This is a powerful and important book and a must read. It begins with an incident that results in the death of a young black man, who was shot by a random white man. The entire story is told from multiple POV, which allows the author to show how much the witnesses' accounts can differ. More importantly, in my opinion, it shows how everyone is affected differently following such a tragedy.

In the other reviews, some people feel that the language was too harsh. I didn't feel that way at all. This is a tragic story that happens in a rough neighborhood. The book wouldn't have had the same impact if it had not included cuss words, gang rituals, abuse and drug use. Also, some did not like the many characters and their alternating narration. I did have some trouble distinguishing each character in the beginning because the narrator alternates so quickly, but there were enough clues provided to sort out who was who.

Fair warning: There are many conflicting versions of the shooting and the character of the victim. Do not expect a neat, tidy conclusion.