Rating: 
Summary: Real Philly Streets and Tragedy
Review: Absolutely the way it is. Lopez fused a reporter's eye with a novelists' soul and artistry with no small success. Somewhat awkward stylistically- it feels like a new form- but very slightly diminshed. This is a page turner, a shocker and a fine story.
Realistic art and tragedy- a slam dunk.
Rating:
Summary: Real Philly Streets and Tragedy
Review: Absolutely the way it is. Lopez fused a reporter's eye with a novelists' soul and artistry with no small success. Somewhat awkward stylistically- it feels like a new form- but very slightly diminshed. This is a page turner, a shocker and a fine story.
Realistic art and tragedy- a slam dunk.
Rating: 
Summary: Touching and Powerful
Review: Being a kid myself, about Gabriel's age, I found this book absolutely riveting and couldn't put it down until the last page. Although I've never experienced the Philly scene, because I'm from a small town, I really felt the atmosphere of the danger and "survival of the fittest" there. Steve Lopez did an excellent job of communicating to the world the trap young kids can get caught in, where it starts out as fine, but then you keep getting deeper and deeper until you don't know how you got in the first play. The book is tough, yet soft, and I found myself crying at the end... it's a must read book!
Rating:
Summary: A heart-wrenching, eye opener of reality for our youth.
Review: I admit I am not an intellectually well read person, but I have never been so moved by a novel. I am a transplant to Philly and have lived here for a decade. I will never forget this book. By the time it ended, I felt I was living in this world. It made me realize the importance of our children in this world and what we should do to protect their vulnerabilty. It was an eye opener for me to see how easy it is to make a fatal wrong turn. This book will wake you up to reality in our cities. Months after I have read this novel, I still have moments of reflection when I am near this part of town. I wonder how many other children are in the same shoes as Gabriel. Thank you Steve Lopez for this experience.
Rating:
Summary: Steve Lopez is the best when it comes to creating characters
Review: I am from Philadelphia and I loved this book although I did not feel it gave the reader a true feel of how good Philly is. Steve Lopez is an excellent author who can write a character so well you feel as though they are a real person. This story is intense and keeps your interest going. I love Philly, and I felt like Lopez made the city look worse then it really is. The story takes place in the North Philly area of Kensington, which in real life is a horrible part of the city, but there are not tons of people dying there each day as Lopez writes. Also there are so many good things about the city that Lopez leaves out, that he creates the atmosphere that Philly is a depressing place to live in. All cities have serious drug and crime problems, many worse than Philadelphia and I felt that Lopez doesn't show that. I still give this book five stars because it is so well written and has amazing characters. I believe the story sounds much better with the gritty atmosphere he creates. Lopez is an amazing write and I recommend you read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Aneamia and the blind eye
Review: I read this book like a year or two ago. Sometimes I pick up the book and the next thing you know I'm on the 3rd chapter reading the whole book again. I thought this book was real good and the description are very clear and easy to picture. I even had both of my brothers to read the book to. At one point my brother and I went around the places that this book took place. Third and Indiana would definatly stay in my mind. P.S. If I could I would give this book more than 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: 3rd and Indiana
Review: I REALLY LOVED THE BOOK! I JUST THINK THE ENDING SHOULD HAVE
BEEN DIFFERENT. I THINK GABRIEL SHOULD HAVE SURVIVED. SO THAT
HE COULD HAVE SEEN HIS MOTHER, MARISOL, AND EDDIE AGAIN, AND
THEN THEY WOULD MOVE AWAY. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS O.K.. I
ESPECIALLY LIKED THE PARK WHEN GABRIEL SETS UP DIABLO, AND THEN
EDDIE BEATS UP DIABLO AT THE END.
Rating:
Summary: THIRD AND INDIANA
Review: I think that Third and Indiana is a good book. it is about life of Gabriel a boy who runs away from home and becomes a drug dealer for Diablo. In the end Gabriel wants out and Diablo goes after him and finds him kills him.In the end I think that Diablo should die and Gabriel should live
Rating:
Summary: A completely new explanation for urban decay.
Review: I thought this work was excellent. The style was plain, and at times Lopez's choice of words is boring, but the characters he has created, and the atmosphere that surrounds those characters, is nothing short of astounding. I found myself saying, "So that's how it is." over and over as I see the image of men like Diablo ruining families with his toughness, greed, and rage. The idea that places like North Philly exist because a few men have entire communities afraid, offers me some hope that perhaps we can turn our nations cities around. Great job Mr. Lopez!
Rating:
Summary: Aneamia and the blind eye
Review: Steve Lopez paints the most accurate picture of Philadelphia's Kensington section I have ever read. There is no way to candy-coat the truth, but you can depict it with truth, in hopes of bringing some sensativity to the issues. Lopez's portraits are tight and clear. If anyone reading this story is not moved by Ofelia Santoro's search for her son, night after night, I don't know what that person would be affected by. Equally compelling are all of the portrayals of the characters in the story. I, unfortuately, know many of the families of Kensington in circumstances like the Santoros-- and worse! This book is certainly Pulitzer material.
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