Luke's Book Reviews #6: This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki

When I was growing up, I stumbled upon a graphic novel series called Babymouse in Barnes & Noble. This sparked a genuine interest in picking up the third book called Beach Babe, and I immediately became hooked. To this day, some of my funniest memories come from reading that pink, black, and white series, and because of Babymouse, I've picked up graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier and read manga ranging in genres from shonen to shojo.

My occasional thirst for graphic novels and manga still remains today, and sometimes I need a break from the occasional YA fantasy or realistic fiction book. That's why I decided to pick up This One Summer. I hadn't heard much about it going in, but I did see the Printz Honor and Caldecott Honor stamps, which meant that this book had been met with critical acclaim. Would that mean that I would like it? I decided to read and find out.;

So how was This One Summer? Was it a nice break from all of those novels? Or was it an ultimately forgettable experience?

To be honest, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this graphic novel, and I came out surprised by the end of it. This One Summer is a honest snapshot into 10 days of summer fraught with sadness, conflict, and heartbreak. However, this blue and white paneled story is also filled with friendship, growing up, and self-realization that comes with that new found maturity.

This One Summer tells the story of a girl named Rose and her family, who are coming back to their annual summer hideaway in Awago Beach for 10 days of relaxation and connecting with old friends. Rose can't wait to spend her time with her best friend, Windy, but right from the start, things are immediately different. For starters, Rose's parents are incredibly hostile towards each other, and Rose doesn't know what to do about it. But there's also something going on with a teenage couple that involves lack of communication, a baby, and Rose getting a crush on the boy who's not speaking to his girlfriend.

As the teenage boy and girl's fighting escalates, Rose's mother sinks further and further into a depression, and the friendship between Rose and Windy dwindles. Will Rose be able to recover? Or will she give up and succumb to her anger?

There is a story throughout this novel, but much of the plot is stagnant, moving slowly or not present until bits here and there. Some people may find this boring or thirsting for more, but I didn't mind it as much. This One Summer actually reminded me of my own summers spent lounging around and doing absolutely nothing. However, those little snapshots within where I'm actually up and moving that I keep with me the most, and the graphic novel contains bits where Rose and Windy swim in the ocean, watch a variety of horror movies, and just talk about whatever they want to brighten up the silence.

The characters are also a nice bunch. Rose is probably my favorite out of all of them, and it's not just because she's the main. It's because Jillian and Mariko gave her a unique quality that I haven't seen in a lot of characters before: she's an observer. As the events of the story go down around her, Rose takes it all in, trying to figure out a way to solve her family and the teenagers' problems. She constantly serves as the mediator to all these struggles, and although she hardly breaks out of it (she does confront her mom once and develops a small crush on a guy that's involved in the fight between the teens), I really liked this and found it relatable. Rose's helplessness really added depth to her character, and it makes sense for her to be like this: she is growing up, after all.

The other people that are a part of This One Summer are also good. I love when adults aren't played as perfectionists, and Mariko wrote very believable parents that are on the brink of collapse. Windy's carefree nature and enthusiasm counterpart Rose's more emotional tendencies, and the scenes with their friendship always put a smile on my face. The teenagers were less developed, but I couldn't help but feel bad for the girl, as she was really being judged for what she had done and we didn't even know if it was her fault.

Along with that, there's something else that I get to talk about with this graphic novel: the art. Jillian Tamaki's drawing style captures both the prettiness and ugliness of growing up, and all of the characters have a distinct look to them. Also, instead of black and white ink (which the graphic novel was drawn in), the ink is dark blue. I don't know if it was a stylistic choice or it was done to compliment the cover, but the choice adds an element to everything that's kind of hard to describe. I think the best way for me to attempt an explanation is to show you examples.

Do you see what it mean? It's absolutely beautiful. These shots and the art are easily the best parts of this novel.

I think the main problem  at the end of the day with This One Summer is its memorability. I don't know if I'll really remember Rose and her experience in a couple months at the end of the day. Part of this may have to do with how fast I read this, but it may also have to do with the fact that I'm just not sure the plot matched the complexity of the characters as well as it should have. This doesn't mean that I don't think this book was bad, but why I find it somewhat lackluster after a couple days post reading it, especially since I feel that some of the main plot points were really only conveyed once or twice.

Does that mean I thought This One Summer was a bad book? No, I ended up liking it in the end. If you're a fan of graphic novels or a nice summery coming-of-age story, you should be a fan of this. This One Summer is available in paperback and e-book editions from First Second. Hopefully you'll find it a good read.

Until next time!

Rating: ***

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