Super Short Summary

Set in Washington State, Chris Crutcher's young adult novel, Chinese Handcuffs (1989), follows high school junior Dillon Hemingway as he grapples with his older brother's recent suicide and forms a transformative friendship with star athlete Jen Lawless, who is enduring familial abuse. Much of the story unfolds through Dillon's journal entries, providing insight into his struggles and personal growth. The book includes sensitive topics such as suicide, drug addiction, sexual assault, and child abuse.