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Whip It
Skirts, Skates, & Scrapes!
All the old school skills with a new punk rock attitude
Come see The Lone Star Derby Girls
Austin's All-Girl Roller Derby League
The Holy Rollers vs. The Fight Crew
Halftime Concert by the Chimney Sweeps
This ain't no cheerleading clinic, y'all!
Meet Bliss Cavendar, an indie-rock-loving misfit stuck in the tiny town of Bodeen, Texas. Her pageant-addicted mother expects her to compete for the coveted Miss Bluebonnet crown, but Bliss would rather feast on roaches than be subjected to such rhinestone tyranny.
Bliss's escape? Roller Derby.
When she discovers a league in nearby Austin, Bliss embarks on an epic journey full of hilarious tattooed girls, delicious boys in bands, and a few not-so-awesome realities even the most hard-core derby chick has to learn.
All the old school skills with a new punk rock attitude
Come see The Lone Star Derby Girls
Austin's All-Girl Roller Derby League
The Holy Rollers vs. The Fight Crew
Halftime Concert by the Chimney Sweeps
This ain't no cheerleading clinic, y'all!
Meet Bliss Cavendar, an indie-rock-loving misfit stuck in the tiny town of Bodeen, Texas. Her pageant-addicted mother expects her to compete for the coveted Miss Bluebonnet crown, but Bliss would rather feast on roaches than be subjected to such rhinestone tyranny.
Bliss's escape? Roller Derby.
When she discovers a league in nearby Austin, Bliss embarks on an epic journey full of hilarious tattooed girls, delicious boys in bands, and a few not-so-awesome realities even the most hard-core derby chick has to learn.
234 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2007
About the author
Shauna Cross
8 books38 followersShauna Cross is a roller derby athlete, author of Derby Girl, and screenwriter of Whip It!. Her roller derby pseudonym is "Maggie Mayhem," skating for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls.
The book, and film, are fictionalized accounts of an experience skating with the Texas Rollergirls.
She is presently working on a film adaptation of Live Nude Girls Unite.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/shauna...
The book, and film, are fictionalized accounts of an experience skating with the Texas Rollergirls.
She is presently working on a film adaptation of Live Nude Girls Unite.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/shauna...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
October 28, 2009
Full disclosure: I'm a derby girl who saw Whip It twice before it was officially released. I'm also a devout fan of Drew Barrymore, and Ellen Page. This book had to really hustle to come anywhere near a movie that I really enjoyed and believed.
Since I just recently saw the movie, of course, I'm left comparing the book. In a rare occurrence, I actually preferred the movie. Unfortunately, this means my review is a lot more about how well the movie managed things that the book didn't.
Ultimately, the book is a reasonably motivating chick lit title about a sport I love. If nothing else, a book that exposes young women to roller derby, and presents it as a sport - a fast-paced, punk rock, crowd-exciting, chick-empowering, all-embracing SPORT - can't be too bad. It's certainly a unique subject matter.
Take the roller derby out and it's a fairly generic teen romance. Girl is an outcast and struggles both at school and at home with her indie rock sensibilities. Soulmate/kindred spirit best friend vs. hottie rocker boyfriend ends in tears and eventual kiss and makeups. Mom and Dad come to terms with their little girl growing up. All pretty universal themes.
And the movie takes these themes, expands on them, and takes the mis-steps of the book and brings Bliss to an even more satisfactory end. In the book, Bliss spends a lot of time complaining about her situation or moping or being snarky. Of course, any inner monologue will have a bit much teenage angst and introspection, and the book takes that self-pity to a level that Ellen Page never hits in the movie. Where the movie shows sparkling well-rounded characters, the book relies on derby names to create a character who we never really see. Book Bliss spends most of her time reacting to the situations she's left in rather than initiating some action, and I'm not nearly as satisfied with the book's pat happy ending.
I just wasn't thrilled with Derby Girl (and I didn't think the movie was exactly brilliant either), mostly because it seemed that the characters were more annoying and less human than they were portrayed in the movie. I expected a more endearing mom, a less snarky more sweet and self-aware Bliss, and roller girls that existed outside of their derby personas. I think I'd rather my (theoretical) daughter watch the movie, since it flaunts the girl-power theme in a much more accessible way while still addressing the issues that the book goes after.
If you're reading the book because you're interested in derby, go see a bout in person. If you're reading the book because you saw Whip It, you'll be disappointed. If you're reading the book because you're looking for a generic YA book with an eye-catching cover, fair enough, but don't expect to find anything particularly thrilling inside. And if you read the book and can't imagine why they made it into a movie, give Whip It a chance. It breathes life into these characters in a beautiful way that makes these relationships - all of them - much more believable and honest than Cross displays them here.
Since I just recently saw the movie, of course, I'm left comparing the book. In a rare occurrence, I actually preferred the movie. Unfortunately, this means my review is a lot more about how well the movie managed things that the book didn't.
Ultimately, the book is a reasonably motivating chick lit title about a sport I love. If nothing else, a book that exposes young women to roller derby, and presents it as a sport - a fast-paced, punk rock, crowd-exciting, chick-empowering, all-embracing SPORT - can't be too bad. It's certainly a unique subject matter.
Take the roller derby out and it's a fairly generic teen romance. Girl is an outcast and struggles both at school and at home with her indie rock sensibilities. Soulmate/kindred spirit best friend vs. hottie rocker boyfriend ends in tears and eventual kiss and makeups. Mom and Dad come to terms with their little girl growing up. All pretty universal themes.
And the movie takes these themes, expands on them, and takes the mis-steps of the book and brings Bliss to an even more satisfactory end. In the book, Bliss spends a lot of time complaining about her situation or moping or being snarky. Of course, any inner monologue will have a bit much teenage angst and introspection, and the book takes that self-pity to a level that Ellen Page never hits in the movie. Where the movie shows sparkling well-rounded characters, the book relies on derby names to create a character who we never really see. Book Bliss spends most of her time reacting to the situations she's left in rather than initiating some action, and I'm not nearly as satisfied with the book's pat happy ending.
I just wasn't thrilled with Derby Girl (and I didn't think the movie was exactly brilliant either), mostly because it seemed that the characters were more annoying and less human than they were portrayed in the movie. I expected a more endearing mom, a less snarky more sweet and self-aware Bliss, and roller girls that existed outside of their derby personas. I think I'd rather my (theoretical) daughter watch the movie, since it flaunts the girl-power theme in a much more accessible way while still addressing the issues that the book goes after.
If you're reading the book because you're interested in derby, go see a bout in person. If you're reading the book because you saw Whip It, you'll be disappointed. If you're reading the book because you're looking for a generic YA book with an eye-catching cover, fair enough, but don't expect to find anything particularly thrilling inside. And if you read the book and can't imagine why they made it into a movie, give Whip It a chance. It breathes life into these characters in a beautiful way that makes these relationships - all of them - much more believable and honest than Cross displays them here.
July 29, 2009
*sigh*
I hope that Shauna Cross is a better screenwriter than an author. The book reads from the perspective of a sixteen year old girl, but the writing style is as developed as that of a nine year old girl. Somehow this book managed to make feminist rebel girl culture look lame and immature. "How could my best friend shoplift without me? That was OUR thing!"
The characters: square-peg blue-haired rebel girl, stern overbearing mother who wants daughter to be a "lady", apathetic dad, picture perfect little sister, oddball ethnic best friend, rival popular girl at school, cool teacher, submissive part-time job supervisor, bass-playing indie love interest, derby team captain ally, rival derby mean girl. Insert all previous characters into a predictable formulaic coming-of-age snoozefest.
Can you be both a sardonic hipster and an airheaded valley girl? Apparently. Whatevs! Don't forget to add that main character Bliss is also smarter than everyone in a position of power and immediately also the best jammer in the league. Yeah, sure.
I read it for the derby element, which was merely a footnote in this hastily written mess. Yuck. I think on this rare occasion, the movie ("Whip It") may trump the book.
I hope that Shauna Cross is a better screenwriter than an author. The book reads from the perspective of a sixteen year old girl, but the writing style is as developed as that of a nine year old girl. Somehow this book managed to make feminist rebel girl culture look lame and immature. "How could my best friend shoplift without me? That was OUR thing!"
The characters: square-peg blue-haired rebel girl, stern overbearing mother who wants daughter to be a "lady", apathetic dad, picture perfect little sister, oddball ethnic best friend, rival popular girl at school, cool teacher, submissive part-time job supervisor, bass-playing indie love interest, derby team captain ally, rival derby mean girl. Insert all previous characters into a predictable formulaic coming-of-age snoozefest.
Can you be both a sardonic hipster and an airheaded valley girl? Apparently. Whatevs! Don't forget to add that main character Bliss is also smarter than everyone in a position of power and immediately also the best jammer in the league. Yeah, sure.
I read it for the derby element, which was merely a footnote in this hastily written mess. Yuck. I think on this rare occasion, the movie ("Whip It") may trump the book.
May 23, 2017
When Jason and I started dating, one of the first "summer fun in Montreal" activitites we did together was attend a ton of roller derby games. After watching the New Skids on the Block give the Sexpos a good trashing, he asked me if I'd seen the movie "Whip It!", which I hadn't. He didn't waste much time correcting that, and I was pretty happy because I loved the movie. When I saw that Shauna Cross had written the screenplay based on her novel "Derby Girl", I wanted to check it out.
This is one of those rare occurrences where the movie is a huge improvement over the source material. The story remains essentially the same: Bliss Cavendar is her tiny Texas hicktown's token misfit, with a beauty-pageant addicted mother and a somewhat indifferent father. She falls in love with roller derby, makes it into the Austen derby league, meets the cute guitarist of an indie-rock band. But eventually her old world and her new world collide and things get complicated.
Every time I read a YA book, I always end up wondering why I put myself through this. Not because the writing or stories are bad, but more because I expect a bit more than they ultimately deliver. The irritating immaturity of Bliss' voice had me gritting my teeth: I'm not really a fan of teenage girls (yes, I used to be one: I didn't especially like myself either at that point, and would probably punch myself in the face if I had a time-machine) because they are annoying, self-absorbed and whiny. I guess that makes Bliss realistic? In the movie, Ellen Page offers a quiter and deeper take on the abrassive character, which makes her a lot more likable. The other characters are not as developed in the book as they are in the movie (weird, huh?): a lot of stereotyping, cool derby names that attempt to make up for lack of substance and background (example: Maggie Mayhem in the book is in her mid-twenties and she doesn't do much; in the movie, she is a kick-ass single-mom played by Kristen Wiig). The relationship with Oliver also comes across as more realistic in the movie… Good grief…
If you like roller derby, skip this book: watch the movie and get some skates.
This is one of those rare occurrences where the movie is a huge improvement over the source material. The story remains essentially the same: Bliss Cavendar is her tiny Texas hicktown's token misfit, with a beauty-pageant addicted mother and a somewhat indifferent father. She falls in love with roller derby, makes it into the Austen derby league, meets the cute guitarist of an indie-rock band. But eventually her old world and her new world collide and things get complicated.
Every time I read a YA book, I always end up wondering why I put myself through this. Not because the writing or stories are bad, but more because I expect a bit more than they ultimately deliver. The irritating immaturity of Bliss' voice had me gritting my teeth: I'm not really a fan of teenage girls (yes, I used to be one: I didn't especially like myself either at that point, and would probably punch myself in the face if I had a time-machine) because they are annoying, self-absorbed and whiny. I guess that makes Bliss realistic? In the movie, Ellen Page offers a quiter and deeper take on the abrassive character, which makes her a lot more likable. The other characters are not as developed in the book as they are in the movie (weird, huh?): a lot of stereotyping, cool derby names that attempt to make up for lack of substance and background (example: Maggie Mayhem in the book is in her mid-twenties and she doesn't do much; in the movie, she is a kick-ass single-mom played by Kristen Wiig). The relationship with Oliver also comes across as more realistic in the movie… Good grief…
If you like roller derby, skip this book: watch the movie and get some skates.
November 5, 2010
When I watched this movie for the first time, I imagined what a great novel this could have been. I loved the awkwardness of Ellen Page, the rich characters of Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern as her parents, and the overall touching coming of age story. At the end of the movie, I saw in the credits that it was based on a book by Shauna Cross.
At that moment I had two thoughts: The first was Damn, I would've loved to write a book with this storyline. The second was, I need to get this book.
I don't know why I was so excited.
For the first few pages, Bliss's narration jumps off the page. I didn't expect the flamboyant narration based on Ellen Page's quiet and somewhat nervous portrayal of Bliss in the film. After the opening chapters, though, the constant asides grew tiring and the flippant teenage slang grew tedious.
In fact, I discovered myself in the rare situation of liking the movie more than the book. The characters in the movie are more dimensional with more blue-collar-edge. The characters in the book? Flat, air-headed, unpredictable--and not in a good way. All the ingredients could add up to something amazing are here, but would Bliss, the star of the book, really buy into the ditzy, teenage lingo used endlessly? I think not. Bliss is supposed to be a clever, edgy, deep-thinking girl, but the narration makes you think she's more like her archnemesis Corbi than a smart, talented derby girl.
Cross wrote the screenplay for the movie. This isn't surprising as most of her writing projects are screenplays. However, it is surprising that the author of this novel could, with the help of director Drew Barrymore, create a much more compelling movie.
I'm just disappointed. This story could make such an amazing book. It didn't even come close.
