The Firefly’s Strain by Eric Felizardo

Genre: Literary Fiction

Star Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

Introduction

The Firefly’s Strain, is literary fiction set in 1983 Brooklyn. It centers on a surrogate father–daughter relationship and explores themes of grief, found family, moral responsibility, and redemption. While there are boxing elements, it is a character-driven story rather than a sports novel.

My Review

The Firefly’s Strain is a quiet, emotionally grounded novel that lingers rather than dazzles. It’s the kind of story that unfolds patiently, asking you to pay attention to small gestures, moral choices, and the slow forming of trust. Subtle, sincere, and deeply humane, it’s a book that values emotional truth over spectacle.

What I Liked

The emotional restraint is what makes this book work so well. The central surrogate father daughter relationship is written with sensitivity and care, avoiding sentimentality while still allowing genuine tenderness to surface. Love here is expressed through responsibility, consistency, and showing up when it matters.

The 1980s Brooklyn setting feels textured and authentic. It’s not romanticized, but lived in. The boxing element adds an interesting layer not as action, but as metaphor discipline, endurance, and survival. It complements the emotional arc rather than competing with it.

There’s also a refreshing honesty in how the novel handles redemption. Growth isn’t dramatic or neatly resolved. It’s slow, imperfect, and deeply human, which gives the story its emotional credibility.

What Could Be Better

At times, the pacing leans heavily into introspection. While the reflective tone is one of the book’s strengths, there are moments where the narrative could have pushed forward just a bit more, allowing certain scenes or conversations to fully crest.

Some secondary characters feel slightly underexplored, as though they’re hovering just beyond the spotlight. A little more development there could have added depth and contrast to the central relationship.

Final Thoughts

The Firefly’s Strain is a novel that trusts subtlety and emotional intelligence. It doesn’t chase drama or easy catharsis. Instead, it honors quiet bonds, moral responsibility, and the complicated beauty of chosen family.

I’m giving this four point five stars for its restraint, its grounded sense of place, and its respect for the reader. This is a book for those who appreciate character driven fiction and stories that reveal themselves slowly, thoughtfully, and with care.

A steady, reflective read that stays with you long after the final page.