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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
i read these books numerous times growing up and i love them so much. it’s so cozy to go back and read them. Todd’s example about the boat to Hawaii and saying yes to God and all the boat’s benefits was just what i needed to hear this morning. i love seeing how God works in everything, even the books i’ve read many times before.🩷
I enjoyed watching Christy navigate the new changes in her life. Also there is a character with the same name as me that is introduced, so that is always a bonus!
Hoo, boy.
Okay, let's talk about what I liked first: I enjoyed that Christy's family calls grounding "being on restriction," because mine did too, and that reminded me how familiar these books and the character of Christy are to me. I like, too, that Gunn isn't afraid to shy away from serious topics like eating disorders and drugs as if Christian teens live in a bubble and never hear about any of this stuff. Sort of?
HOWEVER.
Here again, we have that same problem, where it's the non-Christian character who has an eating disorder, much like in the first book it was the non-Christian characters who did drugs and had pre-marital sex. Eating disorders aren't even on the same level, because that's a legitimate illness, but I guess in Gunn's world, Christian teens are too convinced of God's love to ever struggle with body image or self-worth, at least on the same level as some ~heathen with an eating disorder. In fact, Christy and Janelle have to have eating disorders explained to them despite being 15 in the 1990s and Christy, who apparently grew up in the Midwest, has never heard of a "TP party." And in a perfect world, Christian teens would be made completely confident by God's love. And Christian teens wouldn't do drugs or steal or sleep around or whatever other issues come up in these books. But that's not the world we live in and that's not the audience she writes to.
It's not that God isn't enough, it's that humans are imperfect, and God knows this. That's why some of the people he chose in the Bible were the characters who made the biggest mistakes. Peter had zero impulse control, even when he was a follower of Christ. Moses killed a man and continued to lose his temper throughout his path. David, the "man after God's own heart," was a hothead, a murderer, very likely a rapist, and was noted to be a man of bloodshed. The idea that followers of God don't suffer from mental illness because they're followers of God is also disproven throughout the Bible. Read Ecclesiastes and tell me that doesn't sound like a massive depressive episode. Isaiah wrote an entire book called Lamentations even though he had seen that a Messiah would come and make everything right, because that's how disheartened he was.
To me, these are much more interesting stories: stories about followers of God who struggle and fall short and mess up. They're not immune to mental illness and they're certainly not perfectly innocent and even naive, but God loves them because of who He is and He chooses them again and again. I would have rather read a story of Christy suffering from body image issues -- and yes, even an eating disorder -- herself. She's a fairly new Christian who has been separated from most of her support group, and she's shown negative opinions about her body before. Give me a story about a Christian girl who is genuinely struggling to hear God's voice that she is enough and deeply loved as she is, not this story about a good little Christian who was almost corrupted by her wayward friend with an eating disorder.
And that is very much how they refer to Brittany in this story. Although the aunt and uncle both express that they want Brittany to get professional help, they don't seem very concerned for Brittany herself, but rather that she's a terrible example to the other two girls. By the end, and there's a sense of "good riddance." There's even an allegory to allude to the way Brittany is "dragging Christy down."
Another bit that was gross was when the three girls went to a restaurant, and Uncle Bob called out his favorite waiter, a grown man who proceeded to kiss each fifteen year old girl on the hand, describe what he found physically beautiful about them and then tell them how beautiful innocence was on a young woman. And of course this character was Mexican because why not go for the racial stereotypes while we're being creepy.
Rick later echoes this sentiment that "innocent girls are the best" (rich coming from a guy who is characterized as a bit of a player), but wasn't quite so much of a jerk as I remember him being when I first read the books. Mostly because he wasn't in them very much, so I assume that comes later.
Okay, let's talk about what I liked first: I enjoyed that Christy's family calls grounding "being on restriction," because mine did too, and that reminded me how familiar these books and the character of Christy are to me. I like, too, that Gunn isn't afraid to shy away from serious topics like eating disorders and drugs as if Christian teens live in a bubble and never hear about any of this stuff. Sort of?
HOWEVER.
