Southland by Nina Revoyr - Book Report/Review Example

Southland by Nina Revoyr James Lanier plays the role of a cousin to one of the four black teenagers that were murdered in Frank Sakai’s store. Lanier works together with Jackie to try and determine the circumstances under which the four teenagers were killed. The justice system hardly accounted for the rights and freedom of black population in the Southland. In other words, a race-based practice that disregarded rights for the blacks is more law oriented than socially created. The murders of the four teenagers were neither solved nor reported (Revoyr 80).

The implication of this phenomenon on Lanier is disturbing, and one that causes anxiety and fear. Lanier is in high activity to try and dig out all the secrets that wrapped his cousin’s death among the other three teenagers.The race-based practice of ignoring critical areas that relate to rights and freedoms of the blacks in Southland creates a sense of social conflict in Lanier’s mind. Lanier is also closely working with Jackie in a bid to unwind the death of the four teenagers (Revoyr 328).

The fact that the deaths were neither reported nor solved sends a sense of domination of blacks and whites to Lanier and all persons that share similar sentiments. Lanier’s family is the closest party to the sentiments. Since no action was taken after the death of Lanier’s cousin, the event left the family traumatized. The discriminate law is race-based, tailored towards promoting justice to one side of the society while neglecting the other. This legacy has racially divided the Southland people.

Works CitedRevoyr, Nina. Southland. New York: Akashic Books, 2003.