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Opioid, Indiana
During a week-long suspension from school, a teenage transplant to impoverished rural Indiana searches for a job, the whereabouts of his vanished drug-addicted guardian, and meaning in the America of the Trump years.
Seventeen-year-old Riggle is living in rural Indiana with his uncle and uncle’s girlfriend after the death of both of his parents. Now his uncle has gone missing, probably on a drug binge. It’s Monday, and $800 in rent is due Friday. Riggle, who’s been suspended from school, has to either find his uncle or get the money together himself. His mission exposes him to a motley group of Opioid locals—encounters by turns perplexing, harrowing, and heartening. Meanwhile, Riggle marks each day by remembering the mythology his late mother invented for him about how the days got their names.
With amazing directness and insight, Carr explores what it’s like to be a high school kid in in the age of Trump, a time of economic inequality, addiction, confederate flags, and mass shootings. A work of empathy and insight that pierces to the heart of our moment through an unforgettable protagonist.
Seventeen-year-old Riggle is living in rural Indiana with his uncle and uncle’s girlfriend after the death of both of his parents. Now his uncle has gone missing, probably on a drug binge. It’s Monday, and $800 in rent is due Friday. Riggle, who’s been suspended from school, has to either find his uncle or get the money together himself. His mission exposes him to a motley group of Opioid locals—encounters by turns perplexing, harrowing, and heartening. Meanwhile, Riggle marks each day by remembering the mythology his late mother invented for him about how the days got their names.
With amazing directness and insight, Carr explores what it’s like to be a high school kid in in the age of Trump, a time of economic inequality, addiction, confederate flags, and mass shootings. A work of empathy and insight that pierces to the heart of our moment through an unforgettable protagonist.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2019
133 people are currently reading
3206 people want to read
About the author
Brian Allen Carr
13 books281 followersBrian Allen Carr is an Aspen Words Finalist and two time Wonderland Book Award winner.
His books include OPIOID, INDIANA, MOTHERFUCKING SHARKS and several others.
He is from Texas and lives in Indiana.
His books include OPIOID, INDIANA, MOTHERFUCKING SHARKS and several others.
He is from Texas and lives in Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
September 17, 2019
NOW AVAILABLE!!
even though countless men, women, and children die in Motherfucking Sharks and a world is irrevocably undone by shadows in Sip, this new Brian Allen Carr book is much much sadder than either of them.
because this isn’t set in a world where sharks ride in on raindrops or where shadows can get you high. this is our world and our struggles, stripped of metaphor, where people die and people kill themselves and people get addicted to drugs and people fall in love with people who are addicted to drugs and people fade away and people are racist and people don’t communicate and the wrong people communicate too much to people who have weapons and people die.
on the one hand, this is a very small story: riggle, an orphaned seventeen-year-old boy living with his meth-head uncle in rural indiana, is suspended from school during one of his uncle’s drug-induced disappearances and spends the week looking for him or for another way of paying the $800 in rent due at the end of the week, so he and his uncle’s girlfriend peggy won't be evicted from their home. on the other hand, it’s a story as big as all america, as everything riggle thinks, observes, experiences, remembers, encounters, is a microcosm of the american experience; just an everyman ‘struggler’ in anytown, u.s.a.
it’s sad, ruminative, meandering, honest, and surprisingly touching, especially in riggle’s memories of his mother and the stories she told him, by way of a shadow puppet named remote, about how the days of the week got their names, used here to mark each chapter/day. the stories are both surreal and revelatory, offering some insights into the emotional depths of the grief and hopes and fears she was wrestling with before her death.
this is a sad and lovely book. it’s not a no-hope soul-gutter, but what a reader takes away from any book depends on what that reader brings to a book, and for me right now, 'boo-hoo' is my resting state, so the sad bits are gonna linger.
maybe your glass is half-full and you will experience this as a midwestern Ferris Bueller reboot about a kid who gets to take a week off school, sees Black Panther and makes new friends and an excellent omelet.
either way, you should check it out.
well, then you get to check out my sweet Opioid, Indiana bag:
come to my blog!
even though countless men, women, and children die in Motherfucking Sharks and a world is irrevocably undone by shadows in Sip, this new Brian Allen Carr book is much much sadder than either of them.
because this isn’t set in a world where sharks ride in on raindrops or where shadows can get you high. this is our world and our struggles, stripped of metaphor, where people die and people kill themselves and people get addicted to drugs and people fall in love with people who are addicted to drugs and people fade away and people are racist and people don’t communicate and the wrong people communicate too much to people who have weapons and people die.
on the one hand, this is a very small story: riggle, an orphaned seventeen-year-old boy living with his meth-head uncle in rural indiana, is suspended from school during one of his uncle’s drug-induced disappearances and spends the week looking for him or for another way of paying the $800 in rent due at the end of the week, so he and his uncle’s girlfriend peggy won't be evicted from their home. on the other hand, it’s a story as big as all america, as everything riggle thinks, observes, experiences, remembers, encounters, is a microcosm of the american experience; just an everyman ‘struggler’ in anytown, u.s.a.
Indiana history is the history of home building. Crop rotations. Outstanding winters. Their legends are of regular people—men who were strong enough to lift a wheelbarrow one-handed, women who could bake swell sugar cream pies.
…Hoosiers are some behind-the-scenes motherfuckers.
Even Larry Bird, who is their most famous athlete, is most famous for being white. He’s an American man. Famous for being white. He is Indiana.
it’s sad, ruminative, meandering, honest, and surprisingly touching, especially in riggle’s memories of his mother and the stories she told him, by way of a shadow puppet named remote, about how the days of the week got their names, used here to mark each chapter/day. the stories are both surreal and revelatory, offering some insights into the emotional depths of the grief and hopes and fears she was wrestling with before her death.
this is a sad and lovely book. it’s not a no-hope soul-gutter, but what a reader takes away from any book depends on what that reader brings to a book, and for me right now, 'boo-hoo' is my resting state, so the sad bits are gonna linger.
maybe your glass is half-full and you will experience this as a midwestern Ferris Bueller reboot about a kid who gets to take a week off school, sees Black Panther and makes new friends and an excellent omelet.
either way, you should check it out.
…I remember my mom after dad died, and I remember she had two modes. She was either staring off at nothing and holding her face, or she was slamming things around and cussing under her breath. And one time I told her that she was always angry, and she said that if she wasn’t supposed to be angry she wouldn’t be angry.
“When you’re thirsty it’s because your body needs a drink,” she told me. “When you’re angry it’s because your body needs something else.”
“What?” I asked her.
“You heard what I said.”
“What does your body need? When you’re angry.”
She scooped me up and held me to her. “Who knows?”
I think she was right. Sometimes you feel so terrible that all you know is that you need something, and when people feel that way, they go out looking. My uncle went out looking for drugs. My mother went out and found death. I think those shooter kids go out looking for violence. They think it will stop the ache they have, but my guess is it doesn’t…
I think, if you asked an adult, they’d say it just gives them more pain, but that’s probably not true. It probably gives them different pain.
I feel like there are two types of misery in this world. There’s not getting what you want and being angry. And there’s getting what you want and being sad.
well, then you get to check out my sweet Opioid, Indiana bag:
come to my blog!
January 20, 2020
This might possibly be the most exactly 2.5 star book I have read. Goodreads doesn't allow for half stars, but usually I can figure out easily if I will round up or round down. With this book, that is not quite so easy.
Disclaimer before I go on. My review is 100% without a doubt influenced by the fact that, from the description in the book, I live exactly where this book takes place. I am not saying there are not some truths to how the area is described in the book, but, the author sets up suburban Indianapolis as an excessively cynical caricature of how it really is. He makes it sound like a total hell hole with nothing but misery, drugs, racism, etc. to be found on every block and every corner. I don't doubt that there may be some people around here who's view of this area is skewed that way, but overall, I don't this it is all that bad. Someone who is not familiar with the area will likely not be distracted by the descriptions. Also, it's okay for the sake of the story, but if you come visit, I hope you don't find it to be quite so awful.
Onward with the review!
First of all, my impression was that the author was trying to write like Sherman Alexie. Not a bad author to try and emulate! I cannot say for sure if this improved my experience or if I felt it did not quite achieve what Alexie has done. I just wanted to point out it was what the writing felt like to me, so if you are familiar with Alexie, you might feel the same.
The main character kind of drove me crazy with his disgruntled ramblings. And, while he is complaining about the environment and the people of Opioid, Indiana, he is making many dumb mistakes himself. I am not sure if we are supposed to sympathize with him, support his plight, or be disgusted with him.
There really is not much of a story. There are a few key settings and plot points, but it doesn't really develop much and nothing is resolved in the end. When I encounter books like this, they are often redeemed by a great resolution that ties it all together. In this case, there was nothing.
At least the book was not very long and the writing was not bad. I think if it had gone on much longer without the story improving, I would have had a tough time finishing it. To start 2020 I have read a lot of depressing stories. Unfortunately, none of them have impressed me much. Because of that, it's been a real reading downer lately.
Final note . . . I guess I will round down to two stars. I just cannot bring it up to 3 because when I try and compare it to other books I have given 3 stars, it just doesn't match up.
Disclaimer before I go on. My review is 100% without a doubt influenced by the fact that, from the description in the book, I live exactly where this book takes place. I am not saying there are not some truths to how the area is described in the book, but, the author sets up suburban Indianapolis as an excessively cynical caricature of how it really is. He makes it sound like a total hell hole with nothing but misery, drugs, racism, etc. to be found on every block and every corner. I don't doubt that there may be some people around here who's view of this area is skewed that way, but overall, I don't this it is all that bad. Someone who is not familiar with the area will likely not be distracted by the descriptions. Also, it's okay for the sake of the story, but if you come visit, I hope you don't find it to be quite so awful.
Onward with the review!
First of all, my impression was that the author was trying to write like Sherman Alexie. Not a bad author to try and emulate! I cannot say for sure if this improved my experience or if I felt it did not quite achieve what Alexie has done. I just wanted to point out it was what the writing felt like to me, so if you are familiar with Alexie, you might feel the same.
The main character kind of drove me crazy with his disgruntled ramblings. And, while he is complaining about the environment and the people of Opioid, Indiana, he is making many dumb mistakes himself. I am not sure if we are supposed to sympathize with him, support his plight, or be disgusted with him.
There really is not much of a story. There are a few key settings and plot points, but it doesn't really develop much and nothing is resolved in the end. When I encounter books like this, they are often redeemed by a great resolution that ties it all together. In this case, there was nothing.
At least the book was not very long and the writing was not bad. I think if it had gone on much longer without the story improving, I would have had a tough time finishing it. To start 2020 I have read a lot of depressing stories. Unfortunately, none of them have impressed me much. Because of that, it's been a real reading downer lately.
Final note . . . I guess I will round down to two stars. I just cannot bring it up to 3 because when I try and compare it to other books I have given 3 stars, it just doesn't match up.
November 27, 2019
4.5, rounded up-ioid
Don’t go looking for drugs!
There aren’t any, even though the book title makes you think there are. (Okay, okay, yes, the uncle is a druggie, but that doesn’t really count because it’s barely mentioned.) This is an amazing book about a 17-year-old boy who spends a week talking about his life and the state of the universe, all while searching for his missing uncle in a small Midwestern town. The language is urgent, the observations are phenomenal, the tone is off-kilter. Almost pogo-stick material.
The guy telling the story is named Riggle Quick. What a cool, jazzy name—it matches the cool, jazzy tone of the book. He definitely wriggles, and quick-like. I’m always a sucker for people who are cynical and who observe the absurdity of everything, and Riggle fits the bill.
It’s Riggle’s unique outlook that grabbed me. His view of the world is off-beat, and it’s easy to get caught up in his unusual observations and ideas. For example, he compares making an omelet to picking your nose—in detail! Pretty gross and weird (hm…might put lots of readers off), but it cracked me up. I hope I don’t think of this connection the next time I’m whipping up an omelet, though, I’ll tell you that!
The blurb calls this book YA, and some reviewers say it has a YA vibe to it. I do think teens, especially boys, will love it. They just won’t be reading it in school, as “fuck” is uttered quite a bit, and there are numerous dick comments. The whole time I was reading it, I didn’t know that it was considered YA; in fact, I was surprised to later learn that it was. I hope adults don’t stay away from the book because it’s Young Adult; it’s too good to be ignored.
Barely visible Complaint Board:
-The book has an extra little story going on. It’s a fable about how the days of the week were named, with hand shadows as conduits. The story is divided by days and plopped into the middle of various chapters. It is incredibly creative (I was in awe of the author’s imagination and his storytelling skills), but I thought it interrupted the main story too much. I did enjoy reading the fable sections (the author cleverly put them in italics), but I would have preferred them to be pulled out into one nice short story. I don’t understand why the author didn’t do this, actually; I don’t understand why he chose to put these “inserts” into this book. They could have been dropped into any book, it seems. Bottom line: I didn’t get all happy when I came across the italics—which tells me that the story within a story shouldn’t have been there. Still, the hand puppets weren’t pushy enough to make me knock this book down a star.
-There’s one super brief scene where Riggle does something totally out of character, and it bothered me. Because it’s such a minor event, it didn’t ruin the story for me. I’m going mum so I don’t give any spoilers.
I highlighted a lot; always a good sign. I just loved Riggle’s voice. Here are some lines I liked:
“Walking after you get off a bicycle seems slow as fuck.”
“Ain’t that funny how you never really know why you like what you like.”
“The whole place seemed to gag. Like the universe was puking.”
“It’s weird when you look at a tub of forks and realize that every single one of those is going to go into a different person’s mouth.”
“And we were strugglers together doing the dance of a million dishwashers before us, drenching our bodies and busting our fingers. Puckering our hands out and grinding away at the filth.”
“We were animals of water and soap. Emperors of spray nozzles. Masters of disasters. Scrubbers of the scum.”
The blurbs talk about how current the story is, and how that enhances it. Yes, the story is current: Trump, texting, drugs, mass shootings. But the bottom line is this: I didn’t care that it was a coming-of-age story, I didn’t care that it was current, I didn’t care that the main character was a teenager. None of that mattered. It was just Riggle’s voice that seduced me. I would have loved Riggle no matter what decade he lived in.
