If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison. Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control. Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different. When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, …
If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison. Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control. Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different. When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.
Wonderful voice to a teenager growing up fast, and a real sense of agency, mistakes, and learning. Lightly set in the past, strikes a good balance of nostalgia and relevance.
Content warning slight spoilers; CW: gun violence
As you know from THUG; Maverick is involved with a gang at this point in his life. It's partially for his own protection (his father was a member and having a gang at your back is really helpful safety wise) but he switches back and forth between selling drugs for financial reasons (and as you should know from the THUG, he has two infants he needs to care for) and trying to be what he feels is a good person.
I should say, this book does not end with Maverick going to prison for the bogus gun charge. That's alluded to. it's gonna happen.
This book is ultimately hopeful, and I would recommend it alongside Dear Martin and Dear Justyce. And of course, read THUG if you haven't already.
