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Takedown
A teen infiltrates a drug ring to settle a vendetta in this fast-paced novel from the author of Street Pharm and Snitch .
Darren took the fall for Diamond Tony, the notorious head of the city’s drug cartel. Two years later, Darren’s finally out of juvie—and determined to get even.
Working as an informant for the police, Darren infiltrates Diamond Tony’s operation. But falling for sweet, innocent Jessica was not part of that plan. She’s a distraction—and a liability. She’s also everything Darren dreamed about while he was locked up, and with her, he has the promise of a fresh start.
When a deadly turf war breaks out between Diamond Tony and the Bloods, Darren gets caught in the crossfire. The cops think he’s playing both sides, and any mistake could be his last. Darren has to stay on his game if he’s going to protect Jessica—and if he’s going to stay alive.
Darren took the fall for Diamond Tony, the notorious head of the city’s drug cartel. Two years later, Darren’s finally out of juvie—and determined to get even.
Working as an informant for the police, Darren infiltrates Diamond Tony’s operation. But falling for sweet, innocent Jessica was not part of that plan. She’s a distraction—and a liability. She’s also everything Darren dreamed about while he was locked up, and with her, he has the promise of a fresh start.
When a deadly turf war breaks out between Diamond Tony and the Bloods, Darren gets caught in the crossfire. The cops think he’s playing both sides, and any mistake could be his last. Darren has to stay on his game if he’s going to protect Jessica—and if he’s going to stay alive.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2013
66 people are currently reading
1208 people want to read
About the author
Allison van Diepen
10 books952 followersAllison van Diepen is the author of many teen novels, including Takedown, Street Pharm, Snitch, Raven, The Oracle of Dating, The Oracle Rebounds, and The Vampire Stalker. Her novels have been named ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers and New York City Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
Her latest is the heart-pounding ON THE EDGE series set in Miami. ON THE EDGE and LIGHT OF DAY are in stores now. The final installment is RUN THE RISK, due out in early 2017.
Her latest is the heart-pounding ON THE EDGE series set in Miami. ON THE EDGE and LIGHT OF DAY are in stores now. The final installment is RUN THE RISK, due out in early 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 16, 2016
Solid 3.5. I liked Snitch a bit better but this was still really good and my students will like it.
It does follow the lives of drug dealers, but it also has a theme of ethics needing to triumph over greed.
There are A LOT of characters, maybe too many, but most add some depth to the experience.
This is a fascinating yet harrowing life and the danger and likelihood of death is made very clear, which is very important in a book for teens.
It does follow the lives of drug dealers, but it also has a theme of ethics needing to triumph over greed.
There are A LOT of characters, maybe too many, but most add some depth to the experience.
This is a fascinating yet harrowing life and the danger and likelihood of death is made very clear, which is very important in a book for teens.
November 7, 2014
Its great because its about a kid who sells weed and been in juvie for 2 years but he's not a bad kid and will help the cops bring his crew down.
September 8, 2013
Earlier this year, we held our second annual Ottawa Blogger Meetup and we were pleasantly surprised to have a special guest visitor. Allison van Diepen is a local area author who writes YA novels. She really was a very delightful person to talk to and answered many of our questions about being an author and about the publishing world. I was pretty happy to get a copy of Takedown in my grab bag to read. Van Diepen shared that this novel was inspired by the television show The Wire. The novel centers on Darren, fresh out of juvie, is now a civilian informant with the police. Darren deals drugs for a pretty powerful dealer and feeds information to the police about their operation. Things get a little complicated when a turf war breaks out.
It took me a little while to get into this story because it's not something that I would typically read. That being said, this is the type of story that I usually watch on TV or in movies so once I did get into this story it didn't take me long to read it. I found myself wanting to more know more about that characters and what was going to happen next. I quite liked Darren as a character because while he is trying to do the right thing, he finds himself sucked into the world that he is living in. I think that this novel shows just how difficult it is to grow up in a neighbourhood like this and not get involved in illegal activity. It's sad that this dark underworld preys on children and gets them in and hooked before they really understand just how dangerous it is. It makes it very difficult to do the right thing and to keep your nose clean.
