Redhanded [Hardcover]

A culture of violence, its rituals and attractions, and, finally, its shockingly legitimate use in the boxing ring forms the center of this short, oddly truncated story. Michael Cadnum, whose critical reputation grows with each of his exquisitely crafted young adult novels, here shows a surprisingly intimate familiarity with the underworld of amateur boxing--the etiquette, the jargon, the choreography of the ring, the sounds and smells, and what it feels like to be hit with a straight right. With a poet's skill at detail, he brilliantly anatomizes a world where "postal clerks and carpenters liked to box for the same reason some guys like to drink."

Like all of Cadnum's contemporary novels, Redhanded explores the anger of a young person abandoned by preoccupied parents in the self-approving upper-class society of the San Francisco Bay Area. Steven Beech has turned his back on his bickering parents to train at a boxing gym, where he spars bloody rounds at the instigation of his friend Raymond--and throws illegal punches when he needs to. Raymond has "a crave/disgust relationship with risk" which leads him to a tentative but fearful friendship with Chad, whose brother is in prison. Chad is gentle, humorous, and very threatening, with an unlimited potential for sudden violence. When the three go cruising in a stolen car, Steven suddenly finds himself in over his head as the book moves quickly to a conclusion as jarring and painful as an upper cut. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

This psychological portrait of an amateur boxer contains as many dark ironies as Cadnum's earlier thrillers (Heat; Edge), but the narrative here is marred by thick foreshadowing and uneven pacing. Narrator Steven lays out his vulnerabilities right away. His "temporarily" separated parents will probably never get back together, and his best friend, Raymond, has started hanging out with a juvenile delinquent named Chad. To make matters worse, Steven loses his job as a dishwasher. The only thing that Steven can count on is his ability to box, although he needs money as well as prowess in order to compete. Predictably, when Steven is given a chance to enter the Golden Gloves West Coast tournament in San Diego (costing $600 in travel expenses and entry fees), he lets Raymond and Chad lead him into crime. But the boys' plan to rob a liquor store goes awry, and Steven finds himself involved in the most profound fight of his life. Readers, especially those familiar with the author's other works, may be too aware of the hand guiding characters' actions to be able to lose themselves in the plot. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grade 7 Up-Boxing is the most important thing in Steven's life, and he knows that with the right break, it will be his ticket to getting everything he wants. The teen sees his chance when a big boxing tournament is opened up for newcomers. Unfortunately, entry requires a hefty fee, which he doesn't have. When he is introduced to Chad, he sees another opportunity to get the cash he needs. Recently released from jail, Chad is street-smart and tough and convinces Steven he can get the money if he is willing to take the risk. The plan to rob some local businesses goes awry, however, when Chad grabs a woman and ends up shooting her. Steven realizes he has done the wrong thing and uses his boxing skills to bring Chad down. The story ends with an ambiguous but hopeful scene with the protagonist standing over the wounded woman and the sirens of police cars fast approaching. Cadnum's prose is typically raw and taut, but this occasionally gripping narrative is in need of fine-tuning. Steven's sudden, intense moral struggle is too abrupt and brief to be entirely believable. Equally difficult to appreciate is the teen's decision to turn to crime. The author's typically masterful ability to craft compelling stories with great psychological depth is not evident here. The characters are not fully developed and the narrative is rushed. Too many leaps in logic and gaps in credibility will leave readers ultimately dissatisfied.
Edward Sullivan, Langston Hughes Library, Clinton, TN
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 8-10. The bashing, smashing, and sly jabs of boxing come bruisingly to life in this story of a teenager, Steven, who wants to get in the fight game. Unfortunately, Steven's desire to raise the money for registration for a tournament leads to plenty of trouble. The first chapters are stunning-- literally--describing his fight with a more experienced opponent; the pain, blood, and fatigue are all here. Less successfully handled are Steven's reasons for hooking up with the streetwise Chad, who wants to commit a robbery. Steven's parents are separated (his father is a music professor, his mother a scientist). There's tension between all of them, but there's no real reason why Steven can't go to them for the entrance fees. Steven's coach even talks about grants. So why does Steven get involved in a crime? Is it loyalty to his friend Raymond (well depicted by Cadnum), who wants to prove himself to Chad? Is it the desire to live a grittier life than his parents? Not much is spelled out, and though subtlety can be a virtue, here it seems as if the story only skims the surface. The book ends abruptly, when Chad shoots the abducted robbery victim, and Steven uses his fighting skills to keep Chad from killing her. It ends where Walter Dean Myers' Printz Award book Monster (1999) begins--with a kid who's gone along for the ride and finds his life looking very different than it did only days before. Ilene Cooper
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Steven's new friend Chad knows about things. He knows about drinking and guns and prison. He also knows a fast way to get cash, which is exactly what Steven needs if he's going to make it to the big boxing tournament. Steven knows he's taking a risk getting mixed up with Chad, but he doesn't know how violently it could end.

In his latest novel, award-winning author Michael Cadnum explores the powerful struggle of one teenager's battle--both in the boxing ring and in life--to choose right from wrong.