Forever- Judy Blume

The cover I remember from my youth

 

When YA author Keris Stainton mentioned a Judy Blume readalong, I knew I'd be jumping onto that bandwagon.  I've been a fan of Judy's for over twenty five years, and it's been a while since I've reread her books.  I recently pledged to reread it when I was interviewed for Jaffa Reads Too.  You could say it was perfect timing!

Forever is one of those books people talk about.  It's a book about sex for starters, and that always gets tongues wagging.  And a YA book about sex, that was first published in 1975?  That's pretty groundbreaking by anyone's standards.

The plot is simple.  Girl (Katherine) meets boy (Michael).  They fall in love.  They have sex.  They promise each other forever.  Life changes.  Suddenly forever seems a very long time...

I remembered so much of the book as I reread it- Jamie embroidering mushrooms onto jeans, the fondue party, Sharon and Ike smoking weed, Katherine's grandma sending her 'the package'... and of course, Ralph.  It was all so clear in my mind. I could even remember certain phrases word for word.  I don't think I could do that with some of the books I read in the last few weeks, but Forever, which I read over and over as a teen- it's somehow engrained in my mind.

The first time I read it I was thirteen, and an inexperienced thirteen at that.  I hadn't been kissed, let alone anything else, although I did know people in my year at school and the year above who were having sex.  I don't remember being shocked by the content though, even then- especially as Katherine and Michael are seventeen.  There was definitely an element of titillation though, and a wonder as to whether the sex scenes were accurate.  Reading this book as an adult is completely different to reading it as a teenager.

Things that struck me as I reread Forever-



The cover of the copy I now own

-I don't like Michael. I never did as a teen particularly, either.  I always felt he pressured Katherine and guilt tripped her when she didn't want to be intimate.  I still felt like that reading it now, but it made me more cross as an adult than it ever did in my teen years that as her boyfriend he felt he had the right to pressure her in that way.

-The sentences are generally short and simple, and the reading age is a lot younger than the content.  It's accessible, and can be read very quickly.  There's a lot of dialogue, but never much conversation.

-The fringe characters are really interesting, in many ways far more appealing than the protagonists.  They deserve their own books, Sybil and Artie in particular. I'd love to know what happened in their lives.

-It's about so much more than sex.  There's drugs, and teen pregnancy, and bereavement, and mental health issues.  For a book that's 178 pages, that's a lot to cover. 

-Judy Blume is so straightforward and to the point!  She's honest.  She also manages to educate through aspects of her plot (e.g. birth control) without coming across as preachy.

Do I think Forever would appeal to young people today as much as it did ten, twenty, thirty or forty years ago?  Possibly not.  The YA spectrum is so much more diverse now than it ever was then, and when you compare Blume's simplistic writing style to that of some of today's best-sellers such as John Green- it's world's apart. 

But there's still a place for Judy Blume, both on YA bookshelves and in my heart, because she tells stories that leave an impact and stay with you long after closing the book. 

And that will never, ever go out of style.

With thanks to Pan Macmillan, who sent me a new copy of Forever when I was appealing for anyone who may have my original copy to come forward.  If you happen to have the Pan Horizons issue shown above, with 'Kate loves Howard' written in the front, I would love to swap it for a new edition!


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You're not too late to join in the Judy Blume readathon!  Find out more by visiting Keris Stainton's blog or following the hashtag #readalongralph.  The next book we're reading is Are You There God?  It's me, Margaret.

Judy Blume week is coming to Books with Bunny starting July 20th.

The Wedding Ring- Katey Lovell

Well, this is a bit of a cheat really.  It's not a book, it's a short story.  And what's more, it's mine.

I was chosen as a winner in a nationwide short story competition earlier this year, and The Wedding Ring was my entry.  You can read it (and the other winning entries) for free by clicking on the link below.

http://www.panmacmillan.com/thewindowseat/creativewritingcompetition

One Night in Italy- Lucy Diamond INCLUDING GIVEAWAY OF THE BEACH CAFE!

