Point of View

The novel is told in the first person point-of-view from the perspective of Tristan Strong, a thirteen-year-old African American boy who recently lost his best friend in a bus accident. The use of the first person perspective allows the reader into the energetic and anxious mindset of a young man grappling with loss and steel as issues of self-discovery. Tristan struggles with the pressure of upholding the family legacy and becoming a famous boxer like his dad and granddad; at the same time, he has a secret nerdy, artsy side, that he feels like no one but his Nana and his dead best friend, Eddie, understand. Tristan likes to box, but he also likes to tell stories. The first person view allows the reader into the complex psychology of a young man who feels pulled in different directions in life, and who must find a...