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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
I’d give this book a 3 1/2 (so i rounded up to 4). A great summer read- engrossing story about a family’s summer on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Perfect vacation read.
This was a significantly better than Winter Street , my only other Hilderbrand read, and I’ll give it three stars because it was interesting enough that I kept turning the pages. Like Winter Street , the essence of the plot is family drama, so it is not my genre of choice, but I did enjoy it. To her credit, Hilderbrand has given every character a challenge or encounter during the Summer of ’69, which is a cause for personal growth.
As for my criticism, let me begin by saying that the only character I could really relate to was Jessie, and I wasn’t really a big fan of hers. I loathed Kate, her vanity and life of privilege. Antisemitism and racism are big issues in this era, but given little mention, and not part of the conflict. I feel like Hilderbrand missed an opportunity to really put some meat in the pages by not giving these more storyline. I was greatly disturbed with the amount of alcohol consumed by Blair during her pregnancy, but was satisfied to see how her relationship with her husband changes over the course of the novel. Tiger’s point of view from the war front is almost entirely missing until the final pages. I would like to have read more of his experience.
The characters are the members of the Nichols Foley Levin clan. It’s debatable whether the matriarch is Exalta Nichols, the grandmother, or her daughter, Kate Foley Levin. Kate has four children, three with her first husband, Wilder Foley, who died of a gunshot wound and one with her current husband, David Levin. Her eldest is Blair, who is married to Angus Whalen, a professor of astrophysics and a scientist working with Space program on the mission to the moon. Blair is expecting. Kirby (Katherine), the next oldest, is a college student and civil rights protester. Tiger (Richard) is Kate’s only son. As the book opens has just been drafted and deployed to Vietnam. His presence in the book is in the form of letters he writes to his youngest sister. Jessie is turning thirteen and most of the narrative is related to the reader through her lens. Exalta, Kate, and Jessie leave for their annual stay at Exalta’s summer home on Nantucket in the early pages. David stays in New York to work, Blair is in Boston with her husband, and Kirby finds summer work at Martha’s Vineyard. As each goes about their days during the passing of the summer of ‘69, they struggle with the reality both in the world and in their own home.
As for my criticism, let me begin by saying that the only character I could really relate to was Jessie, and I wasn’t really a big fan of hers. I loathed Kate, her vanity and life of privilege. Antisemitism and racism are big issues in this era, but given little mention, and not part of the conflict. I feel like Hilderbrand missed an opportunity to really put some meat in the pages by not giving these more storyline. I was greatly disturbed with the amount of alcohol consumed by Blair during her pregnancy, but was satisfied to see how her relationship with her husband changes over the course of the novel. Tiger’s point of view from the war front is almost entirely missing until the final pages. I would like to have read more of his experience.
The characters are the members of the Nichols Foley Levin clan. It’s debatable whether the matriarch is Exalta Nichols, the grandmother, or her daughter, Kate Foley Levin. Kate has four children, three with her first husband, Wilder Foley, who died of a gunshot wound and one with her current husband, David Levin. Her eldest is Blair, who is married to Angus Whalen, a professor of astrophysics and a scientist working with Space program on the mission to the moon. Blair is expecting. Kirby (Katherine), the next oldest, is a college student and civil rights protester. Tiger (Richard) is Kate’s only son. As the book opens has just been drafted and deployed to Vietnam. His presence in the book is in the form of letters he writes to his youngest sister. Jessie is turning thirteen and most of the narrative is related to the reader through her lens. Exalta, Kate, and Jessie leave for their annual stay at Exalta’s summer home on Nantucket in the early pages. David stays in New York to work, Blair is in Boston with her husband, and Kirby finds summer work at Martha’s Vineyard. As each goes about their days during the passing of the summer of ‘69, they struggle with the reality both in the world and in their own home.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall really enjoyed this book! I feel like I hit a lull in the middle but the last 200 pages really got me! Loved how things came together, how certain secrets came out, and how the pop culture and politics of that specific summer were a part of the story
This is an enjoyable book about a family that summers in Nantucket. Very familiar with that. So it was neat to touch base with familiar places. The family is predictably dysfunctional and Hilderbrand develops the range of characters well. The matriarch of the family rules the roost, daughters and grandkids have their dramas. One grandson is off to Vietnam. One grand daughter works on Martha's Vineyard for a time. The historical context is laced in nicely---civil rights, anti-war movement, the feminist movement. It's a good, big read with a nicely paced story and wrap up.
3.5 stars. It was an easy listen. It started to fall apart for me around 75% in. I won’t remember the details for long. I don’t consider this historical fiction. There are references to the time period but the characters are never fully immersed into them..it feels like name dropping more than setting/plot development. The character of Kate fell very flat for me. The ending felt rushed to wrap it all up.
Classic Hilderbrand, complete with sun, romance, food, beaches, scandal, and familial love. Perfect to blaze through on a summer evening.
Interesting family drama set in 1969. I was the same age as the youngest character (yikes!) and while I remember the background events one by one, I never thought about all of those things happening in one year, guess I had my own drama. The family drama was interesting - bringing up many of the social changes that were also happening at the time. Sometimes it was just a bit, I don't have the right words, too much to have the song, or food, or whatever that was cultural at the time, mentioned in passing; or something just a bit too convenient happening. But, I really did enjoy the book and certainly have a feel for Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard now!
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes