About the Book
Styled as entries in a worldly-wise fourteen-year-old's journal, this novel is a powerful coming-of-age story. Its literary predecessors include Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye, but the author here is treading on much darker terrain. He presents a depressing portrait of abused, abusive, hopeless teenagers of the nineties who are heavily in to drugs and touched by violence. But at his core, narrator STEVE JAMES is a vulnerable soul. This is what gives the material emotional resonance, in addition to shock value.
The writing is strong, compelling, extremely readable. The author has convincingly captured the voice of a disaffected adolescent. The conceit of the journal entries works well, especially as the stakes get higher and dramatic tension builds. The beginning of the book has a meandering quality, it is entertaining to read about the random events in Steve's life, but they don't necessarily cohere. After the tragic, accidental death of Steve's friend MIKE ROSS, the story gains momentum. The author effectively drives Steve toward a crisis point, and an inner transformation, without being heavy handed about it.