All Involved by Ryan Gattis
Harper Collins, 2015 (Audiobook)
Set in 1992 Los Angeles at the time of the South Central riots following the Rodney King trial verdict, All Involved takes place over six days in the Lynwood neighborhood, and centers on a gang’s exploitation of the window of lawlessness provided by the breakdown in police control in order to shake up the hierarchy.
There are 17 narrators, who each tell a piece of an overall story, centering around the Hispanic gang of Big Fate and his acolytes. Many of the 17 are members of, or associated with, Big Fate’s click, but there is also a Hispanic nurse, a Korean high schooler, a Croatian firefighter, and an off the record Black law enforcer. Each one provides a snapshot of few hours on one of the six days and each individual appears only once. The remarkably clever plotting allows them to drive the narrative forward adding in texture and depth, while touching, sometimes only briefly, on the lives and fates of the other characters.
I listened to this over the course of a couple of weeks, and the use of multiple readers really enhanced the experience. Though there is a lot of gang lingo and some Spanish phrases (both of which are in a glossary in the book), the narrative flows easily, and the distinctly written characters are quickly established. It pains me to find myself caring about people who kill without apparent conscience, but I did, and wanted to know what was going to happen to them beyond the book.
All Involved won an Alex Award, given to books “written for adults that have special appeal to young adults” and, as the majority of the characters are shockingly young, this is a perfect fit for older teens who enjoy fast-moving, intricately plotted novels, as well as those interested in recent social history.
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