I have to admit that there were a couple things that bothered me a bit about the book. These are small things but things that bothered me nonetheless. I wished that the minor characters were a little more developed. I got little glimpses of the characters but felt like there was a whole lot more that could have been explored there. I also think that the ending got tied up fairly quickly. Again these are not things that made me dislike the story; in fact, I quite liked the story and would recommend it. I really like that this is a novel that would appeal to both male and female readers. Overall I give this a solid 3.5 stars.
It took me a little while to get into this story because it's not something that I would typically read. That being said, this is the type of story that I usually watch on TV or in movies so once I did get into this story it didn't take me long to read it. I found myself wanting to more know more about that characters and what was going to happen next. I quite liked Darren as a character because while he is trying to do the right thing, he finds himself sucked into the world that he is living in. I think that this novel shows just how difficult it is to grow up in a neighbourhood like this and not get involved in illegal activity. It's sad that this dark underworld preys on children and gets them in and hooked before they really understand just how dangerous it is. It makes it very difficult to do the right thing and to keep your nose clean.
I have to admit that there were a couple things that bothered me a bit about the book. These are small things but things that bothered me nonetheless. I wished that the minor characters were a little more developed. I got little glimpses of the characters but felt like there was a whole lot more that could have been explored there. I also think that the ending got tied up fairly quickly. Again these are not things that made me dislike the story; in fact, I quite liked the story and would recommend it. I really like that this is a novel that would appeal to both male and female readers. Overall I give this a solid 3.5 stars.
October 7, 2019
I really liked the book because overall it was a great book filled with a lot of mystery and action all throughout the book. Darren story is amazing after going through everything he did being involved in gang activity and one day he’s the only one who gets cushy spends two years in juvie and comes out determined to get even with the gang leader Tony. He ran a lot of risk joining back the gang and working with the cops and detectives giving them inside information it took him a lot of courage and determination to bring Tony down but he was determined and eventually completed his task. If I were in Darren’s shows I don’t think I would have been able to do everything he did because I know I will be running a lot of risks working for both sides and could easily be discovered any minute. The book has a lot of strengths but it also has some weakness some of the strengths of the book are how the story developed from beginning to end. Also how the characters changed throughout the story they started one way but ended very differently that is always fun to see when reading a book how everything a characters goes through changes them throughout the book. Other strengths of the book are the how the events are in sequence going from one event to another and each event led to the other. Some of the weaknesses of the book are how it starts it started with Darren getting out of jail right away then it jumps to the present time but then the author goes back to how it all started and how he got caught and ended up in jail then goes back to present time. The author did a lot of going back and forth in the beginning of the book but after a couple chapters she didn’t do that anymore and the story was more clear from there on. In the beginning of the book it was kind of confusing because you didn’t really know if she was talking present time or bringing something from the past. Other than that the book doesn’t really have any weaknesses it was a really good book with a lot of strengths. One goodreads reviewer said “I didn’t like the book as much because there wasn’t a lot going on in the book”. I disagree with this review because throughout the whole book there was a lot of going with Darren meeting with the detectives and then meeting with gang and with him working for both sides he was also busy and he had a lot to do with going to school and living with his family he always had to stay on top of his things or else he was gonna get caught and tony would kill him. I would recommend this book to a reader who likes to read about crime and mystery and pretty. Overall it was an intriguing book and very interesting and learned a lot about what it takes to bring down a drug cartel.
March 15, 2019
This is a great book, it’s about romance and action which can really get your blood pumping. This book remind me a lot as if I was watching a movie , because of how vivid the words are
September 26, 2013
I received an e-copy of this from Simon Pulse through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I immediately got hooked just from the first few pages of this book. I was able to immensely lost myself in the story until the end. It was pretty short so I read it in one sitting. But its length wasn't a hindrance for me not to enjoy it. Everything about this novel is compelling. The writing, the characters, and even the plot.
Darren is absolutely a reflection of a lot of people in our world right now. What made him stand out was his decision to make a change for the better. It takes a great amount of courage to stand up for what is right and for what is good. I really admire him for what he did especially he was in such a deadly position. He was actually playing with fire. Imagine that he was inside the enemy's den and not to mention that he was putting his family's life in danger. But his determinism to take down Diamond Tony was that evident. Yes, I was able to feel his hatred towards him. Who won't anyway? It's really disgusting to have a number of Diamond Tony in our world!
Just when you know you have your life planned out already, something or more often, someone will come along and change everything. Darren did his best to ignore Jessica. But he cannot deny his feelings for her and he knew that it was the same with her. I actually liked how their romance developed. It was somewhat rushed but not really rushed. Am I making sense? Hmm, it was that realistic for me that's why I felt how true their love was with each other. Even if I say that they're still high schoolers, they seemed to have such a deep connection.
Everything that happened that lead to busting Diamond Tony was pretty scary and realistic. Those moments may not be exactly the same in real life. But they sure do happen in some ways or another. It was scary for the fact that one moment, you're here and the next moment, you're not. There were moments here when I don't know what will happen just like in real life.
Allison's writing is really captivating. Her words have made their way to my heart and I know I won't be forgetting Darren's story.
I just want to point out the ending. It was pretty open-ended for me. I still hoped that Darren will choose a life that's best for Jessica and their families.
Takedown is a great contemporary novel that deals with drugs and how it is to live a life inside that business. It's captivating, realistic and scary all at once. You'll get to feel how it really is to be in a drug ring. Of course, there are a lot of lessons to learn.
Originally posted at The Bookish Confections
I immediately got hooked just from the first few pages of this book. I was able to immensely lost myself in the story until the end. It was pretty short so I read it in one sitting. But its length wasn't a hindrance for me not to enjoy it. Everything about this novel is compelling. The writing, the characters, and even the plot.
Darren is absolutely a reflection of a lot of people in our world right now. What made him stand out was his decision to make a change for the better. It takes a great amount of courage to stand up for what is right and for what is good. I really admire him for what he did especially he was in such a deadly position. He was actually playing with fire. Imagine that he was inside the enemy's den and not to mention that he was putting his family's life in danger. But his determinism to take down Diamond Tony was that evident. Yes, I was able to feel his hatred towards him. Who won't anyway? It's really disgusting to have a number of Diamond Tony in our world!
Just when you know you have your life planned out already, something or more often, someone will come along and change everything. Darren did his best to ignore Jessica. But he cannot deny his feelings for her and he knew that it was the same with her. I actually liked how their romance developed. It was somewhat rushed but not really rushed. Am I making sense? Hmm, it was that realistic for me that's why I felt how true their love was with each other. Even if I say that they're still high schoolers, they seemed to have such a deep connection.
Everything that happened that lead to busting Diamond Tony was pretty scary and realistic. Those moments may not be exactly the same in real life. But they sure do happen in some ways or another. It was scary for the fact that one moment, you're here and the next moment, you're not. There were moments here when I don't know what will happen just like in real life.
Allison's writing is really captivating. Her words have made their way to my heart and I know I won't be forgetting Darren's story.
I just want to point out the ending. It was pretty open-ended for me. I still hoped that Darren will choose a life that's best for Jessica and their families.
Takedown is a great contemporary novel that deals with drugs and how it is to live a life inside that business. It's captivating, realistic and scary all at once. You'll get to feel how it really is to be in a drug ring. Of course, there are a lot of lessons to learn.
Originally posted at The Bookish Confections
September 22, 2014
Sweet little book about drug runner in a gang who is determined to take down his own gang kingpin. It's kinda sorta unbelievable to me that a teen drug runner sips champagne in clubs with the big man Diamond Tony. It's even more crazy that his girlfriend from high school waits tables at Chaos, the gang's hot spot of choice. But whatever--Many teen patrons at my high school library, particularly reluctant readers, eat up the books of Allison Van Diepen and I know why. She writes simple, staight-up teen gangster tales that ring amazingly true.
March 24, 2014
Very interesting perspective and plot development,
very clearly and concisely written, without excess descriptions.
Attractive and enjoyable!
very clearly and concisely written, without excess descriptions.
Attractive and enjoyable!