If you had told me I’d be charmed and obsessed by a 17-year-old boy philosophizing about stuff, I would have said, yeah, right. But here I was, fast to pick up the book and slow to put it down. A friend told me about this secret gem, and now I want more people to join the fan club. Check this book out! It’s short, so maybe you can squeeze it into your queue.
Don’t go looking for drugs!
There aren’t any, even though the book title makes you think there are. (Okay, okay, yes, the uncle is a druggie, but that doesn’t really count because it’s barely mentioned.) This is an amazing book about a 17-year-old boy who spends a week talking about his life and the state of the universe, all while searching for his missing uncle in a small Midwestern town. The language is urgent, the observations are phenomenal, the tone is off-kilter. Almost pogo-stick material.
The guy telling the story is named Riggle Quick. What a cool, jazzy name—it matches the cool, jazzy tone of the book. He definitely wriggles, and quick-like. I’m always a sucker for people who are cynical and who observe the absurdity of everything, and Riggle fits the bill.
It’s Riggle’s unique outlook that grabbed me. His view of the world is off-beat, and it’s easy to get caught up in his unusual observations and ideas. For example, he compares making an omelet to picking your nose—in detail! Pretty gross and weird (hm…might put lots of readers off), but it cracked me up. I hope I don’t think of this connection the next time I’m whipping up an omelet, though, I’ll tell you that!
The blurb calls this book YA, and some reviewers say it has a YA vibe to it. I do think teens, especially boys, will love it. They just won’t be reading it in school, as “fuck” is uttered quite a bit, and there are numerous dick comments. The whole time I was reading it, I didn’t know that it was considered YA; in fact, I was surprised to later learn that it was. I hope adults don’t stay away from the book because it’s Young Adult; it’s too good to be ignored.
Barely visible Complaint Board:
-The book has an extra little story going on. It’s a fable about how the days of the week were named, with hand shadows as conduits. The story is divided by days and plopped into the middle of various chapters. It is incredibly creative (I was in awe of the author’s imagination and his storytelling skills), but I thought it interrupted the main story too much. I did enjoy reading the fable sections (the author cleverly put them in italics), but I would have preferred them to be pulled out into one nice short story. I don’t understand why the author didn’t do this, actually; I don’t understand why he chose to put these “inserts” into this book. They could have been dropped into any book, it seems. Bottom line: I didn’t get all happy when I came across the italics—which tells me that the story within a story shouldn’t have been there. Still, the hand puppets weren’t pushy enough to make me knock this book down a star.
-There’s one super brief scene where Riggle does something totally out of character, and it bothered me. Because it’s such a minor event, it didn’t ruin the story for me. I’m going mum so I don’t give any spoilers.
I highlighted a lot; always a good sign. I just loved Riggle’s voice. Here are some lines I liked:
“Walking after you get off a bicycle seems slow as fuck.”
“Ain’t that funny how you never really know why you like what you like.”
“The whole place seemed to gag. Like the universe was puking.”
“It’s weird when you look at a tub of forks and realize that every single one of those is going to go into a different person’s mouth.”
“And we were strugglers together doing the dance of a million dishwashers before us, drenching our bodies and busting our fingers. Puckering our hands out and grinding away at the filth.”
“We were animals of water and soap. Emperors of spray nozzles. Masters of disasters. Scrubbers of the scum.”
The blurbs talk about how current the story is, and how that enhances it. Yes, the story is current: Trump, texting, drugs, mass shootings. But the bottom line is this: I didn’t care that it was a coming-of-age story, I didn’t care that it was current, I didn’t care that the main character was a teenager. None of that mattered. It was just Riggle’s voice that seduced me. I would have loved Riggle no matter what decade he lived in.
If you had told me I’d be charmed and obsessed by a 17-year-old boy philosophizing about stuff, I would have said, yeah, right. But here I was, fast to pick up the book and slow to put it down. A friend told me about this secret gem, and now I want more people to join the fan club. Check this book out! It’s short, so maybe you can squeeze it into your queue.
October 4, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Riggle had to move in with his uncle at the local trailer park after losing his over-the-road trucker dad in an automobile accident followed by his mom succumbing to her grief and committing suicide. This is the story of a week in Riggle’s life when he not only receives a 5-day suspension from school for supposedly having a vape pen full of THC, but also the week when his uncle goes missing.
Unlike yesterday’s review, this is a book that is being marketed as it should be – Young Adult. Again, kids aren’t stupid. Hell, they probably know more about dealing with real-life issues than many adults who either live in a comfort bubble or who have grown complacent. There’s no reason to hide them from the darker side of life and with a title like this you flat out know . . . .
However, since it is YA it does retain a little bit of hope – unlike most grit lit selections I pick up.
I’ve never read this author before (but I did buy a copy of Motherfucking Sharks because - DUH). As the placeholder “review” below indicates, whenever there’s a trailer park on a cover or even a hint that some bad shit might go down due to drug dealing or usage, I’m pretty much like . . . .
This was everything I hoped it would be.
Many thanks to NetGalley for one of the quickest approvals I’ve ever received. It’s like you’re starting to understand me ; )
ORIGINAL "REVIEW:"
The cover is a god-danged trailer park and it straight up has "Opioid" in the title . . . .
Seriously. This is pretty much guaranteed to be 5 Stars from Mitchell. Also, it's by the guy who wrote Motherfucking Sharks so if things go well I might have to invite him over tothe dungeon my spare room while he writes his next book.
Riggle had to move in with his uncle at the local trailer park after losing his over-the-road trucker dad in an automobile accident followed by his mom succumbing to her grief and committing suicide. This is the story of a week in Riggle’s life when he not only receives a 5-day suspension from school for supposedly having a vape pen full of THC, but also the week when his uncle goes missing.
Unlike yesterday’s review, this is a book that is being marketed as it should be – Young Adult. Again, kids aren’t stupid. Hell, they probably know more about dealing with real-life issues than many adults who either live in a comfort bubble or who have grown complacent. There’s no reason to hide them from the darker side of life and with a title like this you flat out know . . . .
However, since it is YA it does retain a little bit of hope – unlike most grit lit selections I pick up.
I’ve never read this author before (but I did buy a copy of Motherfucking Sharks because - DUH). As the placeholder “review” below indicates, whenever there’s a trailer park on a cover or even a hint that some bad shit might go down due to drug dealing or usage, I’m pretty much like . . . .
This was everything I hoped it would be.
Many thanks to NetGalley for one of the quickest approvals I’ve ever received. It’s like you’re starting to understand me ; )
ORIGINAL "REVIEW:"
The cover is a god-danged trailer park and it straight up has "Opioid" in the title . . . .
Seriously. This is pretty much guaranteed to be 5 Stars from Mitchell. Also, it's by the guy who wrote Motherfucking Sharks so if things go well I might have to invite him over to
October 27, 2023
OPIOID, INDIANA by Brian Allen Carr
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: The Last Horror Novel in the History of the World
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978164129...
