All Involved by Ryan Gattis
New York, NY : Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2016.
372 p. ; 21 cm.
Gattis' novel won an Alex Award this year, an award recognizing books published for adults which have a high appeal for young adult readers.
All Involved is a powerful read and the author's site for the book is a good place to go for links to some of the history behind the novel.
I can see why Gattis' book won an Alex Award, but I would definitely note that the content is very mature. Set in the lawless, violent days of the LA upheaval (riot? insurrection? uprising?) the novel is gritty, violent, vulgar and disturbing. However, it is hard to imagine a book about the LA Riots of 1992 that would be able to avoid some very upsetting and graphic episodes. What makes this novel exceptional its use of seventeen interconnected 1st person narratives that tell the story of six days of unrest that followed the acquittal of police officers unknowingly filmed as they savagely beat Rodney King nearly to death. In this novel we see gangs settling old scores, sweeping in innocent and not-so-innocent people with savage violence and betrayal. We also see the humanity of people working to save the injured, the dying and buildings that have been set ablaze.
I found this a compelling read, even if somewhat demoralizing. It is a book that would appeal to students who are interested in urban violence, gang life and extreme situations - think Rodriguez's Always Running or Reymundo Sanchez' Once a King - and, like those books, it is one that is for mature readers.
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