January 4, 2018
Allison van Diepen; by far one of the greatest authors for youth readers. She is always making connections with young readers, as I am often one of those readers myself. Allison was able to grab my attention by the cover and the title of the novel. "Takedown," surrounded by a brass knuckle. You would be foolish to think just by the cover that the novel isn't gonna be intense and interesting. As I began Takedown, I noticed that the author began using the same approach for the main character. Darren who is the main character in the novel, is incorporated with all these amazing personality types, which is the same that of the main character in "Street Pharm," Ty Johnson. I noticed the way the author, Allison van Diepen, was able to make Darren seem bold, and cocky, yet at the same time be polite, chill and have a soft spot for the women, and not all women, but the ones they love. This is also just one of many similarities between the two novels that I found extremely interesting. As I progressed through the novel, I began to realize there were many connections that could be made between the two. Another thing that I enjoyed about this novel was the focus on genre. When reading Street Pharm, there were multiple genres and themes incorporated into one; not that I personally didn't enjoy it, however it was good to see a change of that in Takedown. Street Pharm contained genres of crime, thriller, drama, and romance, whereas Takedown mainly focused on the crime aspect. I also enjoyed the way the author made the novel seem as if it was a TV series. Basically, there was always a problems that was unsolved. I remember half-way into the novel, the main conflict was being resolved and I was extremely confused. The novel had nearly 300 pages, and I was currently on page 145, and the main conflict was being resolved, and I kept asking myself what are the other 100+ more pages for. That's when it hit me! Another conflict was starting to rise, and just any random conflict, a conflict building of the conflict that was just resolved. Hard to comprehend, I know, but believe me, it was enjoyable. An example could be a war, and you win the war, however your father is murdered in the process, and you can't live with it, so you decide to look for the murderer and avenge your father's death. That's exactly the kind of approach the novel took, and quite frankly, I enjoyed every moment of it. It made me seem as if I was watching television. This strongly caused me to engage with the novel, as I normally always engage with television. This pressured me to keep reading, to the point that after I was done reading this novel, I had to find another book written by the same author. Amazing! That was my exact reaction after realizing that the author had written many more novels similar to this one for me to connect with. Another interesting point about this novel, is that the way it was written. The novel was written quite graphically to the point, if I didn't know any better, I could argue that Allison van Diepen, the author, was writing this novel based of experience. This argument in my mind also caused to keep reading, and I would have to recommend this novel to anyone interested in reading.
January 21, 2018
The book Takedown is about a high school boy named Darren who had just gotten out of juvie, for taking the rap for Diamond Tony, A major drug lord in the area. Darren has been working for his operation, but now is working with the police to try to take down the whole operation. Darren's love for music motivates him to take down Tony. Darren keeps getting promoted higher in the rankings. Darren is a head lieutenant, and hes working with police to take down his boss. Darren soon meets a girl and his perspective of whats going on is being ignored by her. Darren's officer that he was working with gets shot, and Darren didn't know if that was a hint to stop from Tony or not. Van Diepen did a great job of giving Darren setbacks from solving the original conflict. That is why Darren is my favorite character. I would recommend reading this book if you like teenage conflicts. I would also recommend the book because its a great read and Van Diepen has you coming back for more. If I could rate this book I give it 5 stars because I have prior knowledge to the book itself, and when I was reading the book, I just Couldn't set the book down. It kept me wanting to read, and that is the overall goal for a book in my opinion.
May 22, 2020
I have read this book before but, to be honest, I had forgotten the storyline.
The author has written a series of these types of books. In fact, one of my favorites was "Pharma".
"Takedown" started off a little slow and you do have to suspend your disbelief a little bit. If you can do this, you will end up with a very entertaining story of bad boy, going good (or at least trying to).
The writing is very good - down to earth and easy to read. There are no "flowery" description and the author engrosses us in a different world. I am not sure about how realistic it all is, especially since our main character never seems to have to pay any consequences for the life he lives.
I do admire that our main character is fairly well detailed. I could have used a bit more info, but we were given enough to understand the backstory.
Entertaining and engrossing.
The author has written a series of these types of books. In fact, one of my favorites was "Pharma".
"Takedown" started off a little slow and you do have to suspend your disbelief a little bit. If you can do this, you will end up with a very entertaining story of bad boy, going good (or at least trying to).
The writing is very good - down to earth and easy to read. There are no "flowery" description and the author engrosses us in a different world. I am not sure about how realistic it all is, especially since our main character never seems to have to pay any consequences for the life he lives.
