Reviewed by May A. for TeensReadToo.com
Abigail and Becky are exactly two years and a day apart, and are often referred as the September Sisters by their mother. However, despite their close proximity of age, they constantly squabble with one another and compete for their parents' attention.
But after the sudden disappearance of Becky, Abby's whole life changes. Her mom grows more and more distant and her dad becomes overbearing and obsessed with the investigation. Abby is officially no longer an ignorant child, as she desperately tries to keep her family together.
Abby has no one to confide in until Tommy moves in next door. She soon finds herself expressing all of her emotions, pain, guilt, and resentment towards Becky and her disappearance to him. Along the way, Abigail also falls in love with him, even when everything in her world is less than perfect.
THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS, Jillian Cantor's debut novel, was truly unforgettable, with the perfect mixture of realism, great character development, and plot. Ms. Cantor did a clever job at crafting the opening scene, because I was hooked from the very first page.
The main character, Abby, was really well-written. All of her emotions were portrayed effectively and realistically, making it easy to sympathize with her. But, most importantly, she was a strong heroine, even given her tragic situation. One of the things that I thought was especially memorable were the contrasting emotions Abby endured throughout the book. At one point she was frustrated and even jealous of how much attention her sister received, even after she disappeared.
Her relationship with Tommy was a perfect depiction of first love and its exploring nature. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed, because when they initially met they were hesitant to become friends since they were forced to talk during lunch.
This one is definitely recommended and worth adding to your wish list.
Abigail and Becky are exactly two years and a day apart, and are often referred as the September Sisters by their mother. However, despite their close proximity of age, they constantly squabble with one another and compete for their parents' attention.
But after the sudden disappearance of Becky, Abby's whole life changes. Her mom grows more and more distant and her dad becomes overbearing and obsessed with the investigation. Abby is officially no longer an ignorant child, as she desperately tries to keep her family together.
Abby has no one to confide in until Tommy moves in next door. She soon finds herself expressing all of her emotions, pain, guilt, and resentment towards Becky and her disappearance to him. Along the way, Abigail also falls in love with him, even when everything in her world is less than perfect.
THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS, Jillian Cantor's debut novel, was truly unforgettable, with the perfect mixture of realism, great character development, and plot. Ms. Cantor did a clever job at crafting the opening scene, because I was hooked from the very first page.
The main character, Abby, was really well-written. All of her emotions were portrayed effectively and realistically, making it easy to sympathize with her. But, most importantly, she was a strong heroine, even given her tragic situation. One of the things that I thought was especially memorable were the contrasting emotions Abby endured throughout the book. At one point she was frustrated and even jealous of how much attention her sister received, even after she disappeared.
Her relationship with Tommy was a perfect depiction of first love and its exploring nature. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed, because when they initially met they were hesitant to become friends since they were forced to talk during lunch.
This one is definitely recommended and worth adding to your wish list.
