Summerlost
by Ally Condie -- Still grieving over the recent deaths of her father
and brother, twelve-year-old Cedar takes a summer job selling programs
at a Shakespeare festival, makes a new friend, and searches for the
solution to an old mystery.
This book exhibits strong character
development, particularly in how Cedar and her family handle their
grief. I also liked the setting, which was basically a fictionalization
of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. However, I'm always bemused at
otherwise realistic stories in which children as young as twelve find
actual, formal jobs. Maybe I should give this book the benefit of the
doubt -- after all, I've never looked into Utah's child labor laws. But
it's a pet peeve that takes me right out of the story.
Pet peeves aside, there's plenty to like about this book, and I found it a good read for the start of summer.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
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