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Title: Seventeenth Summer
Author: Maureen Daly
Published: 1942
Synopsis:
Until the summer before college, Angie Morrow didn’t really date. Her mother didn’t like her to go out much. But no one — not even Angie’s mother — can resist the charm of strikingly handsome Jack Duluth. His good looks grab Angies’s attention from the moment in June when Jack throws Angie a smile at McKight’s drugstore. And on their first date sailing under the stars — when Jack leans in and whispers to Angie, You look nice with the wind in your hair, the strange new feeling s begin. Tingles, prickles, warmth: the tell-tale signs of romance. It’s the beginning of an unforgettable summer for Angie, full of wonder, warmth, tears, challenge, and love.Maureen Daly had created a love story so honest that it has withstood the test of time, winning new fans for more than six decades. Today, this classic is enjoyed by many who think of it as the quintessential love story, and as a glimpse of love in the 1940’s; a refreshing alternative to modern love stories, reflecting the beauty and innocence of new love. (Taken from Goodreads)
Review:
This was such a beautiful old book and I absolutely inhaled it. Though nothing drastic or dramatic happens over the course of the story, the characters and the beautiful ways the reader was pulled into their minds was sweet and captivating enough to hold me. The descriptions were lucious and thoughtful; in a normal book I might have said there were too many descriptions and not enough story, but considering the spirit and feel of this book, I thought it was fine. The romance as told by Angie was tangible and explored in an innocent way. I thought Angie was a really real character and it just seemed like a perfect snapshot of one teenage girl’s mind.
Of course I loved the time period and the authenticity—the book was written in the time period it takes place in! I loved seeing a glimpse into that time and what it was like for teenagers and the author did a great job capturing her time period.
Negative Content/Notes:
There were absolutely no sexual elements whatsoever; they kiss maybe twice. Just sweet, innocent romance that I loved. There were some elements that in today’s culture would be seen as “negative,” or “mature,” content such as drinking and smoking, but in that period it was completely normal and that’s all the author was doing when she wrote it—communicating normal teenage life in 1940s. So I had zero problem with it because it did not come from the wrong spirit, such as to promote it or glorify it, but rather was just there because it was just that way back then.
Overall: While nothing much happened over the course of this story and the plot could be seen as dull, I was enthralled by the beautiful ease the author narrated of a teenage girl’s mind and the sweet romance that played in with it. If you are looking for a sweet and happy read, with more than a touch of history, look no further!
Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Recommended to: Ages 12+!