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audreychamaine's review against another edition
2.0
Eddie lives in Fresno, the poor part of town. He is surrounded by poverty and crime, a wasteland of gangs and derelicts. Eddie’s been forced to drop out of vocational school and spends each day looking for a way to make some money, whether it be painting street numbers or digging ditches. After his cousin is senselessly killed, Eddie’s aunt pressures him to seek out the killer and return the favor. Eddie is also being stocked by his cousin’s vato best friend. Eddie needs to find a way out of Fresno if he is ever to escape the gang violence and bitter tang of onions buried deep below the ground.
This novel is bleak and gives no satisfying ending. The story will feel true to many teens who live with gang violence. Others may be frustrated by the long string of bad luck that seems to haunt Eddie and the lack of resolution at the closure of the book.
This novel is bleak and gives no satisfying ending. The story will feel true to many teens who live with gang violence. Others may be frustrated by the long string of bad luck that seems to haunt Eddie and the lack of resolution at the closure of the book.
zbartley's review against another edition
4.0
Soto writes with an excellent, poetic style. Great characters (but, seriously, that kid on the trike was a bitch).
tiredcath's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
duffypratt's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure why I'm putting this on the children's shelf. If I had discovered the book differently, I doubt it would have occurred to me that this is a YA book.
The book is bleak, unrelenting, and beautifully written. In the first person, the narrator's language at times seems too lofty for his character, but it works. The narrator is a 19 year old fuck-up in Fresno, CA. He was smart enough to get into college, but dropped out. Earlier in life he was more interested in sniffing glue, inhaling spray paint, and hanging out on the fringe of very violent gangs. Now he's too old for any of that, but he doesn't have anything else to look forward to. Instead, he eeks out a living by spray painting house numbers on curbs, and doing odd jobs for people if he can persuade them to let him work for them. He lives in a squalid apartment, and is taking to thinking of the roaches as his "homies"
Violent death has surrounded him. His first cousin was stabbed, and everyone he knows seems to expect him to kill someone in revenge, though no-one knows who did the stabbing. That doesn't seem to matter all that much, so long as someone dies for it. There are a bunch of people who say they know who did it, but its pretty clear that none of them can be trusted, and even if they could be trusted, their knowledge is suspect.
The narrator tries to make things better for himself, but its one step forward and three steps back. He wants to get out of his world, but can't seem to find a way. And at the same time he's afraid to leave the only life he's known. Trapped, it seems like a violent end is the only way out for him.
And yes, in the midst of all this despair, there is some beautiful writing and some good characterization.
The book is bleak, unrelenting, and beautifully written. In the first person, the narrator's language at times seems too lofty for his character, but it works. The narrator is a 19 year old fuck-up in Fresno, CA. He was smart enough to get into college, but dropped out. Earlier in life he was more interested in sniffing glue, inhaling spray paint, and hanging out on the fringe of very violent gangs. Now he's too old for any of that, but he doesn't have anything else to look forward to. Instead, he eeks out a living by spray painting house numbers on curbs, and doing odd jobs for people if he can persuade them to let him work for them. He lives in a squalid apartment, and is taking to thinking of the roaches as his "homies"
Violent death has surrounded him. His first cousin was stabbed, and everyone he knows seems to expect him to kill someone in revenge, though no-one knows who did the stabbing. That doesn't seem to matter all that much, so long as someone dies for it. There are a bunch of people who say they know who did it, but its pretty clear that none of them can be trusted, and even if they could be trusted, their knowledge is suspect.
The narrator tries to make things better for himself, but its one step forward and three steps back. He wants to get out of his world, but can't seem to find a way. And at the same time he's afraid to leave the only life he's known. Trapped, it seems like a violent end is the only way out for him.
And yes, in the midst of all this despair, there is some beautiful writing and some good characterization.
ebook_em's review
2.0
I didn't like it. I thought it was depressing and dark, with no real opportunities for analysis or connection to compensate for the bland writing style and dreary content.
lizhok's review
3.0
While this book wasn't my favorite story-wise, Eddie definitely was an endearing character. All he was looking for was a better life, and all he got was pushed further and further down. I liked the hope that Eddie kept having, because every kid's going to have hard times--maybe not in the same way Eddie does (gang violence) but at least after reading this, they can have some hope too.
heretherebewhales's review
5.0
Gorgeous, albeit bleak writing, vivid characters, and so many motifs and symbols to chew on. Really enjoyed this one.
somanybooksineedmoretime's review against another edition
3.0
Method: audiobook
Rating: 3/5 stars
Drama: 4/5
Thoughts: Very interesting read - I was shocked I hadn't read this before..