"One might think Knowles isn't creating but channeling the adolescent
mind. A fascinating study of misperceptions, consequences, and the teen
condition." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Thanks to a bully in gym class, unpopular Nate suffers a broken
finger--the middle one, splinted to flip off the world. It won't be the
last time a middle finger is raised as ten voices speak loud and clear
about the complex dance that is life in a small town. They resonate in a
gritty and unflinching portrayal of a day like any other, with ordinary
traumas, heartbreak, and revenge. But as on any given day, the line
where presentation and perception meet is a tenuous one, hard to
discern. Unless, of course, one looks a little closer--and reads between
the lines.