By Linh N., Grade 10
It’s summertime! That means no more homework, tests, and school, and more time for sports, fun, and reading! In the summer, I like to stay busy during the day practicing soccer and doing other activities, but I always save time to read a few chapters of my current book. During July, I read several amazing books, which I have reviewed and ranked below! I would recommend reading all of these books - they kept me entertained and I finished all of them within two to four days. They are not formidable reads and they explore interesting and insightful themes!
In third place is All The Broken Places, by John Boyne. To summarize, this book explores the life of a German girl, Gretel, who is the daughter of an infamous Nazi general. Although she is barely aware of the events happening during her childhood, she feels extremely complicit when she looks back to this dark time as an adult. The trauma from the war and constant fear of being discovered makes it difficult for her to leave her past behind. In addition, this book also flips from past to present. By then, Gretel is much older, retired, and years away from the war. The Holocaust is less recent, and Gretel can find some peace; she lives in a large flat and spends most of her days reading. When a new family moves in, Gretel quickly forms a friendship with a young boy living near her. However, she realizes that his family has its secrets, and she faces a difficult choice. Will she repeat the patterns of her childhood and watch as the events unfold? Or will she finally take action, even if it means risking herself? Her childhood and early life have an enormous impact on her actions as an adult, even decades later. The two perspectives intertwine throughout the book, and it is not until the end that the readers find out what choice she decides to make.
I LOVED this book. It is a sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a national bestseller. Both made me cry at the end, and I even thought about this book for days afterward, a feat only a good author can achieve! Although All the Broken Places is a more serious and melancholy read, its message is powerful. It is a book I would highly recommend, and one I wish I could read for the first time again! The only reason I ranked it third is because I loved the other two books even more.
I ranked the book Circe second! This novel is a beautiful retelling of Greek Myths. Miller describes what Circe may have been like as a person, and really brings her characters to life - in her book, Circe is no longer the one-dimensional, seductive villain Greek myth portrayed her to be but a wonderfully complex and misunderstood woman. This book explores love - the love of a mother, the love between lovers, and the love one must have for themselves. Circe, the protagonist, has a childhood practically devoid of love; her parents and siblings scorn her, and the other nymphs there do not befriend her. She eventually gets exiled as a punishment for a crime, but ironically, this exile frees rather than restrains her; for the first time, she can develop her powers and become independent. She becomes a powerful female in a world dominated by men, and although she faces many trials, she learns valuable lessons and finds the love that she always yearned for. Despite some graphic and sorrowful scenes, the ending is incredible and makes the entire book worth reading!
Again, I only put this book in second because first place is even better! Additionally, I would not recommend it to younger readers - you should be at least thirteen. I am rereading it right now, and it is still very complex and thought-provoking! It is one of those books where you can keep rereading and catch many little details you missed the first time. Finally, I related to the real-world issues that Madeline Miller writes about, such as gender equality. Circe may be a work of fiction, but the female characters are very similar to those in our society. This book and its themes apply to many of us!
Lastly, I ranked the book The Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King first! This book became my favorite read for the entire summer, and possibly even for the entire year! It revolves around a group of middle-aged southern ladies, who meet up for an annual reunion. During each reunion, they perform a ritual to choose “The Sweetest” girl among them. Although this seems like a silly ritual, this is their way of sharing the events happening in their lives, bridging the gaps between them, and ensuring their friendships stay strong! The Same Sweet Girls explores the perspectives of three of the women: Corinne, who is very sweet but has to deal with the abuse of her husband; Julia, the first lady of Alabama, who still has not gotten over her first love and consequently cannot truly love her husband; and Lanier, a slightly immature woman who has gotten herself into trouble yet again. These problems threaten to overturn their lives and each woman has to rely on the support of her friends. Some of the relationships are strained at times, proving that female friendships can be complicated, but in general, King emphasizes just how crucial these bonds are.
Cassandra King's writing is uplifting yet profound, and I found myself laughing and crying while reading. Additionally, as someone who values my female friendships, I deeply relate to this story. Often, I rely on them when life gets difficult, and I don’t know what I would do without them. The ending of this book was so amazing - I won’t spoil it, but its ending is heartbreaking, heartwarming, impactful, and thought-provoking all at once.
In summary, you should try to read at least one of these books - I would highly recommend all of them! I am glad I read outside my comfort zone a bit, as I do not usually read historical fiction (All The Broken Places). Enjoy your summer, but don’t forget to read!
Add a comment to: Books I Read in July, Ranked!