 |
Three friends in Trinidad, Colorado, grew up hearing the stories and legends of friends and family who gained notoriety in town. Ben, Bill, and the protagonist are young, pre-teen boys who attempt to establish their own notoriety so that they can become the next generation of legends in town.
Each chapter of the novel focuses on a different escapade that the trio carries out, whether it's something innocent like chewing on a piece of gum during class or maybe something a little more naughty, like drinking leftover wine from Mass. The boys start to gather a reputation and are almost always seen as the suspects in situations gone wrong, like an almost-ruined wedding. But not every mishap that seems to happen in Trinidad is due to ill intent. Sometimes it's curiosity at work, like the protagonist's fascination with insects.
The author writes from the point of view of an unnamed protagonist, giving readers a firsthand experience of the thrill or the misfortune of adventure-seeking in the boys' everyday lives. The trio is influenced by various characters, from pop culture favorites like Superman to local hometown stories about Father Ziccardi to even historical figures like Billy the Kid. The boys chase the highs and excitement of life through their curious and sometimes mischievous adventures, although each escapade is not without its lesson. The novel celebrates the boys' spirit of adventure and curiosity, pushing the limits of what they can and cannot get away with. Overall, Caputo's book is a novel that fondly looks back on youth.