14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis, and his brothers Sodapop and Darry, struggle to make ends meet after the death of their parents. Ponyboy and his friends are part of a lower-class gang called the Greasers. The Greasers are opposed to a wealthier gang called the Socs. Ponyboy and one of his friends, Johnny, are jumped by the Socs late at night with no one around. In an act of self-defense, Johnny ends up killing one of the Socs. As a result, Ponyboy and Johnny are forced to go into hiding. As tensions increase, Ponyboy and Johnny try to save others and themselves during a battle between life and death. I was intrigued as I watched the characters in the book grow emotionally and how they would risk anything for each other. This book speaks to the value of friendship and evokes feelings of empathy and bonding, no matter the social class. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about life in the 1960’s and wants to explore the deeper meanings of bonding. This book is very inspiring!