At that moment I had two thoughts: The first was Damn, I would've loved to write a book with this storyline. The second was, I need to get this book.
I don't know why I was so excited.
For the first few pages, Bliss's narration jumps off the page. I didn't expect the flamboyant narration based on Ellen Page's quiet and somewhat nervous portrayal of Bliss in the film. After the opening chapters, though, the constant asides grew tiring and the flippant teenage slang grew tedious.
In fact, I discovered myself in the rare situation of liking the movie more than the book. The characters in the movie are more dimensional with more blue-collar-edge. The characters in the book? Flat, air-headed, unpredictable--and not in a good way. All the ingredients could add up to something amazing are here, but would Bliss, the star of the book, really buy into the ditzy, teenage lingo used endlessly? I think not. Bliss is supposed to be a clever, edgy, deep-thinking girl, but the narration makes you think she's more like her archnemesis Corbi than a smart, talented derby girl.
Cross wrote the screenplay for the movie. This isn't surprising as most of her writing projects are screenplays. However, it is surprising that the author of this novel could, with the help of director Drew Barrymore, create a much more compelling movie.
I'm just disappointed. This story could make such an amazing book. It didn't even come close.
August 19, 2010
This book inspired me to be a Roller Derby girl. Strike that, it inspired me to attempt long boarding, which was great fun, but not something I think I have any business doing. Anywho, onto the good stuff.
Bliss hates her life. She is an emo punk rocker, minus the rocker skills, stuck in small town U.S.A. No one except for her nerdy best friend Pash understands her and her mother seems hell-bent on tormenting her with her intense desire to turn her Goth obsessed daughter into a superficial beotch, I mean beauty queen. *gags*. Thankfully Bliss shares my sentiment on such things.
Bliss wants to break away from her shit hole of a town, where small minds rule and vanity trumps intelligence and insight. But life changes for Bliss when a fateful trip to and Austin vintage shop uncovers a world where women not only reject ribbons and lace, they rip them to shreds, and mock them mercilessly.
Bliss enters the world of Women's Roller Derby and quickly joins the Hurl Scouts, adopting the derby name of Babe Ruthless. I would have gone with Dolly Spartan myself, but who am I to judge? It is in this world of hard core roller mashing that Bliss discovers her inner fire if you will and ignites.
WhipIt is a great coming of age tale for any of us females with snide humor who prefer live outside of the box, are in possession of musical taste and wouldn't mind befriending women who can kick are ass while boasting names such as 5 Scar General and Emma of the State.
Bliss hates her life. She is an emo punk rocker, minus the rocker skills, stuck in small town U.S.A. No one except for her nerdy best friend Pash understands her and her mother seems hell-bent on tormenting her with her intense desire to turn her Goth obsessed daughter into a superficial beotch, I mean beauty queen. *gags*. Thankfully Bliss shares my sentiment on such things.
Bliss wants to break away from her shit hole of a town, where small minds rule and vanity trumps intelligence and insight. But life changes for Bliss when a fateful trip to and Austin vintage shop uncovers a world where women not only reject ribbons and lace, they rip them to shreds, and mock them mercilessly.
Bliss enters the world of Women's Roller Derby and quickly joins the Hurl Scouts, adopting the derby name of Babe Ruthless. I would have gone with Dolly Spartan myself, but who am I to judge? It is in this world of hard core roller mashing that Bliss discovers her inner fire if you will and ignites.
WhipIt is a great coming of age tale for any of us females with snide humor who prefer live outside of the box, are in possession of musical taste and wouldn't mind befriending women who can kick are ass while boasting names such as 5 Scar General and Emma of the State.
May 7, 2013
Shauna Cross's characters read like they were trying too hard to be "different" and "edgy". Mostly I only had a problem with Bliss, our protagonist, who was more obnoxious than she was endearing. Do yourself a favor and just see the movie instead. Ellen Page at least made Bliss a likable heroine.
June 30, 2016
This was such a fun read. I loved the story, but the writing style wowed me even more.
September 22, 2009
Bliss Cavendar is dying in the cultural desert that is Bodeen, Tx. Bliss does not look like your average Bodeen resident, with her blue hair and 80's bands t-shirts. Her life is changed when she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin, and decides to try out. After a few falls on her old barbie skates, Bliss is reborn as Babe Ruthless, jammer for the Hurl Scouts. She hides her participation from her parents, and her age from the other girls on the team (must be 18 to try out). While juggling all of this she even manages to find the perfect boy. But everything falls apart when Bliss's pageant loving mother, enters her into a competition on the same day as the league championships.
OK. I have some major problems with this book. First, I wish the author could have made this more authentic. When I first started the book, I thought she might have never been to a roller derby bout. I was shocked to find out she was actually part of a league!! Second, I wish the author had been more consistent. She makes up all these great names for characters and places but then never uses them again! Lastly, it is just too damn happy. The whole point of this book is that this alternative girl wants to get out of Hicksville, Tx but there is a lot of bad stuff that happens and it still is all wrapped up with a happy bow! Including that she has sex with her boy friend and weeks later he cheats on her and it only takes her about 5 minutes to get over it. I sincerely hope this is a better movie, but Shauna Cross wrote the screenplay so I don't hold much hope.
OK. I have some major problems with this book. First, I wish the author could have made this more authentic. When I first started the book, I thought she might have never been to a roller derby bout. I was shocked to find out she was actually part of a league!! Second, I wish the author had been more consistent. She makes up all these great names for characters and places but then never uses them again! Lastly, it is just too damn happy. The whole point of this book is that this alternative girl wants to get out of Hicksville, Tx but there is a lot of bad stuff that happens and it still is all wrapped up with a happy bow! Including that she has sex with her boy friend and weeks later he cheats on her and it only takes her about 5 minutes to get over it. I sincerely hope this is a better movie, but Shauna Cross wrote the screenplay so I don't hold much hope.
May 25, 2013
I absolutely LOVED this book. I've been putting off buying it and putting off buying it ever since I first watched the film, and I'm never usually one to worry about that kind of thing. I love books and I love films, and I can usually appreciate both for what they are, but that film was so close to my heart that I was scared to read this incase they had messed up the film majorly. I am so, so pleased to say that that wasn't the case. This book was better than the film, in my opinion, and here is why; this book is written almost like a journal, like a constant diary entry that tells the story of a teen girl stuck in a world she doesn't belong in. It is written in such a way that you are routing for Bliss the moment her first words travel through your brain, and you just can't let go of that 'you go girl' feel. This book is witty, sarcastic and so real. It is pure and fun and I absolutely adored it. I will definitely be reading this book again and I will definitely be passing it on to friends.
February 3, 2008
Stone me now, but I hated this. I thought the portrayal of derby was incorrect in several instances (a 16 year old sneaks on the team, and no one knows?) and the character was a little unlikable to me. Writing style was immature and underdeveloped. Yuck.
