Summer Sisters by Judy Blume

WOW, this book was INTENSE. It's another one of those books where the main character seems to be falling about and slowly deteriorating, and it makes you sad to watch because all the other characters are growing up and the main character is gonna hit a breaking point and you just don't know when and--- whew. Calm down, Ali. Take a deep breath and think of ponies.
But I CAN'T think of ponies after reading this book! It starts off with two girls, both twelve: Vix and Caitlin. Caitlin is the rich popular girl and she chooses Vix, the girl from the poor family with four kids, to spend the summer with her on St. Martha's Vineyard Island in her dad's house.
Caitlin and Vix slowly grow up over the years, always returning to the Vineyard every summer together... summer sisters, explaining the title. Their ideals change greatly; Vix finds herself gearing towards success and falling in love with one special guy on the island while Caitlin sleeps around and proclaims she doesn't want to die old; she'll go young.
Then, on the summer Vix turns eighteen, everything bad happens. She gets drunk and cheats on her boyfriend, but her still loves her; and then her brother, who had muscular dystrophy, died. It was very truamatic for her, but she was able to overcome the depression at college, where she communicated with Caitlin mainly by postcard and phone calls late at night. Because Caitlin, meanwhile, was seeing the world, giving Vix vivid stories about the people she met, what she did during her days...
So the girls are still in touch as they move through their careers and Vix's breakup with that longtime boyfriend. However, Caitlin seems to be getting more and more distant. Vix is worried for Caitlin, but doesn't know what to do. The closer you get to the end, the easier it is to see this story can't end well.
In spite of that ominous summary, it was a VERY good book. I loved it so much... Judy Blume has always been a great author for all ages, just look at her other books. This was actually the first of her adult books I have read, but I am looking forward to reading more.
She writes wonderfully in first person at every aspect of these girls' lives; when they're kids she channels their thoughts, desires, and needs perfectly, and as they grow up she knows just how to develop the personality traits they showed hints of in childhood.
A wonderful book with a great, twisting plot. LOVED IT. ♠♠♠♠♠