This is a gripping adventure/thriller suitable for young teens+. Our narrator, Sam, is likable, fiesty, and ultimately heroic (in the true sense of the meaning). He has to navigate a difficult journey, both physical and emotional, that requires him to mature well before his time. This a story about choices: the bad choices parents and grandparents have made, that could make it very easy for Sam to follow suit…and the choice that Sam ultimately makes. A great book, particularly for reluctant boy readers.