Review of Sophistries of Summer Days

[Eileen Aycardo]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Sophistries of Summer Days" by Jenny Lofters.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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“When you get to be twenty like me, you will learn that there is no such thing as a straight road from one place to the other. And even if there is a straight road, sometimes it is not the best road to take.”, Dove said to Cherrimina. Sophiestries of Summer Days truly did not take a straight road but instead took the reader into a roller coaster ride as Jenny Lofters tells the story of a young fourteen-year-old Cherrimina and twenty-year-old Dove as they are propelled to the challenges of adulthood in Naggo Head.

The story is written in vivid details that the reader can reimagine what life was like at the West Indies during the 1930s – the traditions, how they talk, how they dress, how children play. One can feel the joys of a new friendship, the frustration over uncertainties and the sorrows over the death of a loved one. It also talks about the confusion of a youngster about her sexuality and her anatomy and the feelings that come with it and the effort to find answers to unending questions and unexplained urges as she deals with the conservative views and judgmental eyes of the society she lives in.

The book is well – written. I did not find any grammatical mistakes. The reader may have difficulty understanding patois as it comes with the setting of the story. One thing I noticed is that the indention for the pages is not the same but it does not, in any way, affect the inspiring story that authors brings but will greatly improve one’s reading experience if given attention.

I am rating this book four out of four. The writer has done great work in bringing the story to life. Each character was given such attention that the reader will feel how it was like to live with them in that era and how they lived in one community despite their differences. This is a perfect flashback to that time and you’ll feel as if you were there while the story unfolds. The book is a great mix of wit, humor and wisdom.

This book deals with mature and sensitive issues regarding race, sex, religious views and would be best for readers above eighteen. It also has some graphic scenes which may be disturbing for some readers. Several lines from the Bible are also mentioned so this book is recommended for readers who are comfortable with that or open to such religious readings. If you are a reader that seeks to relive the 1930s, want to have an idea how life is in the islands, this is the book for you.

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Sophistries of Summer Days
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