Rumble Fish
Rumble Fish
Fiction
Written by: S. E. Hinton
Reviewed by: Dylan Camp
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
Your name is Russell- James. On the street it’s Rusty-James. Streets are what is around here, that and gangs. In this town to survive means to be in a gang, and without reputation, you won’t survive. For awhile Rusty-James has been the big shot on the streets, the kid with the girlfriend, the gang leader, and the toughness. But at a fight with Biff, a head from a different town, Rusty-James’ luck changes, and takes a turn for the worse. You are cut badly, and for the first time in awhile are pretty injured from a fight, and out of all times, the motorcycle boy, Rusty’s older brother which he only knows as the former gang leader around the town, shows up, back from California and ready to restore order in these suburbs.
Rumble Fish is a great story about a kid with problems and growing up in a bad setting. Kids drink, smoke, fight and do drugs and have to resort to gangs for any shelter. The style of this book is “surviving in the urban jungle” where anything could happen at any second. This book is a good demonstration of how some people grow up and many people can relate to it in some way. S. E. Hinton’s style is famous for greasers but in this book portraying gangs is spot on. Everyone has a turf where they are assigned to protect, everyone has status, and everyone feels as though they have meaning. Throughout the story many conflicts are faced and dealt with in different ways, some good and some bad. Hanging out at Benny’s is one of the chill spots for Rusty’s gang but he eventually finds himself losing power throughout the story. The vividness of this story gives you a feeling that you can relate to and makes you feel almost as if you are almost there.
All and all, many people can relate to this book and its conflicts, and if you can’t, a good moral is shown. This book, although short, is a great read for anybody and will keep you interested on car rides, rainy days, and just plain boring nights. All in all, with a few minor exceptions, this book is a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.
