Raymond Francis -
Ripped Dollars -
Available Now! -
4 out of 5 books -
Imagine two uneducated, unemployed teenagers living alone with no adult supervision. There is no one to make them go to school nor get a job. Their main focus is getting money to pay the rent, buy some food and of course cop some weed (marijuana). Meet Tone and Amir, best friends who share an apartment together in West Philadelphia (Philly).
What makes this duo dangerous is that they are as bold as they are reckless. Tone’s mother was addicted to drugs, so he was raised by his grandmother who seems to have passed away before giving him the fruits of life. At age seventeen, he’s cocky and looking for his next come up. Amir had a choice: leave Philly and move to Atlanta with his mother for a better life or stay. But Amir had no idea what opportunities availed him outside his own backyard. His mother continued to lease the apartment in Philly that Tone and Amir now live in.
As you can imagine, two seventeen-year-olds living together with no adult supervision is tricky, but more so, it’s as dangerous as a grenade with a broken pin. Their lack of money, food and artificial stimulants lead to reckless thoughts and Tone‘s new sting...a sting which could be the beginning of their end, or the one that could set them up for life if all goes well. But in the hood, the street never forgets and the cement holds onto karma, just waiting for its next victim.
I enjoyed the analogy of the title and the romance attached to it. Initially when I got Ripped Dollars to review, I thought about the title and its meaning. The allure of the streets is mesmerizing no matter the age. Francis does a good job of giving the reader pictures of Philly, so he/she can sit comfortable in the story. However, throughout the story. the terminology which seems indicative to the residents of Philadelphia was lost on this reader, such as jawns and Dutchess. But from the position of the word(s) in a sentence, one might be able to guess its meaning. Ripped Dollars was a very interesting read.
Reviewed by Missy for Urban Reviews
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