Derby Girl

Last weekend I had the coolest experience ever: I went to see some roller derby. The concept of the sport is to score points by flying around a track on roller skates faster than your opponent. However, both teams also have a series of blockers whose job is to get in your way, knocking you to the floor if possible. It's exciting and intense and a whole lot of fun to watch.

Part of my excitement comes from the fact that several months ago I was able to read the awesome teen novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, which features roller derby within its pages. In this story, Bliss is totally indie rock, but her mother is totally a pageant queen. She feels like nothing exciting will ever happen to her in her small Texas hometown, which is way too lame for her sensibilities. Bliss finally thinks that she's found everything she's looking for when she discovers roller derby in Austin, where the girls have tattoos, awesome costumes, and wicked names like Malice in Wonderland. There's even amazingly hot guitar-playing boys around to enjoy. But will she be able to hide her love of the derby from her mother? How will she balance the derby and her new boy toy with her best friend? And what will happen when said boy toy leaves to go on tour with his band?

This is a fun, fast read that, while fairly generic in its themes (mother/daughter conflict, teen rebellion, betrayal of best friend, first love) is nonetheless edgy and interesting. This book was my first exposure to roller derby and while I really wish that the book would have shows us more of the action on skates and explained the rules a bit more clearly, it gave us just enough to pique my interest. But to really discover roller derby, take it from me: Go and see it yourself! It's something that really does need to be experienced in person.

Overall Grade: B

Will the movie Whip It (staring Ellen Page) live up to the book's expectations? Surpass them? I'll let you know soon, pending the upcoming release of the film to DVD.