Anatomy of a Girl Gang

In Vancouver's rough Downtown Eastside, a group of underprivileged teenage girls seek security and protection. Little (The New Normal) alternates among their voices%E2%80%94as well as that of the city itself%E2%80%94in potent, vignette-like chapters, some of which are as short as a single sentence. Having quit the Vipers after realizing the gang "didn't give a solid fuck about us," intense 17-year-old Mac starts the Black Roses, an all-female gang of "bad bitches." She recruits Mercy, an orphan and dropout; Kayos, a sexual abuse victim whose anger smolders just below the surface; Sly Girl, an ex-addict from "the rez" with scars from being shot in the face; and Z, a Chinese graffiti artist. They sign on to share a home, steal, deal drugs, and abide by a shared code of conduct in hopes of keeping their pasts at bay and building a future. A romance between Mac and Z, a shooting, a fatal accident, and a robbery fuel jealousy and complicate their plans. While the demise of their operation is perhaps inevitable, the girls' journey is deeply felt and often shocking in its brutality. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (May)