Nickel Plated by Aric Davis is the story of Nickel, a 12 year old who ran away from foster care 2 years ago and has been living on his own since then. He supports himself by growing pot and selling it to high school students and blackmailing pedophiles he finds in internet chat rooms. He also does private detective (esque) work on the side for people referred to him through word of mouth. Adults he charges. Kids, he helps for free.
I'm still not completely sure how I felt about this one. I loved the premise — 12 year old boy: anti-hero, hero, vigilante. I also have to admit that I kind of liked that Nickel targeted pedophiles. People who hurt children make me sick. So I was very interested to see how that angle would be handled. While I liked the idea of this book, I'm still not sure how I feel about the execution.
Nickel was a little bit too good at what he did for me to believe him. He is 12. I get that he's had a really tough life. I get that kids are stronger, smarter, and more capable that adults often give them credit for. I know that extreme situations or circumstances find a way of drawing more out of us than we thought we had to give. I get it. But I have a really hard time believing that a 12 year old kid is capable of doing everything that Nickel does throughout the book. And too many things just fell into his lap. Too many pieces of the puzzle were just sort of handed to him. It was just a little bit too far-fetched for me to believe.
I also felt a bit of disconnect throughout the whole story. You read the book, and you hear these horror stories from Nickel, see into this horrid cesspool of humanity, but I never felt like it was emotional. Nickel earns an income from blackmailing pedophiles he finds in internet chat rooms. He does this because of his past, so that no other kid will ever have to live through the horrors he's had to deal with. And sure, we are told about a shudder here, or a oft repressed memory there, but I never felt Nickel's emotions here. It was all telling. We are told that Nickel could probably use a hug, would like a mom and misses his dad something fierce. But it's never really felt. It's like Nickel thinks if he talks about the emotions enough he will start to feel them, but he doesn't, not really.
But, even though there were a few things that I struggled with while reading this book, overall I did really like it. I think the book would have been a little more believable had Nickel been 14 instead of 12, because a lot changes in those 2 years, and a lot of maturing takes place. His thoughts and reactions to all things female would have been more believable (I have yet to meet a 12 year old who finds adult women 'hot'.) But Nickel really was a great character. He genuinely wants to make sure that other kids have a better life, to make sure that none of these other kids every have to suffer through the hellish childhood he had. When he was talking about other kids, and making them safer, that is where I felt like Nickel was real. There were sometimes I didn't necessarily believe his emotions, but never when talking about protecting kids. It breaks my heart that this 12 year old kid feels so responsible for others, feels so much like he must be the protector. Someone needs to give that boy a hug.
Books like this make me want to become a foster parent, when I reach a stage of life where I'd be able to. I want to take kids like this and prove to them that not everyone is bad, that not everyone will hurt them. Nickel needs that. He's done an admirable job of living on his own, and taking care of himself, but there are some things that a kid that age should never have to worry about. It hurts that he does.
So, overall, even though there were some things about this book that didn't necessarily work perfectly, it's definitely one that I am glad I read, one that I will recommend, and although I don't know if there are any plans for a sequel, I would definitely be willing to read about Nickel in the future. It's a story with a solid core, and Davis has potential as a writer. There is some stuff that needs to be tightened up, or fine-tuned, but I can really see Davis growing as a writer in the future, and I wouldn't mind watching him grow as a writer as Nickel grows as a character.
GIVEAWAY-I also have a copy of this book available for one commenter! Leave a comment with your email address, and you could win a copy of the book!:) The contest will be open until next Wednesday, April 20 at 11:59pm. Sorry International followers, but this is US only.