Still Summer | Jacquelyn Mitchard

Still Summer | Jacquelyn Mitchard | Once upon a summer

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Still Summer

	Still Summer Jacquelyn Mitchard Grand Central Publishing, 2007 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 65 reviews view larger image
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Intriguing Read

This novel was hard for me to put down. Not so much for the plot which as some other reviewers have already said was fairly predictable, but because of the life changes each of the characters experience. This is not just a story about what happens to four friends when they charter a boat and go on vacation. It's a tale of friendship, disillusionment and self-realization and the price each woman pays as a result of a fun trip run amok. Thanks to Jacquelyn Mitchard for a fascinating story with equally fascinating characters.

Once upon a summer

This book is perfect for a summer read and has everything...love, romance, adventure, piracy and murder! A group of old school friends decides to celebrate the permanent return from Europe of one of their old gang, and plan a chartered, sailing trip around the Caribbean. At almost the last moment, the hypochondriacal husband of one of them causes her to cancel and her place is taken by the teenaged daughter of one of the others. The boat is crewed by a pair of experienced sailors who do everything possible to give the women a good time, including a little extra"service" to the newly widowed lady from Europe. Things get dramatic when there is an accident involving the younger sailor and the teenager and this sets in motion a series of events which culminate in death, being boarded by modern day pirates and the tragic death of one of the women. It's a good, fast read with tons of action and covers a huge range of emotions and situations.

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Great Gaping Hole

I listened to STILL SUMMER on CD and I admit I found it interesting enough to sit in the car and listen to the ending after arriving home. HOWEVER, after reading the reviews I couldn't believe that no one mentioned the great gaping, Grand Canyon sized, hole in the plot.
They had the bad guys on the boat, out like Lottie's eye for hours, and not one of them had the presence of mind to Duct tape them or at least tie them up in some fashior. With all the supplies on the boat everyone has duct tape or at least enough rope the tie them up. I understand that most of the story woull disappear if they were that smart but there should have been a little more thought given to the plot to work around this.

Mlee

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Just OK by me

Where to start? I guess I would echo the sentiments of other readers who found the editing to be disgraceful. There's simply no excuse for this, and while it's not the writer's fault, for me, it drags down the enjoyment of reading the book.

As others have pointed out, the book starts out slowly, with too much attention focused on Olivia and her wealth. Why these women remained friends with her is a total mystery, and that spoils the premise. I did like the interaction between Cammie and her mother - at least that rang true. But, the "surprise" was no surprise to me. That one was completely predictable almost from the start. I was also not surprised by the final little surprise either. I'm usually not very good at figuring out these types of plot twists, so if I can foresee them, I figure the author didn't really do that great of a job setting things up.

I was also bothered by the lack of information about the young man with the drug dealers. Who the heck was he? He should have had a name at least. That bothered me.

I did enjoy the drama, though, and the suffering the women endured on the boat was palpable. That part of the story redeemed the entire book for me. I'm glad she didn't write a completely happy ending too.

I certainly won't give up on Mitchard. Her previous work is outstanding and everyone's entitle to an "off day."

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