The Last Summer of You and Me
by Ann Brashares
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1911)
Read in May, 2008
I came across this at Border's yesterday and thought it looked like a good summer read. I loved the Traveling Pants series, and am very excited to see how she tackles her first adult novel. :)
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As I stated before, this is Brashares' first adult novel - and what a great one it is. I had only read the first chapter prior to yesterday, so it's pretty safe to say that I picked the book back up and didn't put it back down until I was do...more
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As I stated before, this is Brashares' first adult novel - and what a great one it is. I had only read the first chapter prior to yesterday, so it's pretty safe to say that I picked the book back up and didn't put it back down until I was do...more
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Read in June, 2007
This is the author's "first adult" book following her string of "Traveling Pants" novels for young adults. It's about three people -- two sisters and their next-door neighbor -- and summers spent living the island life. Riley's the older sister, outdoors-driven to the point where she eshews "normal" relationships and activities wit which others her age are consumed; Alice, her amazingly beautiful, selfless and smart younger sister; and Paul, the rich, semi-tortured ...more
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The Last Summer (of You & Me), by Ann Brashares (the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series) is an adult novel which tells the story of three friends/siblings: Paul, Riley, and Alice. Each is in their early twenties, and like the generation they belong to, they’re still on the cusp between childhood and adulthood, trying to figure out who they are and their relationships with each other and the rest of the world.
Riley is especially immature; at twenty-five she still mak...more
Riley is especially immature; at twenty-five she still mak...more
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Read in August, 2007
I'm only halfway through with this but I already have some thoughts:
1. If this had come out while I was in high school, I would have LOVED it. You would have seen me clutching it all moony-eyed for days. So when the reviews say that this is for the fans of the traveling pants series who are all grown up now-- no, I don't think so. I think it's for the young ladies who are just getting into the traveling pants. I like to think that I'm still in touch enough with my 16-year-old self that I sti...more
1. If this had come out while I was in high school, I would have LOVED it. You would have seen me clutching it all moony-eyed for days. So when the reviews say that this is for the fans of the traveling pants series who are all grown up now-- no, I don't think so. I think it's for the young ladies who are just getting into the traveling pants. I like to think that I'm still in touch enough with my 16-year-old self that I sti...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
girls
2.5 stars. I would've really liked this book ten or more years ago, when I was about 20, 21 years old. At times this book was really romance-novelish. The leading man was so devoted in his love and aching with it the whole time. "He loved her for being so beautiful, and he hated her for it. He loved how she put shiny stuff on her lips for him, and he also reviled her for it. He wanted to run after her and grab her up before she could take another step." Yeah. There was some wea...more
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Read in March, 2008
This is one of those books you wanted to love more than you wound up loving it.
Brashares's book about sisters Riley and Alice and their summer friend Paul is poignant, as they face family secrets, serious illness, and the fragility of their own bonds in the face of deception.
Brashares's writing is lyrical and sweet, poignant and touching, but almost too much so. You get to a point where you think, "There aren't enough hours in the day for these people to be so thoughtful and delibe...more
Brashares's book about sisters Riley and Alice and their summer friend Paul is poignant, as they face family secrets, serious illness, and the fragility of their own bonds in the face of deception.
Brashares's writing is lyrical and sweet, poignant and touching, but almost too much so. You get to a point where you think, "There aren't enough hours in the day for these people to be so thoughtful and delibe...more
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Read in September, 2007
I had high hopes for Ann Brashares' The Last Summer (of You and Me). As I’ve mentioned before, I enjoy her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. The books aren’t the greatest I’ve ever read, but they are entertaining. I am interested in the characters, and I care about what happens to them (at least, most of the time).
Brashares should stick to writing young adult novels.
Last Summer is a dud. The story feels terribly clichéd—I swear I’ve read the same thing dozens of times ...more
Brashares should stick to writing young adult novels.
Last Summer is a dud. The story feels terribly clichéd—I swear I’ve read the same thing dozens of times ...more
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Read in April, 2008
This is a good train/plane read, but isn't a masterpiece. Alice and Riley are sisters. Riley, the oldest, is short, spunky and tough, and Alice is tall, blonde, beautiful, nice, etc. They've spent every summer at their family's beach house next to Paul, who is Riley's age and also her best friend. Not surprisingly, Paul and Alice start feeling an attraction for one another when they're older, but they want to keep it from Riley. The ever-active Riley ends up with a heart condition that alters th...more
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Read in November, 2007
The bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants makes an attempt at an adult novel with The Last Summer (of You and Me). It has been two years since sisters Riley and Anna have seen Paul, their summer neighbor on Fire Island since childhood. Riley and Paul grew up as best friends with younger Anna close at their heels. As the trio reunites as adults, things have changed. A story of friendship, love and loss, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is more of a mature young adult novel wi...more
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Read in October, 2007
Frankly, I was a bit disappointed in this book. For some reason, it just didn't have the appeal that her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series did. The characters were not as well-developed, and while I was glad the two main characters got together, I didn't really feel like I was rooting for anyone . . . to do anything. Everyone felt very flat and predictable.
