An interesting view of the teenage life, this novel deals with a lot of issues that teens generally don’t come across in their lives until later. Macy’s father died just over a year ago, and she is still trying to cope with it. Her sister and mother have moved on, and yet, Macy feels left behind and out of the picture.
Although she thinks her mother has moved on, it is quite the opposite. The way her mother grieved is, she didn’t. She packed away any items that belonged to Macy’s father so it looked like he never existed. The only thing she never got around to was the cottage by the beach which was strictly his; she left it alone, hoping it would rot away and be forgotten.
That is the opposite kind of thing that Macy wants done with the cottage. She wants to reach out to her mother and tell her how she feels, but she doesn’t know how. She wishes she was in another situation and wishes she had better friends besides her “perfect” boyfriend who is too self-centred to care. During the summer, she comes across some interesting characters who help her come out of her shell and show her true self.
She meets a boy named Wes who has similar problems. They instantly start a friendship where they are completely honest with each other and they slowly see how the world is.
Sarah Dessen did an amazing job at writing this novel. It was very moving and very touching, most likely a novel that I will read again. She deals with issues that sometimes don’t come up in the average “teen” novel and she did a very good job at handling such a tough subject. I would advise this book to anyone (it probably appeals a little more to girls) who has a couple of hours to put aside and enjoy a great novel.
