4/5 stars
Razorbill, 2013
378 pages
YA Contemporary
Source: Received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book was not really on my radar until I received an unsolicited copy for review. Realizing that it contained many of my favorite things (contemporary genre; alternating perspective; summer; female friendship), I added it to my review schedule and I'm so glad I squeezed it in to the summer season though this could certainly be read during any other as well.
Over the course of five summers, Emma, Jo, Skylar, and Maddie forged an unbreakable bond of best friendship that sustained them through the sometimes difficult school year until they could return to camp. However once they grew too old to be campers, their lives further diverged with high school, boys, and secrets interfering. Now it's reunion weekend for the seventeen year olds and the truth is coming out-can their friendship be sustained?
As a child, I never attended camp nor did I really want to (I was an extremely picky eater who loathed physical activity/outdoors/bugs/latrines-I do not think I would have done well) so the fond memories of camp are not mine. Saying that, the Baby-Sitters Club did attend a camp and I enjoyed their adventures vicariously, same as I did for the girls here. They placed a lot of importance on the camp and the people they were there and I enjoyed getting to know them and their friendship.
I initially anticipated having some trouble with the narration which is told third person, alternating between the four girls as well as over time (the five summers plus reunion weekend.) Yet most of the story is told in the present day at reunion weekend and I feel like Emma was the main character so it was very easy to follow the engaging writing. I could barely put the book down and I easily flew through it.
As for the plot-wow, what drama! All of the girls have their secrets and they pretty much all come out over the course of the weekend, leading to a lot of anger and fighting but also self-reflection and bonding. They're not the same people they were when they first met (thank God) and they need to reconcile the changes that have occurred with the perceptions they used to have of their friends. Though some of the secrets are only hinted at in the beginning, it is pretty easy to figure them out and then just wait for the fur to fly. I found the drama all a bit much but that's just the kind of reader I am.
Overall: A fun summer read that I bet will be especially engaging to people with fond memories of their camp years as well as fans of female friendship in YA lit.
Content: Lots of mostly oblique sexual references; very casual teen drinking presented as normal; I think the language is pretty clean though.
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I think we were pretty similar as kids ;) I really didn't appreciate those things either (and I'm still not big on bugs or latrines) (or outdoor activities aside from swimming)
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like a really fun read! I like drama, so it might just be my kind of book :)
I bet we were-why go hiking or camping or whatever when you could stay inside and read? It's a bit on the dramatic side for my taste but balanced with humor and I liked that a lot of the drama was between friends instead a guy convinced he can't be with the girl because as a paranormal creature, he'll hurt her or something like that.
DeleteI went to camp once - my mother sent me to try it out and I didn't really enjoy it so she never made me go again. That being said, I enjoy reading about camp a la BabySitters Club and whatever other book I can get my hands on. I think this book sounds really fun and light and summer-y, and I seem to be enjoying those quite a bit this year. I like the idea of the reunion and all of the secrets and drama coming out. Also, I think this is just a really lovely cover. I just checked and one of my libraries has ordered a copy of this one so perhaps I'll check into it. Thanks for this review!
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great summer read if you can squeeze it in and I love all the memories it brings up for people even if I never personally experienced camp.
DeleteI never went to camp either though my younger sister did. I have a feeling I would have hated it too because of the whole bug/outdoor thing and like you I was a very picky eater. I was also very shy so I think it would have been hard for me to go to camp.
ReplyDeleteYour description of this book reminded me of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. This sounds like a mostly fun book that I think a lot of people would be able to relate to especially if they went to camp as kids and teens.
I was also a very shy kid so that's another reason I probably wouldn't have liked camp.
DeleteI think the comparison to SotTP is an interesting one-I feel like the four girls kind of conform to the same archetypes and it would be appealing to fans.
Glad you enjoyed and it was a fun read. I was never much of a camp person either, but I am good reading about it
ReplyDeleteI would be interested in checking out some more camp stories-need to look that up as I didn't realize I enjoyed them so much.
DeleteDrama you say? I am always up for a book with drama and this one sounds great. I need to see if I can get this from my library. Great review.
ReplyDeleteHope your library has this so you can give it a read-especially worth it during the summer!
DeleteI tried this one but it was too many POVs for me and took too long to get going so I stopped reading. But I'm glad you enjoyed it -- and glad we don't always agree :)
ReplyDeleteIt did take a while to get set up but I was in just the right frame of mind for it. Surprised we don't agree but it has to happen some time!
DeleteI remember going to Girl Scout Camp ONCE, and I hated it for the reasons you mentioned. I am picky about my food and the wilderness and I do not get along. I came back and could barely move after all the mosquito bites I had acquired. I'll have to fit this in before summer ends, it sound great, even with all the drama.
ReplyDeleteAlise @ Readers in Wonderland
Definitely try to get it included! My sister did Girl Scout Camp and didn't much like it either so I'm glad my troop never went.
DeleteThis does sound quite full of drama, which isn't always my thing...depends on how it's done. However, I do like the premise and I'm glad you were able to read it and found it overall enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI never attended an overnight camp either. Well, okay, I went once...it was one night, two days and it was with my whole eighth grade class so more of a school thing. Besides that, it was always day camp.
It's less drama-filled than other books I've read and leavened with the comedy and friendship at least.
DeleteI'm not entirely sure the eighth-grade trip counts but hopefully you have some great memories :)
I have this in my ARC pile of must-reads and I've bumped it up to this week's tbr since you enjoyed it so much. I can't wait to try this one! I like dramatic contemporaries to a point but I'm mostly looking forward to uncovering all the girls' dirty little secrets.
ReplyDeleteYay-so excited to have been influential and looking forward to your thoughts!
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