“So you’re saying it wasn’t all an act?” 

A story filled with love, hate, trust, and betrayal is expressed through these few words by Julia DiVino, the main character in this novel. Allison van Diepen, the author who has written many other great books similar to Snitch while telling a different story with a similar situation and a different point of view, knows how to create a novel that will always leave you wanting more. I recommend reading this book because nothing stays tranquil for too long. Whether it’s a turn of events causing chaos, a rumor bound to ruin bonds, or the simple feeling that your love for someone (who may not even have your back) is more important than the safety of yourself, nothing peaceful goes undisturbed.

Snitch is a book about Julia DiVino, a 17-year-old girl who attends South Bay High School, which is conquered by multiple gangs. Julia tells herself she’d never actually join a gang, although most of her friends are in one, and she sticks well beside her decision until Eric Valiente transfers to South Bay. Julia and Eric became close friends after running into each other on Eric’s first day, and after a while, being friends turned into a relationship. Julia tells Eric how she feels about gangs, but he still joins the Flat Bush Junction Crips despite how she feels, which ultimately leads to her joining the gang alongside him. However, chaos begins when Eric’s actions start reflecting Julia as his girlfriend. 

Julia DiVino is a sweet and intelligent girl who lets her love get the best of her. When
you first read the book, Julia appears to be a smart girl who can make good decisions that will benefit her personally. However, as you get deeper into the story, you can see how Julia’s love for Eric starts to blind her to the decisions she should be making to keep herself safe. Julia appears naive toward the middle of the book, and ultimately loses sight of her goals and what she should be doing to benefit herself.

My personal connection is with Julia because she reminds me of myself. She is book-smart, but not street-smart. I let my love for someone get the best of me until I lose sight of my goals and who I am. Although I can’t relate to joining a gang or putting yourself in danger for someone, I do relate when it comes to putting someone who doesn’t care for me the same way I care for them above myself.

The message of this book is that things aren’t always how they seem to be, and that not everyone can be trusted. The dialogue throughout the novel gives a really good understanding of how the characters feel when they handle the situations that represent the message. The dialogue captures the characters’ feelings, and it is easy to imagine how the characters express themselves. The dialogue is filled with slang representing the gangs and the age of the characters in the book. For example, the young people in gangs use words like “homie” and “yo,” while the older characters within the book use proper grammar. 

I recommend this book to people who love a plot twist and turn of events regarding love and drama. This book may also be good for anyone who can relate to the main character, her personality, and how she handles the events throughout the book. Although this emotional, drama-filled book tends to control your feelings while reading it, it’s always my first pick when someone asks me to recommend a good book.