Allison van Diepen is the author of Street Pharm, Snitch, Raven, and Takedown. She teaches at an alternative high school in Ottawa, Canada. Visit her at AllisonvanDiepen.com.
Takedown
Paperback
$11.99
- ISBN-13: 9781442463127
- Publisher: Simon Pulse
- Publication date: 09/03/2013
- Pages: 288
- Product dimensions: 5.76(w) x 8.12(h) x 0.78(d)
- Age Range: 14 - 17 Years
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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.
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School Library Journal
10/01/2013Gr 9 Up—When he was 15, Darren was locked up for his involvement with Toronto's most notorious drug cartel, despite the fact that he was only working as a lookout at the time. He knew that talking was suicide, so he kept his mouth shut and served his time. But during his two years in juvie, Darren quietly plotted his revenge. Now, he's a confidential informant for the police, working to take down the cartel's kingpin, a powerful drug lord named Diamond Tony. Darren finds himself in dangerous territory, however, when Tony's men gun down his supervising police officer for getting in their way. Darren is terrified that it's only a matter of time before his secret is out. Left on his own, caught in the middle of a turf war between Diamond Tony's operation and the Bloods, he has a decision to make. Should he continue with his plan to take down Diamond Tony, or should he get out while he can, before his family or his girlfriend is caught in the crossfire? Van Diepen has created a gritty, suspenseful, character-driven story that reveals the complexity of life in the projects in a major city without coming across as preachy. Drugs and violence are never glorified or presented in an overly graphic manner, and sexuality is also downplayed. This is a strong choice for reluctant readers. Purchase where urban fiction is popular.—Liz Overberg, Darlington School, Rome, GA
VOYA - Walter Hogan
As a fifteen-year-old, Darren had briefly worked as a lookout for the gang run by Diamond Tony, the drug kingpin of a run-down Toronto neighborhood. But after being caught in a bust, Darren spent the next two years in "juvie". Now he is out and re-employed by the gang, but is secretly determined to bring down Diamond Tony to get his revenge for having "taken the rap." Darren's triple life as a high school student by day, drug dealer by night, and police informant, or "snitch," provides plenty of tension in this gritty urban novel. When he falls for nice girl Jessica, but cannot avoid endangering her, the stresses of Darren's life reach a breaking point. Narrated in the first-person by Darren, and punctuated with the rap lyrics he loves to compose, this tale of an urban youth struggling to escape the "hood" and its drug culture is filled with realistic details of inner city life. The characters are vivid, but some of their motivations and behaviors are not entirely convincing. Why, for example, did Diamond Tony never suspect that a subordinate who took the fall for the gang might not be entirely loyal thereafter? Darren himself is an odd and equivocal character. His role as a snitch and his personal revenge motivation are not particularly admirable; and yet his courage and virtuous abstinence from the drugs, sexual promiscuity, and violence surrounding him are the traits of a superhero. Overall, the novel's lively action will appeal to older teen fans of realistic urban fiction. Reviewer: Walter HoganChildren's Literature - Lauren Black
Darren lost two years of his life stuck in juvenile detention for a crime he did not commit. A member of a local gang, he took the fall for the notorious head of the city’s drug cartel, Diamond Tony. Finally out, Darren plots to get even. Darren lands work as an informant for the police and infiltrates Diamond Tony’s operation. The only problem is that he has now fallen for one of the prettiest girls in school, Jessica. When a rival drug cartel moves in on Diamond Tony’s turf, a deadly war breaks out, taking friends and enemies alike. Darren finds himself caught in the middle when a cop gets killed. Darren must stay on his game if he wants to protect himself and the ones he loves. The more he tries to get out, the more he gets sucked back in. If he makes even the smallest mistake, it could be his last. This heart-pumping thriller will suck readers in from the first chapter. Allison van Diepen tells a typical gang story well. Readers will find themselves rooting for characters they least expect, and the book’s shocking last chapter will leave readers in disbelief. Well done! Reviewer: Lauren Black; Ages 14 up.Kirkus Reviews
Multidimensional characters convincingly play on the sympathies of readers in this realistic and suspenseful urban drama. After being released from juvenile detention, Darren vows revenge against the leader of the drug-dealing gang for whom he took the fall. He's an intelligent young man with dreams of making it in the music world, a sweet adoration for his young brother, and a magnetic attraction to Jessica, a girl at school; Darren's also an informant for the police. By becoming a dealer for the same gang that pinned the blame on him, he hopes to provide tips that will help bring down the head of the organization, Diamond Tony. Short, action-filled chapters are expertly crafted to urge readers on, and the gradual revealing of details about Darren's family and background adds a layer of depth. Many chapters end with raps penned by Darren, often expressing his feelings about what's going on in his life, and while these fit well with his constructed persona, they feel a little awkward at times--perhaps since they are meant to be heard over a beat instead of read. While this does interrupt the flow of the narrative a bit, it does not detract overall from what is an exceedingly readable novel. A smart and believably gritty tale of the streets with genuine heart. (Fiction. 14 & up)