How's your summer going so far? I hope you're still keeping your cool, pun intended. I am staying sane, thank you. And I do that by having fun (translation: eating, sleeping, exploring my new toy, and of course, reading). The first book I picked from my 2014 summer reading list was Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. This is the story of Auden, this nerdy girl who doesn’t know how to have fun and be young. But when she spends the summer in her father’s house near the beach, she’s introduced to a world of girls, friendship, and bikers. She meets Eli, a mysterious biker, who takes her on a quest to experience the teenage life she's never had.
Hollywood and most American romance and YA novels portray summer as the time to find a nice guy/girl to strike a summer fling with, meet new friends, and spend nights of partying at the beach. I don't know if this is reality, but it's certainly not the case for me. My summers were mostly hot and boring. Despite this, I liked Along for the Ride because it actually tells a good story. It was well written, very vividly written. It has a great storyline that touches not just your typical summer romance and abs-clad guys, but also brings in the family and friendship element. Truth is, romance took a back seat on this one. What's front and center was this question: do/can people really change? Auden went on to find out if her parents, her brother, and herself have changed and how. I think it's safe to say that yes, they all did, and if you haven't read this book yet, it's ok. You can still find out for yourself how Auden transforms.
Now, I've said that Along for the Ride is more than just a romance novel, but that doesn't mean Eli's role was not important. It is, but it's not overwhelming. You still get the necessary dose of kilig from Eli and Auden but without the cheesiness. Once in a while, it's nice to read a YA novel that's mature and sensible, if you know what I mean.
Another surprising thing about this book is that it subtly shows that women can be anything they want. They can be kikay and girly and still be brainy at the same time. They can be money-savvy and nerdy but still fun-loving. Stereotypes be damned.
The only thing I don't like about this book is Auden's father. Sure, it was important to show that he's immature in order for Auden to come out as the more responsible one but man... he really sucked at being a father. Sarah Dessen wrote convincingly.
Let me just add that I don't agree that Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han's writing style are the same. A lot of readers are saying that and it's not surprising because Jenny Han also wrote summer-themed books. But I hated the Summer trilogy (The Summer I Turned Pretty). Unlike Auden who's quiet and smart and adult-like, Belly is petulant, immature, and very whiny. Most of the time, I found Han's writing style confusing and not relatable. I only kept reading find out who Belly will end up with. BUT I always say this and I will say it again: to each his own.
And with that, I hope you also liked Along for the Ride and if you don't, do tell me why. Share your thoughts in the Comments section. :)
As a reader and reviewer, I aim to write fair and honest reviews, both on this site and on Goodreads. Please read my Review Policy here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment