Summer Sisters (Mass Market Paperback)

by Judy Blume (Author) "VICTORIA'S WORLD SHOOK for the first time on the day Caitlin Somers sashayed up to her desk, plunked herself down on the edge, and said,..." (more)
Key Phrases: summer sisters, Chicago Boys, New York, Cough Drop (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Judy Blume first won legions of fans with such young adult classics as Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and Forever, in which she tackles the cultural hot button of teenage sexuality. In Summer Sisters, her third novel for adults, the author again explores the ramifications of love--and lust--on two friends. Initially, the differences between Caitlin Somers and Victoria Leonard (or "Vix," as Caitlin christens her) draw them together: privileged Caitlin is wild and outspoken, beautiful but emotionally fragile, while working-class Vix is shy, reserved, and plain in comparison. After Caitlin selects Vix to accompany her to her father's home in Martha's Vineyard for the summer, the two become inextricably connected as "summer sisters."

On the Vineyard, Vix and Caitlin first find love, then sex--and lots of it. Yet Blume soon moves beyond hot fun in the summer sun, tracing the romantic and familial travails of the two from pre-adolescence to adulthood. Solid Vix evolves into Victoria, an equally solid, Harvard-educated, Manhattan public-relations exec. Unpredictable Caitlin opts out of college and travels to Europe, where she has a string of short-lived affairs with a series of intriguing (in every sense of the word) foreigners. It is only after she returns to the Vineyard that Caitlin does the unthinkable, forever changing both her friendship with Vix and their lives. Blume once again proves herself a master of the female psyche, and Summer Sisters is likely to entertain both her postadolescent and more mature readers. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
YA-Caitlin lives with her mother in Sante Fe, but spends summers on a New England island with her father, brother, and stepmother. Both parents give her free rein, and her beauty, independence, and talent for getting away with outrageous behavior make her an intriguing star to her middle school classmates. Victoria can't understand why Caitlin would single her out to be her "summer sister" on Martha's Vineyard as she sees herself as quiet and dull. She senses, though, that this vacation is an important turning point and convinces her conservative parents to let her go. The girls become fast friends, sharing six unforgettable summers together. The strength of the novel lies in the portrayal of those six seasons. The author provides an engaging tableau of teenage experiences, worries, and emotions. Together, the girls cope with their changing bodies, difficult family relationships, boyfriends, and concerns about their futures. After high school graduation, Victoria goes on to college and a career while Caitlin travels to Europe and spins out of control. She even marries Victoria's former lover and has his child before escaping to Europe alone again. The end of the novel seems rushed but, overall, both the story and the girls will quickly capture readers' interest. The author's perceptive treatment of special childhood moments, the trials and joys of adolescence, and the magical possibilities of summer make this an entertaining read.
Mary Alice Giarda, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: Dell; First Printing edition (May 4, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440226430
• ISBN-13: 978-0440226437
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1,141 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #442,089 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A tale of two friends, July 27, 2003

By	Ratmammy "The Ratmammy" (Ratmammy's Town, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume

The story of a rather one-sided friendship is told in Judy Blume's SUMMER SISTERS. Victoria (Vix) meets Caitlin as young schoolmates, and for some reason although the two of them are worlds apart, Caitlin chooses Vix as her guest to summer with her family on Martha's Vineyard. Vix has always been the quiet one, and Caitlin is the wild and crazy one. And despite their differences, Vix seems to be attracted to Caitlin's life, including her family and Caitlin's' rather eccentric ways.

The story opens in the present (1990), with Vix receiving a call from Caitlin, saying she's inviting Vix to her wedding. The brief prologue sets the stage, with Vix a bit perturbed by the phone call and torn between being angry with Caitlin, but also thinking "summer sisters forever". It is obvious that there is a love-hate relationship between the two, or at least that is how Vix feels about her long time friend Caitlin.

Their summers together on Martha's Vineyard are full of fun and laughter. But as they get older, Caitlin's selfishness starts to show. Vix however takes it all without too much complaining, always finding reasons to forgive Caitlin. Caitlin's selfish behavior is not obvious to all, but are subtle and often times happen in shocking ways.