I do admire that our main character is fairly well detailed. I could have used a bit more info, but we were given enough to understand the backstory.
Entertaining and engrossing.
October 4, 2018
In this book the narrator is the main character which is Darren a high school basketball player. Darren had just got out of juvenile hall for taking the blame of the main leader in the gang. Darren is currently helping the city police by giving them information on the local gang to bust the leader and stop the drug percentage rise up. Darren had gave the police some good information on the gang and helped stop the drug dealers and their cruelty to the innocent people of the city. Darren is getting attached to a girl named Jessica whom he has had a crush on for a long time and is trying to protect her from the gangsters around them. Darren is almost done giving the police information and getting a little bit more money to help his family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2017
This book was very very good, it didn't necessarily leave you hanging but kept you intrigued. Darren showed a lot of motivation to take down Diamond Tony. The added twist of Jessica made the book so much better. The pace of the book was executed perfectly, made the book go by fast for me and I am a slow reader. The one thing I wasn't impressed with was the author made it seem as though Darren had little to no stress throughout the book. When in reality Darren would be extremely stressed with everything that is going on in his life at one time. Overall very very good book, probably one of my favorite books i have ever read. Highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those interested in action books or gang/drug related books. Me and Tyler Zellmer are in a book club for this book named "giveup." I am looking forward to reading more books by Allison Van Diepsen such as "Street Pharm" and "Snitch" Allison Van Diepsen will be a author i look for as I browse in the Library.
February 12, 2020
I think that Takedown is a great book overall mainly because it shows what life is like on both sides as an informant and a dealer. This book has a lot of important details which would make you want to keep the book in your hands all day. This book will have you in the setting lime you are seeing it all happening and you are Darren. This story has a little bit of a love story to it. Also a revenge story seeing that Darren had been but in juvie due to a set up. If you like or read the book's Snitch and Street Pharm you would def enjoy this book.
November 5, 2018
Revenge. It can sometimes hurt the people you love if you aren’t careful. Especially when the person you’re trying to get back is the big cartel leader. Darren knows that becoming the police informant while being in the cartel business can get him, and his family killed. Even the girl he is in love with. But he can’t just let Diamond Tony keep winning every time, someone must bring him down. And it must be him.
December 4, 2018
I loved this book. I think it wasn´t as good as street pharm but it still had my interest in the book all the way through. I think the ending could have been better because it wasn´t the way I had imagined it would be. I had never experienced a dull moment in the book while reading it. I had many favorite parts in the book but the shootout would probably be my all time favorite.
December 8, 2023
This book got mentioned to me a few times so I did end up reading it and I actually liked it :o)
For the story that the book is trying to tell it's pretty good, the book was written in a way where i read it pretty quickly which is good if I just read a big book.
I like how sweet the main character is, he's pretty cool 😌
For the story that the book is trying to tell it's pretty good, the book was written in a way where i read it pretty quickly which is good if I just read a big book.
I like how sweet the main character is, he's pretty cool 😌
October 2, 2017
This seems like a very interesting book. I didn't read all of it but it got my attention. I'd recommend this book to people who like to see big deal people go down. I liked the very few pages that I have read. The protagonist is smart and knows what he's doing.
February 2, 2018
I didn't like this book as much as her other books because there wasn't a lot going on in the book except for one part. Everything was just eh. Although, it wasn't all bad, it was interesting to see the raps in the book because they went along with the chapters.
October 10, 2019
I think that this was a great Book. Some parts of it had me curious about what was going to happen next with the main character, it really made me think deeper about this book and why the character was doing something that he wouldn't have done.
November 25, 2019
This book was the first book I completely read in a few months! I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and the fast paced action. I love Allison Diepen's writing! I can't wait to dive into her other books!
May 26, 2017
it was a great book and entertaining . action filled problem solving and all great plans in book
March 27, 2018
it was a good book i like the author because she is serious what she marcus was a bad boy and he went to juvie
May 13, 2019
This book is the best book I have read in my life so far just because of this book I want to read more. This book goes into detail of the characters life and I love it.
March 20, 2023
It’s a solid 3 star book. The events were somewhat interesting but the chapters are short and there is not much detail going on throughout.