Release Date: September 17th, 2019
General Genre: Coming-of-Age, Rural Small Towns
Sub-Genre/Themes: Orphans, young men, addiction, drugs, growing up in a small rural town, parental suicide, racism, memories, friendship
Writing Style: Poignant, accessible, intimate prose, character-driven, anecdotal-style storytelling, vignettes, flashbacks
What You Need to Know: I listened to the audiobook for the first 75% and then I wanted to read the rest in my own mental space. Shawn Compton's voice was perfect for this--he voiced the main character, seventeen-year-old Riggle, with ease and finesse. There were subtle changes for other characters that set each one apart without sounding weird or annoying. I definitely recommend the audio but the paperback is great too; I love the cover and the illustrations.
My Reading Experience: A new favorite coming-of-age book, Opioid, Indiana is the perfect summer cocktail blending together nostalgia, colorful characters, humor, and drama. I could read Brian Allen Carr's (BAC) stories all day. Riggle's inner monologues are hilarious and serendipitously familiar. So many times I found myself relating to the thought-provoking asides--musings that I have had rolling around in my brain at different times in my life.
As an example, Riggle is washing dishes at a local restaurant. He's thinking about the forks and how many times each fork has been in different people's mouths. I've literally thought about this before and other similar thoughts and if I ever share them with people, they just think I'm weird, so I felt an immediate connection to Riggle; I was emotionally invested in his story.
Opioid, Indiana is a fictional rural town that felt a lot like the small town I grew up in. That strange way everyone kind of knows each other or knows of them. The iconic people of interest, like the regular faces in diners or dive bars. The same homeless folks wandering around or latch-key kids riding around on bikes late at night. The whole book gave me familiar vibes that felt very comforting and seen.
Riggle lives with his uncle and his uncle's lady (whom he sort of has a crush on) because his dad was killed in an accident and his mother took her own life. His story is told through various interactions with townspeople, his best friend and neighbor, working in a restaurant, flashbacks/memories with his mother, and a real-time narrative involving his uncle's disappearance. Brian Allen Carr has a real knack for authentic dialogue and cinematic details that make certain scenes linger long after you've read them. I was sad when it was over and I'm very pleased that I have another book, "SIP" sitting on my nightstand and a new one called BAD FOUNDATIONS coming from CLASH Books in October (2023)
Final Recommendation: Perfect for readers who love hilarious narrators, rural small-town tales with colorful characters told in rich, cinematic detail. A little sad and tragic--your reader's heart will want to wrap its arms around the main character and give a tight squeeze. You won't want to say goodbye when the book ends.
Comps: Cold, Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns, Chad Lutzke's Skullface Boy, Jedi Summer by John Boden
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: The Last Horror Novel in the History of the World
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978164129...
Release Date: September 17th, 2019
General Genre: Coming-of-Age, Rural Small Towns
Sub-Genre/Themes: Orphans, young men, addiction, drugs, growing up in a small rural town, parental suicide, racism, memories, friendship
Writing Style: Poignant, accessible, intimate prose, character-driven, anecdotal-style storytelling, vignettes, flashbacks
What You Need to Know: I listened to the audiobook for the first 75% and then I wanted to read the rest in my own mental space. Shawn Compton's voice was perfect for this--he voiced the main character, seventeen-year-old Riggle, with ease and finesse. There were subtle changes for other characters that set each one apart without sounding weird or annoying. I definitely recommend the audio but the paperback is great too; I love the cover and the illustrations.
My Reading Experience: A new favorite coming-of-age book, Opioid, Indiana is the perfect summer cocktail blending together nostalgia, colorful characters, humor, and drama. I could read Brian Allen Carr's (BAC) stories all day. Riggle's inner monologues are hilarious and serendipitously familiar. So many times I found myself relating to the thought-provoking asides--musings that I have had rolling around in my brain at different times in my life.
As an example, Riggle is washing dishes at a local restaurant. He's thinking about the forks and how many times each fork has been in different people's mouths. I've literally thought about this before and other similar thoughts and if I ever share them with people, they just think I'm weird, so I felt an immediate connection to Riggle; I was emotionally invested in his story.
Opioid, Indiana is a fictional rural town that felt a lot like the small town I grew up in. That strange way everyone kind of knows each other or knows of them. The iconic people of interest, like the regular faces in diners or dive bars. The same homeless folks wandering around or latch-key kids riding around on bikes late at night. The whole book gave me familiar vibes that felt very comforting and seen.
Riggle lives with his uncle and his uncle's lady (whom he sort of has a crush on) because his dad was killed in an accident and his mother took her own life. His story is told through various interactions with townspeople, his best friend and neighbor, working in a restaurant, flashbacks/memories with his mother, and a real-time narrative involving his uncle's disappearance. Brian Allen Carr has a real knack for authentic dialogue and cinematic details that make certain scenes linger long after you've read them. I was sad when it was over and I'm very pleased that I have another book, "SIP" sitting on my nightstand and a new one called BAD FOUNDATIONS coming from CLASH Books in October (2023)
Final Recommendation: Perfect for readers who love hilarious narrators, rural small-town tales with colorful characters told in rich, cinematic detail. A little sad and tragic--your reader's heart will want to wrap its arms around the main character and give a tight squeeze. You won't want to say goodbye when the book ends.
Comps: Cold, Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns, Chad Lutzke's Skullface Boy, Jedi Summer by John Boden
December 1, 2019
A coming of age story with a likeable and totally relatable seventeen year old at its core. Riggle is an orphan who has been through the system and currently lives with his drug addicted uncle and his uncle's girlfriend. After getting expelled from school following a misunderstanding, Riggle interacts with different and unique residents of his small town, which he has nicknamed Opioid for obvious reasons. Through the memorable teachings of his deceased mother and a chance of purpose received from a new acquaintance, Riggle is able to deal with the hardships and challenges of his dead end environment. The author draws a clear picture of a sleepy town at the edge of resignation and brings it to life with some oddly surprising and colorful characters. I know that Riggle is out there somewhere, animating his dreams and bringing definition to the shadows.
November 21, 2019
"In the principal's office, they told me I'd be suspended the next Monday through Friday. I thought: How the **** is that supposed to teach me a lesson? I'm getting a vacation . . . What follows is the story of that week." -- Riggle, our protagonist, on page 12
Opiod, Indiana has a lot of great parts, plus a few lackluster bits (the long-winded sections with the hand shadow explaining how the days of the week received their names - don't ask), so that it adds up to an entertaining but not quite outstanding novel that straddles the line between YA and adult.
Riggle is a seventeen year-old orphan (trucker dad died in an accident, despondent mom a suicide) hailing from a Texas border town. Given his suddenly parent-less situation he's shipped out to the next-in-line relative, mom's 28 year-old brother Joe from a blighted suburban town in Indiana. Joe is a drug addict, but takes Riggle both out of family obligation and the government money he'll receive.
During the aforementioned week, which is set squarely in the bleak Midwestern winter of February 2018, we follow Riggle - suddenly with a lot free time on his schedule due to his new out-of-school suspension - as he narrates his activities, introduces the people in his social circle, and describes his adopted hometown. One of the book's strengths was the supporting cast: his amusing best friend-classmate Bennet, the uncle's girlfriend Peggy, the local eccentrics 'Autistic Ross' and the 'Bicycling Confederate' and also the sharp-tongued 'Chef,' an otherwise-nameless boss at Riggle's first real job.