***
SPOILER:
And personally, I think having Riley die felt like a cheap literary device. It seemed like the author wa...more
***
SPOILER:
And personally, I think having Riley die felt like a cheap literary device. It seemed like the author wa...more
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Read in August, 2007
This was the first adult book Ann Brashares has written since she became famous for her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. When I pick up a book, I usually read the front and back flap, or the back cover (if it's a paperback) to get an idea of what the book was about. This time, I chose to ignore those things and dive right in, sort of as an experiment. And I found that it really helps to know a little about the characters and the plot sometimes. This one was a little hard to follow at first - s...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Anyone who is in their 20s
I was looking for something light to accompany me on vacation...I picked up Ann Brashares’, The Last Summer (of You & Me). Unfortunately, even with two Dramamine, my stomach turns when I read on a flight. So, I had to wait and crack open the book until I hit the beach. Now sandy, wet, and a bit bent out of shape from lying in the sunshine…I am in love with this novel…I think because the characters find themselves in a time of their life so familiar to me. It’s about a group of 20 som...more
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Read in May, 2007
At long last the beloved writer of the young adult series The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has brought us a novel for adults (though I fully admit that I LOVE the Sisterhood books and I'm FAR from being a teenager).
The Last Summer (of You and Me) centers on Riley and Alice, sisters in their twenties, and their relationship with the past, the present and the next door neighbor boy-now-man. In this last summer they must learn to deal with new love, old loyalties, serious illness and the...more
The Last Summer (of You and Me) centers on Riley and Alice, sisters in their twenties, and their relationship with the past, the present and the next door neighbor boy-now-man. In this last summer they must learn to deal with new love, old loyalties, serious illness and the...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
someone going through adolescent mood swings
I tried to write some pithy summary here but I didn't have the energy. This book just felt overly overwrought. I would have liked to have seen the three main characters work out their changing relationships with one another, and with growing up, in a more realistic, less deus ex machina, way. Every one is so busy holding back their thoughts, emotions, etc. that I just wanted to scream "Get over yourselves." SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY READ/BE SURPRISED BY T...more
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Read in July, 2007
I was looking forward to this novel since I loved her Traveling Pants series, but I was deeply disappointed. I just couldn’t believe in the characters: Riley, the older sister who has (consicously? subconsciously?) frozen herself in adolescence; Paul, her summer best friend; and Alice, her younger sister who has quietly loved Paul for years, but who could not bring herself to break the unspoken agreement that none of them would ever move forwards towards adult relationships. The action st...more
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Read in June, 2008
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
hmm...tolerant fans of the sisterhood series?
Quite a disappointment for me, as I've really enjoyed Brasheare's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' series. Or at least the two that I've read. I have a high tolerance for frequently trod tropes if a) I really like the characters (for whatever reason) and 2) the writing is engaging and surprising. Unfortunately, the main characters make me want to hit them over the head with very large bricks - over and over again and I felt that I could see the plot turns coming several chapters ahead of ti...more
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Read in March, 2008
This was an interesting read for me because I predicted the story line and outcome after reading the summary however, it didn't matter or make the book less wonderful because it was such a beautiful, well-written story. I enjoyed reading Brashares' "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" but I have to say that this was a far better book - perhaps because it's a more adult and poetic story and I can relate more with some of the themes. I know this is a book I will eventually revisit.
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
All of my friends
I loved this book. It's a story about childhood, loving and loss. Two sisters and their childhood friend Paul meet up almost every summer on Fire Island to escape every day life, yet are met with new challenges the time they are there. Riley and Alice are sisters that are complete opposites yet have the bond that most sisters do. Riley is a free spirited lifeguard and Alice is the beautiful, quiet and sensitive younger sister. Paul has always been friends with both sisters, but is closer to...more
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By 3 pages in, I was annoyed. Brashares kept telling things instead of showing, and she seemed to be deliberately enigmatic and coy about the relationships between the main characters. But then I got sucked into the irresistible angst of the seemingly unrequited (but really just generally confused) young love. A couple of key situations were contrived, but necessary in order to prolong and deepen the pain and angst and loneliness of all involved. But ultimately I read this book in one night. I w...more
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