April 2, 2024
I NEED to play roller derby and I NEED my derby name to be bruisin' sarandon STAT
April 14, 2019
Coup de cœur!
September 30, 2014
While taking a slightly Hollywood view of view of both adolescence and roller derby; this is a tightly plotted, enjoyable, quick read. The first few chapters I couldn't shake the sound of Ellen Page's voice as a voiceover—despite only having seen the movie Whip It (which was born of Shauna Cross' novel) once, more than three years ago. However, as the story begins to move forward, the narrative voice finds its footing, and the novel settles into an engaging rhythm.
There are some interesting short-comings here, although nothing to detract from the experience of the novel. The heroine Bliss "Babe Ruthless" Cavendar's immersion into the world of roller derby is somewhat glossed over, as she goes from Bambi-like first steps onto the track to MVP of her very first bout in an astonishing brevity of pages. The die-hard derby fan might love to spend more time with her team, immersed in the not-really-all-that-fictionalized world of Austin roller derby near the dawn of the modern roller derby revival; but the novel strikes the right balance between Bliss trapped in a backwater town, under the oppressive thumb of her pageant-obessed mother, and her emotionally liberating experiences in the vibrant world of roller derby. I found Bliss' loss of virginity somewhat cavalier (but then is that all that uncommon for a great many teens?), but there are some genuine enough repercussions later on.
The author does a masterful job of disguising the fact that she is actually writing about a banked-track roller derby team—a rare animal in the modern era—but the camaraderie, competition, and culture she depicts are universal across all roller derby leagues. Interestingly absent is any of the on-track brawling depicted in the movie, that, while gone from the modern sport these days, would have been authentic in pre-2007 Austin (at least according to Rollergirl: Totally True Tales from the Track).
Given that this is about a 16 year old, lying about her age to skate for an adult league, this story is somewhat of a fantasy. I will continue to long for a more authentic novel more fully reflective of a modern roller derby experience, and perhaps more deeply immersed in the world. That being said: Derby Girl is great as light YA. It's enjoyably entertaining as a roller derby novel, and definitely worth the read.
I'd rather rate this 3.5 if it were possible.
There are some interesting short-comings here, although nothing to detract from the experience of the novel. The heroine Bliss "Babe Ruthless" Cavendar's immersion into the world of roller derby is somewhat glossed over, as she goes from Bambi-like first steps onto the track to MVP of her very first bout in an astonishing brevity of pages. The die-hard derby fan might love to spend more time with her team, immersed in the not-really-all-that-fictionalized world of Austin roller derby near the dawn of the modern roller derby revival; but the novel strikes the right balance between Bliss trapped in a backwater town, under the oppressive thumb of her pageant-obessed mother, and her emotionally liberating experiences in the vibrant world of roller derby. I found Bliss' loss of virginity somewhat cavalier (but then is that all that uncommon for a great many teens?), but there are some genuine enough repercussions later on.
The author does a masterful job of disguising the fact that she is actually writing about a banked-track roller derby team—a rare animal in the modern era—but the camaraderie, competition, and culture she depicts are universal across all roller derby leagues. Interestingly absent is any of the on-track brawling depicted in the movie, that, while gone from the modern sport these days, would have been authentic in pre-2007 Austin (at least according to Rollergirl: Totally True Tales from the Track).
Given that this is about a 16 year old, lying about her age to skate for an adult league, this story is somewhat of a fantasy. I will continue to long for a more authentic novel more fully reflective of a modern roller derby experience, and perhaps more deeply immersed in the world. That being said: Derby Girl is great as light YA. It's enjoyably entertaining as a roller derby novel, and definitely worth the read.
I'd rather rate this 3.5 if it were possible.
October 11, 2009
Yeah, that's right. I read a young adult book. Let's all gasp in unison and move on. I should also state immediately that I would not have found out about this book if Drew Barrymore hadn't just made the movie Whip It which is based on this book. While I also don't normally read books just because of the movie that's come out, I actually want to see the movie and can't bring myself to do it seriously without at least trying to read the book. And I love roller derby.
Bliss Cavendar is a 16-year-old stuck in Bodeen, TX, a small "hicktown" where no one understands her, least of all her parents. Her mother is obsessed with pageants and wants Bliss to follow in her footsteps when all Bliss wants to do is rock out and be a punk kid. She is, after all, 16. She totally falls in love with Austin's roller derby teams and makes it her mission to join and be accepted by other people like herself. Through a series of lies and deceptions Bliss makes it and rawks, but of course life continues on around her and she realizes that, "Wait, life isn't all peaches n cream when I find likeminded people."
While not a horrible story, I hated the voice of Bliss. It was like Shauna Cross saw the movie Juno and then wrote this book with Ellen Page in mind. And maybe she did, I don't know. It's too annoying for words though. Plus, I might be a fan of parenthetical thoughts (I mean, who isn't really?), the use of parentheses in this book is astronomical. I haven't been so annoyed by something like that since I read Special Topics in Calamity Physics which was all about similar affects.
I could totally imagine this as a movie though, and yes, am not ashamed to say I will probably be going to see it today. I support Drew Barrymore and many of her endeavors, and again, I love me some roller derby. I hope Drew pulls it off and I expect great things from this movie. Well, I expect better things from this movie. It practically writes itself while you read the book.
Bliss Cavendar is a 16-year-old stuck in Bodeen, TX, a small "hicktown" where no one understands her, least of all her parents. Her mother is obsessed with pageants and wants Bliss to follow in her footsteps when all Bliss wants to do is rock out and be a punk kid. She is, after all, 16. She totally falls in love with Austin's roller derby teams and makes it her mission to join and be accepted by other people like herself. Through a series of lies and deceptions Bliss makes it and rawks, but of course life continues on around her and she realizes that, "Wait, life isn't all peaches n cream when I find likeminded people."
While not a horrible story, I hated the voice of Bliss. It was like Shauna Cross saw the movie Juno and then wrote this book with Ellen Page in mind. And maybe she did, I don't know. It's too annoying for words though. Plus, I might be a fan of parenthetical thoughts (I mean, who isn't really?), the use of parentheses in this book is astronomical. I haven't been so annoyed by something like that since I read Special Topics in Calamity Physics which was all about similar affects.
I could totally imagine this as a movie though, and yes, am not ashamed to say I will probably be going to see it today. I support Drew Barrymore and many of her endeavors, and again, I love me some roller derby. I hope Drew pulls it off and I expect great things from this movie. Well, I expect better things from this movie. It practically writes itself while you read the book.
September 11, 2014
Ok, so it's not nearly as fantastic as the movie, but I loved the book. You can definitely see the similarities, and what I love about the film is that they've kept the tone of the book. Reading it, I could almost hear Ellen Page narrating the whole thing. In terms of adaptations, the film is spectacular!
