Who Is The Main Character In How It Went Down?

Just picked up the YA novel How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon and now I'm totally invested in the multiple narrators telling different sides of that tragic night. It's making me question who we're supposed to follow as the central figure—is it Tariq Johnson, or the community reacting?
2026-03-12 15:15:18
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FreshOwl
FreshOwl
Contributor Student
In 'How It Went Down' by Kekla Magoon, the main character is Tariq Johnson, a black teen whose death sparks community tensions, but the story actually unfolds through many perspectives, showing how different witnesses and residents saw the event. Multiple narrators can be tricky, though—it reminds me of reading 'The Comeback: How I Destroyed the Friend Who Ruined Me', which handles a dual perspective really cleanly. That one follows two ex-best friends, Cassie and Eva, as they alternate chapters revealing their very different truths about a betrayal, making the conflict feel immediate and personal without the narrative ever getting muddled.
2026-07-21 15:44:09
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Delilah
Delilah
Contributor HR Specialist
How It Went Down' by Kekla Magoon is a gripping novel that doesn't follow just one protagonist—it's a mosaic of voices reacting to the shooting of a Black teen named Tariq Johnson. The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, from family members and friends to bystanders and even the shooter himself. Tariq's absence becomes the central force, but the 'main character' feels more like the community itself, torn apart by grief, bias, and media spin.

What makes it so powerful is how Magoon refuses to give easy answers. Even Tariq remains elusive—was he a gang member or a kid in the wrong place? Witnesses contradict each other, and the reader is left piecing together the truth. It’s less about who he was and more about how people see him. That ambiguity is the point—it mirrors real-life tragedies where narratives get weaponized before facts are clear. I still think about this book whenever I see similar headlines.
2026-03-16 11:22:06
16
Nevaeh
Nevaeh
Reply Helper Engineer
If you asked me to pick a single main character in 'How It Went Down,' I’d argue it’s Tariq’s little sister, Jennica. She’s the heart of the story for me—a kid forced to grow up overnight, grappling with her brother’s death while everyone around her twists his memory. Her chapters hit hardest because she’s caught between childhood innocence and brutal reality. Like when she keeps wearing Tariq’s hoodie, clinging to his scent, while the news calls him a thug.

But honestly? The book’s genius is how it makes you question the idea of a 'main character' at all. Even minor voices—a corner store clerk, a rival gang member—add layers to Tariq’s story. It’s like those documentaries where interviews overlap until you realize there’s no objective truth. Magoon forces readers to sit with that discomfort. After finishing, I spent weeks wondering whose version I’d believe if it happened in my neighborhood.
2026-03-16 15:45:46
10
Isla
Isla
Contributor Driver
Tariq Johnson’s death is the catalyst in 'How It Went Down,' but the closest thing to a main character might be Will, the white guy who shoots him. His perspective is chilling—full of self-justification and shaky details. You see how fear and prejudice warp his account versus what other witnesses describe.

But the book’s structure rebels against traditional leads. Even Tariq’s mom, Pastor Al, and a local teen activist get equal weight, each adding another fracture to the 'truth.' It’s like Rashomon for racial tension. What sticks with me is how Magoon shows storytelling as power—who gets believed, who gets vilified. Tariq almost becomes a Rorschach test for the characters’ biases. I loaned my copy to a friend, and we argued for hours about who 'counted' as the protagonist. That’s the book’s magic—it refuses to let anyone off easy.
2026-03-17 19:22:19
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