K Elliott

***Spoilers***

When I first got a copy of The Ski Mask Way, I assumed that it would be a book that lacked any redeeming value, literary or social. After reading the book, my opinion remains the same, and for more reasons than simply a poor plot and bad grammar.
I have read articles about how some urban fiction is being seen as a new genre of morality tales, teaching kids that street life is less than desirable. The Ski Mask Way, however, does not fall into that category. Throughout the book, Seven's actions go unpunished. He robs strangers, friends, and associates, and nothing bad happens. He beats up his girlfriend while drunk (because he thinks that she was "disrespectin'" him) and after receiving some half-hearted apologies she goes back to him. And in the end, he murders just about everyone and walks away. The explicitly stated moral of the story is "sometimes people have to die in order for others to live," but Seven's main goal is simply to help his son walk. As goofy as it sounds, he might have done a better job of helping out his son by holding a fund raiser. Urban fiction needs more charity car washes and candy sales.… (altro)