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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Gang violence and some brutal confrontations throughout
Language
Some
Some profanity throughout
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief sexual content in the teen coming-of-age register
Substance Use
A lot
Significant drug use — drug addiction is the novel's central moral issue
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Strong psychological content: the irrevocable nature of betrayal, the question of loyalty versus conscience, and the psychological cost of choosing differently than your closest person
What this book is about
Bryon and Mark have grown up like brothers, surviving by their wits on the margins of gang violence. As Bryon begins to mature and fall in love, questioning the life they've been living, Mark's escalating involvement with drugs creates an impossible choice. S.E. Hinton's follow-up to The Outsiders is darker and less redemptive, dealing with drug addiction and a moral betrayal that cannot be undone, told with the emotional honesty that defined her debut.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Drug addiction and its destructive effects throughout
A moral betrayal that cannot be undone — psychologically devastating
Reader Verification
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