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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Summer of '69 in Books

Aug 23, 2019

Summer of '69

Elin Hilderbrand | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry

8.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Every year Kate Levin and her family spend the summer on Nantucket with Kate's mother, Exalta. But this summer is different. Kate's eldest, Blair, 24, is now married to a MIT professor named Angus Whalen and they're expecting their first baby in August. As such, Blair won't be on Nantucket this summer. Middle sister, Kirby, is a junior in college and spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard. Her only son, Tiger, recently deployed to Vietnam, which has left Kate feeling completely panicked and lost. Only her youngest, thirteen-year-old, Jessie, makes the trip. But without her siblings, Jessie feels overlooked and ignored. It's the historic summer of '69--and Levin family will have some memorable experiences of their own, too.

I just love Elin Hilderbrand's books and this was a really fun one. It didn't feel that much like "historical fiction," despite the 1969 setting, but it was fascinating to get a glimpse of how the late 1960s affected the family and their decisions--especially the females. The time period affects each woman, even Jessie, in their own way. Mom Kate was a tough one to love, at times, ignoring her poor daughter and moaning about Tiger and her own past. But, man, Hilderbrand just comes up with the best family dynamics. She sets an amazing scene, aided by her beloved Nantucket, and before you know it, you are there with her characters, immersed in their drama and daily lives.

For me, the star of this one was young Jessie. I loved how much of the book revolved around her--the points of view vary, but we hear from her a lot, and I couldn't help but love the kid. Nothing like growing up with a slightly absent mom, domineering grandmother, and a bunch of way older siblings, one of whom is at war. She was a breath of fresh air, and of course, Hilderbrand wrote from a teenage point of view perfectly. She gives all Kate's daughters their own unique voice, and it's amazing how each character stands out easily as distinct from one another.

This is not "simply" a tale of a family over a summer, it's captivating and engaging look at a family shaped by historical and domestic circumstances. I certainly enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it. I usually shy away from historical fiction, but I found it quite interesting--great characters and family dynamics as always from our summer novel queen. 4 stars.

Kudos

ALilLacey (2 KP) rated Daynight (Daynight, #1) in Books

Mar 4, 2019

Great new dysotopian story! Welcome to Thera where we live during the night and sleep during the day. And oh ya, if you recognize some familiar faces here from people you thought were previously gone there may be a reason behind it.
I really enjoyed the concept behind daynight and that I couldn't predict where the book was going but it wasn't so far-fetched that I couldnt follow along. I love a good surprise. I also liked that each chapter followed along one of three main characters in the story. I didn't get lost with switching in between their perspectives as the author did a good job of seperating their personalities and stories.
Kira at times could be a little naive but it added to the emotion of wanting her to see that not only did she have one man favoring her but two. Can't wait for book 2!!
And thank you to the author for the clean read! I definitely feel okay with recommending this book to others without being concerned by content.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated Star Inspector (Zvyozdniy inspektor) (1980) in Movies

May 26, 2019 (Updated May 26, 2019)

Borderline-unwatchable Soviet-era sci-fi film, also known as Space Cop (according to the subtitles on the version I saw, anyway). The reappearance of a ship thought lost in space, and an attack on Space Police HQ, results in a patrol spaceship being sent to investigate, the search leading to one of those planets which looks suspiciously like a quarry. What ensues there is a joyless, repetitive trudge.

Feels like one of those films made by people who've had sci-fi explained to them over the phone, but who have no first-hand familiarity with the genre, or indeed much familiarity with storytelling in general. This is before we get to the primitive production values, the aspects of the story which don't travel well (the villains are a trio named Doug, Marge, and Steve), or the heavy reliance on technobabble plot devices. Has the general feel of an episode of Space 1999. There are some interesting psychedelic visuals on display, and the special effects are often amusing (this was not the intention), but this is grim stuff for the most part.