Another notable aspect was I believed this was a fairly intelligent or street-savvy seventeen year-old narrating the story. There were a few particularly well-written and perfectly plausible paragraphs late in the book where he simply realizes a certain sexual attraction to both his uncle's girlfriend (she is only six years older than Riggle) and to the female 'Chef' - who is likely in her early 30's - because "They had power over me, they had control . . . They could also teach me. They knew things I didn't know. And I'm not sure that's what men are supposed to like, but you can't help what you're into." He is correct.
While I'm making Opiod, Indiana sound a little like a teen comedy it is actually more of a dramatic work but with well-timed / humorous asides. Riggle gets sidetracked in minor ways throughout but his main purpose during the week is to find his missing uncle. How that plot thread is resolved, and the relatively open-ended conclusion, worked in the book's favor with some cold realism.
Opiod, Indiana has a lot of great parts, plus a few lackluster bits (the long-winded sections with the hand shadow explaining how the days of the week received their names - don't ask), so that it adds up to an entertaining but not quite outstanding novel that straddles the line between YA and adult.
Riggle is a seventeen year-old orphan (trucker dad died in an accident, despondent mom a suicide) hailing from a Texas border town. Given his suddenly parent-less situation he's shipped out to the next-in-line relative, mom's 28 year-old brother Joe from a blighted suburban town in Indiana. Joe is a drug addict, but takes Riggle both out of family obligation and the government money he'll receive.
During the aforementioned week, which is set squarely in the bleak Midwestern winter of February 2018, we follow Riggle - suddenly with a lot free time on his schedule due to his new out-of-school suspension - as he narrates his activities, introduces the people in his social circle, and describes his adopted hometown. One of the book's strengths was the supporting cast: his amusing best friend-classmate Bennet, the uncle's girlfriend Peggy, the local eccentrics 'Autistic Ross' and the 'Bicycling Confederate' and also the sharp-tongued 'Chef,' an otherwise-nameless boss at Riggle's first real job.
Another notable aspect was I believed this was a fairly intelligent or street-savvy seventeen year-old narrating the story. There were a few particularly well-written and perfectly plausible paragraphs late in the book where he simply realizes a certain sexual attraction to both his uncle's girlfriend (she is only six years older than Riggle) and to the female 'Chef' - who is likely in her early 30's - because "They had power over me, they had control . . . They could also teach me. They knew things I didn't know. And I'm not sure that's what men are supposed to like, but you can't help what you're into." He is correct.
While I'm making Opiod, Indiana sound a little like a teen comedy it is actually more of a dramatic work but with well-timed / humorous asides. Riggle gets sidetracked in minor ways throughout but his main purpose during the week is to find his missing uncle. How that plot thread is resolved, and the relatively open-ended conclusion, worked in the book's favor with some cold realism.
October 6, 2019
There's tons of imagination on display here, while still painting a relateable coming-of-age narrative, equal parts funny, truthful, and sad. This is the kind of book that high schools should make their students read, a modern-day heir to Catcher in the Rye. It hit me hard. Really powerful stuff.
July 30, 2021
What a mixed experience! I enjoyed young Riggle's voice and the book works best when we're getting a tour of his town (nicknamed Opioid, Indiana for its opiate-addicted populace) and its people. Unfortunately, there's these obnoxious fable-y sci-fi sections that make for a terrible diversion from the main story. I liked Riggle's job at the restaurant and the characters he met there, maybe more of that and less of the sci-fi bits would have made it a bit tighter. All the same, I laughed at some funny turns of phrase and irreverent humour.
The book, unfortunately, feels like too disjointed an experience to gain my stamp of approval, but a more focused effort from Carr might draw me in somewhere down the line. For now, I recommend a pass.
[2.5 Stars]
The book, unfortunately, feels like too disjointed an experience to gain my stamp of approval, but a more focused effort from Carr might draw me in somewhere down the line. For now, I recommend a pass.
[2.5 Stars]
Read
June 24, 2019ho.ly.shit. This book is amazing: funny, smart, weird, sad, and tender as hell.
December 4, 2019
Opioid, Indiana by Brian Allen Carr details the hardscrabble life of seventeen-year-old Riggle in an unnamed, small town in modern-day Indiana.
Riggle lives with his uncle and aunt, after being taken in after the deaths of his parents. Money is tight, times harsh and Riggle's uncle has turned up missing with the rent due in just a few days.
Riggle is a teen facing the typical woes of working-class teens, but even more hampered by living on the outside looking in, along with being attracted to his aunt who encourages him to find his drug-addicted uncle before the rent is due.
At first glance, by the title of the book, one may believe this short novel is a tale focused on opiates and those addicted to them, and while that subject is present, the novel is more than that.
Carr introduces interesting and amusing characters along the way and has a wonderful descriptive manner when telling the story and describing the life and struggles of Riggles, as well as the environment of an Indiana winter.
Riggle lives with his uncle and aunt, after being taken in after the deaths of his parents. Money is tight, times harsh and Riggle's uncle has turned up missing with the rent due in just a few days.
Riggle is a teen facing the typical woes of working-class teens, but even more hampered by living on the outside looking in, along with being attracted to his aunt who encourages him to find his drug-addicted uncle before the rent is due.
At first glance, by the title of the book, one may believe this short novel is a tale focused on opiates and those addicted to them, and while that subject is present, the novel is more than that.
Carr introduces interesting and amusing characters along the way and has a wonderful descriptive manner when telling the story and describing the life and struggles of Riggles, as well as the environment of an Indiana winter.
November 2, 2019
This book’s description severely over-sells it. The book itself feels like the rambling of a teenager with no real point.
October 29, 2019
Unforgettable is the first word that comes to mind when trying to describe this book. The characters, place, and story are all unforgettable. And current. Riggle’s circumstances and days and decisions are all happening right now out there in the world. Which fucking scares and saddens the hell out of me.
Riggle is a 17 year old suspended high school student living in Indiana. Both his parents are dead and his uncle is currently missing, so readers ride shotgun as Riggle wanders around looking for his uncle/guardian. Along the way, we meet his town, the town characters, his old hometown in Texas, new and old friends, and…Remote. *shakes head* Riggle’s connection to Remote is brutally heart wrenching. His mother used to tell him stories with a shadow puppet named Remote. So now when he’s missing his mom or feeling alone, Riggle brings Remote out to tell him a story or keep him company and apparently to break my frigging heart wide open. The emotion in this book is so stark and real. It’s almost painful to hear and watch. But I hope you do.
Mr. Carr tells Riggle’s story with equal parts humor and honesty. The lines and language are simple, but hard hitting. I find myself returning again and again to re-read parts of Riggle's week. I liked Riggle but, he’s the type of kid you want to slap upside the head and then hug. I want to tell him to hang on and keep trying and thinking. You might think he’s rambling, but listen to where his words go and what he says. Really take it in and listen! Some of his ponderings made me smirk; others made laugh; and most made me think. Riggle has a heart. It's broken and lonely, but you'll see it in action. The question is...for how much longer?
Read this one! It will get you talking and thinking for sure.
November 15, 2019
I believe that YA with a male protagonist written by a male author is quite different than a female author writing about a female protagonist. Everything seems a bit less sugar coated—ruder and rougher, maybe.
