The voices of his characters are real, individual and ring raw and true. Volponi also weaves music through the story as well as choices. Take that tension and place it under even more pressure and you have this book which magnificently captures the racial divide during the crisis, the dire situation people found themselves surviving in, and yet also the hope, the community and the strength of people. It is taut with the tensions between a teen son and his father even before Katrina arrives. My synopsis above barely scratches the surface of this novel.
I saw this on several best books of the year lists and had to try it. As the situation deteriorates and gangs of thugs appear in the Superdome, Miles and his family must decide whether to just take care of themselves or to risk themselves to help strangers. They spend the length of the storm there, in stifling heat, among crowds of people, and with broken toilet facilities and little food and water. He and his father, a jazz musician who often pays more attention to his music than his son, and his uncle try to drive out of New Orleans before the storm but when their car breaks down they are forced to head to the Superdome. Miles has been living with his father for a few months in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits.
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