 |
Joey's eighteenth birthday ruins his bright, all-American future. After a romantic afternoon with his girlfriend, Mallory, an out-of-control bonfire with friends ends with a police chase and a night in jail with gang members. Joey is accused of raping Mallory, shooting at cops, and working with a gang. Instead of agreeing to a plea deal, Joey chooses to fight for his innocence in court. And he keeps fighting even after his sentence is served.
Joey's determined spirit carries this novel's nonstop action. Its three parts display how his upbringing, the tests of prison, and mature resolve result in a climactic plan in which he risks everything. With Joey's coming-of-age birthday, complete with teen banter, raucous exchanges, and set against Y2K, the full-of-potential start to the novel is an immediate, charismatic draw ripe for an abrupt turn. Joey's friends twist the tale of the evening to save themselves. But Joey's father, Dutch, teaches him "stand up" behavior, shown through Dutch's decisiveness and the narrative's straight-shooting, quick, and episodic approach.
The novel reads like a play, with the characters' own words, particularly in court scenes, conveying most of the action. Joey's tenderness and candidness toward Mallory convincingly set him apart from his mates' brash talk and lack of sportsmanship. Visually captivating attention to people's appearance and references to 1990s pop culture enhances the stark Arizona scenery depicted.
The second part zeroes in on Joey's transformation in prison, pared down to a rustic, zen-like existence, reflected in tightened prose, and prepares a laser-focused ending. A threat to Joey's family's business sends him into planning mode. With succinct sentences matching his orderly strategy, the novel comes to a gripping close in which Joey confronts seedy businessmen as well as Mallory. Celebrating the hard work of maintaining human dignity, this is a fiery story of just rewards.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review