This book immediately appealed to me because of its cover - an American landscape of desert and mountains, reflected in a car mirror, slightly blurred with movement. It's a short novel, gritty, real and tough. It's told in the first person, narrated by a teenage boy, whose father has won a bitter custody battle for him and his brother. They move from Kansas to Albuquerque. Their violent, addicted father runs the household with menace and regular absences, the boys struggle to manage, but survive. This is a powerful portrait of American masculinity, violence and resilience. It's a pretty uncomfortable read, but has grace and power.