Genre
Young Adult Fiction
Setting and Context
The novel is set in an unnamed American city with a rich and a poor side of town.
Narrator and Point of View
Castle narrates the novel in the first person; the point of view stays with Castle.
Tone and Mood
The tone is casual; the mood oscillates between anxious and triumphant.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Castle “Ghost” Cranshaw; antagonists include Castle's father, Castle's mother, Brandon Simmons, Coach Brody, and Lu.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that Castle must overcome his tendency to misbehave and underperform at school if he wants to continue training as a member of a track team.
Climax
The novel reaches its climax when Coach Brody reveals that he knows Castle stole his running shoes from Everything Sports.
Foreshadowing
Understatement
Allusions
Reynolds makes several references to Usain Bolt, a Jamaican sprinter who in 2016 became the first athlete to win Olympic gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter races three times over.