March 6, 2025
I really liked this book
November 7, 2018
This book was okay not as good as the first one but if you are interested in suspense then this is the book to read and it’s also has to do with drama and the streets which isn’t such relatable to what’s going on today it’s still somewhat understandable but a huge Risk on life and for you an your love ones an Darren try’s to avoid it for the most part but don’t always work out towards the end
Read
February 6, 2015I chose this book from Mrs. Conner, the school's librarian, when she came in and did a book talk with the class. Right when she finished talking about the book, I ran up to get a copy because it caught my attention from the start. Hearing that it was about a boy in high school first got me listening because, just like every other book I've read, I try to find a book I can relate to. Some parts of this book made it very hard to relate to because of mainly what it was about, but some parts were easy to relate to.
From context clues, I can figure out that this story takes place in modern times. Maybe a few years back, but where Darren lives, things around him are updated to how they are today. The author doesn’t give a specific city where they live, but I have an idea that it’s not very safe to be in because of the people’s surroundings. It sounds very dangerous and risky to be there, but most of the people are probably used to it because that’s how they grew up. Now I’m not saying the city is a bad place to live in, I’m just saying from what the author tells us readers is that it has a few negatives to it. I’m sure besides the details, where Darren lives is very nice.
Darren, the main character, is facing both external conflict and internal conflict. He’s struggling with what he should do now after he just gets out of JDC. He wants to get revenge on Diamond Tony, but by doing that he puts himself and his family/friends in danger. He has help from the local police so that he can bring Diamond Tony down for good by the law, but he wants out of it for many reasons. One of them is so he can get his life straightened out, but another is because he met a girl named Jessica. He wants to be the best for her because he truly believes he deserves the best, but with him being in the city’s largest, most dangerous drug cartel, puts her in danger. He doesn’t want her to think of him as a bad kid, and he’s not, he’s just trying to do what he believes is right.
In all honestly, I think that Darren is a great kid. He knows right from wrong, he can stick up for himself, he’s caring because he cares a lot about everyone in his life. He’ll do anything he can to keep them all safe. Another thing, is that he wants the best for other people. Especially his little brother, Kiki. “Kiki’s first smiles, first steps, first words. I wasn't his dad, but I was the closest thing he’d ever have to one.” (van Diepen 100) When he was growing up, he didn't have anyone to really tell him what was right and what was wrong, even though he learned that after he got in trouble. What I think Darren is trying to do, is watch out for Kiki so he doesn’t get into the same crowd as he did. Although he loves to be around the people he loves, he’s very independent. Sometimes he wants to be by himself and do things on his own. That’s one thing I like about Darren, because I’m like that too so I can relate easily.
The message of this story is difficult. There could be many. One of them could be that you learn from your mistakes, but you shouldn't go back to making the same mistakes again. Darren doesn’t exactly follow that rule at the beginning, but eventually leans towards living by that rule when he realizes he has to get out of the cartel. Also, trying to figure out right from wrong because Darren has to decide what to do with his life now that he’s out of juvie. Should he try to get revenge, or leave it alone? He’s not very sure, and I don’t think he ever will be. He wants to please everyone and make sure everyone is happy, but not everyone can be. Lastly, I think a lesson is to stay on the right path. Making bad choices have several consequences. All physical, mental, and emotional consequences. You can really put not only yourself in danger, but others too.
I loved the book for many reasons. It kind of spoke to me on a different level than other books have. This book has made me realize what types of things are really out there and how dangerous they can be. It makes me think of how many times I've thought about making a bad choice, and knowing I made the best choice not to. The story also gives you a perspective on a “bad choice making kid” because you never really know what those kids are thinking. Darren’s thoughts are what this book is about, even though it’s said from third person. It’s crazy what kinds of things you don’t know about some people. This book was not only entertaining, but informative as well.
From context clues, I can figure out that this story takes place in modern times. Maybe a few years back, but where Darren lives, things around him are updated to how they are today. The author doesn’t give a specific city where they live, but I have an idea that it’s not very safe to be in because of the people’s surroundings. It sounds very dangerous and risky to be there, but most of the people are probably used to it because that’s how they grew up. Now I’m not saying the city is a bad place to live in, I’m just saying from what the author tells us readers is that it has a few negatives to it. I’m sure besides the details, where Darren lives is very nice.