The “naming of days” stories were a curious addition to the story of a young man trying to find himself after the deaths of both his parents.
The “naming of days” stories were a curious addition to the story of a young man trying to find himself after the deaths of both his parents.
July 8, 2019
OPIOID, INDIANA picks you up by the collar. There's no putting it down until the last page. I had both laughed and cried by page 24. The plot is compelling, but there's so much more going on in this book about the nuances and complexities in people....the kind of truth that polarized news cycles just can't quite reach. This novel blurs all of the lines in the best way by getting in proximity with people and by storytelling with empathy. There are no throw-away people in this novel. The protagonist, Riggle, is a 17-year-old with no filter who bumps into controversial topics in the most open-eyed way. He also moves through grief in a way that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Without giving any spoilers, it should be said that the novel is constructed in an original and suspenseful way, too. Few writers can capture the balance of the light and dark of being human quite like Brian Allen Carr.
Tiffany Phillips
Owner
Wild Geese Bookshop
Tiffany Phillips
Owner
Wild Geese Bookshop
March 3, 2020
Understanding that this is a YA book and I am not the target audience, I found Opioid, Indiana to be irresponsible. The title and synopsis have so little to do with the bulk of this book. Instead, we follow a rambling teenager who fantasizes about his aunt. He also recalls fantastical anecdotes his mother used to tell him in which we are supposed to see parallels, but it is simply lazy and uninteresting. What I thought was going to be an insightful look into the opioid epidemic was just an unresearched stream of consciousness that literally ends with the aunt putting lotion on his hands and the main character comparing it to "finger handjobs." I could go on, but I've already spent more than enough time in Opioid, Indiana.
June 11, 2019
A fascinating window into the mind of a character it would be very easy to dismiss. I loved the fables, told by a hand shadow puppet named Remote, which are recounted periodically through the book -- they're cool in and of themselves but they also do a great job of illustrating the relationship between the narrator and his mom who originally told him the stories.
December 3, 2019
This book accurately portrays so much of rural Indiana: inexplicable Confederate flags, opioids, poverty, and voting against one's best interest. It was a little implausible at times, but mostly spot on and rife with reasons why it's sometimes hard to accept living in this state.
March 3, 2020
It was written from the eyes of a 17 year old, and it read like that too. Meandering, mindless, asinine. At least it was short!
November 6, 2025
I can't understand why this has a lower rating on Goodreads than my rating, other than I must have a peculiar taste in literature. Opioid, Indiana, by Brian Allen Carr is an enjoyable story in its humor and heartbreak.
The 17-year-old narrator Riggle is endearing. Both his parents have died and he has been sent to group homes before landing in a small town in Indiana, which he names Opioid, because everyone seems to be addicted, including his uncle with whom he lives.
The novel takes place over a few days when Riggle has been suspended from school. His uncle is missing, so the uncle's live-in girlfriend Peggy tells Riggle to ask around and find him.
Over the course of seven days (Chapters Monday, Tuesday, ... Saturday, Other Days), Riggle walks around Opioid, talks to his school friend via text, meets neighbors--such as the guy on a bicycle with a Confederate flag who just rides around all day--and other very odd people, who seem to both make sense and talk nonsense.
In the way that Riggle is on a quest, and how his thoughts are sometimes over the top (or is it that he's just young?), as well as how his thinking is often in a philosophical manner, the novel reminds me of Trout Fishing in America and On the Road. The difference is this narrator seems very young and not particularly disenfranchised. But like those novels he is searching for something. His uncle. Rent money. A home. A place to stay. Something more?
The philosophical thinking and allusions add a layer of interest to the novel. The way Riggle incorporates Plato's allegory of the cave into his own thoughts on life is cool. There was so much I liked about the character, including that he is pretty honest. And even when he does terrible things, I don't know if he new otherwise. And maybe the people in the novel are not very unlike people we meet once we really start talking to strangers--to neighbors or fixtures in a small town. I've definitely met people like them.
Carr's novella reminds me a bit of my favorite book The House on Mango Street in that I walked alongside Riggle and met the inhabitants of his home, school, and neighborhood through his eyes. It was entertaining.
On the other hand, the novel talks about serious things like the Parkland school shooting. The opioid crisis: "these days when you go see a doctor, there's a decent chance you'll be pain-free but addicted." As well as poverty, death, and racism: Larry Bird, who was their most famous athlete, is most famous for being white." There's a good amount of humor in the book, even around serious topics.
Although some elements of the story or language remind me of different writers and books I have read, Carr's story is uniquely its own.
(I listened to the book on tape and recommend that for readers. It brought Riggle to life.)
The 17-year-old narrator Riggle is endearing. Both his parents have died and he has been sent to group homes before landing in a small town in Indiana, which he names Opioid, because everyone seems to be addicted, including his uncle with whom he lives.
The novel takes place over a few days when Riggle has been suspended from school. His uncle is missing, so the uncle's live-in girlfriend Peggy tells Riggle to ask around and find him.
Over the course of seven days (Chapters Monday, Tuesday, ... Saturday, Other Days), Riggle walks around Opioid, talks to his school friend via text, meets neighbors--such as the guy on a bicycle with a Confederate flag who just rides around all day--and other very odd people, who seem to both make sense and talk nonsense.
In the way that Riggle is on a quest, and how his thoughts are sometimes over the top (or is it that he's just young?), as well as how his thinking is often in a philosophical manner, the novel reminds me of Trout Fishing in America and On the Road. The difference is this narrator seems very young and not particularly disenfranchised. But like those novels he is searching for something. His uncle. Rent money. A home. A place to stay. Something more?
The philosophical thinking and allusions add a layer of interest to the novel. The way Riggle incorporates Plato's allegory of the cave into his own thoughts on life is cool. There was so much I liked about the character, including that he is pretty honest. And even when he does terrible things, I don't know if he new otherwise. And maybe the people in the novel are not very unlike people we meet once we really start talking to strangers--to neighbors or fixtures in a small town. I've definitely met people like them.
Carr's novella reminds me a bit of my favorite book The House on Mango Street in that I walked alongside Riggle and met the inhabitants of his home, school, and neighborhood through his eyes. It was entertaining.
On the other hand, the novel talks about serious things like the Parkland school shooting. The opioid crisis: "these days when you go see a doctor, there's a decent chance you'll be pain-free but addicted." As well as poverty, death, and racism: Larry Bird, who was their most famous athlete, is most famous for being white." There's a good amount of humor in the book, even around serious topics.
Although some elements of the story or language remind me of different writers and books I have read, Carr's story is uniquely its own.
(I listened to the book on tape and recommend that for readers. It brought Riggle to life.)
October 3, 2023
If you don't fall into the voice of this one from the very first sentence, then I don't even know what to say to you. Don't want to be your friend and definitely don't want you to have my phone number.
There's something so tender and sweet about this book, while it remains bold and funny and strange and, perhaps, Brian's most lived in feeling novel.
Can't believe it's taken me so long to finally read this.
There's something so tender and sweet about this book, while it remains bold and funny and strange and, perhaps, Brian's most lived in feeling novel.
Can't believe it's taken me so long to finally read this.
