Daly, Maureen. 1942. SEVENTEENTH SUMMER. New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. ISBN 9780689853838
2. Plot Summary
Angie Morrow is seventeen years old and will start college in the fall. Every summer she spends with her sisters and parents, but this year is different. Jack Morrow the bakers son has asked her on a date. Her parents don't approve of her going on dates due to her age. But Jack is charming, handsome, and was captain of the basketball team. On their first date they going sailing under the stars and feelings began to develop. "You see it was different! It wasn't just because it was Jack and I either-it was something more than that" (1).
3. Critical Analysis
This books is written with the main character telling the reader the story in a format similar to a diary. "I don't know why I am telling you this" (1). The chapters are divided up in the three months of summer; June, July ,and August. There are not entries for days.
The plot of the story is self vs. self. The main character is growing and becoming an adult. She is having experiences that will change her life and who she is. The characters in the story are a normal middle class family and the people that live in their small community. The characters have believable personalities and normal lives. The story has a copyright date of 1942. When the story was written it was present day, but now this book could be considered historical fiction. It was interesting to see the difference between teenagers from this time period and present day. The notice able factors to now what time period the book took place in was the clothing, hairstyles, manners, activities,all the young adults were smoking, and the jobs. "She met him having a Coke in the drugstore..."(114). "That evening me and Margaret put on slacks..." (114).
The protagonist in the story is a seventeen girl who is naive in the ways of the world and love. All of the dialogue in the story is from the point of view of Angie. She is telling the reader what is happening in the story and what the other characters have said. She brings a sense of innocence and naivety to the story. "It's all right'" I told her gently...it's all right to kiss a boy." "Angie, you don't understand," she said wearily" (128). Has the summer progress the main character starts to understand the mysterious ways of the heart and the world. "People can't tell you about things like that, you have to find them for yourself . That's why it is so important. It was something I will always remember because I couldn't forget-it's a thing like that" (1).
This book is appealing for the reader to see a glimpse of teenagers of the past and what it was like for them to grow up. I had a hard time relating to the story due to how naive the main character was. "I meant to find out from my sisters what fellows usually say when they leave" (21). I don't believe that teenagers are that naive anymore due to technology and the ways of the world. "Your tomato juice is in the icebox" (27). Most teenagers have a cell phone. The phone conversations in the book were only to set up a time to go out. Times have changed immensely. I would recommend this to a teen who wanted to read about love and growing up in the 40's. Overall it is a good story just somewhat hard to relate to present day relationships.
4. Review Excerpts
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "College-bound Angie Morrow falls in love for the first time in the perennially popular Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly (1942), written while the author was still in college herself. Diary-like entries depict the trials and tribulations of adolescent amour. Ages 12-up."
YALSA: "Seventeenth Summer certainly feels like a book of its time. Yet in exploring the near-universal experience of first love, it manages to retain a sense of freshness. It won’t appeal to every reader, but those dreamy, romantic teens who want a clean romance will find much to enjoy."
Considered a classic young adult novel.
5. Connections
A great book for a book club or summer reading.
Other books about summer love:
Abbott, Hailey. GIRLS IN LOVE: A SUMMER GIRLS NOVEL. ISBN 9780545102698
Echols, Jennifer. ENDLESS SUMMER: THE BOYS NEXT DOOR ENDLESS SUMMER. ISBN 9781442406599
Han, Jenny. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY. ISBN 9781416968290
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