George Pelacanos's novel Drama City is a mediocre thriller that never really thrills.
The main characters, parole officer Rachel Lopez and ex-con Lorenzo Brown, are two dimensional at best. The way Pelecanos has written these characters gives them no depth. Even in the face of Rachel's battle with alcohol and sex addictions, you find yourself unable to empathize with her struggle. Lorenzo's battle to stay on the path of the straight and narrow, holding down a job and living a normal life after prison has marginally better development, and is somewhat easier to believe, but in the end that story loses the thread as well.
Lorenzo has a childhood friend, Nigel, who runs a major drug crew. Nigel is instrumental in keeping the thugs on the street off Lorenzo's back so he can live his new straight life. Further in the story, turf wars begin between a rival drug dealer who wants Nigel's turf and Nigel, trying to keep his drug business whole and protect his "people".
Throughout the novel, you read about the grit of the street, but never feel it. None of it seems believable or real. It doesn't draw you in to the story. The same can be said of Rachel, the parole officer. You know what she does for a living and what she does on her down time, because you are reading it on the page, but you don't feel it.
The story gets a mild jump start when Rico, a violent young gangbanger, kills to rival gangbangers to start the gang war then later attacks Rachel. It gets slight emotional depth when Rachel and Lorenzo meet up at the same AA meeting on accident and learn more about each other, forming a bond.
The last chapter of the book, showcasing Rachel and Lorenzo's friendship and both of their stumbling success in fighting their pasts was the most engrossing. Perhaps making the story more human earlier on would have have helped the book hold the reader's attention.
As it was, I found the book generic. I wouldn't recommend against it, but there are certainly more engrossing thrillers on the market right now.
Tags: Drama City George Pelecanos
