The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Alexander, Kwame. Solo. Blink, 2017.

Written entirely in verse, Alexander’s novel is divided into two parts that reflect its primary settings. The story is told from the first-person narrative perspective of 17-year-old Blade Morrison: Hollywood and Africa. As the son of an internationally famous rock star named Rutherford, Blade struggles to escape the toxic influence of his narcissistic father. After witnessing Rutherford continuously relapse despite countless bouts of rehab, Blade doubts that Rutherford will ever achieve sobriety and struggle to forgive him for the toll his addiction has taken on Blade and his sister, Storm. This resentment intensifies when Rutherford upstages Blade during his high-school commencement speech. The pair reaches a breaking point after Rutherford reprimands Blade for failing to defend Storm against criticism from her ex-boyfriend Van DeWish. In the heat of their argument, Storm reveals that Blade was adopted. Shocked and desperate for answers, Blade searches for his biological mother and discovers that she is a missionary named Lucy living in Ghana, Africa.

Before Blade departs on a journey to find Lucy, he decides to tattoo the name Chapel onto his bicep. Chapel is Blade’s girlfriend and the daughter of a Christian reverend. Her parents are prejudiced against Blade because they assume Blade lives a lifestyle plagued by drugs and promiscuity like his father. They even forbid Chapel from associating with Blade and threaten to call the police when they discover Blade and Chapel meeting secretly in their home. Despite these warnings, Blade visits Chapel one final time before his trip to show her the tattoo he received in her honor. As he enters her backyard, Blade discovers Chapel kissing Van DeWish. Heartbroken and betrayed, Blade returns home and destroys the priceless Van Halen Frankenstrat guitar that Rutherford gifted him. He finally realizes that the malicious spider who chased Blade in his recurring dreams was Chapel.

Upon arriving in Ghana, Blade meets a young woman named Joy who introduces him to the village of Konko and arranges for a private guide to escort Blade to his mother. Instantly charmed by Joy, the village, and a child named Sia, Blade hardly minds when torrential rains repeatedly delay his trip to meet Lucy. A few days into his trip, Rutherford, his band, and a camera crew arrive in Konko without warning to document Blade reuniting with his mother. Though initially livid with Rutherford for invading Konko and exploiting its people, Blade grows more accepting of Rutherford as he develops meaningful relationships with the citizens of Konko, funds a dormitory for their school, and perseveres through his withdrawal symptoms. Soon after Blade finally meets Lucy and discovers her tragic motivation for surrendering him to Rutherford and his now-deceased wife for adoption, Sia dies of malaria. Racked with sorrow, Rutherford and Blade lead a funeral procession for Sia guided by music. Blade concludes the ritual by singing Solo, a song that tributes Sia, his family, and his friends. The novel ends with Blade acknowledging that he was the spider from his nightmares all along and finally resolving to face himself.