2016: Summer Sisters (Judy Blume)

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Published by Bantam on May 27th 2003
Genres: women's fiction
Pages: 432

In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard’s world changes forever when Caitlin Somers chooses her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomes Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping her away to vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, an enchanting place where the two friends become “summer sisters.”
Now, years later, Vix is working in New York City. Caitlin is getting married on the Vineyard. And the early magic of their long, complicated friendship has faded. But Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor. And Vix knows that she will go—because she wants to understand what happened during that last shattering summer. And, after all these years, she needs to know why her best friend—her summer sister—still has the power to break her heart.

Summer Sisters wasn’t bad, but I feel like it could have been better.

Vix and Caitlin have a relationship that is simple and complicated all at once. Vix just falls into it, really. Caitlin decides she likes her, and that’s all it takes. Because Caitlin always gets what she wants. She’s the wild child, Vix is her shadow.

The book spends a lot of time in their teen years, which is part of its weakness. I thought it would have been more interesting to explore their relationships after high school and college, but it seemed like Blume was more comfortable writing them as teens.

I had a hard time suspending disbelief when it came to Vix’s family. I can sorta buy her parents letting her go off across the country with a family they don’t really know, but after a family tragedy, her family basically disappears from her life. It was weird.

I also didn’t really care for the little one-two page pieces from the point of view of minor characters. Sometimes they added a different perspective, but more often than not they were just noise.

Overall this wasn’t a bad read — I never felt like putting it down for good — but I think it could have been a lot better.

Other reviews:

• “Summer Sisters is addictive and fun – and often feels rather unsuitable to be reading on public transport! – and oh so real.” — Pretty Books
• “Not only do we see the girls grow up over time, but we understand in a very deep way how messy and complicated their friendship is.” — Rather Be Reading
• “I was disappointed, plain and simple, especially since I loved all the books written by Judy Blume when I was a child.” — Making Our Life Matter