THE EL by @tvayyyy was a gritty ride through 1970s Chicago. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @vintagebooks for the e-ARC.

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"If you don't mind the gap in Chicago, it'll swallow you whole."

The majority of this book takes place on the streets and elevated trains of Chicago during the summer of 1979. It focuses on multiple factions or gangs that band together to create "The Nation" which is a coalition of gangs that cross racial boundaries. This is particularly significant to Teddy as the only indigenous member of the Simon City Royals gang. But will they all be able to handle the fire that is igniting the hot summer streets of Chicago?

Based on the cult classic, The Warriors, this story was told from the POV of many different young Chicagoans who are part of different gangs. Some of my fave POVs were Teddy, Lil Demon and Little Psycho all for varying reasons.

This story is an ode to Chicago, to hot Midwest summers and to black and brown boys who grow into men who rarely have the chance to grow old. I found this story compelling, unique, and most importantly, humanizing to a group of people that often are only seen in a very negative light but that have their own hopes, dreams and aspirations that are just beyond their grasp. I felt this even deeper while concurrently watching the coverage of the current Chicago mayor not bow down to this fascist administration.

I was a big fan of “Never Whistle at Night” which Van Alst co-edited and was so excited for this release as a born and raised Chicagoan (grew up in the 90s though, so definitely a different vibe).

I don’t think this book was for me but I do think this is well written and a pretty accurate portrayal of Chicago in the 70s if my dad’s generation is to be believed. Ultimately, the dialect and the lack of women characters was what made this a miss for me but paired with “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton and “Cementary Boys” by Aiden Thomas, you have a great start on a young/new adult reading list with male protagonists.

This story was very cool to read. Seeing everyones point of views from all the characters that were introduced. This is defiantly a book I will have to reread since I feel like I was not grasping what was going on during some parts. I liked the magical realism of some of the things that happened. If you want something similar to maybe The Outsiders than this is your book.

When I saw this was based on The Warriors, I needed this. That is my fave movie of all time. However this book did not live up to the hype in my head. It was way to descriptive of things that didn't really need to be described. It is being told all in 1 say so a lot of info was dumped in and it became to hard to keep all of it organized in my head. I didn't follow the story the way I think we were intended to. It could have been a lot shorter.

I was a little confused from time to time but reading other peoples perspectives, i think its safe to say my dyslexia didn't fail me. Overall the book was okay and worth sharing but i think it needs more time to bake.

I didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would have. The tone and overall themes were downright confusing and muddled. The character development felt underdeveloped and rushed. I didn’t understand the point of it. I couldn’t get into the plot or half-baked characters. Huge disappointment.

The El was an interesting novel. I liked the shifting perspectives and the audiobook was well done too.
I'd read more from this author

Teddy, the indigenous leader of the F/C branch of the Simon City Royals wakes up on a hot Chicago August day in 1979, ready to lead his crew to a meetup of several factions of various gangs around the city. The goal is to forge new alliances, but not everyone is on board. If Teddy and his friends are going to survive the day, they need their wits about them--and maybe a little help from Coyote. Told in shifting perspectives as the F/C SCRs head into unfamiliar territory, this is a clever, violent, surprising work of autofiction. With more turns and divergent paths than an El map, the novel spans a day in Teddy's life, and launches us far forward into his future.

Reading this was a fascinating and, at times, challenging experience for me. I lived in Rogers Park and Uptown, but the Chicago I lived in was so different from Teddy's Chicago. At first, I was thrown by this--what did he mean Edgewater was unsettling? the fuck? that's where my favorite coffee spot is.--until I realized: that's kind of the fucking point. The Chicago I lived in as a white girl in the 2010s came out of the Chicago Van Alst represents so fully and beautifully in this book. Before there were gentrifiers and the Red Line, there was Teddy's world. But the thing that ties my Chicago to his is the absolute love we both have for the city, its neighborhoods, its people, its beauty, and the El that connects us all.

I noticed a few readers unsettled by the violence and the references to gangs and handshakes Van Alst doesn't explicate for the reader and to that I say: not everything was written with your comfort and frame of reference in mind. Take this book for what it is: a window (perhaps not a mirror), an invitation into a world that may seem unfamiliar but is rich with characters and story. Persevere with this one. It's well worth it.

Historical fiction that shows the true face of Chicago in August 1979. Gang activity was an everyday occurrence, leaving young men wounded or worse. The elevated highway (EL) was the principal means of transportation for these young men and women as they moved across the city. The story begins as we are introduced to Teddy, a member of the Simon City Royals. On this day, Teddy leads a group of young men to a summit meeting of gang members seeking to unite into a single, larger organization. Teddy is hoping to find more indigenous youth; he's the lone native american in his gang. This sets the plot line for the book.

As the members assemble at the High School, violence breaks out, and all thought of a peaceful meeting disappears quickly. As chaos and confusion multiply, Teddy will gather his numbers together and start the dangerous journey back to their territory. Teddy's ability to think quickly and take action as needed will be tested at every street corner and alley. The tension is built and held at maximum speed with twists coming from inside the group. This is an excellent book. It's been a while since I fell so far into the action that I lost time. Theodore C Van Alst Jr deserves much more than 5 stars.

