The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek

I really liked this book. It takes place in about 4 weeks during the summer of 2008. The two main characters are half-sisters that have never lived together, but have spent a few summers together at their aunt's house. When she dies, she leaves the house to the two women, with the stipulation that they live there a month together.

It's about family, love, summertime, reading, and figuring out what you want. I think. I enjoyed it, but I wish it had been filled out a bit more. Even though some parts were slow moving, I felt that other times the character development jumped a bit. I did like the ladies relationship with each other, and I liked both of the romances.

I am inspired to re-read The Great Gatsby, because it is relevant to the story and is referenced through out.

I do recommend this book. I really liked the characters, the story was pretty good, but overall it wouldn't make any of my most favorite lists. I think it is written for adults, and there are a few f-words, but other than that it is tastefully written, and modern without being racy. I did keep imagining the ladies as being younger than they were. I felt like the author had to give the characters grown-up careers and mention them to remind us of their ages. I think early 30's.

What I did like were some very valuable points made by individual characters. So maybe Cassie's internal thoughts were the strong point.

Here are some quotes to prove my point:

"She delivered her opinions as though she'd received some divine wisdom that told her she was right, despite any evidence or logic to the contrary."

***"Later I would look back at this moment as the beginning of what I would come to think of as a sort of awakening in me, the first in a series of shifts that led me to want to write a different story for myself."

"Missing her--that physical ache in the heart that made it feel as if it could sometimes break in two--dredged up the feelings of loss over my mother from which I'd thought I'd recovered."

"We stayed up until the sun rose, talking about everything and nothing. Not since university days had I spent this kind of late night time with women, and I'd forgotten how much fun it was."

Re-reading the sections these quotes come from has reminded me how much I liked reading this story. Maybe I'm over analyzing it. I can't remember where I got the recommendation for this, anyone? Anyone read it?

***I LOVE this quote.

PS. I think this would make a great movie!