As the two start to meet and date boys, Caitlin's behavior in this department is directly opposite in the way Vix handles herself with the boys, and on one night, Vix celebrates her birthday with Caitlin and the boys and it ends up a disastrous moment for Vix. (Caitlin, on the other hand, sees nothing wrong with what she has done, and thinks it's all in good fun).

As the two girls become young women, their differences tear them apart. Their friendship, which Vix always treasured, seems to be on a rocky road to disaster. Caitlin's father and his new wife are taken by Vix and try their best to mend the friendship, but Vix has been hurt enough. She goes off on her own, and cuts her ties with Caitlin. Or so it seems.

SUMMER SISTERS was a great summer read. The plot kept my interest throughout the book, and the characters felt real and I cared about what happened to them. Judy Blume did a good job with the story of two friends and their ever-changing relationship from childhood to adulthood. It was also a good character study about two girls from different backgrounds, and the events and people that can shape a child into the adult she is today.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Summer Read, June 7, 2000

By	Candice "clmbooks" (Utah) - See all my reviews

There is no better time than now to read Judy Blume's third novel for adults, Summer Sisters. This book will take you back to your own childhood summers and will remind you how strong the bond of friendship can be.

The two main characters, Caitlin Somers and Victoria Leonard, stand out for their differences as two young friends in Summer Sisters. Caitlin is outgoing, wild, and outspoken. Victoria (Vix, for short) is reserved and thoughtful, but strong. As they mature, their differences push Caitlin and Vix apart, but their bond as summer sisters is never completely broken.

The two first become summer sisters when Caitlin invites Vix to her summer home on Martha's Vinyard. It is here each summer the two struggle with becoming women, learn about sex, and find out the truth about love. They discover that life does not come one emotion at a time. The novel follows the two women through adolescence into adulthood. After graduating from high school together, Vix goes to Harvard and Caitlin decides she wants to see the world. As the two take different paths, they are slowly pulled apart, drawn together again only by Martha's Vinyard and their vow to stay summer sisters forever.

One of the elements that makes Blume's story such a powerful read is the reality she creates. Her characters and each of the trials and emotions they face are very real. Their experiences with love and loss are believable. You can also see yourself or people you know in Caitlin and Vix. The background characters are well-developed, and they create and enrich the family issues that surround the main characters. One very interesting element Blume uses is that the story is not told only by one narrator. The points of view of many of the characters are revealed.

Summer Sisters is a story that will play with your emotions and leave you wanting to know more. It is for anyone who has known the power of the bond of friendship

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Major disappointment, Major waste of time., July 11, 1999

By	[e-mail] "ladida1950" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

I am glad to see there are many others who feel this book is a waste of good wood pulp and I'm encouraged to find that there are still other discriminating people who insist on substance in a novel, even if it is a "summer read".

I would like to mention a couple of observations myself though. In this book....

1) Judy continuously builds sexual tension (I want to....no I shouldn't...I want to...no I shouldn't) only to blow off the decision, and the moment, by having the character "wake up in the morning" after it's all over. It's cheating the reader and taking the "easy way out"!

2) There are many, many characters in this book who are nothing but "page fillers".

It's as if the publishing company told the author "Look, Judy, you have a short story here, a book needs to be at least 400 pages". Thus enter Lanie, Lewis, Sharkey, Daniel, Dorset, Trisha, the Countess and the anti-Semitic Grandmother Somers. All "nothing" characters with "nothing" to say, but with a proper type-setting the paperback meanders on to page 399!

3) Besides those majorly useless characters there are the "parental units" who are supposed to have influence over, and set limits on, Vix and Caitlin and what are they doing? Again nothing!

I'm talking about Ed, Tawny & Phoebe. There they are, jet-setting around the world wearing southwestern jewelry or sitting in the corner, on their private "pity pot", while these girls grow up without morals or guidance.

Abby is the only one who seems to take an interest, so naturally she's to be dispised by Caitlin.

4) And then there's poor Maizie, what was that for? I guess without Maizie, you'd only hit page 390!

5) Finally, I just want to say I am always disappointed when a book promotes misinformation and allows people to "file away" facts which are untrue.

Page 331 of the paperback has our Harvard graduate telling Phoebe "High in cholesterol, Avocados, that is." So much for higher education!