What do you think?
Rate this book
Cross Roads
Southern Pines, North Carolina, is supposed to be a place where you can raise your children and not worry about safety. That was true until single mother Dorothy and her two sons, Bobby and Johnny, have to abandon their hometown when death comes knocking on their door. In a quest to flee after her best friend and mother-in-law are murdered, Dorothy hastily relocates her kids from their beloved community in the south to the gang- and drug-infested streets of Bedford Stuyvesant, New York.Brooklyn breeds a new batch of worries as the younger son, Bobby, joins a vicious street gang. As Bobby struggles with the peer pressure of the ghetto—drug hustlers, prostitutes, gang violence, shootouts, and stabbings—his brother, Johnny, plans to kill the woman who gave him life. Cross Roads is a classic timepiece set in the 1950s but is reminiscent of modern times. Just as the Bishops and Chaplins fought for territory back then, Bloods and Crips wage the same wars in today's society. This inspiring coming-of-age story details how a young boy is forced to become a man while fighting for his life and the safety of his family.
Paperback
First published November 1, 2006
4 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 8, 2009
Unexplored Mysteries
Living in Southern Pines, North Carolina, the Jordan family is accustomed to a slower pace of living. An easy, friendly town where everyone knows everyone and everyone feels safe and secure. Over the course of one night, life for the Jordan family will make an abrupt change causing the two brothers, Johnny and Bobby, to experience loss, adaptation and one hasty move after another.
Uprooting from the serene quiet of Southern Pines, Bobby and Johnny are now reunited with their mother and living in Bed Sty, New York. Still uncertain about the circumstances of their departure, the brothers are simply trying to grow more comfortable with their new home, which is easier said than done since every time they turn around their mother has a new place for them. It appears that their mother is running from something. Could it be that she has not been completely honest with her sons?
Johnny, the older of the two brothers, enjoys drawing and going to school. He's trying to keep his younger brother out of the streets while concealing resentment towards their mother. Is Johnny able to mask his emotions?
Bobby, the younger more influential brother, has taken a liking to big city living. No matter how many times they move, Bobby finds himself either too friendly with the neighborhood thugs or on their bad side. Right away Bobby is inducted into a club, one that deals with alcohol, drugs and violence. As an ally, Bobby sees the good in being affiliated, but like all good things there is a bad part. What will it take to keep Bobby out of harm's way?
Cross Roads probes into the life of a teenager in the 1950's, properly laced with the vernacular, clothing and description of the times. Cross Roads illustrate how gangs, drugs and crime have plagued urban America for centuries. Though I enjoyed the easy feel to the novel and the positive outcome for our central character, I am still left with a ton of unanswered questions. Yet, I would enjoy reading something else from newcomer Carl Patterson.
Living in Southern Pines, North Carolina, the Jordan family is accustomed to a slower pace of living. An easy, friendly town where everyone knows everyone and everyone feels safe and secure. Over the course of one night, life for the Jordan family will make an abrupt change causing the two brothers, Johnny and Bobby, to experience loss, adaptation and one hasty move after another.
Uprooting from the serene quiet of Southern Pines, Bobby and Johnny are now reunited with their mother and living in Bed Sty, New York. Still uncertain about the circumstances of their departure, the brothers are simply trying to grow more comfortable with their new home, which is easier said than done since every time they turn around their mother has a new place for them. It appears that their mother is running from something. Could it be that she has not been completely honest with her sons?
Johnny, the older of the two brothers, enjoys drawing and going to school. He's trying to keep his younger brother out of the streets while concealing resentment towards their mother. Is Johnny able to mask his emotions?
Bobby, the younger more influential brother, has taken a liking to big city living. No matter how many times they move, Bobby finds himself either too friendly with the neighborhood thugs or on their bad side. Right away Bobby is inducted into a club, one that deals with alcohol, drugs and violence. As an ally, Bobby sees the good in being affiliated, but like all good things there is a bad part. What will it take to keep Bobby out of harm's way?
Cross Roads probes into the life of a teenager in the 1950's, properly laced with the vernacular, clothing and description of the times. Cross Roads illustrate how gangs, drugs and crime have plagued urban America for centuries. Though I enjoyed the easy feel to the novel and the positive outcome for our central character, I am still left with a ton of unanswered questions. Yet, I would enjoy reading something else from newcomer Carl Patterson.
Displaying 1 of 1 review