Thirteen-year-old Wil is a social oddball struggling to find acceptance, love, and his place in the world in this sometimes comical, often dark, and graphic coming-of-age tale based on the author's real-life experiences and the headlines of the era.

Set in Anchorage, Alaska, of the 1970s, as it transitions from rough-and-tumble frontier town to bustling modern city flush with oil money and all that it brings. The light and darkness in Wil's life are reflected in the friendships he makes and the scenic beauty that surrounds his hometown, hiding its corruption and often terrible secrets.

In this setting, Wil walks a tightrope between youthful innocence and growing up too fast as he navigates school, bullies, relationships, sexuality, drugs, violence, crime, and tragedy.