for adults and kids alike
Written: May 09 '05 (Updated May 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to relate to, lovable endearing characters
Cons: seems to lack a bit of character depth because there are four main characters.
The Bottom Line: I recommend all age groups to pick of this fun lighthearted book about growing up. Everyone can relate.
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| thecoloursinme's Full Review: Ann Brashares - The Second Summer of the Sisterhoo... |
This book is a wonderfully written tale of the second summer of the Traveling Pants.
In the unlikely event that you are unfamiliar with the basic storyline, the foundation is as follows. Four teenage best friends find a pair of second hand jeans that all seems to fit them perfectly. Four different bodytypes find these pants flatter them. From this moment the Pants are ordained as Magic Pants, and anything can happen in the Pants.
Ok, so it sounds cheezy, and yes it kind of is. Truthfully, I found the first novel in this possibly growing trilogy to be a bit silly and kiddish...but hello it's a young adult novel.
I find the second book to be vastly superior in that each character seems to have matured quite a bit, and I found myself relating to the dry and sarcastic wit portrayed by these mature young ladies. I am 25 years old, and I found that these girls were easy to relate to.
The book furthers the tales of Tibby, Bree, Lena, and Carmen. Tibby is the artsy one who loves cinematography, Bree is the sporty one who's biggest passion is playing soccer, Carmen is the latina who lives with her single mom, and Lena is the beautiful Greek girl who falls in love.
We travel through a summer, following the growing pains the girls and their second summer that isn't spent completely together. Each learns her own lessons and grows more emotionally sound. Tibby learns the meaning of real friendship, Bree also discoveres the meaning of real friendship, but of a very altered sort; Both Carmen and Lena must learn to let go of very different figures in their lives, both literally and metaphorically speaking.
One of my favorite aspects of this book is that the pants at first seem to be letting the girls down. Nothing seems to go right. They don't fit Bree, Tibby doesn't get a chance to wear them until the second time she receives them, and when the girls DO get to wear them, they all seem to be the recipients of bad news. It makes you wonder if the author is trying to convey a different message about the Traveling Pants this time around. Perhaps it's the bod of friends that is "magical" and not the unwashed blue jeans from the salvation army.
This isn't a traditional book with one central plot. Instead the book focuses on each individual young woman, documenting their growth. Tibby goes away to take summer movie courses; Bree goes to visit her grandmother who lives miles away (on a whim); Carmen must deal with a new person in her and her single mother's lives, and Lena must come to grips with her feelings for her summer love.
I think it is a wonderful to youth. The author has a good grasp on the young female mind. She captures the essence of youth. When we are young, we really LIVE for the summertime, that's when things seem magical and of endless possibilities. It's a special time when our world can and should revolve around our best friends, if we are lucky enough to have any.
This book is hard to "summarize" without giving too much away, mostly due to the fact that unlike most books, this novel is anything but linear, it's more circular.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
thecoloursinme
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
Reviews written: 23
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
Freethinker, and book reviewer....
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