For a novel that is so concisely written, it took some time to emotionally process. Written from the point of view of a younger brother in his adolescence, growing up with his older brother and an abusive, drug-addict father, the reader gets a visceral insight into the family's highs and lows.

"One of the Boys" honestly reflects the thought process of a young boy trapped in an abusive relationship, as well as his slow realization of the emotional manipulation he has been experiencing his whole life.

The ending could have been better developed, and felt a bit unfair to both the main character and the reader given the weightiness of the hardships endured throughout the novel, but it is still definitely worth picking up.