It's great to be exonerated of a crime but how does an ex-
inmate cope with what he had to do to survive those long
years in prison? Life inside a prison almost mandates
affecting an attitude or air of strength which is
ultimately tested on a daily basis. Simply put, show
weakness and you're dead, there's no room for moral
behavior when you can't afford a conscience.
Virgil was put into jail for the murder of his stepfather --
set up by his own mother. All he had left to believe in is
his sister. Becoming a member of a jail gang made the
difference between life and death. You need someone to watch
your back. So it becomes a sort of deadly brotherhood with
no exit clause. But that usually doesn't matter. If you're in
for life without any hope then there are virtually no
consequences for your actions. Once Virgil is released, his
chance of a normal life is threatened by his gang, The
Crew, whose leaders are worried that he will use his
knowledge of them to protect his sister and sell them out.
Virgil is being used by the authorities for his knowledge
of gangs to infiltrate a violent group in Pelican Bay
maximum security facility in exchange for putting his
sister and her children in the witness protection program.
The level of paranoia is astounding. Virgil's safety is
the responsibility of a director, Peyton, who has years
of prison experience. Peyton has noble plans to change how
prisons are managing their inmates. She feels deeply that
the environment encourages violence with hours of solitude,
boredom, and hopelessness. She tries to encourage the staff
to behave more humanely and at the same time be more
cognizant of inmate's safety. Having lost her father to a
prison fight she knows firsthand the obstacles facing men
behind bars. What neither she nor Virgil ever imagined is
the undeniable attraction between them.
Peyton needs to
remain detached to stay sharp protecting Virgil while he is
put in the prison population. She knows he will be
expected to prove himself if he is to get close to the
gang. But no one anticipates the level of corruption
that exists within the security division charged with
managing the prison. The corruption goes all the way to the
top and it becomes apparent that not only is their
operation at stake but that the lives of all those involved
is in peril. Scary stuff -- the question is at the end who
will still be standing?
Totally amazing gritty scary look inside prison from many
perspectives. No matter how you go in -- you will certainly
be a completely different person if and when released.
The question is whether you will still have a soul. Once
again Novak has written a book that totally immerses readers
in a story that will open their eyes to a community of sorts
that defies their imagination.
Dangerous to know...
Virgil Skinner served fourteen years for a murder he didn’t
commit. He’s finally been exonerated, but he can’t escape
the gang he joined in order to survive. They’ll do anything
to keep him from telling what he knows. And if they can’t
get to Virgil they’ll go after his sister and her kids.
The California Department of Corrections needs someone to
infiltrate another gang, one that’s taking control of the
state’s most notorious supermax. Virgil agrees to do it
under an alias—in exchange for his sister’s protection.
Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams is opposed to having Virgil
in her prison. How will she protect him if things go bad?
Besides, she’s far too attracted to him; she might even be
falling in love with him. That makes her all the more
desperate to keep him safe—and it gives him someone else to
lose.
While I have been a fan of Ms. Novak's for many years Inside just didn't quite work for me.
I totally agree with the review that Inside is a gritty look at what potentially happens in a prison, and a story of survival. I also saw it as a story of one man's attempt at redemption and the chance to live a law abiding life. Yet on the other hand it also showed one man's slide into the dark side of life because of his personal feelings of self entitlement.
There are several reasons that I personally attribute to Inside not quite working for me, but those are my personal reasons, and should not reflect at all on the great review above and the talent of Ms. Novak.
Should you be looking for a story full of action, reality and well written then Inside is the book for you. (Sandi Shilhanek 5:01pm July 28, 2011)
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