Gilbert creates a compelling voice in her narrator Danny. He has humor without trying to be funny, and he communicates with the reader in an honest and irreverent tone. His story is universal in that he is trying to find his unique path, but the past and the secrets of his family are informing his identity. Danny's observations about his culture and his observations of the people that surround him give the reader a perfect snapshot into his soul. Additionally, we root for Danny. We identify with him. He is brilliant and flawed, and like most young people traveling a journey like his, we ache for his bouts of isolation and flirtations with awkward. Gilbert is not afraid to have her characters and her readers face some tough questions.