Overall Rating- 4
Cleanliness Rating- 3 - for very mild language- (but does include the F-word, but only 2 times, I think ) and sexual content.
For as long as she can remember, 21-year-old Alice has spent summers on Fire Island with her parents and older sister, Riley. Riley, 24, is a beach lifeguard, more boyish in both looks and spirit than sweet, feminine Alice. An island neighbor and Riley's best friend, Paul, returns to the island after two years away. He and Alice finally act on an attraction they've felt for years, but they keep their frequent nuzzling quiet so as not to hurt Riley. The first part of the novel focuses largely on their romance; a giddy first love for them both that they try to keep secret because it threatens established loyalties. Immersed in their pleasures, Alice and Paul don't spend much time considering Riley. However, when Riley becomes suddenly and seriously ill, Alice's latent guilt emerges all at once. Riley then asks Alice to keep a secret that drives a major wedge between her and Paul. Alice agrees to this with surprising swiftness. By the end, the characters have suffered losses, and their links to their childhoods have disappeared or been discarded; they can no longer inhabit the Fire Island they knew, except in memory. Despite its serious themes, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is full of optimism and has a hopefull ending.
I ended up really liking this book. I had a hard time putting it down. This is the first adult novel for Ann Brashares, who wrote the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” series. The story hooked me from the start and has many poignant moments and wise observations about life. I loved the romance between Alice and Paul (because, like I’ve already said, I’m a sucker for romances). I really liked how the book was told mainly through Alice and Paul. I can always relate with the female character, but I like getting the male perspective also. It just makes Paul more likeable. You don’t get to know Riley that well, though. When Riley gets sick, Alice's guilt and unhesitating sacrifice are difficult to believe. Likewise, because Riley's character isn't fully explored – her actions in response to her failing heart are puzzling. Overall, it's a very rich story. It captures the wistfulness of summer and of being young but on the brink of adulthood. I definitely recommend it!
Cleanliness Rating- 3 - for very mild language- (but does include the F-word, but only 2 times, I think ) and sexual content.
For as long as she can remember, 21-year-old Alice has spent summers on Fire Island with her parents and older sister, Riley. Riley, 24, is a beach lifeguard, more boyish in both looks and spirit than sweet, feminine Alice. An island neighbor and Riley's best friend, Paul, returns to the island after two years away. He and Alice finally act on an attraction they've felt for years, but they keep their frequent nuzzling quiet so as not to hurt Riley. The first part of the novel focuses largely on their romance; a giddy first love for them both that they try to keep secret because it threatens established loyalties. Immersed in their pleasures, Alice and Paul don't spend much time considering Riley. However, when Riley becomes suddenly and seriously ill, Alice's latent guilt emerges all at once. Riley then asks Alice to keep a secret that drives a major wedge between her and Paul. Alice agrees to this with surprising swiftness. By the end, the characters have suffered losses, and their links to their childhoods have disappeared or been discarded; they can no longer inhabit the Fire Island they knew, except in memory. Despite its serious themes, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is full of optimism and has a hopefull ending.
I ended up really liking this book. I had a hard time putting it down. This is the first adult novel for Ann Brashares, who wrote the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” series. The story hooked me from the start and has many poignant moments and wise observations about life. I loved the romance between Alice and Paul (because, like I’ve already said, I’m a sucker for romances). I really liked how the book was told mainly through Alice and Paul. I can always relate with the female character, but I like getting the male perspective also. It just makes Paul more likeable. You don’t get to know Riley that well, though. When Riley gets sick, Alice's guilt and unhesitating sacrifice are difficult to believe. Likewise, because Riley's character isn't fully explored – her actions in response to her failing heart are puzzling. Overall, it's a very rich story. It captures the wistfulness of summer and of being young but on the brink of adulthood. I definitely recommend it!
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