Summer Sisters by Judy Blume September 9, 2006

I'm not sure how to review this book. How can I give Mark Twain a 2.5 and this book a 3? Let me try to explain. The story revolves around the friendship of two girls beginning at age 12 until they are 30. Caitlin is rich , beautiful and unstable and Vix (Victoria) is poor, plainer, and reserved. Caitlin is demanding and Vix gives. There is way way too much explicit sex. And while I can ignore the steamy scenes in JD Robb's books (probably because they seem like fantasy), Sisters' scenes are an integral part of the story. I almost quit mid-read because I was uncomfortable with all that sex and I didn't relate well to any of the characters. But I don't quit books very often and did finish this one. I have to grant that there were some really interesting twists to the book, the friendship enduring, and the I liked the narration by different characters, so the last half was better. The focus on sex lessened. And the ending took me completely by surprise. I'm not recommending this book to anyone and won't read it again. I usually donate my "not-to-be-read-again" books to Deseret Industry (a church-run second hand store), but I'm sure this book is completely inappropriate. That said, I'm changing my rating:
Rating: 2

2 Comments:
Joy said...
I read this with a book club in 2003 and let's just say my memory tells me that I would not recommend this book either for the exact reasons you mentioned, but for some odd reason I have indicated a higher rating than you. It could be because I read it with a group and focused on other areas or I could chalk it up to my inexperience in rating books at the time. ??? (2003 was the first year I began a booklog with ratings.)
booklogged said...
Too bad it was disappointing; and a Judy Blume book, too! I'm always just a little relieved, or happy, or something when I don't have to add a new book to my list.