Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
I was fascinated by this book since it was rereleased a few years ago to commemorate 20 years and I hadn't ever heard about it before. These are vignettes of mostly fifth graders living in Hawaii in the 70s. As Filipinos and other ethnicities, they realize they can't play by the rules (even though that's what's expected of them) when they aren't even allowed to play the game. Add to that, the male main characters aren't afraid to be who they are when it comes to their gender identities even when they get ridiculed and bullied. It's unflinching and painfully honest at times but also shocking and over the top. With all the sex that was happening, I kept thinking the characters were in high school at least. I guess it's edgy. I'm sure it definitely was when it came out in the mid 90's.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia
five stars for remixing america, unmatched character depiction, and relentless humor
You guys think you so hot-shit, but you know what? The ground you standing on is not the freakin’ meltin’ pot but one volcano. And one day, the thing goin’ erupt and you guys goin’ be the first ones for burn.
They like you because you’re a copycat, want to be just like them.
They like you because—give it a few more years—you’ll be just like them.
Rolling the R’s is a short but potent snapshot of queer diaspora teen life in 1970s Hawaii. Does it sound like a lot to cover in 170 pages? It is. Rolling’s characters are lightning bolts. Author, R. Zamora Linmark, can say more about an individual supporting player in a brief vignette than many can say of their protagonist in an entire novel. This is a profound talent.
Sexual and gender identities, abuse, addictions, sex work, and systemic racism are all brought to stage through our characters’ eyes. We begin to see how the structures they exist in begin to inform their choices and their acts. In equal measure, we see how abuse and neglect drives one to risky sexual encounters, and how popular culture/disco music offers a blessed reprieve. In order to rightfully and respectfully understand characters, we must see the breadth of what they experience. Linmark scratches the surface of what might have been, here. There is an opus hidden in these pages that I want to hear, but this was not the path Linmark chose for his work. I continue to feel like the scope of this project is not captured with its brief length. Not by a long shot. I now have to grapple with this.
The sometimes-prose, sometimes-vernacular, sometimes-poetry, sometimes-first person, sometimes-epistolary nature of the novel works for it and against it. This is an interesting, nebulous read and I feel I can’t say much more.
They like you because you’re a copycat, want to be just like them.
They like you because—give it a few more years—you’ll be just like them.
Rolling the R’s is a short but potent snapshot of queer diaspora teen life in 1970s Hawaii. Does it sound like a lot to cover in 170 pages? It is. Rolling’s characters are lightning bolts. Author, R. Zamora Linmark, can say more about an individual supporting player in a brief vignette than many can say of their protagonist in an entire novel. This is a profound talent.
Sexual and gender identities, abuse, addictions, sex work, and systemic racism are all brought to stage through our characters’ eyes. We begin to see how the structures they exist in begin to inform their choices and their acts. In equal measure, we see how abuse and neglect drives one to risky sexual encounters, and how popular culture/disco music offers a blessed reprieve. In order to rightfully and respectfully understand characters, we must see the breadth of what they experience. Linmark scratches the surface of what might have been, here. There is an opus hidden in these pages that I want to hear, but this was not the path Linmark chose for his work. I continue to feel like the scope of this project is not captured with its brief length. Not by a long shot. I now have to grapple with this.
The sometimes-prose, sometimes-vernacular, sometimes-poetry, sometimes-first person, sometimes-epistolary nature of the novel works for it and against it. This is an interesting, nebulous read and I feel I can’t say much more.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Tbh i think this would carry over really well as a movie
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the use of form in this book absolutely blew my mind, and the way that it moves between characters, voices, documents, settings—incredible. this soars and ravages and shouts. i'll be thinking about it for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism
Minor: Incest