"Believe me, nothing is more unsettling in this world than a kid with a gun." That's what the boss says whenever he introduces me to people. I've never found myself on the wrong side of a piece, not for real. Then again, I suppose you could say I'm the kind of kid people fear.
Shorty and Alberto are more than best friends. They're blood brothers, both about to turn thirteen, running wild on the streets of Medellin, Colombia.
In this troubled South American city, guns speak louder than words. A killing can be bought for next to nothing here, with kids hired to do the dirty work. So when Alberto comes to the attention of a gangland boss, Shorty is left to kick at the dirt and reflect on his lot in life.
Lost without his buddy, Shorty begins to yearn for some purpose, affection and respect of his own - even when Alberto goes missing.
"This is a fierce, strange and beautiful book, with an unswerving gaze on a terrifying tale. It gives a genuinely human face to a world we would rather dismiss as merely brutal, where the choice is destruction or self-destruction. It captures with great honesty the way weapons can empower those with no hope, and how there can still remain a kind of pride in oneself, even when every door to the future has been closed in your face. Bold, chilling and beautifully written. It left an ache behind. - Melvin Burgess, author of 'Bloodtide' and the young adult novel, 'Lady: My Life As A Bitch'.
