This is a mean, nasty book about four bad kids, who, in the course of recovering a stolen bike, steal a pound of meth, getting in over their heads with some even worse people. That gang, the Arroyo brothers, is run by an even worse guy, Geezer, who (despite his comic affliction–what’s the word? Aphids? Asia? Aphasia!!) is one of the scariest characters in recent memory. There’s someone even Geezer is afraid of tho, and that’s the father of a couple of the bad kids.

The level of violence here justifies the cover blurb by Stephen King. The dialog is spot on, profane, nasty. The characters work, even if we only side with some of them coz they’re just kids The story’s escalating badness builds momentum, as it explores the past. I couldn’t put it down, but I wanted to shower when I finished.

Nasty. --John

From ICPL Staff Picks Blog