Summer Sisters

Rating:
Summary: remember what it was like to be a teenager?...........
Review: This book will refresh your memory.

This is a good book to take to the pool or on a long flight...it's a quick, fun read.

Although it's marketed as adult literature, its themes and writing style will most likely appeal more toward the high school-aged reader. However, anyone who grew up reading Judy Blume's novels as I did, will feel nostalgic as it deals with the same issues of teenage romance, coming of age and friendship. Personally, I enjoyed Summer Sisters because it brought me back to all the forgotten joys and drama of being a teenager.

Rating:
Summary: Still "Young Adult"
Review: "Summer Sisters" is not tagged as "young adult," as is much of Blume's work. It probably should have been.

"Summer Sisters" follows the adventures and misadventures of a sympathetic heroine (Vix) and her wanton, implausible best friend (Caitlin) from age 12 to about 30. But many pages and much of the action focus on the girls, their boyfriends, and a complex web of family members at a time when the main characters are still in their early- and mid-teens. Some adult readers will find these antics tedious and puerile. But my main criticism is that the book simply isn't written with Blume's characteristic éclat.

For a book that covers much of the same ground but is considerably more clever, credible, and well-written, try "The Fundamentals of Play" by Caitlin Macy.

Rating:
Summary: good but so sad!
Review: i haven't read very many 400 page books, and the ones i have read, i've had trouble getting through. but this book held my interest. i could really relate to it, and it was a little different how it described summers instead of school years, the way i organize my life, and from the beginning i knew caitlin was marrying bru. about the sad part, i kinda think it was a little too sad, but then that's life. it's sad and happy and changing, just like summer sisters. caitlin reminded me of my soul sister and i could so totally relate to vix, so i guess that's why it moved me so much. some sad stories are the type to make me a little misty-eyed, if i'm in the right mood, others never fail to leave tears on my cheeks. but i was really crying while reading this and it just got to me so much. anyway, i would reccomend this book to the types who like to remenise(i don't know how to spell that) and "have a good cry"

Rating:
Summary: Judy Blumes, SUMMER SISTERS
Review: Carly Strawderman 7/26/01 Judy Blume's Summer Sisters is truly an interesting and remarkable book that you will not want to put down. This book is full of romance, but it is not your typical romance novel. This book has its own attitude about love. Victoria "Vix" Lenords and Caitlin Sommers spend their summers in Martha's Vineyard from age 12 to age 18. In this book you get to experience the lives of two teenage girls. Vix and Caitlin develop crushes and a life long friendship. My favorite part of the book is when Vix finally falls in love with someone that loves her back. My least favorite part of this book is how it ends. I think that the ending was very poorly written , and it ends too soon. It is the type of ending that leaves you with a million questions that cannot be answered. The main audience for this book is women of all ages. This is a book you just might want to take along with you on the beach, because it is a great summer book. You get the true feel of the summers the girls spent on Martha's Vineyard by the great description Judy Blume uses. Judy Blume wrote this novel while she was on vacation on Martha's Vineyard, so it is not a make believe place and all of her descriptions are accurate. My only main connection with this book is that I am a teenage girl also, and I have gone through or am going through all of the things Vix and Caitlin have . It's interesting to see the girls through life as they discover their bodies and their minds as well. This is shown when the girls discover their physical body parts while going through puberty, then they discover love and other emotions. As a teenager I can relate to this, and I can actually believe it. Judy Blume is not some adult trying to pretend she knows what teens are thinking; she really does know. Caitlin and Vix grow up together. They went to the same elementary school. Caitlin went to a private high school and eventually Vix is able to go as well, with scholarships from Caitlin's parents. After they graduate, Caitlin is off to see the world and Vix is off to Harvard. I have not read any of Judy Blume's books before, but I liked this one. I am persuaded to read more books by Judy Blume. My sister gave me this book to read and I am glad. Summer Sisters really is a great book, and I recommend it to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Memories of my own teenage years came back....
Review: When this book was over, I was like, "wait, what happens now?" That doesn't happen to much. It's a touching story about growing up in the real world. No glitz and glamour that most can't imagine but down-right day to day life. My 16 yr old daughter loved the book. She was able to relate to the subjects and it opened a whole new discussion regarding friendship between her and her girlfriends. It's a must read for those coming to age.

Rating:
Summary: Not too bad....
Review: I grew up reading Judy Blume books, this one is much different to say the least. The book chronicles the lives of two girls who became "summer sisters" after spending numerous summer vacations together. It's a cute book, easy to read, but if you are looking for nobel prize winning literature you might want to try something else. Still, I enjoyed it.

Rating:
Summary: find something else worthwhile!
Review: After reading this book over a year ago, I still remember what a waste of my time I felt it was!

I am very disappointed to still see this with so many stars. And am also disappointed to see people list it on their lists of favorite books!

I only hope that there are sane people out there who also will agree with me. Try Jubilee by Margaret Walker for a good example. I have shared this wonderful story with many relatives and friends. This is what good writing and reading is about!

Rating:
Summary: Quick summer read
Review: Though not the most challenging book it was quite nice a quick read on a hot summer day. There was too much sex for my liking and some of the characters were not developed yet I could not put the book down. I was a bit disappointed in Blume's novel after recalling the wonderful times in my adolescence when I curled up with her books. Also, I've been reading the reviews of some and am shocked to see 14 year old girls reading this book. I myself am only 21 yet the material in this novel is not appropriate for such a young age. My suggestion? 16 and older only.

Rating:
Summary: Summe Sisters Lacks Substance
Review: Summer Sisters was my first Judy Blume book, and after reading it, I am happy that I avoided reading any of her work during my adolescence.This book was extremely disappointing! There was no beauty in the langauage; the plot was utterly predictable; the characters were cliches and thoroughly unlikable. I also found the many sex scenes superfluous and crassly written. As a middle school teacher, I certainly hope that Ms. Blume's young adult literature is of higher quality than her first "adult" novel, Summer Sisters.

Rating:
Summary: An Entertaining Read
Review: This book is certainly entertaining, if not engrossing. And it certainly has the power to take you back to your childhood and to your teens, though I agree with another reviewer that the college years and beyond are a little underdeveloped.

I'd say, read the book, enjoy the book, but don't look for any wisdom in it. Vix's benefits from her 'friendship' with Caitlin came mostly from the resulting relationship with Lamb and especially Abby, who really turned Vix's life around, though she mistakenly attributes this to "Caitlin Somers, the Most Influential Person in My Life" [by the way, I can't believe that such a lousy essay would exactly wow an Ivy League admissions board -- Vix should have written about Nathan]. Vix's 'friendship' is really a sad obsession with a destructive personality. Vix devoted herself to Caitlin despite the repeated betrayals, only to find that neither she nor anyone else, especially Caitlin, really knew who Caitlin was.

I didn't need tissues at the ending, and I didn't think that it was tragic. I was glad for Vix. She needed to let go. With friends like Caitlin, who needs enemies?