My rating: 4/5 stars
This is an incredibly moving novella in flash about growing up impoverished, mixed race and with young, turbulent parents in New York state. Told through the voice of a young boy, this is an uncomfortable read, with each page full of trauma and stolen innocence. The paired-back language and viewpoint make this bearable, but even so, something dark and sexual lurks in the shadows, sometimes more visible, sometimes less, but always there. This culminates at the climax as we see the fallout of all this built-up trauma.
Lose Yourself Books 