The El by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr., after reading never whistle at night I couldn’t wait to read this book and although I knew it was semi autobiographical after reading the summary it still sounded pretty interesting. Once I started reading it I found it confusing how it would just go from one person‘s POV to another not to mention the strange colloquialisms and local verbiage they use also the extended explanations of handshakes houses they saw and other things that should’ve been minor but took up way too much word space. I also didn’t like that just like in the real world they thought violence was nothing and fighting another gang was just a part of daily life. I know other people said it’s because they were left without options but one boy was from a family where his parents were still married and they lived in a nice home not to mention Teddy‘s parents both worked and even though they didn’t live together they still kept a job so I called BS on that. usually buy the end of a book I am rooting for the protagonist if they’re likable enough but by the end of this book I was just over it and glad I was finished. I do believe some people will love this book I am not a biography reader in general so if that sounds like something you would be into then you should definitely read it. I usually love reading books from people who live differently than I do but this one was just confusing and yeah I was just glad it’s over. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,#TheodoreCVanAlstJr, #TheEl,

70s Chicago street gang book, like if The Warriors was written by Studs Terkel. It is always hard to tell a story with this many narrators and distinguish them, but Alst does a nice job putting yourself in the minds of all of the different members of the gang as they travel the subway on their way to a gang meetup

Synopsis: Teddy, a Simon City Royal (gang member), leads a motley crew of other affiliates across Chicago to a big meet-up, which is an attempt to unite with other Chicago gang members. Despite their high hopes, the meeting doesn't go as planned. Teddy is tasked with getting the Royals back into safe territory, all with the help of his guiding spirit-Coyote.

Overall: I liked this book! The way this book centers around the El is brilliant. At the end, I pictured the El like the vein as the life source for the entire city. Enter these kids desperately trying to follow that vein home so they can survive. The cast in this story is diverse which I appreciated and the story centers around an Indigenous MMC. Van Alst Jr. gives us a glance into the mind of someone we might just shrug off as "troubled" and helps us understand there's more to the picture than we can see on the surface.

This book was very entertaining and will definitely worth a pickup!

Rating: 4/5

Lovable characters that feel real and relatable. The 1970s Chicago setting is so vivid and lush. I felt like I was just another one of the Simon City Royals gang on the El on a sticky summer day in the Midwest. The setting and characters really make this story.

I had a few minor issues with pacing but overall really enjoyed this one. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

Thank you to the publisher, Vintage, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I love present-day Chicago and the Chicago depicted in this book, but the story itself was too slow for me. By the end I found myself skimming, hoping to get to some action. I think those who love the city might still enjoy this book, but definitely know what you're getting yourself into.

Really great if you want to know about the map of gangs and trains of Chicago in the 1970s, less great if you're looking for a real full story!

We follow Teddy and his crew as they traverse the city by train and bus to go to a meetup - things go South and we follow them on their way back home. I wanted to like this a lot, and I was invested (because of my love of Chicago) but I did struggle to keep track of who all the members were, as we jumped POVs pretty quickly.

Thanks so much to Theodore C Van Alst Jr and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I read the e-arc of The El by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. It's 1979 Chicago. We are following Teddy and his crew, members of gang, the Simon City Royals gang, that are going to a big meet up of gangs in the city. They are taking the El train and it will involve crossing hostile gangs territory. The goal is to form a large cooperative or nation. Reminiscent of The Warriors and The Outsiders, this book has it's own language, cadence, atmosphere. It's hot in Chicago and Teddy is not only shepherding his young gang, he is trying to keep them together and focused. The book is an ode to Chicago and to the author's heritage as it is part autobiographical. Such a fascinating read. 3.75 stars.

I need to thank Net Galley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for my e-arc. This book releases on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.

The El deals with a culture that I'm pretty unfamiliar with, so I found the novel interesting in that aspect. There are long stretches of a short novel where almost nothing happens plot-wise, but it is a very good character study. Each character (and there are many) had a unique voice, which is hard to pull off. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I didn't love it. 3 stars

Review posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads on 8/10/25. Review will be posted to Amazon on release date.

Thank you to Vintage Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a voicey novel. I mean that in the most positive use of the word. I know at times people will use “voicey” as an insult but the voice of the characters shines bright in the book. We follow a group of kids on their way to a meeting of the local gangs to potentially broker a deal amongst them. Each person’s point of view we jump into has such a specific voice that you instantly know who they are, what matters to them, and how they fit into the gang. This was a propulsive novel that moved fast and didn’t give you much time to breathe before the next big thing knocks you back.

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This story starts as a hood novel set in the late 70's. when dairy was bad and margarine was king. There is a journey on the El and some magical realism thrown in. The end gets a little 4th wall-ish. Wound up liking it

On a hot and humid day in August of 1979. A typical end of summer day in Chicago, Teenager Teddy who has thrived as a member of the Simon City Royals, helps lead a posse across the city to Rosevelt High School to a gathering of multiple gangs to form “The Nation”. Gunshots rings out and Teddy must lad everyone home, with the help of the guiding spirit of Coyote, the El tracks and CTA buses.

This book is a short wonderful, yet intense, look at one day in Chicago at the turn of a decade. Having just gotten home from Chicago, I could hear the thundering trains, and feel the heat as I crossed the city with Teddy.

Thank you NetGalley & Vintage for an advanced reader copy.
#TheEl #NetGalley.