Checked is a book that balances action with emotion. Conor is many things: a hockey fanatic, an adoring owner of a dog, and a loving son. He's young but he's a thinker who digs into questions and considers the weight of choices and their consequences. His relationship with his dad was touching and probably the anchor for the story, while his relationship with his dog was equable parts adorable and heart-wrenching because the cancer diagnosis and treatment forces him to confront the mortality of those you love. The hockey aspect was clearly written with expertise and passion, so despite not having much interest in the sport, I was still invested in Conor's progress throughout the season.

The one thing that kind of put me off the book was the defensiveness of cops and the treatment of police officers like Conor's father as individuals making difficult choices. The vibe I got was very "not all cops," and the book seemed to imply that it's now mainstream to hate cops when the reality is that generally people still believe most police are good and the supposed minority of bad/corrupt ones are the problem rather than the entire police system. It didn't engage at all with race, class, disability, etc. and how policing is intimately tied up with subjugating populations seen as a undesirable/a threat to the state/capitalism.

I sent this to myself for work purposes and it didn't work oops for 5/5 fantastic.