Behind the Eyes

Francisco X. Stork
Dutton Juvenile (2006)
ISBN 9780525477358
Reviewed by Preston Ward (age 14) for Reader Views (6/07)

This story takes place in the projects of El Paso, Texas, which is where our main character Hector had lived his 16-years of life. Hector was from a broken home; his father, who had died a few years earlier, was an alcoholic and was never happy with his life, and his brother Filiberto was headed down the same path. Troubles started up for Hector when his brother started to get mixed up in a gang, and he started to have a liking for the gang leaders’ girl. When Hector himself became mixed up with this gang, The Discípulos, he is sent to Furman which is a school for students with a troubled past. He keeps to himself there, not trying to stir up trouble, getting through classes, just wanting to get out, and then El Topo arrives. Hector is almost sure he is a hit man sent by The Discípulos. The story starts here and Hector begins to realize what it takes to survive in this world.

The author, Francisco X. Stork, put together the story in what seemed a confusing way at first, not always giving you the details, and sometimes he would tell you everything that happened, before he told you what caused it. But in the end everything wrapped itself up very nicely and turned out to be great.

The story in “Behind the Eyes” is written for an older audience, due to very harsh language, and some of the things that the characters talk about, or do.

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