The voice is quite unique, which I liked, though I felt some of the terms were outdated. Plus there is the whole "I'm not like other girls" element in there, which is super antifeminist (what's wrong with girls who love mainstream music and beauty pageants? Let them love life!). Also the pretentiousness of "real music" which is anything that isn't usually heard on the radio, or isn't any more recent that 1980. But if you ignore that, it's quite good. Bliss is quite an interesting character, and yet, real enough that you can identify with her emotions.
What I didn't like was her tendency to make everything into an acronym, particularly things she didn't say again. It's very irritating. And of course, I feel her slang is outdated, even though the book was only written in 2007. Having said that, I think this was intentional, to get the 'uncool' feel of small town Bodeen across, like it's stuck two decades behind the rest of the world.
I do think the film was better, playing up the emotions, the drama of roller derby, and how hard it is for Bliss to fit in in Bodeen, while finding a family in the Hurl Scouts, but the book certainly has merit, especially if you measure merit by how entertaining it is (which I do).
The voice is quite unique, which I liked, though I felt some of the terms were outdated. Plus there is the whole "I'm not like other girls" element in there, which is super antifeminist (what's wrong with girls who love mainstream music and beauty pageants? Let them love life!). Also the pretentiousness of "real music" which is anything that isn't usually heard on the radio, or isn't any more recent that 1980. But if you ignore that, it's quite good. Bliss is quite an interesting character, and yet, real enough that you can identify with her emotions.
What I didn't like was her tendency to make everything into an acronym, particularly things she didn't say again. It's very irritating. And of course, I feel her slang is outdated, even though the book was only written in 2007. Having said that, I think this was intentional, to get the 'uncool' feel of small town Bodeen across, like it's stuck two decades behind the rest of the world.
I do think the film was better, playing up the emotions, the drama of roller derby, and how hard it is for Bliss to fit in in Bodeen, while finding a family in the Hurl Scouts, but the book certainly has merit, especially if you measure merit by how entertaining it is (which I do).
June 21, 2016
Although I enjoyed this for the roller-derby aspect, I wasn't too keen on the execution. (It pains me to say this, ever, but the movie was better.) Bliss is sixteen, old enough to rebel against her parents but too young to do so effectively; when she discovers roller derby, that changes...sort of.
I'm on board with the idea, on board with books about roller derby,* on board with the contrast of pageant queens and derby girls. But I struggled to get behind Bliss, who rarely transcends 'bratty'; I wanted to see the roller derby fleshed out beyond I was terrible for five minutes and then I was the best derby girl ever and everyone loved me; I didn't buy the mother's transformation in the end. Fun? Yes. But much of it feels unearned.
Ah well—quick read, and it's about roller derby, so I can't be sorry that I read it.
*Am too much of a wuss to do roller derby myself, but it's fantastic to watch. Unfortunately, I discovered right after I booked my flight for summer adventuring that the local league's season was about to start...with their first match scheduled for the same day I left town.
I'm on board with the idea, on board with books about roller derby,* on board with the contrast of pageant queens and derby girls. But I struggled to get behind Bliss, who rarely transcends 'bratty'; I wanted to see the roller derby fleshed out beyond I was terrible for five minutes and then I was the best derby girl ever and everyone loved me; I didn't buy the mother's transformation in the end. Fun? Yes. But much of it feels unearned.
Ah well—quick read, and it's about roller derby, so I can't be sorry that I read it.
*Am too much of a wuss to do roller derby myself, but it's fantastic to watch. Unfortunately, I discovered right after I booked my flight for summer adventuring that the local league's season was about to start...with their first match scheduled for the same day I left town.
May 3, 2016
While the main character's brand of selfish sarcasm wasn't for me, the roller derby aspects of the novel made up for her. Like Bliss, I'm also from small town Texas and frequent the capital city. I loved the references to places I know and love (thank god that Waterloo is still around) but much of the novel felt trite. I hope the movie focuses more on the derby.
March 1, 2023
OK, so I saw the movie whip it with Elliot Page and directed by Drew Barrymore. Really, really loved it despite the fact that it was like a classic sports movie with all the same tropes and beats. And my current obsession with rollerskating immediately had me buying the book that inspired the movie, and I was positive. I would love it, because the author wrote the screenplay.
But the book is… kind of difficult. A lot of it is trying to be extremely cool in a late aughts way. I didn’t really realize until recently that that was a profoundly uncool way to be cool. I mean, we were pretty disaffected in the 90s and Reality Bites has a terrible message but the language and the dismissal of anyone who isn’t you in this book is a little hard to take. Did people really say ‘rents? Like for real, and not making fun of hip slang?
In the movie, Bliss Cavender is a bit self involved, but still really interesting and a good person to have as your main character. Her relationship with her dad is a lot more interesting. She actually has a pretty good heart. I’m guessing that some of that came in the screenplay as like a second draft to make the main character a little less of a jerk. I nearly gave up on this book a couple of times, because I was like, I want to like you, but you are really hard to like.
Things get a lot easier and better in the second half of the book, and you get to like Bliss and understand her a little bit more. I didn’t really like how the major, massive dénouement is a sort of shoved offscreen into a side paragraph. I was really looking forward to reading that part.
I hate to be giving this book fewer stars, because the movie was better, but the movie really was better. Whether it was the writing, directing, the acting, the nuance in the side characters, or just the fact that it felt more like a complete story , the movie was just better. I would recommend this book but with reservations. And definitely see the movie.
But the book is… kind of difficult. A lot of it is trying to be extremely cool in a late aughts way. I didn’t really realize until recently that that was a profoundly uncool way to be cool. I mean, we were pretty disaffected in the 90s and Reality Bites has a terrible message but the language and the dismissal of anyone who isn’t you in this book is a little hard to take. Did people really say ‘rents? Like for real, and not making fun of hip slang?
In the movie, Bliss Cavender is a bit self involved, but still really interesting and a good person to have as your main character. Her relationship with her dad is a lot more interesting. She actually has a pretty good heart. I’m guessing that some of that came in the screenplay as like a second draft to make the main character a little less of a jerk. I nearly gave up on this book a couple of times, because I was like, I want to like you, but you are really hard to like.
Things get a lot easier and better in the second half of the book, and you get to like Bliss and understand her a little bit more. I didn’t really like how the major, massive dénouement is a sort of shoved offscreen into a side paragraph. I was really looking forward to reading that part.
I hate to be giving this book fewer stars, because the movie was better, but the movie really was better. Whether it was the writing, directing, the acting, the nuance in the side characters, or just the fact that it felt more like a complete story , the movie was just better. I would recommend this book but with reservations. And definitely see the movie.
April 15, 2020
Whip-smart, sassy teen coming-of-age Roller Derby tale. With great names.
