"Flight" is about a vagabond boy self-named "Zits," a juvenile delinquent who is constantly hopping from one foster home till the next. In these foster homes, he suffers the abuses of foster parents and has become angry with the world. One day, he is throwing in juvey because he pushes his foster mother and storms out of his house. He is flagged down by a familiar cops that he has met the various other times he has been tossed into juvey. As he sits in his cell awaiting trial, he meets a blonde boy whom he describes as "beautiful" and who truly seems to understand him, The boy teaches Zits to be a revolutionary, and convinces Zits to do the Ghost Dance and bring back the Native Americans. Zits, through a series of insane events, becomes "unstuck in time" (a Slaughterhouse Five term, but apt for use here, especially considering his quotation of Kurt Vonnegut at the beginning).
The story is quick-paced, action packed, gripping, but still realistic, heartfelt, and sincere. There is a lot Alexie is trying for say for Native Americans in today's society and how they related. The story contains quite a bit of obscenity, but not an over-the-top amount. It is effective in that it makes the speaker very real and easy to associate with. Kids in early-mid high school would be ideal for this book.
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