Now you may be thinking this is all way over the top, but the reality is, for all too many urban poor, this is how their lives can play out. Regardless, Mr. Burkett’s story telling skills are up to the task, so that you never think or feel that he has pushed the realism envelope too far.  Moreover, all of the bloodshed and death is only the starting point for what turns into a story about love and the decisions Claude must make in moving forward. 

And perhaps his single biggest decision is what his relationship with Kelly will be. Kelly is the girl who he has practically grown up with. And from their days of eating cereal as young kids together to high school, she has always been a part of his life. With the death of so many around him, Kelly, and her mother Mrs. Brown, are the only real constants left in his life...the only people trying to hold on to him and keep him from following a path that will no doubt mean an early death for him.  But despite the bond between them, and a growing love, Kelly may not be enough for Claude, and Claude might not be enough for Kelly. 

To Mr. Burkett’s credit, while this is ultimately a love story, it’s not a love story that plays out with the promise of Claude and Kelly living happily ever after. Even as their relationship grows, it is challenged time and again by the realities of life for a young man who has lost so much so quickly.

 
This book will draw you in, and even if you think you know where it’s going, it keeps you turning the pages.