Adored the film, the cast, the plot, the action. Realised it was a book. Had to try that too. And yes, once you've seen the film, you will see the actors in their respective roles. Can't be helped. But the book itself is a wonderful little tome from a writer whose own adolescence and youthful outlook fed into the story she creates here.
Bliss hates her small-town high-school life, with obligatory fast-food job and pageant-obsessed mother. She's not the popular type, doesn't want to fit in, can't wait to escape. A chance encounter with Roller Derby brings her one wheel (ha ha) closer to her ambitions as she finds people she identifies with, and starts to see who she is capable of being. Oh and there's a guy in a band too.
The Derby scenes are quite brief (sadly, for fans of the film), this is more about Bliss, her friend Pash and her family (and the teen romance), but there is a lot of humour in there, and the action itself is explained well enough to picture the scene, the excitement and Babe Ruthless on skates.
Realistic portrait of a 16-year-old in the very midst of becoming a woman, with her mother a close second in terms of character portrayal.
Enjoyed the author interview at the end (it's quite detailed as well), and I'm glad to have read the source material of a much-loved recent favourite film. It was well-adapted.
Adored the film, the cast, the plot, the action. Realised it was a book. Had to try that too. And yes, once you've seen the film, you will see the actors in their respective roles. Can't be helped. But the book itself is a wonderful little tome from a writer whose own adolescence and youthful outlook fed into the story she creates here.
Bliss hates her small-town high-school life, with obligatory fast-food job and pageant-obsessed mother. She's not the popular type, doesn't want to fit in, can't wait to escape. A chance encounter with Roller Derby brings her one wheel (ha ha) closer to her ambitions as she finds people she identifies with, and starts to see who she is capable of being. Oh and there's a guy in a band too.
The Derby scenes are quite brief (sadly, for fans of the film), this is more about Bliss, her friend Pash and her family (and the teen romance), but there is a lot of humour in there, and the action itself is explained well enough to picture the scene, the excitement and Babe Ruthless on skates.
Realistic portrait of a 16-year-old in the very midst of becoming a woman, with her mother a close second in terms of character portrayal.
Enjoyed the author interview at the end (it's quite detailed as well), and I'm glad to have read the source material of a much-loved recent favourite film. It was well-adapted.
September 13, 2020
This book was in sync with the movie, and it’s not surprising since the author was also the screenwriter for Whip It. There are weaves of witty dialogue and character interaction that are missing from the film; and that’s what I enjoyed the most. If you’re in the mood for a quick read with good humor, I highly recommend it!
December 15, 2020
I had fun.
September 26, 2021
it’s kinda like the movie if the movie was bad
August 18, 2022
i would have liked this in middle school
December 30, 2023
Cute, a bit cringe, gave me some good nostalgia
Read
April 8, 2024interesting to see how YA has changed over time… very dated
August 8, 2014
Here is one of the very few cases where the movie is WAY better than the book. Yeah, it happens sometimes, believe it or not.
However, "Derby Girl" it's not a huge disappointment neither. It's just that the book version seemed too green for me, too washy if you compare it with the movie version, "Whip it". Actually, when I knew it was based on a book I was very excited. I'm aware that usually (no matter how indie they are) big screen versions leave a lot of details behind. It doesn't matter if it's because a time issue or censorship or whatever. Almost always you can understand better the characters and their motivations when you read about them. Unfortunately this is not the case in Derby Girl. Shauna's screen vision (she actually worked in the script for the movie) gave me more sides and interesting stories to each character than Shauna's book vision. It was so painful to read these movie colorful characters as Smashley Simpson or Rosa Sparks being left off. There's mention to derby team mates but you never got to know them beyond their names. It feels like it's just a pack of faceless cool and supportive girls , which it was very disappointing. And God, the book version of Iron Maven (here Dina Might) is terrible. She is an old Disney bad guy kind of bad guy. One sided and just jealous of Babe Ruthless talent. Also, the single mother plot of Maggie Mayhem (Malice in Wonderland here) it's nonexistent. Nevertheless, she is one of the very few characters that actually feels real. She is the mentor of Bliss and I loved that she didn't take any shit of her.
Yeah because here my dear Bliss is a bit annoying. Maybe it's because this book is narrated in first person or because I'm forgetting what it was being a teenager and rant about everything but she was a bit whiny to me and at times a even cruel with her parents. Using as an example other of Ellen Paige's roles, she is more a Juno here. Nice and smart but at times annoyingly judgemental. Good thing she gets better at the end and realizes that "cool" and "uncoolness" are very subjective terms. Someone can like the same crap you do but that doesn't mean that person is awesome (like Oliver) and maybe there's this single minded woman like her mother that acts totally uncool but she really loves you and can forgive you even when you were so mean to her.
Growing up teaches you that being coolness it's not about how good you dress, the music you listen or how much booze you drink (and this applies to jocks to nerds and all the ones in the middle). Being cool it's about support your friends and stay true to yourself without hurting the ones you love. That's the good thing about this book, one of its higher points because it's more developed here. Yeah, the ending was a bit unrealistic (the mom was too forgiving for my taste. C'mon! you could have given me more suspense here Shauna) but it was ok.
I admit it, I'm a bit older to read YA books but since I'm a teacher and work with teenagers every day I like to remember once in a while what it's having 16. I might have read it this now with the eyes of a 25 year old but even with its flaws, Derby Girl works. I even had some laughs at my own expense because, even if I was a bit harsh with Bliss in this review, I was like her at her age. Maybe I didn't go for the Roller Derby road ( I had more a "know-it-all uncomformist kid sits inside and reads a book’ phase)I used to think too that everyone was wrong and I was the only one right. I was selfish and at times hurtful, but life always found the way to show me I had still a lot to learn and, in fact, I didn't know much about anything.
Hard lesson, but everyone have been there and it was nice to remind that
However, "Derby Girl" it's not a huge disappointment neither. It's just that the book version seemed too green for me, too washy if you compare it with the movie version, "Whip it". Actually, when I knew it was based on a book I was very excited. I'm aware that usually (no matter how indie they are) big screen versions leave a lot of details behind. It doesn't matter if it's because a time issue or censorship or whatever. Almost always you can understand better the characters and their motivations when you read about them. Unfortunately this is not the case in Derby Girl. Shauna's screen vision (she actually worked in the script for the movie) gave me more sides and interesting stories to each character than Shauna's book vision. It was so painful to read these movie colorful characters as Smashley Simpson or Rosa Sparks being left off. There's mention to derby team mates but you never got to know them beyond their names. It feels like it's just a pack of faceless cool and supportive girls , which it was very disappointing. And God, the book version of Iron Maven (here Dina Might) is terrible. She is an old Disney bad guy kind of bad guy. One sided and just jealous of Babe Ruthless talent. Also, the single mother plot of Maggie Mayhem (Malice in Wonderland here) it's nonexistent. Nevertheless, she is one of the very few characters that actually feels real. She is the mentor of Bliss and I loved that she didn't take any shit of her.