February 13, 2020
Boring, disjointed, sometimes both hyperkinetic and grandiose in its aspirations, often slightly sleazy. In short, like many high-schoolers since time immemorial.
To be honest, I don't think I was the target market for this book. I picked it up at the library on a whim (sigh), but, please note, off an adult bookshelf, not from the YA section. Make no mistake, this is YA genre fiction. And while some reviewers have claimed it "shows us Trump’s America from the point of view of a confused but charismatic seventeen-year-old," I beg to differ. The United States of America had plenty of the same issues during the tenures of Bush "Jr" and Obama. And Riggles? Charismatic he ain't.
I did try, honestly I did. If there is one group of people I've never been able to get, it's teenage boys. Of any generation. That is why I checked this book out, hoping to understand. Mr Carr did not lead me far, if at all, down that path.
There was some good writing (aside from those dreadful stretches about the days of the week and shampoo), which is the only reason I'm not giving this only 1 star. And for the record, Mr Carr at least writes books, unlike yours truly, so more power to him. I may try some of his earlier works down the road.
To be honest, I don't think I was the target market for this book. I picked it up at the library on a whim (sigh), but, please note, off an adult bookshelf, not from the YA section. Make no mistake, this is YA genre fiction. And while some reviewers have claimed it "shows us Trump’s America from the point of view of a confused but charismatic seventeen-year-old," I beg to differ. The United States of America had plenty of the same issues during the tenures of Bush "Jr" and Obama. And Riggles? Charismatic he ain't.
I did try, honestly I did. If there is one group of people I've never been able to get, it's teenage boys. Of any generation. That is why I checked this book out, hoping to understand. Mr Carr did not lead me far, if at all, down that path.
There was some good writing (aside from those dreadful stretches about the days of the week and shampoo), which is the only reason I'm not giving this only 1 star. And for the record, Mr Carr at least writes books, unlike yours truly, so more power to him. I may try some of his earlier works down the road.
March 2, 2025
Really liked this one! Felt like a modern day mix between The Catcher In The Rye and I Am The Cheese, with some politics sort of mixed in as well. The writing was really beautiful and funny at times as well; I laughed out loud several times while reading, which is atypical for me.
"It was so weird to hear her cuss. On the one hand, she seemed like she shouldn't. She was this little woman with angular features and eyes green like plastic. On the other hand, her voice seemed to hold cuss words the way seashells hold the sound of oceans."
"'I don't want anything named after me. I want to be remembered the way lightning is remembered: as thunder. The way rain is remembered: as puddles. I want to leave an impression, not a memory.'"
"It was so weird to hear her cuss. On the one hand, she seemed like she shouldn't. She was this little woman with angular features and eyes green like plastic. On the other hand, her voice seemed to hold cuss words the way seashells hold the sound of oceans."
"'I don't want anything named after me. I want to be remembered the way lightning is remembered: as thunder. The way rain is remembered: as puddles. I want to leave an impression, not a memory.'"
March 2, 2020
Saw this at my local book store, read the first page, and bought it immediately. I loved the book the whole way through and finished in 2 days. The narrator is such an interesting character, insightful without being pretentious, and very unique compared to other books about teenagers. I feared this book may have turned into a John Green novel given the main character/narrator is 17, but was thankfully spared the angsty drama. The writing is what truly keeps the pages turning as the main characters inner monologue and unique perspective on the town and the people in it are what brings the whole life.
November 3, 2019
a poor kid ( ifelt bad for cuz his dad and mom died and then his uncle died and he had to move from texas to "opiod" indiana) gets expelled from school for candy clouding (which wasn't even his fault) and roams around the town for a week looking for his missing uncle looking at the weather and life and skin color and it was a nice book. well-written. good words.
September 6, 2020
I read this book for the Goodreads' Book Club: Diversity in All Forms! If you would like to participate in the discussion here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I really enjoyed this book in the beginning, but then I felt like it went down hill. There was no real plot and the story jumped all over. I'm not really sure what it was but I stopped "feeling it" halfway through and it took me much longer to finish it.
"During a week-long suspension from school, a teenage transplant to impoverished rural Indiana searches for a job, the whereabouts of his vanished drug-addicted guardian, and meaning in the America of the Trump years.
Seventeen-year-old Riggle is living in rural Indiana with his uncle and uncle’s girlfriend after the death of both of his parents. Now his uncle has gone missing, probably on a drug binge. It’s Monday, and $800 in rent is due Friday. Riggle, who’s been suspended from school, has to either find his uncle or get the money together himself. His mission exposes him to a motley group of Opioid locals—encounters by turns perplexing, harrowing, and heartening. Meanwhile, Riggle marks each day by remembering the mythology his late mother invented for him about how the days got their names.
With amazing directness and insight, Carr explores what it’s like to be a high school kid in in the age of Trump, a time of economic inequality, addiction, confederate flags, and mass shootings. A work of empathy and insight that pierces to the heart of our moment through an unforgettable protagonist."
I really enjoyed this book in the beginning, but then I felt like it went down hill. There was no real plot and the story jumped all over. I'm not really sure what it was but I stopped "feeling it" halfway through and it took me much longer to finish it.
"During a week-long suspension from school, a teenage transplant to impoverished rural Indiana searches for a job, the whereabouts of his vanished drug-addicted guardian, and meaning in the America of the Trump years.
Seventeen-year-old Riggle is living in rural Indiana with his uncle and uncle’s girlfriend after the death of both of his parents. Now his uncle has gone missing, probably on a drug binge. It’s Monday, and $800 in rent is due Friday. Riggle, who’s been suspended from school, has to either find his uncle or get the money together himself. His mission exposes him to a motley group of Opioid locals—encounters by turns perplexing, harrowing, and heartening. Meanwhile, Riggle marks each day by remembering the mythology his late mother invented for him about how the days got their names.
With amazing directness and insight, Carr explores what it’s like to be a high school kid in in the age of Trump, a time of economic inequality, addiction, confederate flags, and mass shootings. A work of empathy and insight that pierces to the heart of our moment through an unforgettable protagonist."
December 15, 2019
Because it was Indiana, I figured I should read this novel...and I am so glad I did!
Riggle is a 17-year-old kid who was orphaned at an early age. He grew up in Texas, near the Mexico border, but after both of his parents died within a couple of years of each other, he spent some time in foster homes. He eventually gets shipped up to Indiana to live with his Uncle Joe and Joe's girlfriend, Peggy. Riggle experiences the culture shock of both Indiana winters and the odd and all-too-frequent presence of Confederate flags in Indiana. (I've never gotten it, either, Riggle. It's sickening.) His uncle is also a meth addict, so when he goes missing, Riggle is tasked with trying to find him.
This is very much a coming-of-age story, as Riggle tries to make his way in this world. He's basically a pretty cool kid, in my opinion, who is perfectly okay with pondering life's perplexities. He reminded me a bit of Holden Caulfield but without the overall narcissistic jerkiness. You get the impression that Riggle is going to be okay—and you definitely wish that for him.
I had to look up the author to see if he was from Indiana because his descriptions of my state are spot-on. Nope. He's from Texas. But he must have spent some time here because he describes our winter permagloom and the nature of cold weather perfectly. There is lovely writing here, as well.
