Young Junius

Chapter after cliff-hanging chapter, "Young Junius" tells the bloody tale of one day in the life of 14 year old corner-boy Junius Ponds. But this one isn't like any other day.

Angered and confused by the murder of his drug-slinging brother, Junius ends up in the middle of a violent turf war and has to fight to survive and learn how to become a man real fast.

Though it might've been better trimmed down to 350 pages, this book is a fast-paced, action-packed roller-coaster ride of youthful bravado and gang-land brutality!

If you judge from the first few chapters, you'll think this story of revenge and duplicity will end up with less graphic violence than it finally does. But it is the suspense that is the most punishing aspect of this novel. The characters are drawn with economic strokes and you start to discover to your dismay that you are able to identify in some way with their desperate lives.

My (lengthy) opinion on this book is up at http://kateofmind.blogspot.com/