Yeah because here my dear Bliss is a bit annoying. Maybe it's because this book is narrated in first person or because I'm forgetting what it was being a teenager and rant about everything but she was a bit whiny to me and at times a even cruel with her parents. Using as an example other of Ellen Paige's roles, she is more a Juno here. Nice and smart but at times annoyingly judgemental. Good thing she gets better at the end and realizes that "cool" and "uncoolness" are very subjective terms. Someone can like the same crap you do but that doesn't mean that person is awesome (like Oliver) and maybe there's this single minded woman like her mother that acts totally uncool but she really loves you and can forgive you even when you were so mean to her.
Growing up teaches you that being coolness it's not about how good you dress, the music you listen or how much booze you drink (and this applies to jocks to nerds and all the ones in the middle). Being cool it's about support your friends and stay true to yourself without hurting the ones you love. That's the good thing about this book, one of its higher points because it's more developed here. Yeah, the ending was a bit unrealistic (the mom was too forgiving for my taste. C'mon! you could have given me more suspense here Shauna) but it was ok.
I admit it, I'm a bit older to read YA books but since I'm a teacher and work with teenagers every day I like to remember once in a while what it's having 16. I might have read it this now with the eyes of a 25 year old but even with its flaws, Derby Girl works. I even had some laughs at my own expense because, even if I was a bit harsh with Bliss in this review, I was like her at her age. Maybe I didn't go for the Roller Derby road ( I had more a "know-it-all uncomformist kid sits inside and reads a book’ phase)I used to think too that everyone was wrong and I was the only one right. I was selfish and at times hurtful, but life always found the way to show me I had still a lot to learn and, in fact, I didn't know much about anything.
Hard lesson, but everyone have been there and it was nice to remind that
July 28, 2013
Take Bliss Cavendar back about 15 years, subtract cell phones and MySpace – as well as the roller derby happy ending – and her story is eerily similar to my own.
I will probably always be a sucker for the stories where the small-town-music-obsessed-weird-girl escapes to find something better because even though I’m a grown ass woman with a family of my own, part of me will always be that girl that just didn’t fit in.
Like Bliss, the closest town of any size was an hour away – but Sandpoint, Idaho had nothing on Austin. There was one record store (which closed when I was 15), a board shop that sold awesome music, a few indie booksellers and a kickass library. Which was really all I needed.
For most of my young adult life, I figured I’d end up in Sandpoint; while I wasn’t entirely thrilled about it, it was better than the alternative (a tiny Montana town that boasted a population of 500 during the summer months).
If roller derby had made its comeback in the mid-90s instead of nearly a decade later, I’d have been all over it. I still might be. I looked it up, and there’s a local league. Maybe once my skin gets better.
Anyway – the book. Derby Girl/Whip It by Shauna Cross isn’t really anything super spectacular. It’s fairly standard “misunderstood/alienated small town girl finds empowering activity that lifts her out of her humdrum existence” story, with all the YA crises one generally finds in stories like this. First love, first heartbreak, parents not understanding, friendships made/broken/mended.
It really isn’t anything special, or better than most of what you’ll find on the shelves, but goddamn did I need a book like this when I was 16. I felt like I was broken because all I cared about was music and books (shit, that’s STILL pretty much all I care about), and it would have been nice at the time to know that there were other people like me. That maybe I wouldn’t always feel so alone. That one day I’d find the people I could call MY people (something I’m slowly starting to do – you know who you are).
So, yeah – read it. Don’t expect it to change your life, but maybe expect it to take you back to when YOU were the 16y/o weird kid, just hoping to someday find a place where you could belong.
And maybe beat the shit out of people in the name of sport.
If I ever DO sign up, I plan on being Hurtmione Pain-ger (dur).
(Oh, and I re-watched the movie last night – it is also fabulous, but with a different ending.)
Originally posted here.
I will probably always be a sucker for the stories where the small-town-music-obsessed-weird-girl escapes to find something better because even though I’m a grown ass woman with a family of my own, part of me will always be that girl that just didn’t fit in.
Like Bliss, the closest town of any size was an hour away – but Sandpoint, Idaho had nothing on Austin. There was one record store (which closed when I was 15), a board shop that sold awesome music, a few indie booksellers and a kickass library. Which was really all I needed.
For most of my young adult life, I figured I’d end up in Sandpoint; while I wasn’t entirely thrilled about it, it was better than the alternative (a tiny Montana town that boasted a population of 500 during the summer months).
If roller derby had made its comeback in the mid-90s instead of nearly a decade later, I’d have been all over it. I still might be. I looked it up, and there’s a local league. Maybe once my skin gets better.
Anyway – the book. Derby Girl/Whip It by Shauna Cross isn’t really anything super spectacular. It’s fairly standard “misunderstood/alienated small town girl finds empowering activity that lifts her out of her humdrum existence” story, with all the YA crises one generally finds in stories like this. First love, first heartbreak, parents not understanding, friendships made/broken/mended.
It really isn’t anything special, or better than most of what you’ll find on the shelves, but goddamn did I need a book like this when I was 16. I felt like I was broken because all I cared about was music and books (shit, that’s STILL pretty much all I care about), and it would have been nice at the time to know that there were other people like me. That maybe I wouldn’t always feel so alone. That one day I’d find the people I could call MY people (something I’m slowly starting to do – you know who you are).
So, yeah – read it. Don’t expect it to change your life, but maybe expect it to take you back to when YOU were the 16y/o weird kid, just hoping to someday find a place where you could belong.
And maybe beat the shit out of people in the name of sport.
If I ever DO sign up, I plan on being Hurtmione Pain-ger (dur).
(Oh, and I re-watched the movie last night – it is also fabulous, but with a different ending.)
Originally posted here.
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
While wandering through the young adult section of my local library, I came across DERBY GIRL. I had seen the book in the bookstore on other occasions but never bought it. I picked it up at the library and took it home with me. Not knowing what to expect, I started reading, and was instantly enthralled by the life of Bliss Cavender.
Fans of A&E's Rollergirls will especially enjoy this book.
Bliss is too big for Bodeen, Texas. Bliss is a sixteen-year-old high school student that can't wait to get out of her small town. Her mom is obsessed with beauty pageants, and expects Bliss to follow in her footsteps. However, Bliss is better known for receiving the "certificate of participation" rather than the tiara. She is more comfortable in her 80's thrift store T-shirts rather than teased hair and evening gowns.
On a shopping trip to the big city of Austin, Bliss snags a flyer advertising Roller Derby. In her younger days, Bliss was pretty good on four wheels, and she hatches a plot with her friend, Pash, to sneak back to Austin (an hour from Bodeen) for try-outs. After a shaky start on skates, Bliss soon remembers the feel of the wheels under her feet and is totally addicted.
