Flying with my Favorite Author
I was excited Judy Blume had a new YA/Adult book out for the millennium--but the problem? I white-knuckled the pages, afraid to dive in.
I love Judy Blume's books. I re-read them often, I grew up and into them as my discovery progressed. While "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is my favorite preteen book at age 12, and "Forever" is my favorite coming-of-age "steamy" tale at 18, "Summer Sisters is my absolute favorite YA/adult book I devoured in my 40s and have again and again. I love the layers and the complexity of SS and also found that in "Smart Women," so in 2015 when I heard Ms. Blume had a brand-new adult novel out, I was psyched!
But there were two problems when I read the premise: First, it was about a big triple airplane disaster/ tragedy that really happened in Blume's neighborhood in the 1950s, AND second, her main character was named Miri---a unique character name I assigned to my MC for a book I was writing! I was bummed but hey, it's nice to know I accidentally landed on the same wavelength as one of my favorite authors. :)
My heaviest dilemma was, "Ut oh, I don't like reading disturbing topics." (See my blog post, Learning to Cry at Movies.) They tend to haunt my heart. Then add a scoop of ready-made flight qualms to the mix! Although I do travel and have flown plenty since childhood, the worry of flying isn't my biggest thrill. (For the record, I do enjoy flying, mostly in retrospect. And having personal movie screens in the seats is a big game changer!)
Still, this new novel was JUDY BLUME, so after three years of waffling, I finally bought the book! I'm so glad I faced my fear and readied for takeoff!
I enjoyed the story more than I thought, although the haunting did happen and lingered awhile. I'm glad I read this later in 2018 after we had a long series of flights and layovers enroute to a lucky Hawaiian trip.
In the Unlikely Event"was more YA than adult (there are two parts) and it brought back the nostalgia of reading Judy Blume's best target audience.
While the main characters and families are grounded bystanders and not on the planes, the aftermath takes a toll and unravels their lives,
I enjoyed Miri's teenage part of the story the most, with her friends Natlie and Suzanne, and especially Miri's mysterious dance-in-the-dark partner and blossoming romance.
Miri had a great home arrangement going on with her single working mom, and it was so nice having her doting grandmother and fun uncle living downstairs. I just adored her Uncle Henry! He was a newspaper reporter and for some reason, I pictured a young Jimmy Stewart.
Everything was going swimmingly at home for Miri until one by one, surprises and scandals crop up along the way. The airplane crashes weren't the only jarring shockwaves!'
As the storylines unfurled, there were a lot of minor characters too. The author placed a complete list at the beginning of the book which was helpful for later reference if need be. I liked senior high schooler Christine and her dental office mentor, Daisy. They were smart and levelheaded, but were amusing, colorful characters hiding their own secrets, too. I admit I did forget who the Fosters were when they're mentioned again down the road. That reference guide came in handy!
In the second half of the story, the teens are grown up and face a reunion and anniversary of the disasters. Ironically, although I was their age in my early 50s, I didn't feel as connected to Miri and her friends as grownups. I did like that they finally got closure, and Miri and Natalie's daughters meet and become friends. It's a sweet circle of life.
But not all books are perfect (as I know in my own work). Perhaps it's in the eye of the beholder since we can't please everyone, because for me, the most baffling part of an otherwise good read is Miri's friend Natalie.
I really felt for her and her family. After the first crash, fragile Nat undergoes strange paranormal phenomena, and it's fascinating. I really was curious and on the edge of my seat waiting for an explanation, but it never came, or maybe I missed it and it fell between the lines wedged into the spine.
And then flash forward to the reunion when adult Natalie barges in all brash, "big shot" and dismissive, decked in New Mexico turquoise garb. It seemed like a copy and paste version of Caitlin Sommers in "Summers Sisters." Did any other Blume fans think so too?
Despite those wrinkles, the book flies high and I even cracked it open and read it again recently.
Blume's books (and other favorite YA authors) are like comforting blankets and a fountain of youth. What a treat! I'm restocking my collection and even found some gems I hadn't read before.
