The Other Side of Summer

by Emily Gale

[Kelly]

Rarely does a middle grade novel capture the beauty and realism of a young teen coming of age, but The Other Side of Summer was simply beautiful. Summer is grieving for not only what she's lost, but for her mother who is overcome and seemingly unable to make her way back to her family. It explores the effects of grief and depression from a thirteen year old perspective and is incredibly poignant as Summer feels as though she has lost her mother through the process.

Our house stirred and breathed with us like old places do. I imagined us four freezing in our separate roosting spots. We, the Jackmans, were never called on unexpectedly anymore.

The sadness was palpable and made my heart ache. Summer's father is Australian and to save the frail threads that are holding his family together, he wants to move back to Australia and to start a new life. Older sister Wren is livid, but Summer is sick of feeling the heavy sadness that surrounds her family and reluctantly agrees to the move, leaving her best friend grasping onto her friend that has already emotionally left.

The only thing that matters now to Summer is her newly acquired Ibanez Artwood guitar, a promise to herself to keep it safe and it's down by the creek where Summer learns to play once more. Gabe is drawn to Summer by the music she creates, but there's something strange about Gabe that Summer can't seem to grasp. He can't remember where he is, nor does he know why he's inexplicably drawn to her.

It's through Gabe where Summer begins to heal, her once heavy heart has found a kindred spirit and Summer is about to discover how true that is.

I adored it. It was so beautifully written and enchanting, Summer's character is a young lady who is on the verge of finding herself again after her family has been torn apart by tragedy and begins to reluctantly enjoy life once more.

Magical realism is quite often explored within middle grade and coming of age stories, but none more so beautiful than The Other Side of Summer. I loved seeing Summer explore her new surroundings, the neighbours next door and their intrusive nine year old daughter, to leaning the language and unique Australian slang. It was utterly charming and only endeared me to the Jackman family even more so.

Enchanting and wonderfully written, The Other Side of Summer was simply beautiful. A charming coming of age story that bridges the gap between middle grade and young adult and a poignant and hopeful story for the young and young at heart. I loved it immensely.
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