Sneaking out twice a week under the guise of an SAT-prep course, Bliss soon becomes Babe Ruthless and a fan favorite for the Austin Roller Derby scene.
Covering the topics of fitting in, parental disagreements, first love, and finding out who you are meant to be, DERBY GIRL does not disappoint. The story moves quickly without any needless sidelines to interrupt the plot. Ms. Cross's style is hip and spunky. She uses many slang phrases as well as abbreviations to keep in touch with the teen audience.
Bliss is a lot of fun and independent. It's refreshing to read a story where the lead character is comfortable with who she is meant to be and stays true to herself the entire way through the story.
While wandering through the young adult section of my local library, I came across DERBY GIRL. I had seen the book in the bookstore on other occasions but never bought it. I picked it up at the library and took it home with me. Not knowing what to expect, I started reading, and was instantly enthralled by the life of Bliss Cavender.
Fans of A&E's Rollergirls will especially enjoy this book.
Bliss is too big for Bodeen, Texas. Bliss is a sixteen-year-old high school student that can't wait to get out of her small town. Her mom is obsessed with beauty pageants, and expects Bliss to follow in her footsteps. However, Bliss is better known for receiving the "certificate of participation" rather than the tiara. She is more comfortable in her 80's thrift store T-shirts rather than teased hair and evening gowns.
On a shopping trip to the big city of Austin, Bliss snags a flyer advertising Roller Derby. In her younger days, Bliss was pretty good on four wheels, and she hatches a plot with her friend, Pash, to sneak back to Austin (an hour from Bodeen) for try-outs. After a shaky start on skates, Bliss soon remembers the feel of the wheels under her feet and is totally addicted.
Sneaking out twice a week under the guise of an SAT-prep course, Bliss soon becomes Babe Ruthless and a fan favorite for the Austin Roller Derby scene.
Covering the topics of fitting in, parental disagreements, first love, and finding out who you are meant to be, DERBY GIRL does not disappoint. The story moves quickly without any needless sidelines to interrupt the plot. Ms. Cross's style is hip and spunky. She uses many slang phrases as well as abbreviations to keep in touch with the teen audience.
Bliss is a lot of fun and independent. It's refreshing to read a story where the lead character is comfortable with who she is meant to be and stays true to herself the entire way through the story.
October 29, 2017
Sixteen-year-old Bliss hates her smalltown life, especially the part where her mom is trying to live out her dreams of becoming a beauty queen through Bliss. Then one day she sees a poster for a roller derby match and the next thing she knows she's trying out for the team.[return][return]I really enjoyed this book. It's written in that first-person chatty style that is all the rage with YA and chicklit these days, but despite being a bit exposition-heavy in the early chapters (having read more in these genres lately, I have come to dread the "let me pause the story so I can give you my entire history" bit that usually comes in chapter two), I really enjoyed the narrator's voice and liked Bliss a lot.[return][return]The story is cute and female friendship is front and center. While there is the stereotypical mean girls that kind of made me roll my eyes at how cliched they were (one at school and one on the opposing roller derby team), it's balanced out by the fact that there are a ton of supportive (female) friends, so it doesn't come off as "girls are bitches" like so many stories do. There's a romance subplot, but it takes a backseat to friendships, too. [return][return]The one thing I really disliked about the book was how white it was. Aside from Bliss's best friend and possibly one of the roller derby girls whose derby nickname is Juana, everyone is white. And this takes place in Texas! But aside from that one girl, there weren't even any incidental characters with Spanish names. And her best friend Pash is mentioned as being Arab-American, but that's all we get. No actual country to give her any sort of specific heritage. It's just like Arabs are a big mob who come from Arabvania or something. And aside from the initial introduction (where she's mentioned as having exotic good looks, gag) and one or two mentions of kids at school being racist, she might as well have been white.
March 11, 2010
So this is the book that the movie Whip It was based off of, and the author actually wrote the screenplay to the movie. I will admit that I bought the book because I thought the movie looked like it was really cute, now I have yet to see the movie but the general opinion seems to be that the movie is better.
I really wanted to like this book. But I was so disappointed. Bliss is spoiled,ungrateful,elitist and a damn bitch, her character was so overly cliched, we get it, you're indie,you don't like conformity,punk rock is cool. WE GET IT.
When Bliss wasn't complaining and insulting about anything and everything "mainstream" she was too busy swooning over "Senor Smolder" a nineteen year old boy who sounded suspiciously like an emo human Edward Cullen, she barely knew anything about this boy and when he mysteriously shows up at her restaurant(one hour away from where he lives btw) she hops in the car with him like it ain't no thing. Aside from that is her constant desire to be "cool" dropping band names and talking about her obscure band shirts and thrift store clothing, because you know, that is what makes someone "cool"
All I kept reading from Bliss was "i hate my mom, blah blah blah punk rock,blah blah blah small towns suck,blah blah blah blue hair.
I was expecting Bliss at any moment to say this "I read Sylvia Plath, I listen to Bikini Kill and I eat Tofu. I am a unique rebel."
Aside from absolutely hating the spoiled,judgmental,superficial brat of a main character I did not buy the fact that she goes to try out for Roller Derby falls on her ass a bunch of times and then all of the sudden she's fucking awesome at it.
The book's only saving grace is Bliss's kick ass best friend Pash, seriously she is the only thing I liked out of the whole book.Otherwise it was a giant bag of disappointment.
I really wanted to like this book. But I was so disappointed. Bliss is spoiled,ungrateful,elitist and a damn bitch, her character was so overly cliched, we get it, you're indie,you don't like conformity,punk rock is cool. WE GET IT.
When Bliss wasn't complaining and insulting about anything and everything "mainstream" she was too busy swooning over "Senor Smolder" a nineteen year old boy who sounded suspiciously like an emo human Edward Cullen, she barely knew anything about this boy and when he mysteriously shows up at her restaurant(one hour away from where he lives btw) she hops in the car with him like it ain't no thing. Aside from that is her constant desire to be "cool" dropping band names and talking about her obscure band shirts and thrift store clothing, because you know, that is what makes someone "cool"
All I kept reading from Bliss was "i hate my mom, blah blah blah punk rock,blah blah blah small towns suck,blah blah blah blue hair.
I was expecting Bliss at any moment to say this "I read Sylvia Plath, I listen to Bikini Kill and I eat Tofu. I am a unique rebel."
Aside from absolutely hating the spoiled,judgmental,superficial brat of a main character I did not buy the fact that she goes to try out for Roller Derby falls on her ass a bunch of times and then all of the sudden she's fucking awesome at it.
The book's only saving grace is Bliss's kick ass best friend Pash, seriously she is the only thing I liked out of the whole book.Otherwise it was a giant bag of disappointment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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