I love Judy Blume's books. I re-read them often, I grew up and into them as my discovery progressed. While "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is my favorite preteen book at age 12, and "Forever" is my favorite coming-of-age "steamy" tale at 18, "Summer Sisters is my absolute favorite YA/adult book I devoured in my 40s and have again and again. I love the layers and the complexity of SS and also found that in "Smart Women," so in 2015 when I heard Ms. Blume had a brand-new adult novel out, I was psyched!
But there were two problems when I read the premise: First, it was about a big triple airplane disaster/ tragedy that really happened in Blume's neighborhood in the 1950s, AND second, her main character was named Miri---a unique character name I assigned to my MC for a book I was writing! I was bummed but hey, it's nice to know I accidentally landed on the same wavelength as one of my favorite authors. :)
My heaviest dilemma was, "Ut oh, I don't like reading disturbing topics." (See my blog post, Learning to Cry at Movies.) They tend to haunt my heart. Then add a scoop of ready-made flight qualms to the mix! Although I do travel and have flown plenty since childhood, the worry of flying isn't my biggest thrill. (For the record, I do enjoy flying, mostly in retrospect. And having personal movie screens in the seats is a big game changer!)
Still, this new novel was JUDY BLUME, so after three years of waffling, I finally bought the book! I'm so glad I faced my fear and readied for takeoff!
I enjoyed the story more than I thought, although the haunting did happen and lingered awhile. I'm glad I read this later in 2018 after we had a long series of flights and layovers enroute to a lucky Hawaiian trip.
In the Unlikely Event"was more YA than adult (there are two parts) and it brought back the nostalgia of reading Judy Blume's best target audience.
While the main characters and families are grounded bystanders and not on the planes, the aftermath takes a toll and unravels their lives,
I enjoyed Miri's teenage part of the story the most, with her friends Natlie and Suzanne, and especially Miri's mysterious dance-in-the-dark partner and blossoming romance.
Miri had a great home arrangement going on with her single working mom, and it was so nice having her doting grandmother and fun uncle living downstairs. I just adored her Uncle Henry! He was a newspaper reporter and for some reason, I pictured a young Jimmy Stewart.
Everything was going swimmingly at home for Miri until one by one, surprises and scandals crop up along the way. The airplane crashes weren't the only jarring shockwaves!'
As the storylines unfurled, there were a lot of minor characters too. The author placed a complete list at the beginning of the book which was helpful for later reference if need be. I liked senior high schooler Christine and her dental office mentor, Daisy. They were smart and levelheaded, but were amusing, colorful characters hiding their own secrets, too. I admit I did forget who the Fosters were when they're mentioned again down the road. That reference guide came in handy!
In the second half of the story, the teens are grown up and face a reunion and anniversary of the disasters. Ironically, although I was their age in my early 50s, I didn't feel as connected to Miri and her friends as grownups. I did like that they finally got closure, and Miri and Natalie's daughters meet and become friends. It's a sweet circle of life.
But not all books are perfect (as I know in my own work). Perhaps it's in the eye of the beholder since we can't please everyone, because for me, the most baffling part of an otherwise good read is Miri's friend Natalie.
I really felt for her and her family. After the first crash, fragile Nat undergoes strange paranormal phenomena, and it's fascinating. I really was curious and on the edge of my seat waiting for an explanation, but it never came, or maybe I missed it and it fell between the lines wedged into the spine.
And then flash forward to the reunion when adult Natalie barges in all brash, "big shot" and dismissive, decked in New Mexico turquoise garb. It seemed like a copy and paste version of Caitlin Sommers in "Summers Sisters." Did any other Blume fans think so too?
Despite those wrinkles, the book flies high and I even cracked it open and read it again recently.
Blume's books (and other favorite YA authors) are like comforting blankets and a fountain of youth. What a treat! I'm restocking my collection and even found some gems I hadn't read before.
No comments have been added yet.
