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As a derby skater, going into this I was excited but wary. I was hopeful for good representation of the sport, but seeing the description of the book it looked like Daya was only using it as a means of self harm, and that idea just didn't sit well with me. Yes, derby is tough, but it's more than bruises and big egos. In the end, I don't know that it was really conveyed that way in this book.
Good things in this book:
-Diversity - LGBTQ+, many races, cultures, and disabilities represented.
-They *did* mention how skaters of all different body types can be good at derby once, I think (though I think for the most part all derby skaters in this story are portrayed as only being super tough and overly aggressive)
-I guess they resolved Daya's attitude and self harm in the very end?
Overall, the bad outweighed the good for me. I hated Daya. She's got a bad attitude, and is just a jerk to everyone through most of the book. Let me just list some examples why.
-She's the worst kind of wannabe derby girl -- angry and "tough", constant negative attitude, combative and egotistical
-Her aunt and uncle try to do something nice for her (buying her boxing equipment), and she acts like an ungrateful brat. I get that it brought up bad memories for her, but her uncle didn't know that since she won't talk to anyone about it. And she still doesn't explain it to him even after she acts like a jerk and makes him feel like he did something wrong.
-Daya, after pretty obviously striking a nerve with Shanti: "This is why I don't hang out with chicks. So damn senstive." AS IF YOU AREN'T BEING SENSITIVE ABOUT EVERYTHING, DAYA
-Daya: "Stats? Really? For roller derby?" Uh yeah, people record stats for roller derby. It's a sport.
-She retaliates violently against another skater at tryouts for a perceived slight because she was embarrassed. She's immature and bitchy. This stunt plus her attitude after being told to take a break would have been a HUGE strike against her at the very first round of derby tryouts.
-She gets to START in her first bout ever, and then complains when she doesn't get to play as much as she wants. That's how it is for a rookie player. Don't be a dick. (Something I actually used to hear at practice a lot. "Don't be a dick." Which would probably be surprising to someone who only knew about roller derby from this book)
The trash talk and dirty play in the bout at the end is completely over the top. I played derby for 6 years before covid and only one or two teams we played against were even close to being like that, and we all hated those teams. It's dangerous and poor sportsmanship. Derby is tough, but we make clean hits and then go have a party with the opposing team after we get done knocking each other around the track. I was disappointed in the way the sport was represented in this story. I've played with women of all different body types, backgrounds, and personalities. This book makes it seem like everyone in derby is tough as nails, aggressive and mean. So I think the author's point of "strength is in the soft parts" isn't conveyed all that well.
Good things in this book:
-Diversity - LGBTQ+, many races, cultures, and disabilities represented.
-They *did* mention how skaters of all different body types can be good at derby once, I think (though I think for the most part all derby skaters in this story are portrayed as only being super tough and overly aggressive)
-I guess they resolved Daya's attitude and self harm in the very end?
Overall, the bad outweighed the good for me. I hated Daya. She's got a bad attitude, and is just a jerk to everyone through most of the book. Let me just list some examples why.
-She's the worst kind of wannabe derby girl -- angry and "tough", constant negative attitude, combative and egotistical
-Her aunt and uncle try to do something nice for her (buying her boxing equipment), and she acts like an ungrateful brat. I get that it brought up bad memories for her, but her uncle didn't know that since she won't talk to anyone about it. And she still doesn't explain it to him even after she acts like a jerk and makes him feel like he did something wrong.
-Daya, after pretty obviously striking a nerve with Shanti: "This is why I don't hang out with chicks. So damn senstive." AS IF YOU AREN'T BEING SENSITIVE ABOUT EVERYTHING, DAYA
-Daya: "Stats? Really? For roller derby?" Uh yeah, people record stats for roller derby. It's a sport.
-She retaliates violently against another skater at tryouts for a perceived slight because she was embarrassed. She's immature and bitchy. This stunt plus her attitude after being told to take a break would have been a HUGE strike against her at the very first round of derby tryouts.
-She gets to START in her first bout ever, and then complains when she doesn't get to play as much as she wants. That's how it is for a rookie player. Don't be a dick. (Something I actually used to hear at practice a lot. "Don't be a dick." Which would probably be surprising to someone who only knew about roller derby from this book)
The trash talk and dirty play in the bout at the end is completely over the top. I played derby for 6 years before covid and only one or two teams we played against were even close to being like that, and we all hated those teams. It's dangerous and poor sportsmanship. Derby is tough, but we make clean hits and then go have a party with the opposing team after we get done knocking each other around the track. I was disappointed in the way the sport was represented in this story. I've played with women of all different body types, backgrounds, and personalities. This book makes it seem like everyone in derby is tough as nails, aggressive and mean. So I think the author's point of "strength is in the soft parts" isn't conveyed all that well.