March Pick of the Month (Jaime)

[Penguin Books NZ]

After re-reading this AGAIN it somehow keeps getting better and i find new aspects to appreciate every single time.

Knowing this book was written when Suzie (fun fact - they made her pen name 'S.E Hinton' because Viking Press were afraid that boys wouldn't want to read it if she used 'Suzie Hinton' on the cover) was 15 years old just blows me away! She has intertwined so many of life's challenging themes and given an entirely new understanding to street gangs - no matter where you're from. I wish there was a list of compulsory readings for life because this would be the top of my list.

I don't have the space/time to talk about every part of this book I loved but I'll reduce it to my top 3:

1. The complexities of the relationship between Ponyboy, Sodapop and Darry.
The dynamic is laid out for you at the very beginning of each relationship Ponyboy has with any of the gang, but the one I admire the most is that of his brothers. I just about fell apart when he dissected their relationship at the end wondering if he'd asked for Darry just as much as he asked for Soda because of the underlying guilt he felt towards Darry's need to step in and essentially be both parents to his younger siblings.

2. The way sunsets were used to signify the beauty and positivity that life has to offer. That we are ALL humans with different lives and struggles. To never diminish a person to their status symbol.

3. CHERRY VALANCE! God I love her. The way she wants stability between the two social groups/ classes so she uses her privilege/advantage to try and give the greasers a fairer fight.

There are soooo many amazing things about this book but you'll need to read it to find out ;) It's also a mad tearjerker when you reach the last quarter so I'd grab some tissues too!

- Jaime :)