The Necessary Hunger [Paperback]

Revoyr triumphs in blending many complex issues, including urban poverty and violence, adolescent sexuality, and the vitality of basketball, without losing sight of her characters. She creates a family, in all senses of the word, of characters who are complex, admirable, and aggravating; readers will root for them on and off the court. Revoyr focuses on a number of issues, including competition, interracial relationships, and same-sex relationships . . . A thoughtful work . . . A wholesome coming-of-age novel about two high school basketball stars, Revoyrs debut is a meditation on consuming passion and a reflection on lost opportunities . . . The basketball action, which builds climactically, honors the split-second timing and excitement of the game. Revoyr also evokes the feel of contemporary LA, capturing crackheads, gang-bangers, and car-jackings in sharp, street-smart dialogue. Revoyr has unerringly caught the angst of teenagers, as well as the rarified, self-involved world in which they live . . . A sympathetic, tender rendering of the frustration of unrequited love.