Tangerine Part 2

I think the first thing I noticed about part 2 of "Tangerine" was that Paul talked a lot about his soccer games- so much so that it almost lost me. He gave detailed accounts of each game, and how his relationship with the other kids on his team become strong. He got to know each of them personally. Yet it did not affect his home life at all. No one in his family seemed to know or care about these soccer games that were obviously so important to Paul. They did not attend any games or even ask Paul about the games. They were too caught up in community developement and about those koi fish and the football life of Erik. I just can't believe how little they pay attention to the things that are important in Paul's life. I also can't believe that a boy Paul's age would be so accepting and even wise (wiser than his parents) about life in Tangerine. Are all children that age like that? Is Paul dipicted or discribed accurretly for his age?
I liked the introduction of Luis and the tangerine farms, and the effect they have on Paul. It gives him a chance to see things from another perspective. I have had the same experiences myself. My best friend growing up had an Aunt who owned a horse farm. I loved going there because on the farm things were complicated (you really do need to know what you are doing to raise horses) and yet far more simple. You knew where you were with a horse. The horses, just like the tangerine trees, were a constant. Something you could count on- that if you gave everything to them, you would get everything back. In the book, I think they gave Paul a sense of grounding, and also a escape from his dysfunctional family. Luis represented everything that his family was not.
I also think that his move to Tangerine Middle was a good move for Paul, besides of the obvious (that he could play soccer). He was able to get out of the secluded world of the gated community he lived in to experience how other people live. It also gave him something else to think about other than his family, and it helped him to find himself and see what he was capable of.
I have a real bad habit of skipping ahead and reading the last chapter of a book, so I know what happens later on. But for anyone who still has Part 3 to go, you are in for a shock! Good Reading!