I finished Leila Mottley's Nightcrawling last night and it generated every emotion possible. First, a bit on expectations, content warnings and not reading blurbs. I try to skim over synopses - for fear of spoilers - and had not realised that the book was about prostitution and specifically, teen prostitution and sexual assault. I feel the term 'nightcrawling' was common in the 80s but I'd incorrectly assumed that this new usage would refer to something different.

It becomes clear within the opening paragraphs where the story is going and by then I was hooked, in a wake-up-before-dawn-so-I-can-read-for-an-hour kind of way.

Nightcrawling is about Kiara Jackson, a seventeen-year-old girl who is existing on the very edge of poverty and deprivation in Oakland, California. Her father is dead, her mother in prison and her brother is chasing impossible dreams of becoming a rap star. Kiara needs to eat, pay their rent and she kind of falls into prostitution.

This was never going to be a tale of cute scenes featuring morally grey men. It delves into the heart of the abuse and exploitation at the heart of prostitution before introducing the police officers who take that one giant step further.

As is always the case, the situation soon spirals out of control and Kiara's situation (and that of the child neighbour whom she supports) become ever more precarious.

Nightcrawling is a stunning, devastating book and one that will stay with me for a long time. Leila Mottley was just 19-years-old when the book was released and that is a huge achievement. I've seen some criticism of purple prose and unrelenting darkness in the book. On the latter, I agree, the book is very heavy and not a light read. But I personally disagree on the former on the basis that I am usually unable to get through prose too purple but found Nightcrawling incredibly readable.