Steve Harmon never thought he'd be in jail awaiting trial for murder at the age of sixteen, but here he is. He was just meant to tell the others if the store was clear. He didn't give them any sort of signal, wasn't in the store during the premeditated robbery and subsequent murder, so why is he here? He can't take the screams, the cries, the constant threat of sexual advances, the blatant hostility that surround him every day.
In an effort to stay sane, keep a clear head and get all of the facts straight, Steve decides to write his story as if it were a movie. Complete with stage directions, dialogue and things left unsaid, Steve takes readers through the court proceedings with as little bias as possible. Between big chunks of script, he gives readers diary entries that show just how scared he is.
It's an interesting depiction of the "courtroom drama" book. The formatting made it a quick read, but it wasn't necessarily my favorite book. I felt like I could have turned on the history or discovery channel and watch this book unfold in a gang special. I did think it was different to see it from a scared 16-year-old's perspective, though. I thought that it really sort of captured his voice which was nice. The formatting was definitely a nice change of pace, though.
If you didn't read this in middle or high school, I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, but if you want something different, this would be a nice change.
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