Here again, we have that same problem, where it's the non-Christian character who has an eating disorder, much like in the first book it was the non-Christian characters who did drugs and had pre-marital sex. Eating disorders aren't even on the same level, because that's a legitimate illness, but I guess in Gunn's world, Christian teens are too convinced of God's love to ever struggle with body image or self-worth, at least on the same level as some ~heathen with an eating disorder. In fact, Christy and Janelle have to have eating disorders explained to them despite being 15 in the 1990s and Christy, who apparently grew up in the Midwest, has never heard of a "TP party." And in a perfect world, Christian teens would be made completely confident by God's love. And Christian teens wouldn't do drugs or steal or sleep around or whatever other issues come up in these books. But that's not the world we live in and that's not the audience she writes to.
It's not that God isn't enough, it's that humans are imperfect, and God knows this. That's why some of the people he chose in the Bible were the characters who made the biggest mistakes. Peter had zero impulse control, even when he was a follower of Christ. Moses killed a man and continued to lose his temper throughout his path. David, the "man after God's own heart," was a hothead, a murderer, very likely a rapist, and was noted to be a man of bloodshed. The idea that followers of God don't suffer from mental illness because they're followers of God is also disproven throughout the Bible. Read Ecclesiastes and tell me that doesn't sound like a massive depressive episode. Isaiah wrote an entire book called Lamentations even though he had seen that a Messiah would come and make everything right, because that's how disheartened he was.
To me, these are much more interesting stories: stories about followers of God who struggle and fall short and mess up. They're not immune to mental illness and they're certainly not perfectly innocent and even naive, but God loves them because of who He is and He chooses them again and again. I would have rather read a story of Christy suffering from body image issues -- and yes, even an eating disorder -- herself. She's a fairly new Christian who has been separated from most of her support group, and she's shown negative opinions about her body before. Give me a story about a Christian girl who is genuinely struggling to hear God's voice that she is enough and deeply loved as she is, not this story about a good little Christian who was almost corrupted by her wayward friend with an eating disorder.
And that is very much how they refer to Brittany in this story. Although the aunt and uncle both express that they want Brittany to get professional help, they don't seem very concerned for Brittany herself, but rather that she's a terrible example to the other two girls. By the end
Spoiler
she's shunted off to rehabAnother bit that was gross was when the three girls went to a restaurant, and Uncle Bob called out his favorite waiter, a grown man who proceeded to kiss each fifteen year old girl on the hand, describe what he found physically beautiful about them and then tell them how beautiful innocence was on a young woman. And of course this character was Mexican because why not go for the racial stereotypes while we're being creepy.
Rick later echoes this sentiment that "innocent girls are the best" (rich coming from a guy who is characterized as a bit of a player), but wasn't quite so much of a jerk as I remember him being when I first read the books. Mostly because he wasn't in them very much, so I assume that comes later.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I would not recommend this book to any teenager, ever. The author portrays a character with an obvious eating disorder as a plot device of a villain who is pulling the "good girl" to the dark side, while the good girl spends most of her time harshly judging and criticizing everyone around her. The romantic interests are either controlling or emotionally manipulative. Christy herself comes across as a leaf in the wind, moved only by the forces of the plot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship
3.75⭐️
When I read this I feel like Christy is my little sister. Every decision she makes I think “no don’t do that” or “you go ahead girl!”. It’s fun. I enjoyed reading this.
When I read this I feel like Christy is my little sister. Every decision she makes I think “no don’t do that” or “you go ahead girl!”. It’s fun. I enjoyed reading this.
The second book in the Christy Miller series and already much better written than the first. Here, Christy's family moves to California and she falls in with a new group of friends who may or may not be the right ones. Katie and Rick are introduced, while Todd is just a shadowy memory for awhile. This is good, because it allows the author to develop her main character a bit more without making her annoyingly boy-crazy.
Another re-read. This Christy Miller book also deals with some important topics. Peer pressure and eating disorders. But I don’t like A Whisper and a Wish as much as I like Summer Promise. I like all the characters better in Summer Promise for sure. Plus this book doesn’t really continue on with the romance I so desperately am craving. As I’ve read these before I know what’s going to happen, I’m just waiting to get there!
This series is quickly going downhill. Christy is such an irritating, dumb character!