Struggling/frustrated Writer Alert!
April 8th 2008 03:48
I had never heard of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants until I saw the film. The film is based on a series of four books written for young adults by Ann Brashares.
I think I watched the film because of its great title (firstly) and because I’d heard some good things about it. But I’m also a Gilmore Girls tragic and love Alexis Bledel who stars in Sisterhood. It’s been a while since I saw this film but I do remember rather liking it and thinking I wouldn’t mind watching it with my daughter when she’s older.
When I ordered some books from Doubleday recently I got to choose some freebies – usually a bit of a worry but I did get The Kite Runner. The other book was called The Last Summer (Of You and Me) by Ann Brashares.
Anita Shreve provides a bit of a blurb on the cover and calls it a “very adult novel of love, loss and the beauty of intense family bonds.”
I liked this gently written book. It tells the story of two sisters, Alice and Riley, who grow up spending every summer at a sort of holiday island. The story also tells of their relationship with one of the other summer kids, Paul. The book evokes the transition from childhood to adulthood with considerable skill. The flashbacks to the summers of the characters’ teenage years are particularly rich – this is, after all, Brashares’ forte.
This novel finally helped me to understand what is meant by the term ‘character driven’. Not a whole lot happens but the characters engaged me and made me want to read on. I also thought the pacing of the main love affair was particularly effective and rather suspenseful.
However, for my purposes I must draw attention to the following description of the mother (Judy) of the two female protagonists – for it is she who puts The Last Summer (Of You and Me) on The List of Writers in Writing.
“(Their) mother copyedited and proofread textbooks and pitched articles on child-rearing and related subjects to a handful of editors she knew. Judy talked about her articles a lot during the conceiving and pitching stage, but after that they often disappeared, uncommissioned and unwritten.”
I almost laughed and cried at the same time when I read that paragraph – so painfully true and sad it was.
So to all the struggling and frustrated writers – well, what can I say? When that cookie crumbles it sure is a bastard!
I think I watched the film because of its great title (firstly) and because I’d heard some good things about it. But I’m also a Gilmore Girls tragic and love Alexis Bledel who stars in Sisterhood. It’s been a while since I saw this film but I do remember rather liking it and thinking I wouldn’t mind watching it with my daughter when she’s older.
When I ordered some books from Doubleday recently I got to choose some freebies – usually a bit of a worry but I did get The Kite Runner. The other book was called The Last Summer (Of You and Me) by Ann Brashares.
Anita Shreve provides a bit of a blurb on the cover and calls it a “very adult novel of love, loss and the beauty of intense family bonds.”
I liked this gently written book. It tells the story of two sisters, Alice and Riley, who grow up spending every summer at a sort of holiday island. The story also tells of their relationship with one of the other summer kids, Paul. The book evokes the transition from childhood to adulthood with considerable skill. The flashbacks to the summers of the characters’ teenage years are particularly rich – this is, after all, Brashares’ forte.
This novel finally helped me to understand what is meant by the term ‘character driven’. Not a whole lot happens but the characters engaged me and made me want to read on. I also thought the pacing of the main love affair was particularly effective and rather suspenseful.
However, for my purposes I must draw attention to the following description of the mother (Judy) of the two female protagonists – for it is she who puts The Last Summer (Of You and Me) on The List of Writers in Writing.
“(Their) mother copyedited and proofread textbooks and pitched articles on child-rearing and related subjects to a handful of editors she knew. Judy talked about her articles a lot during the conceiving and pitching stage, but after that they often disappeared, uncommissioned and unwritten.”
I almost laughed and cried at the same time when I read that paragraph – so painfully true and sad it was.
So to all the struggling and frustrated writers – well, what can I say? When that cookie crumbles it sure is a bastard!
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Comment by Joanne Fedler
Jo
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
The measure of tenacity - how utterly,completely and unquestionably true that is.
Jayne
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
I did read about the sequel. I think it's because there are four books in the series and I guess the fans want more.
It's been a while so the film has receded into the vast void which is my memory, but I think I enjoyed it because it wasn't completely mindless or exploitative while being aimed at teenage girls (which in itself is an achievement). I don't think it was necessarily a stunning piece of film-making. If the sequel can capture a bit of what the first one had I think it will find an audience fairly easily.
But the sequel slope can get pretty slippery...
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Comment by Jayne Kearney
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I actually think it might be one of my most favourite-est comments. Thank you for your generous spirit.
Jayne