A Summer to Die

Where to begin? Which book is allowed the privaledge, nay, honor of being my first reviewed book. Should it be a classic favorite? Like Bridge to Terabithia, or my first full scale huge novel, It (Signet Books) as recounted in my last post? How about a true classic, such as Moby-Dick (Bantam Classics) or a modern day bestseller like The Da Vinci Code?

All these books are great, and I'm sure I'll review them eventually, but I think the book I must start with is a childhood/teen favorite of mine, A Summer to Die.

A Summer to Die is a fictional novel by Louis Lowry. Meg, the main character, has an older sister Molly and the two are complete opposites. Meg, the studious one, developes a love for photography by building a darkroom with their new neighbor. Molly, the ever popular one, developes, I believe, cancer, and is dying. The two don't get along, even when Molly is really sick.

I'm not sure what drew me to this book as a youngster. I read it several times. So much, in fact, my mom worried about me and my obssession with death. I think it was more Meg's coming of age that affected me though. She was so awkward in her own skin, which Lord knows, I felt all the time at that age. By building the darkroom and honing her photography skills, she comes into her own.

During her sister's funeral, their neighbor takes a photo of Meg that is displayed at a local art show. Meg sees the photo and tells her friend, "You made me beautiful." He replied, "My dear, you were beautiful all along."

That's what stuck with me, You were beautiful all along.