges if he comes to help out a situation'. Ok the last one is a bit unrealistic, i feel like there would be more consequences after everything, but the police using him, as a friend of the person in trouble made sense to me.
And the open ending was satisfying in a way even though we have no idea how life will go for all the kids we met. Homelessness isn't glorified. But taking money from random strangers is and I'm definitely concerned for the future cases...
January 21, 2023
I honestly don’t know what I thought of this book. The plot was amazing. I was on my toes the whole time and didn’t ever know what was coming next. However, someone needs to teach this author how to write, because he writes like a third grader being forced to turn in an assignment they didn’t put any effort into. It’s been a long time since i’ve truly hated an authors writing style, but here we are. I mean, this book could have been heart wrenching and sad in some parts where there was literally no emotion written at all. But the story line was really good, and I said about halfway through the book, if it has a good ending, i’ll give it 3 stars but if it has a bad ending i’ll give it 2 stars. The ending definitely gave it that third star.
May 23, 2019
This book showed an interesting twist on what many people tend to overlook- homeless teenagers. Cali, the main character goes into the private investagator buisness, and I believe he is the best person for the job, since no one ever expects Cali to have that job. There are various parts to the job that was seen through Blake Nelson's writing. I think the author showed an interesting twist and creative idea in his writing. I would reccommend this book to those who like a straight plot, not many things changing. My critique is that Blake Nelson could have added more plot twists to the writing, at times it can get a bit boring, but overall, it is a well thought out idea.
January 12, 2022
I picked this book up at the local Dollar Tree. A book for $1. Why not?
I didn't have very high expectations. And maybe that's the best way to approach this book, because I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.
Now I am not gonna pretend that this is a masterpiece, but for $1 I was completely entertained from the first page to the last.
This story evolves from genre to genre, and tone to tone, seamlessly.
It's a coming of age detective thriller drama adventure that is at times hilarious, and at other times heartbreaking.
I don't know what else to say except that if the author wrote/writes a second book with this main character, I would happily pay more than $1 for it.
I didn't have very high expectations. And maybe that's the best way to approach this book, because I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.
Now I am not gonna pretend that this is a masterpiece, but for $1 I was completely entertained from the first page to the last.
This story evolves from genre to genre, and tone to tone, seamlessly.
It's a coming of age detective thriller drama adventure that is at times hilarious, and at other times heartbreaking.
I don't know what else to say except that if the author wrote/writes a second book with this main character, I would happily pay more than $1 for it.
July 26, 2016
Two-second recap:
In The Prince of Venice Beach, Blake Nelson crafts an elegantly written teenaged noir story that will have readers wishing they too were also living on the streets of Venice, exploring with Cali and his friends.
***
Intro:
Confession time: I was initially drawn to The Prince of Venice Beach because the cover and the setting intrigued me.
However, once I began reading, I realized that Blake Nelson - a writer I had actually been unfamiliar with - had crafted an intriguing, thoughtful story that will get all readers, especially reluctant ones, very excited to read.
***
Things that worked:
Characterizations:
Robert "Cali" Callahan is one of the most engaging narrators that I've read in contemporary fiction in quite some time. He has a no-holds barred attitude to his life on the streets, but he shares his experiences and observations in a way that will make the reader realize that this is also a young man with an insatiable curiosity for life.
Even when Cali runs into obstacles, he approaches them with a degree of teenaged optimism and bluntness - a certain awkward date comes to mind - that will engage readers, and make them root for him, regardless of what he's doing.
There are a number of memorable and well-drawn secondary characters as well. Even though many of these characters come in and out of Cali's story, I definitely think that they leave their mark on both Cali and the reader.
Writing/Plotting:
One of the biggest strengths of The Prince of Venice Beach, is how subtly Nelson incorporates Cali's coming-of-age story. When we first meet him, Cali's a fairly ordinary - if not innately talented - teen living on the streets of Venice Beach.
However, as the story progresses and Cali is drawn into his missing teenager case, we begin to see how the people that he meet and the encounters that he has, begin to influence his dreams and aspirations. Cali begins to hope for something different and concrete for his future, a desire which is beautifully emphasized by Nelson's careful attention to the writing, plotting and dialogue.
The way that Cali goes about gradually achieving his objective is just straight out aspiring, as well. Nelson makes it clear that for Cali and people like Cali, it's never too late to achieve what you aspire to be. Where there's a will, there is most definitely a way.
The mystery/noir:
The heart of The Prince of Venice Beach involves a mystery that leads Cali all over Southern California. Much of the mystery appears to be inspired by classic noir - more on this later - and Nelson definitely takes his cue from classic noir structures, while also making the mystery his own.
The romance angle:
There are several romantic interests spread out throughout The Prince of Venice Beach, from primary to secondary characters. It not only adds to the mystery aspect of the book - see Things to Consider - but it's also a pretty poignant reminder that these teenagers, as careless and fun, as their street life may seem at times, are still young men and women who are starting to get comfortable with relationships and the opposite sex.
The ending:
I've seen several reviews mention that they thought the ending felt a bit rushed or too neatly tied together, but I actually think it works very well with Cali's character arc. There is a sense of undefined possibility to Cali's future, which I think falls very much in line with the realization of hoped-for goals and ambitions that he has developed throughout the course of the book.
(For anything more detailed than that, you'll have to read the book!)
***
Things to consider:
On addressing homeless issues:
I actually didn't think about this until I read someone else's review, but Nelson neither glamorizes or criticizes what it is to live on the streets. Instead, Nelson has Cali reflect very pragmatically on the necessary street smarts needed to survive this kind of life, while also admitting that it's not always easy, nor is it always permanent.