Darren, the main character, is facing both external conflict and internal conflict. He’s struggling with what he should do now after he just gets out of JDC. He wants to get revenge on Diamond Tony, but by doing that he puts himself and his family/friends in danger. He has help from the local police so that he can bring Diamond Tony down for good by the law, but he wants out of it for many reasons. One of them is so he can get his life straightened out, but another is because he met a girl named Jessica. He wants to be the best for her because he truly believes he deserves the best, but with him being in the city’s largest, most dangerous drug cartel, puts her in danger. He doesn’t want her to think of him as a bad kid, and he’s not, he’s just trying to do what he believes is right.
In all honestly, I think that Darren is a great kid. He knows right from wrong, he can stick up for himself, he’s caring because he cares a lot about everyone in his life. He’ll do anything he can to keep them all safe. Another thing, is that he wants the best for other people. Especially his little brother, Kiki. “Kiki’s first smiles, first steps, first words. I wasn't his dad, but I was the closest thing he’d ever have to one.” (van Diepen 100) When he was growing up, he didn't have anyone to really tell him what was right and what was wrong, even though he learned that after he got in trouble. What I think Darren is trying to do, is watch out for Kiki so he doesn’t get into the same crowd as he did. Although he loves to be around the people he loves, he’s very independent. Sometimes he wants to be by himself and do things on his own. That’s one thing I like about Darren, because I’m like that too so I can relate easily.
The message of this story is difficult. There could be many. One of them could be that you learn from your mistakes, but you shouldn't go back to making the same mistakes again. Darren doesn’t exactly follow that rule at the beginning, but eventually leans towards living by that rule when he realizes he has to get out of the cartel. Also, trying to figure out right from wrong because Darren has to decide what to do with his life now that he’s out of juvie. Should he try to get revenge, or leave it alone? He’s not very sure, and I don’t think he ever will be. He wants to please everyone and make sure everyone is happy, but not everyone can be. Lastly, I think a lesson is to stay on the right path. Making bad choices have several consequences. All physical, mental, and emotional consequences. You can really put not only yourself in danger, but others too.
I loved the book for many reasons. It kind of spoke to me on a different level than other books have. This book has made me realize what types of things are really out there and how dangerous they can be. It makes me think of how many times I've thought about making a bad choice, and knowing I made the best choice not to. The story also gives you a perspective on a “bad choice making kid” because you never really know what those kids are thinking. Darren’s thoughts are what this book is about, even though it’s said from third person. It’s crazy what kinds of things you don’t know about some people. This book was not only entertaining, but informative as well.
March 2, 2017
I read Takedown by Allison Van Diepen. It is a book about a teenager in a family that is fighting to stay afloat. Driven by a lie his mother told him to keep him out of drugs and alcohol, he found himself involved in the dealing. He was picked up two years ago because of being in the operation, now he’s back in but this time he’s a informant for the cops. Each night, Darren took home a wad of cash only to put it on the table so his mother could pay the bills. Each time he thinks he is getting out of the operation, he finds Tony (the head drug dealer) giving him a higher spot on the podium because someone up top has been taken out by the rival drug corporation. After a riot in a local club, Darren found his life and his girlfriend's life in jeopardy. At that point he knew it was time to get out, immediately. Fueled by the family and Jessica (his girlfriend), Darren took his life into someone else’s hands and made an attack on Tony and his operation. I would rate this book five stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fast pace, unable to put down, adventurous book.
March 21, 2017
Takedown is a very good and exciting book. It takes a chapter or two to hook you because it describes what is really going on in the story. It had me totally engaged within the first couple chapters. It was an awesome story. It feels like you are in the story when you read it. You can almost feel the tension that Darren feels throughout the story. The story is about a kid who wants to take down a drug lord legend of the streets. He helps the cops to catch him by working for Diamond Tony. The book has lots of action and a happy ending. There are barely any dull moments in the story. There is killing, drug dealing, partying, and tough living for a poor family. So far it is my favorite book I have read this year. I would recommend reading it if you are a person who prefers action. It definitely is not a boring book. If you are looking for a book to read, then put this on your list. After you get done reading it you will not regret it. You will wish there was a sequel. I would definitely give this book a five out of five star rating.
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