Review of Skin of Tattoos by Christina Hoag

This book was unlike anything that I have ever read before. From the very first page, I was drawn into Magdaleno's tragic life. Magdaleno is an oddly compelling and charismatic protagonist. Yes, he is a criminal, and he does hurt, use, and abuse people, but he is also trying to "go straight." The issue and the fundamental problem of the story is that though Mags wants to get out of the Cyko Lokos gang, this proves almost impossible because those whom he loves are still deeply embedded in the gang life. Paroled from jail, he returns to the old neighborhood where his father, once a guerilla leader in El Salvador, is now merely a "small, brown man." Mags fears becoming one himself. He does not want to live without power and dignity, but that seems to be the fate of those who leave the gang. Staying can only result result in incarceration or death. For Mags, life on "the outside" seems to closing in on him, as one by one, he loses, in one way or another, all of the people whom he loves most. Only in the destruction of the means by which he had identified himself, his skin of tattoos, does Mags realize that there is no future for him in Los Angeles.

This is a complex and deftly woven tale. The texture of the story is rich and vivid. Ms. Hoag's language and description bring the characters vividly to life. Mags is fallen hero, but I found myself rooting for him. I didn't know how or if he would be able to escape "the life." The noose seemed to be tightening with the turn of every page. The ending was surprising and satisfying, particularly in the resolution of Mags troubled relationship with his father. This is a an authentic and worthwhile read which provides readers with insight into the life and lack of options for ex gang members. Ms. Hoag does an amazing job of immersing a reader's senses into her glimpse of gang life in LA.

http://www.christinahoag.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Tattoos-Christina-Hoag-ebook/dp/B01KG6FIM2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8