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lilaceous's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5
characters - .5⭐️
illustrations - ⭐️
effective storytelling - ⭐️
engaging to read - ⭐️
would recommend -
well… being an adolescent is definitely tough. this was a bit too bleak in my opinion, though. the main character is going through a lot, including general teenage angst, but she just constantly rains anger and hate on the world and people around her and that’s.. pretty much the whole book :/
well… being an adolescent is definitely tough. this was a bit too bleak in my opinion, though. the main character is going through a lot, including general teenage angst, but she just constantly rains anger and hate on the world and people around her and that’s.. pretty much the whole book :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infertility, Toxic friendship, and Fatphobia
sapphicfog's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Misogyny
midnightmarauder's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This One Summer follows Rose, a young teenage girl as she and her family go on their annual getaway to the fictional Awago Beach. There, Rose gets to see her longtime best friend, Windy, and the pair find out more about each other and what they want out of life.
I initially read this book because I heard it was banned due to its inclusion of LGBT characters, amongst other topics. However, there's no explicit inclusion of any LGBT characters. Allusions were made of Windy being lesbian/bisexual (ex. her saying that she doesn't want a husband; going to the 'lesbian camp'; showing slight jealousy when Rose shows interest in the boy who works at Brewster's, etc.), but it is never explicitly stated.
Other reasons why the book ended up being banned are because of the profanity and sexual comments that the children make, including Rose and Windy. They overhear two workers at Brewster's call the girl's they're hanging withsluts , and Rose and Windy begin to repeat it. Even after Rose's mom overhears the two using such language and tells them it isn't appropriate, they repeat it later on in the novel. On top of that, the two Brewster's workers actively talk about sex and one of the girls they mess around with goes on to get pregnant . Those themes make a little bit more sense as to why some parents weren't happy with the novel.
Overall, I liked the book. This is the second book I've read by the Tamaki cousins; the first one being Roaming. I do like This One Summer much better, because the characters actually feel like they have some sort of depth (albeit minor).
I initially read this book because I heard it was banned due to its inclusion of LGBT characters, amongst other topics. However, there's no explicit inclusion of any LGBT characters. Allusions were made of Windy being lesbian/bisexual (ex. her saying that she doesn't want a husband; going to the 'lesbian camp'; showing slight jealousy when Rose shows interest in the boy who works at Brewster's, etc.), but it is never explicitly stated.
Other reasons why the book ended up being banned are because of the profanity and sexual comments that the children make, including Rose and Windy. They overhear two workers at Brewster's call the girl's they're hanging with
Overall, I liked the book. This is the second book I've read by the Tamaki cousins; the first one being Roaming. I do like This One Summer much better, because the characters actually feel like they have some sort of depth (albeit minor).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Grief, Miscarriage, Cursing, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Suicide attempt
bi_n_large's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Cursing, and Infertility
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Body shaming, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
Minor: Fatphobia
michachi's review against another edition
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Sexism and Misogyny
wad3mil3sgarru2's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
beebeewin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I don't think this graphic novel did anything really revolutionary for me. The art was nice and the story was intriguing, but I didn't leave it feeling any sort of way. I think Mariko and Jillian Tamaki aimed to show the perspective of a young girl, growing and changing through one summer, and I think they achieved that. Rose and Windy both felt like children I have met in my real life, but maybe a slight bit more annoying. The Tamaki's really showed how children their age would deal with big events in their life. The true to life style in my mind did come at a slight detriment to the story. I was not gripped. I felt like I kept waiting for more to be said or a conversation to be had between the children and the adults to help explain the big events, or just some sort of making sense of the world within the graphic novel. Instead, it kind of felt like it just ended. I didn't really take anything away from it and left feeling underwhelmed. I think the art styles of the beaches, intimate moments, and night skies were beautiful but once again nothing where I got lost in the art. I don't think this was a bad book as the ability to write something that felt very realistic is impressive. I just really have nothing amazing to say about it. Read it if you want, but in my opinion don't expect anything ground-breaking.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
readingpicnic's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexism, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
picklesoup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this one was weird honestly
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Bullying
Minor: Miscarriage
frances_frances's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Beautifully written and illustrated. The authors captured that strange time between childhood and adolescence so perfectly. The mix of silly playfulness and an increasing awareness of the complexities of teen and adult relationships. This book was subtle but powerful, understated but impactful. And like real life, feelings and relationships are left ambiguous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Pregnancy