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A strength of Hinton's is creating realistic, sometimes complex, situations that were happening in Oklahoma in the 60s to 70s that even teens today can understand in their own ways. There's definitely no candy coating anything here; not the violence, the drug deals, criminal activity, or even death.

Although, I think she may have taken a page from Disney as I haven't read about anyone having a mother; they've either died or taken off and left the weighed-down, sometimes criminal, gambling addict, alcoholic fathers to vaguely, or not at all, raise their sons.

Tex, however, does have a strong, present father in the form of Cole, who is the father of Randy and Jaime, the titular character's love interest.

I tend to enjoy stories with first person narration and Tex's telling of what his life was like was no exception. However, at times my mind wandered as I listened to the excellent narrator with his deep southern drawl explain yet another long long scene with details that were at time reiterated several times. We get it, Tex's father preferred his brother, thought Tex was a nuisance for most of his life, and spent time anywhere other than at home. Towards the end there is a surprise that I actually did not see coming, and solidified that Mason really was an AH.

There are two action packed scenes that gave some much needed added depth to a book that was a slightly boring extension of The Outsiders.

I've learned that Hinton's books aren't for me, but they sure do make me think.