Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The El by Theodore C. Van Alst JR is a story of a group of Chicago members of a gang (the Simon City Royals) in the 1970s told from the points of view of each gang member.

The most significant event in this novel is when the Royals have to make a dangerous trek across town (through other gang's territories) to attend a meeting with a friendly gang who wants to consolidate forces. As the Royals (split into smaller groups of 2 or 3 individuals to decrease the chance that all gang members will either be arrested or killed) make their way to the meeting they lose one team member to an arrest after the youth shoplifted from a local store.

The return trip back from the meeting (which turned out to be a waste of everyone's time) proves to be the most harrowing with numerous Royals' members encountering vicious fights, and a couple of the gang members (a native American and an African American) pulled over by racist cops as they navigate their way through the predominantly White community where the meeting took place.

Challenging to write a story from numerous points of view, and rather than the almost comically tough exteriors in Richard Price's The Wanderers (which the book is compared to in the description) we encounter largely atypical gang members who "fell into" the gang, and kids who are more into reading, art and similar pursuits than one might expect. Although racism is encountered, there is little of the posturing and imaginative swearing and put downs we typically find in gang stories (which contributes to the realism in this type of story).

The Simon City Royals were known as a greaser gang, I would be surprised to find the majority to be well-read intellectuals, who did not intentionally seek out gang membership.

For me, a huge fan of gang stories, I found this book to be slightly entertaining, but not one I would eagerly recommend for someone looking to read an authentic representation of gang culture.

Additionally, a few errors in this story (described in detail below) were a distraction.
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Although this is an eARC, at one point Alice Copper is incorrectly referred to as "aspirational" (rather than inspirational). I am unsure if this was an intentional error to show us although the gang member viewed himself as intellectual, he was not (if so, it doesn't work, it just appears the author used the wrong word and the editor did not catch the error). FYI: Aspirational means something you want to achieve, while inspirational means something that motivates you to do so.

Also, the cops pull over Teddy and search him, and although the gang member with him is carrying a bat, the cops frisk Teddy, and pull out his Goody comb while overlooking a CHAIN in his front pocket that he later uses in a fight in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

I adore this novel so much! The author did a fantastic job setting up a story with so much heart, allowing readers to invest in the journey of the characters (which spans in just 1 day!). Teddy is a super lovable and so easy to root for. And I also enjoyed taking a step back in time to visit Chicago in August of 1979 and getting to know all its beautiful and diverse community.

10/10 recommend!

As a Chicago area native and lover of coming of age novels, I adored this book. The voice is so specific, and it captured the city so well - both the parts I know and love and parts that were new to me. Part adventure story and part coming of age novel, I was totally gripped by it and could not put it down.

Sorry ... got about 20 percent of the way through and had to put this down. Not my cup of tea at all. Rough language, slang I don't understand, and characters who don't interest me in the least. Might interest others, but definitely not up my literary standards.

Very enjoyable and gripping at times. Loved the story being told from the different characters point of view. Made the story move at a good pace.
Quite interesting and highly recommended.

Like the cult classic *The Warriors*, *The El* by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. takes place over the course of a single day in 1979 during a summit where gangs gather for peace talks. However, one gang must fight their way back through a hostile city to their home turf.

Set in Chicago, which serves as a prominent character in the story, the author marries/replicates the Warriors narrative with the city's rich history. Before colonizers arrived, the area was inhabited by various Indigenous tribes, including the Potawatomi, Miami, and Illinois nations. Chicago later became a trading hub and a melting pot for immigrants due to its strategic location, which made it a significant meeting point. The city is also known for its political and police corruption, organized crime, and remains one of the most segregated cities in the country.

Through this one-day narrative, we are taken on a journey through diverse neighborhoods, each with its own unique cultures and populations, much like passengers on the EL train. The gang itself represents a melting pot, offering a snapshot of the group's intersectionality and providing insight into their motivations and aspirations at this moment.

This book is perfect for fans of Tommy Orange, Kyle Edwards, and Aaron John Curtis. Special thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC.