The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han is a very confusing read. I enjoyed the show and it got me excited to pick up the book, however I was disappointed to find the book lacks the charm the show possesses. The book follows Belly, a teenage girl who has finally grown into herself. Usually I don’t enjoy this trope as I feel it can put a lot of importance on looks but I feel Han does it with a certain grace that I admire. Ever since she can remember, Belly has spent every summer at the Fisher's cottage. This is the same amount of time she's had feelings for Conrad Fisher, but recently her feelings have changed as she's becoming closer with his brother Jerimiah. I liked the idea of the story, and I enjoyed the dynamic of both of the families, especially Belly's relationship with Susannah. It's very sweet how she’s a second mother-figure to her.
Unfortunately, this is where all my praise ends as I feel the flaws greatly outweigh the positives of the book. Every character is somewhat unlikeable as they are always acting irrationally to the point where it feels almost unrealistic. Events that are written to be “romantic” come off as incredibly toxic especially when it comes to Belly and Conrad's relationship, making it more concerning than desirable. I also found the pacing of this book to be very frustrating, it’s very slow and feels unrewarding for the total plot progression per pages read. Overall, I would suggest just watching the show over reading the book. The show solves a lot of the issues I have with the book and it’s a much more enjoyable way to experience the story.
Written by Aryanna W.
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