Bloody Seoul

Sixteen-year-old Rocky’s future as the crime boss of Seoul’s Three Star Pa gang seems fated—until he discovers that his violent father has lied about everything.

Rocky’s the most loyal 16-year-old you’ll ever meet: loyal to the Three Star Pa gang, which his father runs in Seoul, Korea; loyal to his best friends, who accompany him everywhere he goes; loyal to his ever-escalating public bullying of Ha-na, a girl at school; and, finally, loyal to the memory of his mother, even though there are some things about her that he tries to forget. He loves his friends, his city, and the power he wields. But when he catches his father in a lie, the truth is exposed, and his life begins to unravel—and Rocky has no idea where his future is going to lead.

"Patel's language is beautifully descriptive and filled with introspection, and she includes detailed, vivid accounts of the city's landscape and food. This is a heartrending tale about the trauma and pain people carry and impose onto others. Readers who follow Rocky's inner dialogue and forays through memory will be rewarded with an evocative read."—School Library Journal