4 out of 4 stars
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The Reel Sisters, by Michelle Cummings, is a story of friendship, self-discovery, loss, and change that highlights an unconventional and unique craft. Amanda, Rose, Veronica, and Sophie are four best friends who have created a special bond through fly-fishing. They plan a weekend fishing trip to distract themselves from the drama in their lives, but they end up catching a lot more than just fish. A girl named Melody gets caught up in the stream’s current, and the group pulls her out of the water just before she goes under.
Through this fiction story, I was able to learn a great amount about the logistics of fly-fishing, but what I enjoyed even more was the connection between fly-fishing and life. Each chapter begins with a quote about the sport that I found to be relevant to the plot line in each section. Every aspect has some significance to the characters, down to the kind of fish they catch and the type of flies they use. The girls apply all of the lessons they learn in fly-fishing to their friendships in order to strengthen their bonds. The lesson that really resonated with me is that the release is more important than the catch.
Melody is the character that I found to be the most intriguing. Her passion is photography, but her parents desperately want her to pursue music. This battle between her desires and her parent’s expectations has led her to seclude herself from the world, burying herself in her photographs. It is only when Amanda, Veronica, Rose, and Sophie accept her into their group that her walls begin to crumble. It was interesting to watch Melody’s character develop and grow through fly-fishing because it is something she never would have picked up all on her own.
The only real problem that I could find with the story was that there were a lot of characters to keep up with. Near the beginning, the girls almost seemed to blend together, and it was difficult not to confuse their families and backstories. However, these details became much clearer as I became more invested in the novel. I found each girl to have their own distinct identity and empathized with their struggles.
The Reel Sisters is very well-edited as I was only about to find a few minor errors within the text. I believe this book deserves 4 out of 4 stars and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt story about the power of friendship.
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The Reel Sisters
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