Dodgers: A Novel
Apr 2016 · Crown
4.2star
11 reviewsreport
eBook
304
Pages
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About this eBook
Dodgers is a dark, unforgettable coming-of-age journey that recalls the very best of Richard Price, Denis Johnson, and J.D. Salinger.
It is the story of a young LA gang member named East, who is sent by his uncle along with some other teenage boys—including East's hothead younger brother—to kill a key witness hiding out in Wisconsin. The journey takes East out of a city he's never left and into an America that is entirely alien to him, ultimately forcing him to grapple with his place in the world and decide what kind of man he wants to become.
Written in stark and unforgettable prose and featuring an array of surprising and memorable characters rendered with empathy and wit, Dodgers heralds the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.
Winner of the LA TIMES Book Prize of 2017 for Best Mystery/Thriller
Winner of the CWA Goldsboro Gold Dagger 2016 for Best Crime Novel of the Year
Winner of the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger 2016 for Best Debut Crime Novel
Winner of the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award
Finalist for the PEN/Heminghway Award 2017 for Debut Fiction
Longlisted for Andrew Carnegie Medal 2017 for Excellence in Fiction
Nominated for the Edgar Award 2017 for Best First Novel
It is the story of a young LA gang member named East, who is sent by his uncle along with some other teenage boys—including East's hothead younger brother—to kill a key witness hiding out in Wisconsin. The journey takes East out of a city he's never left and into an America that is entirely alien to him, ultimately forcing him to grapple with his place in the world and decide what kind of man he wants to become.
Written in stark and unforgettable prose and featuring an array of surprising and memorable characters rendered with empathy and wit, Dodgers heralds the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.
Winner of the LA TIMES Book Prize of 2017 for Best Mystery/Thriller
Winner of the CWA Goldsboro Gold Dagger 2016 for Best Crime Novel of the Year
Winner of the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger 2016 for Best Debut Crime Novel
Winner of the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award
Finalist for the PEN/Heminghway Award 2017 for Debut Fiction
Longlisted for Andrew Carnegie Medal 2017 for Excellence in Fiction
Nominated for the Edgar Award 2017 for Best First Novel
Ratings and reviews
4.2
11 reviews
vera book reviews and stuff BeBe
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27 August 2016
Author Bill Beverly has created a gritty raw novel in Dodgers. This book will take you on a roller coaster ride through gangland and average America. It will educate you in gang dynamics and mentality. DODGERS, CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT: First I must say, author Bill Beverly created a dark and vibrant story-line in Dodgers. As a result, I found myself shivering as East revealed his thoughts and ethics in a world I did not understand and which horrified me. His writing style is clear, concise, and informative. Mr. Beverly's characters are gritty, dark, and real. Also, the plotting was suburb as Mr. Beverly wove this tale of murder and mayhem. As a result, this book is not for the faint of heart as it depicts gangland heart realistically. There are many twists and turns in this story as we follow East on a journey of revelation and discovery. Furthermore, I found the character development was progressive throughout the book. Although Dodgers was not my cup of tea, it was skillfully and solidly written by an up and coming author. I could not put my finger on the reason this book did not appeal to me, perhaps because it depicts a culture which is foreign to me. Consequently, Dodgers made me uncomfortable. Good literature should make the reader uncomfortable enough to wiggle and squirm; it should also make the reader think. This is one of those books. In concluding the review of Dodgers, I found Mr. Beverly's writing style skillful, his descriptions clear, and his story-line intriguing. This is a well constructed novel of gangs, violence, and attitudes. As a result, it opens up an unfamiliar world to average America. DODGERS, RECOMMENDATION: 4.5 STARS In conclusion, I found this a well written solid novel. Due to violence and general content, I would recommend this book for young adults and adults. Final Note: I received this book from Blogging for Books and the author in return for an honest book review. All book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; consequently, all book reviews on line and on my blog under my name are my opinion.
Karyn Miller
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12 August 2016
Good book. Well written filled with beautiful prose. A hard life......hard lessons
Kimberly Frazier
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4 January 2018
Wonderfully written...intense, shocking, and suspenseful.
About the author
BILL BEVERLY grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and studied at Oberlin College and the University of Florida. His research on criminal fugitives and the stories surrounding them became the book On the Lam: Narratives of Flight in J. Edgar Hoover's America. He teaches American literature and writing at Trinity University in Washington, DC.
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