"One might think Knowles isn't creating but channeling the adolescent mind. A fascinating study of misperceptions, consequences, and the teen condition." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Thanks to a bully in gym class, unpopular Nate suffers a broken finger--the middle one, splinted to flip off the world. It won't be the last time a middle finger is raised as ten voices speak loud and clear about the complex dance that is life in a small town. They resonate in a gritty and unflinching portrayal of a day like any other, with ordinary traumas, heartbreak, and revenge. But as on any given day, the line where presentation and perception meet is a tenuous one, hard to discern. Unless, of course, one looks a little closer--and reads between the lines.