It's the first Diamond Friday!  And this feature has been a long time coming.  This time last year I contacted Lucy Diamond and asked if she would be happy to be involved with a week dedicated to her and she was incredibly supportive.  I was delighted- I am such a fan of Lucy's writing and I wanted to share my excitement with the world!  However, life got in the way for me and it has taken until now to organise what has now become Diamond Fridays- one day a week where Books with Bunny shares reviews, author features and giveaways, exclusively about the shiniest gem in the jewellery box of authors, Lucy Diamond.  I was fortunate to meet Lucy recently (read about it here )and I'm pleased to say she was just as wonderful as her books.

One Night in Italy introduces us to a group of adults attending evening classes to learn Italian.  The unlikely group quickly form a strong bond, and as they in turn face challenges in their personal lives, they will come to rely on the friendships more than they could ever have guessed.  Catherine finds herself facing a new life alone as her children leave for university and her husband calls time on their marriage- but she soon discovers her ex is capable of things she never believed possible.  Anna is building up the courage to search for the Italian father she has never met.  And Sophie, the class tutor, is reluctantly back in South Yorkshire after travelling the world, unsure of what she wants from life.

I found myself completely and utterly swept away by this book.  The characters were a diverse bunch, at different stages of life, yet I could relate to them all, which I think proves that Lucy Diamond has an incredibly rare talent for creating characters with depth.  Even the fringe characters are well crafted and left me as a reader wanting to know more about their lives.

The Sheffield setting also appealed to me-I came to University here in 1998 and have never been away for more than a fortnight since.  Lucy Diamond definitely manages to capture the unique vibe of the city- 'the world's largest village' as it is sometimes referred to.  Knowledge of Sheffield isn't necessary to enjoy the book, but I do think it added to the pleasure I got from reading it.  I felt like I was in on a secret knowing all the pubs and coffee shops mentioned (which makes it sound like I have a much more active social life than I do in reality).

The only downside for me was that it ended when it did.  It isn't a short book at almost 500 pages, but I feel One Night in Italy is crying out for a sequel.  I want to know more about these characters!  Please don't let this be the end!

If you like fast paced books of interwoven lives, with both drama and humour, then this one is perfect for you.

One Night in Italy is out now, published by Pan Macmillan.

Next Friday I will be reviewing Lucy's bestseller The Beach Café and if you would like to win a copy then enter the rafflecopter giveaway below (UK only- entrants from outside the UK will sadly be disqualified).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Necessary Lies- Diane Chamberlain

Diane Chamberlain is a prolific bestselling author.  In the UK alone she has sold 750,000 books.  Yet for some reason I have never read any of her other books (so many books, so little time!)  The Midwife's Confession was a runaway success and a favourite with reading groups, and although I have been meaning to prioritise reading it, life has got in the way.  When I was sent a proof copy of Necessary Lies to review I was very excited.  Here was my chance to read some of Diane Chamberlain's work and see what the fuss was about!

Necessary Lies tells the story of Jane, a young newly-wed employed as a social worker in rural North Carolina in the 1960s.  Wet behind the ears but with her heart in the right place, Jane finds it hard to keep a professional distance from the disadvantaged families she works with.  Encouraged by her employers to put forward young women for uninformed sterilisation as part of a eugenics programme, Jane faces a constant battle between her own beliefs and what is expected of her.  Should everyone have the right to have children?  Or are only some people capable of parenting competently?

It took me a while to get into Necessary Lies, but I once I got to grips with the characters and their back stories I was hooked.  Diane Chamberlain has written a thought-provoking and emotive tale based on fact.  It is hard to believe that eugenic sterilisation was still being practiced in North Carolina as recently as 1974.   I was left with a tear in my eye and a heavy heart as I read the final few pages.

Chamberlain has been widely compared to Jodi Picoult, and it is true that both authors write books that debate highly topical issues and are character driven. I found Jane easy to relate to- a young woman struggling to maintain a work/life balance, torn between her duty and her beliefs- and as a protagonist I thought Jane was believable and likeable. 

Well worth a read.

Necessary Lies is out now, published by Pan Macmillan.

8.5/10
With thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing me with a proof copy of Necessary Lies.
Diane Chamberlain's website can be found at http://dianechamberlain.com/ .