Status
Available
Genres
Collection
Publication
simon & Schuster (2010), 315 pages
Description
Charlotte Goodman has had enough surprises. In fact, she reached her life's quotient when her husband of five months walked out on her, only to abruptly change his mind a few weeks later and move back in. Stung by a whiplash of grief, resentment, and confusion, Charlotte calls a time-out, taking a small apartment where she can figure out what she wants. Instead, the thought of making even the simplest choices triggers an anxiety attack. In order to get out of bed in the morning, she must concoct a to-do list for each day, The Plan, one with absolutely no surprises. "Without The Plan, horrible things can happen. I'm likely to end up sitting on a curb beside a taco truck on Sunset Boulevard, crying over a carne asada burrito, wondering where my marriage went. I can't handle being the Weeping Burrito Girl." Charlotte knows all this self-absorbed introspection isn't good for her, but she's running out of people to turn to, as seemingly everyone in her life is pressuring her to make an immediate decision about her future. Then her new friend Francesca--an impulsive, smartass co-worker--offers Charlotte salvation in the unlikeliest of places: the fast-paced, super-tough, bump-and-bruise-filled world of roller derby. Sure, it's dangerous. Yeah, she could get hurt. But what's a little physical pain when healing your soul is at stake? The question is: whether she's on or off the track, will Charlotte be strong enough to stand on her own two feet? … (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member upstairsgirl
I don't like this as well as I like Ribon's other books, though I did really enjoy it, and it totally makes me want to try roller derby. As with her other books, this one's very, very funny, with well-drawn characters and just the right amount of sad. Charlotte's compelling, even if she's also a
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neurotic and vaguely self-absorbed disaster. I feel like the book gets a little bit of a slow start, and I'm not in love with the trope of the narrator inside Charlotte's head. I feel like it maybe isn't as quite as funny as it could have been, and like the interaction between Charlotte and her in-brain narrator might be either too self-aware or not self-aware enough. But it's a funny, fun read, and I really enjoyed it, so if you've liked her other books, you shouldn't miss it. Show Less
LibraryThing member coolmama
Sweet, quick read about Charlotte, a 30 year old who is recently seperated from her husband.
During her sad time, she takes up roller derby.
During her sad time, she takes up roller derby.
LibraryThing member HollyRae
Loved it. Charolette cracked me up! This was a very good read. Overall just a good book awesome main character totally recommend.
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
As soon as I found out this book was about roller derby I got super excited being a nonskating official with a flat track derby league myself.
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
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leave again. She ends up leaving him and putting the whole marriage on hold for over a year. Charlotte lives in limbo and becomes self absorbed and obsessed with making decision but not actually making any kind of decision. She can't move forward and she can't go back. Then she makes friends with a girl at work, Francesca. Frannie introduces Charlotte to roller derby. Like a lot of people at first she thinks it's insane, but as she starts skating she uses it to help her cope and become a stronger person. The beginning of the novel was very slow and I was going nuts trying to figure out exactly what it was that drove Matthew to leave and his sudden return. Then the roller derby started and I got caught up in that. Being part of a roller derby league I think that the author caught the camraderie in roller derby accurately, and I recognized some of the feelings I had when I first tried skating (picturing getting kicked in the face does in fact make me get up faster, lol). I also really liked that Charlotte didn't end up with a guy at the end. (yes there is a hint of a relationship beginning at the end but it's not the guy that makes that happily ever after and that makes me happy because roller derby is all about self confidence and a man shouldn't be what gives a girl confidence.) I'll get off my soapbox now and say that if you can get through the very slow beginning you will enjoy the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
As soon as I found out this book was about roller derby I got super excited being a nonskating official with a flat track derby league myself.
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Show More
leave again. She ends up leaving him and putting the whole marriage on hold for over a year. Charlotte lives in limbo and becomes self absorbed and obsessed with making decision but not actually making any kind of decision. She can't move forward and she can't go back. Then she makes friends with a girl at work, Francesca. Frannie introduces Charlotte to roller derby. Like a lot of people at first she thinks it's insane, but as she starts skating she uses it to help her cope and become a stronger person. The beginning of the novel was very slow and I was going nuts trying to figure out exactly what it was that drove Matthew to leave and his sudden return. Then the roller derby started and I got caught up in that. Being part of a roller derby league I think that the author caught the camraderie in roller derby accurately, and I recognized some of the feelings I had when I first tried skating (picturing getting kicked in the face does in fact make me get up faster, lol). I also really liked that Charlotte didn't end up with a guy at the end. (yes there is a hint of a relationship beginning at the end but it's not the guy that makes that happily ever after and that makes me happy because roller derby is all about self confidence and a man shouldn't be what gives a girl confidence.) I'll get off my soapbox now and say that if you can get through the very slow beginning you will enjoy the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
As soon as I found out this book was about roller derby I got super excited being a nonskating official with a flat track derby league myself.
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Show More
leave again. She ends up leaving him and putting the whole marriage on hold for over a year. Charlotte lives in limbo and becomes self absorbed and obsessed with making decision but not actually making any kind of decision. She can't move forward and she can't go back. Then she makes friends with a girl at work, Francesca. Frannie introduces Charlotte to roller derby. Like a lot of people at first she thinks it's insane, but as she starts skating she uses it to help her cope and become a stronger person. The beginning of the novel was very slow and I was going nuts trying to figure out exactly what it was that drove Matthew to leave and his sudden return. Then the roller derby started and I got caught up in that. Being part of a roller derby league I think that the author caught the camraderie in roller derby accurately, and I recognized some of the feelings I had when I first tried skating (picturing getting kicked in the face does in fact make me get up faster, lol). I also really liked that Charlotte didn't end up with a guy at the end. (yes there is a hint of a relationship beginning at the end but it's not the guy that makes that happily ever after and that makes me happy because roller derby is all about self confidence and a man shouldn't be what gives a girl confidence.) I'll get off my soapbox now and say that if you can get through the very slow beginning you will enjoy the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
As soon as I found out this book was about roller derby I got super excited being a nonskating official with a flat track derby league myself.
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Charlotte's husband leaves her and it's the worse thing to happen to her, until he comes back and she can't deal with the fear that he will suddenly up and
Show More
leave again. She ends up leaving him and putting the whole marriage on hold for over a year. Charlotte lives in limbo and becomes self absorbed and obsessed with making decision but not actually making any kind of decision. She can't move forward and she can't go back. Then she makes friends with a girl at work, Francesca. Frannie introduces Charlotte to roller derby. Like a lot of people at first she thinks it's insane, but as she starts skating she uses it to help her cope and become a stronger person. The beginning of the novel was very slow and I was going nuts trying to figure out exactly what it was that drove Matthew to leave and his sudden return. Then the roller derby started and I got caught up in that. Being part of a roller derby league I think that the author caught the camraderie in roller derby accurately, and I recognized some of the feelings I had when I first tried skating (picturing getting kicked in the face does in fact make me get up faster, lol). I also really liked that Charlotte didn't end up with a guy at the end. (yes there is a hint of a relationship beginning at the end but it's not the guy that makes that happily ever after and that makes me happy because roller derby is all about self confidence and a man shouldn't be what gives a girl confidence.) I'll get off my soapbox now and say that if you can get through the very slow beginning you will enjoy the book. Show Less
Language
Physical description
315 p.; 6.8 inches
ISBN
1439193460 / 9781439193464