The short stories in this book illustrate the doomed lives of young people whose situations are dictated by social conditions. The setting of the stories is Queens, New York City, during the 1980s signifying a poverty-stricken environment during the time. The characters in these short stories are strategically ambitious but social conditions pose a challenge to those determinations. The author, Victor LaValle, explores the bad experiences during childhood in violent streets and lays bare the inevitability of situations in these settings. Upbringing in this kind of environment can lead to crimes, mental illness, drug abuse, and prostitution due to peer pressure and influence.
LaValle employs dialogue style in most of these stories to provide realism and make them vivid to draw the attention of readers. The book presents characters of minority communities and low-income to make the narratives as original as possible. Low-income areas are subjugated with cases of prostitution and mental health issues. For instance, in the story of “Slave,” the protagonist, Rob, was subjected to prostitution at an early age due to neglect by parents. Negligence and poor childhood upbringing are common among low-income families. The love stories of young men in these areas are dramatic and end up in tragedies.
The book explores the theme of love and tension to convey the message of desperate livelihoods experienced by young people in low-income areas. Society can define and shape the behaviors of people. Settings can influence social constructs in society and obstruct the general progress of an individual. In the story of “Ghost Story,” the main character, Sammy, is unable to get access to good medication for his mental illness. Sammy feels isolated and alienated by a community that should be taking care of him. Vulnerability to bad influence in low-income settings is common.