I think this very unique look into the teenaged homeless dilemma will inspire a lot of interesting questions between educators, parents and younger readers - e.g. what it means to live on the street; why kids end up the street and why some voluntarily choose that life.
Paying homage to the mystery/noir genre:
While I think The Prince of Venice Beach definitely stands on its own merits, I would recommend that any readers who are interested in doing so, familiarize themselves with the noir and mystery genres before they read this book.
Many of Blake's characters - e.g. the mysterious and beautiful Reese - are classic examples of mystery/noir characters, and familiarity with those genres will only enrich a person's reading experience.
(This is totally a personal preference though. :] )
***
Final verdict:
The Prince of Venice Beach was one of those books where everything felt like it fit together effortlessly. Blake Nelson's writing is as smooth as a freshly paved road - you'll get this reference, once you read the book ! - as he brings us alongside Cali and his ingenious crew of friends, as they struggle to find out who they are and who they want to be.
I definitely recommend this for fans of YA contemporary fiction and mystery fans, but also for reluctant readers. This is one of those tales that is so subtly engaging, you'll have reluctant readers beginning and finishing this book, before they've even realized it!
In The Prince of Venice Beach, Blake Nelson crafts an elegantly written teenaged noir story that will have readers wishing they too were also living on the streets of Venice, exploring with Cali and his friends.
***
Intro:
Confession time: I was initially drawn to The Prince of Venice Beach because the cover and the setting intrigued me.
However, once I began reading, I realized that Blake Nelson - a writer I had actually been unfamiliar with - had crafted an intriguing, thoughtful story that will get all readers, especially reluctant ones, very excited to read.
***
Things that worked:
Characterizations:
Robert "Cali" Callahan is one of the most engaging narrators that I've read in contemporary fiction in quite some time. He has a no-holds barred attitude to his life on the streets, but he shares his experiences and observations in a way that will make the reader realize that this is also a young man with an insatiable curiosity for life.
Even when Cali runs into obstacles, he approaches them with a degree of teenaged optimism and bluntness - a certain awkward date comes to mind - that will engage readers, and make them root for him, regardless of what he's doing.
There are a number of memorable and well-drawn secondary characters as well. Even though many of these characters come in and out of Cali's story, I definitely think that they leave their mark on both Cali and the reader.
Writing/Plotting:
One of the biggest strengths of The Prince of Venice Beach, is how subtly Nelson incorporates Cali's coming-of-age story. When we first meet him, Cali's a fairly ordinary - if not innately talented - teen living on the streets of Venice Beach.
However, as the story progresses and Cali is drawn into his missing teenager case, we begin to see how the people that he meet and the encounters that he has, begin to influence his dreams and aspirations. Cali begins to hope for something different and concrete for his future, a desire which is beautifully emphasized by Nelson's careful attention to the writing, plotting and dialogue.
The way that Cali goes about gradually achieving his objective is just straight out aspiring, as well. Nelson makes it clear that for Cali and people like Cali, it's never too late to achieve what you aspire to be. Where there's a will, there is most definitely a way.
The mystery/noir:
The heart of The Prince of Venice Beach involves a mystery that leads Cali all over Southern California. Much of the mystery appears to be inspired by classic noir - more on this later - and Nelson definitely takes his cue from classic noir structures, while also making the mystery his own.
The romance angle:
There are several romantic interests spread out throughout The Prince of Venice Beach, from primary to secondary characters. It not only adds to the mystery aspect of the book - see Things to Consider - but it's also a pretty poignant reminder that these teenagers, as careless and fun, as their street life may seem at times, are still young men and women who are starting to get comfortable with relationships and the opposite sex.
The ending:
I've seen several reviews mention that they thought the ending felt a bit rushed or too neatly tied together, but I actually think it works very well with Cali's character arc. There is a sense of undefined possibility to Cali's future, which I think falls very much in line with the realization of hoped-for goals and ambitions that he has developed throughout the course of the book.
(For anything more detailed than that, you'll have to read the book!)
***
Things to consider:
On addressing homeless issues:
I actually didn't think about this until I read someone else's review, but Nelson neither glamorizes or criticizes what it is to live on the streets. Instead, Nelson has Cali reflect very pragmatically on the necessary street smarts needed to survive this kind of life, while also admitting that it's not always easy, nor is it always permanent.
I think this very unique look into the teenaged homeless dilemma will inspire a lot of interesting questions between educators, parents and younger readers - e.g. what it means to live on the street; why kids end up the street and why some voluntarily choose that life.
Paying homage to the mystery/noir genre:
While I think The Prince of Venice Beach definitely stands on its own merits, I would recommend that any readers who are interested in doing so, familiarize themselves with the noir and mystery genres before they read this book.
Many of Blake's characters - e.g. the mysterious and beautiful Reese - are classic examples of mystery/noir characters, and familiarity with those genres will only enrich a person's reading experience.
(This is totally a personal preference though. :] )
***
Final verdict:
The Prince of Venice Beach was one of those books where everything felt like it fit together effortlessly. Blake Nelson's writing is as smooth as a freshly paved road - you'll get this reference, once you read the book ! - as he brings us alongside Cali and his ingenious crew of friends, as they struggle to find out who they are and who they want to be.
I definitely recommend this for fans of YA contemporary fiction and mystery fans, but also for reluctant readers. This is one of those tales that is so subtly engaging, you'll have reluctant readers beginning and finishing this book, before they've even realized it!
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