About the Author:
Adam Rapp is an accomplished playwright. He has received the Herbert and Patricia Brodkin Scholarship and Boston's Elliot Norton Award, and his work was short-listed for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. His works have appeared at the Edge Theater in New York City, the Arcola Theatre in London, and at theaters in Pittsburgh and Chicago. His first feature film, Winter Passing, which he wrote and directed, was released in 2005. Mr. Rapp lives in New York City.
Review:
* Rapp (Missing the Piano, 1994) writes in earthy but adept language in this dark and stirring novel. --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
In Sura's world, a patch is a cell, a square is a cigarette, and time is measured in clicks, for the time it takes the guard to make his rounds clicking his stick on a post. The juvenile detention center where Sura lives has its own language, rules, and routines. Sura, incarcerated for "clipping hoodies" (stealing hood ornaments), can beat the other juvies in any foot race, so he has his own standing. His patchmate, Coly Jo, isn't as lucky and faces constant bullying from both the juvies and the guards. Shockingly ignorant about some things but observant and very smart about others, Sura unearths buried memories through counseling without ever giving his therapist the satisfaction of knowing he has broken through. The creative, at times poetic, use of language is challenging, demanding that readers become immersed in the richly realized, dark look at an American subculture. The tension-filled plot will also draw in readers and maintain their interest throughout. Although the characters here are a little younger than in Rapp's first book, Missing the Piano (1994), this novel explores some of the same compelling themes. --Booklist
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