First published 2018
Carson Mastick stares at another senior year on the reservation. He dreams of forming a rock band and claiming victory at the local Battle of the Bands. The prize could change everything: a trip to New York City and a shot at something bigger. One problem. He has no band. Another problem. His brother lies in the hospital after confronting a racist restaurant owner. Meanwhile, Maggi Bokoni returns to reservation life after years in the city. She creates the same traditional artwork her family peddles to tourists, but she craves something more experimental. The reservation feels foreign now, and her family still treats her like a kid. Carson and Maggi team up with their friend Lewis to chase Carson's musical ambitions. They face community protests and family drama while discovering what it means to find your voice. Love complicates everything as Carson and Maggi navigate the space between tradition and change, between staying and leaving.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, small-town
Setting: New York City, Reservation
Period: Senior Year
432 pages · Hardcover · Arthur A. Levine Books