Publisher: St. Martin's GriffinOn Sale Date: January 17th 2017
Pages: 304
Age Range: Young Adult
Gretchen Ascher has experienced quite a traumatic incident. Late at night after her work in a restaurant she was attacked and robbed. It took just ninety seconds for her attacker to pull her to the ground. It was due to a car that drove by the attacker got scared and run away. And now Gretchen's life has changed forever. But then she meets Phoenix..
Phoenix Flores-Flores is living in the USA now, but is originally from El Salvador, where he and his brother escaped the dangerous gang situation they where almost slugged into against their will. Months after he and his brother crossed the Mexican-American border to, hopefully, safety, he has now a foster home with two women in Atlanta. He isn't a bad guy at all, though he stumbles upon quite some difficulties. He helps in a community garden and house building project, but later on in the story when it is known where he comes from, people try to avoid him because they think he can be dangerous. Just because someone spread some bad false rumours. But he also meets Gretchen there. And she really makes him feel at home in Atlanta.oenix can't believe a girl like Gretchen want to be his friend when everyone else around seems so suspicious of him. He likes her right away but knows that she's off limits. She a pretty, white American girl, and he's an ex-gang member soon to be shipped off to South America. It would be impractical for them to fall in love. But when has that ever stopped anyone?
This book is absolutely amazing! I don't know exactly why, but the last few years I really like stories where the main of one of the main characters is from South or Central America. So this one was accidentally the right pick as I didn't read the synopsis beforehand. I loved the romance between Gretchen and Phoenix! It was so realistic and also very cute! I also loved the final part of the book, when Phoenix's brother Ari has to appear in court. Ari is so traumatized that he lost he has gone mute. But Ari is great in making very detailed and lively drawings, which the judge approves as a way to hear what Ari has to say. This was very original, and the drawings where just a great addition to the already outstanding book! Highly recommend to read The Radius of Us!!
