Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 257
Source: Katie's Book Blog Presentation @ CO Teen Literature Conference
Back of Book Summary:
Guess who's jetting to the Holy Land this summer!
Yes, it's me- Amy Nelson-Barak. I've volunteered for ten days of military training in Israel with my friends. The Sababa brochure said it would be a "fun" summer experience. Okay, so I didn't sign up to prove I'm not a princess... I did it to surprise my hot Israeli boyfriend stationed at the same base.
Too bad nobody told me:
* It's hot in the Negev desert...like, so hot your makeup melts off and you get under-boob sweat spots.
* You can't sleep in until 11a.m.
* You shouldn't kill bees with your flatiron- don't ask
* Peeing in a hole isn't easy (when you're a girl)- double don't ask.
When I find out our team leader is my boyfriend Avi, I'm totally psyched... until I learn he has to treat me like all the other recruits. Can you say OY VEY!
My Review:
Characters:
The characters initially turned me away. I didn't unerstand, well, couldn't understand the draw between Avi and Amy. There differences- hard core soldier vs. spoiled American Teenage girl- couldn't be reconciled in my mind. I couldn't see what Avi saw in her. As I continued to read through the antics of Amy and her friends, the characters became real to me. Once they became real to me, I began to believe in their relationship... Well, in other words, when Amy and Avi's relationship became real to them, then I could fathom it and it in turn became real to me as a reader. Strange.
Plot/Conflict/Theme:
Hilariously fun chick novel! I very much enjoyed this light-hearted fun novel by Simone Elkeles. I found the conflict to be fun and wholesome. The characters, Avi and Amy, continue to battle eachother refusing to acknowledge that despite their surface differences they were made for one another. The struggle throught he hot Israeli summer fractures and forges their young loving relationship.
Theme- This novel's theme was rather unexpected. I was hit by the deep and powerful message thrumming throughout the novel. Don't let your differences hinder building a strong loving relationship. There is no reason to be anything but at peace with each other rejoicing in all that our differences bring to the collective table of good.
Quality of Writing:
This novel developed great voice. The characters were brought to life through this author's ability to create and imbue her voice through them.
Rating:
Book- A for Average
Cover- A for Average
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