Five Summers Review

Five Summers by Una LaMarche

Although this book flashes from one perspective to another, and gives "heart stopping" plot twists (that serves no purpose since the reader has no context or connection to these secrets), the book DOES truly linger. It gave me an OVERWHELMING sense of nostalgia for these four girls... That ARE fictitious!!  

Emma, by far, was my favourite to read from. Then Jo. Then Maddie. Then Skylar [man, she was a big ol' b*tch- I tell ya]. 

I didn't really see the point of Maddie's character. Her secret could've been developed a lot better and had more focus. Jo's conflicting ideas on her identity and then leading to sexuality was fascinating and ground breaking simultaneously. It's uncommon these days that four young feminists (which is discussed briefly in the first half of the book) to discuss such unique, individual struggles they went through. 

Albeit, some of there mantras were annoying and I wanted to stop reading the book, but this may have been more because I am living through the endless mantras of teen girl drama and this forces me to have an altered perspective. I see the four types of teenagers we choose to be, and which ones are so infuriating you can't focus on the plot because of the personality. 

By the end of the book, I, like the campers, had the conflicting happiness and despair all at once. This was a wonderful story on coming of age, and the journey of the beginning of your youth to the last moments you don't realise you grasp so desperately onto.

I guarantee each reader will find themselves hidden inside one of the characters, and when you do I challenge you to evaluate if this is the person you want or regret to be.

the other one