There is, after all, plenty of gold among the clunkers – and yet I think there's a special poetry to Rourke's renaissance arriving on the 25th anniversary of Rumble Fish. The first edition of the novel was published in 1975, and was written by S.E. But, no matter how tough he acts, no matter how many fights he gets into, he doesn't ever seem to obtain Motorcycle Boy's charm, grace, or adoration. Hinton’s other book, The Outsiders. If you have a suggestion about this website or are experiencing a problem with it, or if you need to report abuse on the site, please let us know. It really set the tone for the book, as they recall what events happened to them in the past. Rumble Fish is a great movie, but unfortunately, it was ahead of its time and not appreciated for the remarkable work of art that it is. just finished reading Rumble Fish and I couldn’t believe how great the book was. I loved the way Steve and Rusty-James met up at the beach for the first time in years in the opening scene. Hinton staple books ("The Outsiders," "Tex," and "That Was Then, This is Now") repeatably as a teenager. If you're looking at an SE Hinton book, it's probably b/c you read and loved the Outsiders. In this instance, there is a mother not seen through the protagonists eyes, but that of his brother who actually sought her out. It is a fun short read. Even then they were dated in literal context (i.e. gangs are between caucasian upper and lower class in this book), but they still captured the angsty spirit of being a teen and the changes that result from growing up. Hinton made it realistic by having Steve deny the request, knowing that Rusty-James was a troublemaker. It was a little odd. If you find illegal or offensive material on our service please report to us by sending an email to, Drag & drop your files Rusty-James is the type of person who relies more on his fists than his brain. Steve and Rusty-James were close friends, and to deny a friend had to take a lot of nerve. Our oldest son, Max, was assigned The Outsiders to read for his high school English class. This is not a review of the book, I already know I love the book and wanted to add a new edition to my collection. Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2018. Who doesnt love this book? Thank you! (These links will automatically appear in your email.). Their father is an alcoholic, gambling non-entity. In fact, Rusty-James and the Motorcycle Boy were arrested that night for trespassing into a pet store. Hinton . Rusty-James is far from a likeable character, but he--and his voice--are fascinating and engaging, even heart-wrenching. Well done, I like this book it's like the outsiders I just wish there were more and there were several books. Well done, I like this book it's like the outsiders I just wish there… We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously.