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A review by lizpatanders
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
4.0
When I heard the words “beach read,” I tend to think of a light-hearted book that will make me smile without making me think deeply. Moskowitz’s sophomore novel Invincible Summer is a beach read in terms of its oceanside setting, but is also a novel that leaves readers with a lot to think about. This is the story of a family that is trying to say together as they grow older. While I didn’t connect with the plot one hundred percent, I found this to be a beautifully done work which nicely showcases Moskowitz’s talent and creativity.
Not one word of Invincible Summer’s plot is sugar coated. It took me about fifty pages to get into Invincible Summer, because sometimes the writing style felt like unedited thoughts. I got used to it, though, and ultimately found it quite poignant. I will say that I didn’t agree with or feel the full impact of every Camus quote in the story.
While I can imagine that some people grow up in a family with dynamics similar to those of Chase and his family, I did not, so it was challenging for me to connect with that aspect of the story. The end of the story was very emotional for me. I loved Chase’s connection to the beach because I’ve felt that way about places where I spent large chunks of my summer.
Moskowitz’s characters are brilliantly realistic because they have good intentions, but also make mistakes and aren’t the easiest to love. Sometimes Chase frustrated me because he wanted to bring his family together, but would say or do something hurtful to his family. I adored Gideon because he was so loving and full of life. At the end of the day, I really cared about how things worked out for the family Moskowitz created.
For some readers, Invincible Summer will be a novel to which they can relate. Although Moskowitz is an incredibly talented writer, this wasn’t quite the story for me. Fans of honest, gripping contemporary novels will eat up Invincible Summer, and I look forward to reading more of Moskowitz’s work.
Not one word of Invincible Summer’s plot is sugar coated. It took me about fifty pages to get into Invincible Summer, because sometimes the writing style felt like unedited thoughts. I got used to it, though, and ultimately found it quite poignant. I will say that I didn’t agree with or feel the full impact of every Camus quote in the story.
While I can imagine that some people grow up in a family with dynamics similar to those of Chase and his family, I did not, so it was challenging for me to connect with that aspect of the story. The end of the story was very emotional for me. I loved Chase’s connection to the beach because I’ve felt that way about places where I spent large chunks of my summer.
Moskowitz’s characters are brilliantly realistic because they have good intentions, but also make mistakes and aren’t the easiest to love. Sometimes Chase frustrated me because he wanted to bring his family together, but would say or do something hurtful to his family. I adored Gideon because he was so loving and full of life. At the end of the day, I really cared about how things worked out for the family Moskowitz created.
For some readers, Invincible Summer will be a novel to which they can relate. Although Moskowitz is an incredibly talented writer, this wasn’t quite the story for me. Fans of honest, gripping contemporary novels will eat up Invincible Summer, and I look forward to reading more of Moskowitz’s work.