One does not simply wake up one morning and decide 'I'm going to kill my classmates.' It is a simplistic, idiotic, fatally flawed frame of mind. It boils down the intricate psychology behind said act, behind the perpetrator down to 'he was evil.' Boom. It is also a morbidly intriguing one the psychology of the people that committed said acts are deeply complex, and not to be taken lightly in exploration.Īnd yet that's what this foolish, belittling, dare I say, stupid little book does. School shootings are a fairly new epidemic, one of the most well-known being Columbine. This book is, quite frankly, an insult to all the victims, direct and indirect, of school shootings. Nijkamp portrays the events thoughtfully, recounting fifty-four intense minutes of bravery, love, and loss.' -BookRiot 'A compelling, brutal story of an unfortunately all-too familiar situation: a school shooting. 'A gritty, emotional, and suspenseful read and although fictionalized, it reflects on a problematic and harrowing issue across the nation.' -Buzzfeed

'Marieke Nijkamp's brutal, powerful fictional account of a school shooting is important in its timeliness.'.

Includes special bonus content: a letter from the author, discussion questions, two bonus chapters, a conversation with the author, and a playlist!Ī Professional Book Nerds Best Book of the Decade In 54 minutes, four students must confront their greatest hopes, and darkest fears, as they come face-to-face with the boy with the gun. Everyone has a reason to fear the boy with the gun…ġ0:00 a.m.: The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.ġ0:02 a.m.: The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

This is where it ends book