Alberto's gun and money give him prestige and respect in the neighborhood, and his determination to keep Sonny out of it tests their friendship. But when Alberto disappears, Sonny's way is cleared, and he no longer has anything to lose.

While the events depicted here are horrific, author Matt Whyman does keep the reader at some emotional distance. Ordinarily this would be a criticism, but here it's more like praise. Readers will be disturbed enough without having emotionally identified with Sonny and Alberto. These are characters with a miserable present and no future, and middle-class considerations of basic decency and morality have no place in their world. A little distance is a good thing. But the book will still have a powerful impact on your kids, and they may have more questions than you are prepared to answer.