The Way We Roll
Scot Gardner

The Way We Roll
Scot Gardner
Review
by Dani Solomon
All we know about Will in the first few chapters of The Way We Roll is he’s dropped out of a wealthy private boarding school (it’s complicated) and he lives under a bowling alley. With Julian, the other main character, we are falsely lead to believe we’ve learnt all there is to know about him in the first few pages. But this is a Scot Gardner novel.
Gardner introduces the rowdy boys who sit up the back of the bus and drown out the music in our headphones with their brash, boastful conversations, and then he takes us behind the scenes. He also shows us the quiet boys who are, seemingly, so perfectly average they’re invisible, and invites us into their lives.
Through Will’s eyes we see Julian’s family – a family who have lived through horror but have come out the other end, mostly in one piece. We see Julian’s mum, who has every right in the world to be bitter, dark, and angry but instead welcomes her son’s guests with an open heart. We’re slightly uncomfortable when Julian’s dad, Sandy, greets him with a bear hug and a kiss and find it almost curious when he throws his head back and laughs at an indecent volume. The climax, as well, is as real as the characters. There’s no dramatic showdown between Will and his father; the ending we get isn’t really an ending at all, it’s a beginning.
As always, Scot Gardner nails it. The Way We Roll is magic; it’s dirty, rough, beautiful and understated magic, full of hope, love and hugs.
Dani Solomon works in the Children’s & YA section at Carlton.
This item is not currently in-stock, but it’s available to order online.
We are currently experiencing delays in processing and delivering online orders. Click here for more information.
Please note, our stock data is updated overnight, and availability may change throughout the day. Prices are subject to change without notice.Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.

Salt to the Sea
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Quiet Power: Growing Up as an Introvert in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
$14.95Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Outliers
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

CHERUB: New Guard: Book 17
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Think Twice: Book 2
$17.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Finding Audrey
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Lost Sapphire
$17.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The War of the Four Isles: Ship Kings 3
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Lady Helen and the Dark Days Pact
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Hexenhaus
$19.95Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Our Chemical Hearts
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Becoming Aurora
$19.95Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Goldenhand
$24.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Freedom Swimmer
$16.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Saving Jazz
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Everything Is Changed
$19.95Buy now
Finding stock availability...