Under The Bridge

Under the Bridge

by Michael Harmon

Tate's younger brother Indy is probably the best skateboarder in Spokane. He's also really smart though he couldn't care less about school. But when Indy clashes with his father one too many times and drops out of school, it's up to Tate to win his brother back from the seedier elements of Spokane. Can Tate convince Indy to come home, finish his high school degree, and return to skating Under the bridge with their crew?

Review

I loved Michael Harmon's book Last Exit to Normal (this book was so underrated, I don't understand how it is not a NYT Bestseller, everyone should read it) so I didn't hesitate when I saw this book. I'm glad to say it didn't let me down.

I appreciate how Harmon's writing is always overflowing with emotions so raw and gritty. There is an unusual mix of angst, despair, hurt, love and acceptance via Tate's first-person narrative. Somehow Harmon manages to inject a glimmer of hope by projecting how Tate never really gave up on Indy and made multiple attempts to save his brother from the abyss of darkness. 

Tate's father was always the man of the family, imposing his own set of rules on his kids. Tate as the more sensible kid accepts and concurs, but Indy feels suffocated and tries to break away or rebel in his own way, which makes dad even angrier. This highlights the tussle in parent-child relationship and the fact that adults always make children listen to them without accepting what their kids have to say. As a result, kids like Indy rebel in every way they can until they lose it. Most of the times, it is not that parents don't love their kids, just that they love their kids the wrong way.

This book is an emotional roller coaster that brings you down to Bikini Bottom before finally going up. So be mentally prepared.

*This book contains swear words, drug dealings/usage and suicide.