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A review by cosmicbookworm
Mockingbird Summer by Lynda Rutledge
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Mockingbird Summer is a compelling YA coming-of-age story that primarily takes place during the summer of 1964. It apparently has not been intentionally written as a YA book. The story is centered on the 1960s, the decade I grew up in. However, I was 7 when the main protagonist, Corky, was 13. While Corky seemed just as naive as I was back then, her age allowed her to have life experiences that were not yet a reality for me.
The narrative revolves around Corky, a thirteen-year-old protagonist, and secondary protagonists, 16-year-old America and Mack, who is college-aged. Their relationships with other characters shape the storyline.
Set in the small town of High Cotton, Texas, the arrival of a Haitian family, including 16-year-old America, who can run like the wind, sets off a chain of events that profoundly impacts the community. When America joins the local Baptist girls' softball team, the town's racist residents go to great lengths to impede her participation. Corky gradually understands the racial divisions prevalent during this turbulent period through her admiration for America.
The incorporation of themes and elements from the classic novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" enhances the storytelling, emphasizing the importance of doing what is right, regardless of the consequences. The book tackles racial divisions head-on, shedding light on the inherent ugliness that can permeate society.
I like the author's statement that while a journalist's job is to tell what is true, a novelist's job is to tell what is truth. She goes on to say "to create a world in which you'd want to live, in which everything is just, even if only in the end." That part is a stretch. Our world is still not just, so I do not believe it is a novelist's job to make it look as if it were.
While the ending is enjoyable, some readers will find it simplistic. The story effectively delivers a powerful message. Mockingbird Summer is a thought-provoking book that will appeal to those who appreciate narratives focused on racial and gender inequalities.
The narrative revolves around Corky, a thirteen-year-old protagonist, and secondary protagonists, 16-year-old America and Mack, who is college-aged. Their relationships with other characters shape the storyline.
Set in the small town of High Cotton, Texas, the arrival of a Haitian family, including 16-year-old America, who can run like the wind, sets off a chain of events that profoundly impacts the community. When America joins the local Baptist girls' softball team, the town's racist residents go to great lengths to impede her participation. Corky gradually understands the racial divisions prevalent during this turbulent period through her admiration for America.
The incorporation of themes and elements from the classic novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" enhances the storytelling, emphasizing the importance of doing what is right, regardless of the consequences. The book tackles racial divisions head-on, shedding light on the inherent ugliness that can permeate society.
I like the author's statement that while a journalist's job is to tell what is true, a novelist's job is to tell what is truth. She goes on to say "to create a world in which you'd want to live, in which everything is just, even if only in the end." That part is a stretch. Our world is still not just, so I do not believe it is a novelist's job to make it look as if it were.
While the ending is enjoyable, some readers will find it simplistic. The story effectively delivers a powerful message. Mockingbird Summer is a thought-provoking book that will appeal to those who appreciate narratives focused on racial and gender inequalities.