This One Summer

by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki

Mariko Tamaki (Illustrator)

Every summer, Rose goes with her mum and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mum and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

• ISBN10: 1626720940
• ISBN13: 9781626720947
• Publish Date: 6 May 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Imprint: First Second
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[despair_witch_16]

I didn’t feel like there was much of a story in this. It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve read it and I still don’t know what the plot was. The novel discussed some stuff but never really resolved it or showed any inclination of it going to be resolved in the future. I also felt that the characters were static and never really went through any growth.

[nannah]

(4.5)

This One Summer is one of those beautiful and somewhat melancholy graphic novels that stick with you and makes you think about it more and more that time goes by. I think the more I do think about it, the more I like it.

Content warnings:
Suicide attempt
In-book misogyny (& challenged by other characters)

Every year, Rose and her family go to their Awago Beach lakehouse, and every year Rose spends time with her friend, Windy, who has a cabin there too. But this summer, Rose is twelve and Windy ten. Their age gap is becoming more apparent, with Rose becoming interested in boys, and Windy still wanting to dig holes in the sand and never wanting to get married. That’s not all: Rose’s parents are fighting, and then she and Windy find themselves involved in a drama that opens their eyes to what teenage life might be like.

I don’t know what it is ... maybe it’s the incredible art, the monochromatic purple coloring, or the very minute nuances in facial expressions, but this graphic novel is something else. It’s incredibly gripping and says a lot more between the dialogue than with its actual words (maybe that’s why a lot of reviewers say “nothing really happens”, when there’s actually lots going on).

The entire story happens through Rose’s eyes, whether it be overhearing her parents fighting (and she never really understands what about until she overhears another conversation later in the book). Things don’t always add up here until later scenes seen or overheard through Rose; the book kind of has an attitude of “you’ll understand when you’re older”.

I can’t explain this well, but the book is a treasure of a coming-of-age story; it feels so real. The way the kids hear older boys calling their girlfriends “sluts”, and then Rose calling girls sluts in a derogatory way because she likes those boys. The way her younger friend Windy calls her out on it, because she’s not yet at that age where she wants to be a part of that culture (but let’s be real here: Windy’s a lesbian). It’s just such a good story of what it’s like to actually be on the cusp of becoming a teenager and absorbing influences from all sorts.

Not only that, these authors know exactly what it’s like to be kids. The dialogue, the gestures, the specific looks; they all perfectly encapsulate childhood. And the character design? Superb. I adore the style and the way everyone’s design differs from one another. They’re people, not perfect designs, not perfect human specimens, etc.

I think I’ll like this more as time goes by, and I’ll definitely read it again. It’s a beautiful novel with lots of layers (the parents, the kids, the teenagers, and how their separate storylines come together -- or, at least, how they all come to impact each other’s). It’s probably one of the best coming-of-age stories I’ve ever read.

[Chelsea]

I really loved the whole idea of this book but the plot was lacking for me. There really wasn't much of a purpose or moral to the story which I think is what bothered me the most. It felt like it was all building up to something and then nothing happened.

[Angie]

I'm new to Graphic Novels, so I was excited yet nervous to read This One Summer. Sadly, this one wasn't for me. Rose spends every Summer with her parents at their beach cottage. This year is no different, except the atmosphere. Her parents have been fighting or ignoring each other and it's starting to take its toll on Rose. The only thing that is the same is her friend Windy, although things do become a little strained between the girls as Rose is affected by her parents and her inconvenient crush on "the Dud."

This One Summer was kind of boring. I never felt connected to Rose and what she was going through. Yes, we see her parents fighting, and then Rose leaving upset, but that's about it. Fight, leave, rinse, repeat. And there's no resolution to it at the end either. Then there's her crush on Duncan and the drama he's involved in. Windy and Rose just happen to overhear some gossip involving the local teens, but nothing comes of that either. I was hoping for something to happen between Rose and Duncan and then the drama causing problems, but nope. The only real tension I felt throughout the entire read was between Rose and Windy, because you can tell that she's annoyed with Windy at times.

The art of This One Summer was good. I'm by no means an expert on illustrations, but I liked them. At first I didn't because they seemed so plain and dark, but the more I read, the more I realized how well they fit the story. It's not what I prefer, since I love color and crispness, but that's not the tone the author and artist were trying to set.

In the end, This One Summer just wasn't my particular thing. I did read it in one sitting, but that was more because it was an easy, quick read rather than me having to know what came next.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[stefu1]

I liked this book a lot. It was cute and quick, and the art was really, really good. The content/plot was a little confusing at first, but then you just learned to go along with the book.

[Joséphine]

Initial thoughts: Two stars merely for the art, really. Plot and character-wise, This One Summer was sorely lacking. If you're looking for something to flip through to feast your eyes on, then this book fits the bill. However, if you're looking for a story, move along to your next read. Somehow the pace was off, which is weird since the whole summer vibe's slow and laid-back to begin with. Instead of keeping that beat, there was a lot of dissonant jumping from one scene to the next. I didn't feel any empathy towards the characters. Reading this was drab as the climax flatlined before it even took off. The rest of the time it was all about horror movies, boobs, and moodiness all around.

[Rinn]

I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.

This One Summer is the story of two young girls, just coming into their teenage years, who meet up every summer by the sea. It is a tale of long, hot summer days and cool nights, crushes on older boys and that awkwardness that comes with initial contact, growing out of old habits and interests and most of all, growing up.

Rose is probably about thirteen or fourteen years old, and Windy a year and a half younger. The two of them have that innocence of the young, whilst showing interest in things beyond their years. In the day they play on the beach and in the woods, at night they secretly rent out classic horror films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street from the local shop, where they also (at least in Rose’s case) take an interest in the local boys. The story perfectly captures that time in life where everything is changing, and you’re sort of stuck in a limbo between a child and a young adult.

Beyond the idyllic seaside setting though, is a darker picture. Although at first it appears that Rose’s family is a close one, threads begin to unravel and the reader sees that her mother is withdrawn and sullen. Rose is not the only one having troubles: the story also follows a group of teenagers from Awago Beach (through Roses’s eyes), until the two stories end up twisting together in a heart-breaking conclusion. The carefree summer days are interspersed with tense moments, until the truth finally comes out toward the end of the book.

From the very beginning I loved the art-style, but I wasn’t sure about the choice of going for an all blue colour palette. However, it grew on me and actually worked really well within the story: I was reminded of the cool sea breeze, chilly summer nights and the salty ocean – all very fitting for this particular book. The fact that the older boy that Rose had a crush one wasn’t typically ‘handsome’ was also a good move: young adult books with movie star crushes seem all too common.

My main issue with the book was the rather open ending. It concluded some things, but many questions were left unanswered. As well as this, I felt the word ‘like’ was rather overused. I know it’s quite common for teenagers to overuse that word, but it gets on my nerves reading it! It could have been used less, and still given a similar impression.

Overall, a really lovely coming-of-age graphic novel that covers much of the awkwardness of that stage between being a child and a young adult – and it also covers and discusses some more adult themes. With some lovely art and interesting characters (and realistic), it could also be a great way for fans of contemporary to start with graphic novels.