"...her voice seemed to hold cuss words the way seashells hold the sound of oceans."
"Because violence is warm. Have you ever gotten angry? So angry you could hurt a thing? Your body feels like fire."
This book might not be as enjoyable to non-Hoosiers (A significant portion of my enjoyment was trying to figure out what town this might be set in. If I had to guess, I would guess Mooresville, a little southwest of Indianapolis.) but everyone remembers what it felt like to be on the cusp of adulthood and still trying to figure things out.
You're going to be okay, Riggle. At least as okay as anyone can be in this world.
Riggle is a 17-year-old kid who was orphaned at an early age. He grew up in Texas, near the Mexico border, but after both of his parents died within a couple of years of each other, he spent some time in foster homes. He eventually gets shipped up to Indiana to live with his Uncle Joe and Joe's girlfriend, Peggy. Riggle experiences the culture shock of both Indiana winters and the odd and all-too-frequent presence of Confederate flags in Indiana. (I've never gotten it, either, Riggle. It's sickening.) His uncle is also a meth addict, so when he goes missing, Riggle is tasked with trying to find him.
This is very much a coming-of-age story, as Riggle tries to make his way in this world. He's basically a pretty cool kid, in my opinion, who is perfectly okay with pondering life's perplexities. He reminded me a bit of Holden Caulfield but without the overall narcissistic jerkiness. You get the impression that Riggle is going to be okay—and you definitely wish that for him.
I had to look up the author to see if he was from Indiana because his descriptions of my state are spot-on. Nope. He's from Texas. But he must have spent some time here because he describes our winter permagloom and the nature of cold weather perfectly. There is lovely writing here, as well.
"...her voice seemed to hold cuss words the way seashells hold the sound of oceans."
"Because violence is warm. Have you ever gotten angry? So angry you could hurt a thing? Your body feels like fire."
This book might not be as enjoyable to non-Hoosiers (A significant portion of my enjoyment was trying to figure out what town this might be set in. If I had to guess, I would guess Mooresville, a little southwest of Indianapolis.) but everyone remembers what it felt like to be on the cusp of adulthood and still trying to figure things out.
You're going to be okay, Riggle. At least as okay as anyone can be in this world.
September 4, 2019
Opioid, Indiana chronicles a week in the life of seventeen-year-old Riggle, an orphan living with his uncle in a nameless Indiana town he calls Opioid. He is not being ironic. He has just been suspended for a week thanks to a false accusation, though he doesn’t seem to mind. His uncle is missing and the rent is due on Friday. Peggy, his uncle’s girlfriend, tells him to look for the uncle so they don’t get evicted.
Thus begins his week of adventures that include getting a job, stealing a bike, and searching for his uncle all of it told with the wry wit of a natural-born storyteller. The days of the week are marked by his recounting his mother’s stories of how the days of the week. Her stories are original and unorthodox.
I loved Opioid, Indiana and didn’t want it to end. I want to hear more from Riggle. This kid has a philosophical frame of mind and likes to speculate and ponder the imponderables. He also is hilarious in describing Texas, his home state, and Indiana, his new state, one he declares is “mean” with cold. Riggle has experienced more than his share of loss, his father and mother are both dead and his former guardians shipped him off to Indiana, but he faces what is hard with equanimity and humor. Sometimes the humor is hiding the pain, but Riggle is not afraid to admit his pain. He just won’t live there.
Opioid, Indiana will be published on September 17th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Opioid, Indiana at Soho Press
Brian Allen Carr on GoodReads
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Thus begins his week of adventures that include getting a job, stealing a bike, and searching for his uncle all of it told with the wry wit of a natural-born storyteller. The days of the week are marked by his recounting his mother’s stories of how the days of the week. Her stories are original and unorthodox.
I loved Opioid, Indiana and didn’t want it to end. I want to hear more from Riggle. This kid has a philosophical frame of mind and likes to speculate and ponder the imponderables. He also is hilarious in describing Texas, his home state, and Indiana, his new state, one he declares is “mean” with cold. Riggle has experienced more than his share of loss, his father and mother are both dead and his former guardians shipped him off to Indiana, but he faces what is hard with equanimity and humor. Sometimes the humor is hiding the pain, but Riggle is not afraid to admit his pain. He just won’t live there.
Opioid, Indiana will be published on September 17th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Opioid, Indiana at Soho Press
Brian Allen Carr on GoodReads
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
October 21, 2019
I thought this was a well-written story rooted in so much reality it was wild. I thought the development of the story took the main character from a place of abuse/abused to empowered/still traumatized. Somewhere in the middle of this novel I got a little bored and put it down for a while to read something else. There's an undercurrent of miserable mundanity at times, or maybe coming from what some would also deem an unreal life, I just wasn't that surprised by certain things.. but the story regardless is well worth the read.
I think the main character's attitude was a highlight of the novel. I enjoyed his curiosity and outrage over the ridiculousness around him (bicycling confederate guy), his quippy, twitteresque cynicism towards the disparities of life around him and his quiet humble nature, really learning to stand on his own two feet working the dishes in the restaurant. I loved that he had this resilience in the face of just an unreal, unfair life. He wasn't going to let himself get played out by those who are supposed to be older and wiser, the teachers, his uncle's girlfriend, his uncle, etc. He took the opportunity to get a job, secure his place and be an adult - but not without some trouble and some storytelling. I really loved the remote/naming-the-days of the week bit. It was tragically beautiful and insanely unique. Brian Allen Carr really slam-dunked that literary device.
It's a great coming of age novel. I really enjoyed the observations on being young and sometimes dumb and how writer Brian Allen Carr captured the experience of young life in bummy towns with shitty family and sometimes wack friends.
I think the main character's attitude was a highlight of the novel. I enjoyed his curiosity and outrage over the ridiculousness around him (bicycling confederate guy), his quippy, twitteresque cynicism towards the disparities of life around him and his quiet humble nature, really learning to stand on his own two feet working the dishes in the restaurant. I loved that he had this resilience in the face of just an unreal, unfair life. He wasn't going to let himself get played out by those who are supposed to be older and wiser, the teachers, his uncle's girlfriend, his uncle, etc. He took the opportunity to get a job, secure his place and be an adult - but not without some trouble and some storytelling. I really loved the remote/naming-the-days of the week bit. It was tragically beautiful and insanely unique. Brian Allen Carr really slam-dunked that literary device.
It's a great coming of age novel. I really enjoyed the observations on being young and sometimes dumb and how writer Brian Allen Carr captured the experience of young life in bummy towns with shitty family and sometimes wack friends.
November 25, 2019
I had a love-not in love relationship with this book. In parts, the protagonist's narrative reminded me of Catcher in the Rye, and I loved it. The comic book shadow stories, however, brought the story to a crawl. I tried to find some symbolism in them, but it just wasn't there for me.
Also, this is a small thing, but why is there a trailer park on the cover when Riggle lived in an apartment with his uncle?
I recommend borrowing this one from the library or a friend if you really want to read it.
Also, this is a small thing, but why is there a trailer park on the cover when Riggle lived in an apartment with his uncle?
I recommend borrowing this one from the library or a friend if you really want to read it.
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