The Other Side of Summer

The Other Side of Summer
Written by Emily Gale
Middle Grade, Contemporary, Magical Realism
Published June 1st 2016
320 Pages
Thank you to Emily Gale
Published by Random House Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Summer is trying to recover from a tragedy, but it seems impossible when her family is falling apart around her. Having an extraordinary best friend like Mal helps a little, but Summer's secret source of happiness is a link to the past: one very special guitar.

Now her dad's plan to save them is turning Summer's life upside down again. The next thing she knows, they've moved to the other side of the world.

In Australia, Summer makes an unlikely friend, who seems to be magically connected to her guitar. Is this for real? Has a mysterious boy been sent to help Summer? Or could it be the other way around?

This sweet and spellbinding story about family, friends and believing in yourself will warm your heart.
Thirteen year old Summer is about to migrate to Australia with her grieving family, their lives irrevocably torn apart by tragedy. Her older and abrasive sister Wren uses her anger as barbed words, refusing to leave the only life they've ever know while Summer's mother is left broken and unable to care for her children as she once had. But their saving grace isn't the fresh start they has assumed it would be.

In their new, picture perfect suburban cottage, memories aren't the only thing that has been left behind. While Summer deals with the distance of being away from home and feeling unable to relate to her best friend Melinda, it's only when their possessions arrive from England when Summer starts to feel at home once more.

Resting her hope on a guitar she was in the midst of learning to play, Summer realises this is no ordinary instrument. The guitar leading her to Gabe, a strange boy that doesn't seem to remember why he's upon the banks of a local secluded creek, or how he came to be there. Gabe is drawn to Summer by the music, while Summer continues to grieve for all that shes lost, Gabe provides an escape that she so desperately needs, pining for her former life and ensuring the guitar's history is kept safe. Through oceans and time.

My thoughts

Rarely does a middle grade novel capture the beauty and realism of a young teen coming of age, but The Other Side of Summer was simply beautiful. Summer is grieving for not only what she's lost, but for her mother who is overcome and seemingly unable to make her way back to her family. It explores the effects of grief and depression from a thirteen year old perspective and is incredibly poignant as Summer feels as though she has lost her mother through the process. 
Our house stirred and breathed with us like old places do. I imagined us four freezing in our separate roosting spots. We, the Jackmans, were never called on unexpectedly anymore.
The sadness was palpable and made my heart ache. Summer's father is Australian and to save the frail threads that are holding his family together, he wants to move back to Australia and to start a new life. Older sister Wren is livid, but Summer is sick of feeling the heavy sadness that surrounds her family and reluctantly agrees to the move, leaving her best friend grasping onto her friend that has already emotionally left. 

The only thing that matters now to Summer is her newly acquired Ibanez Artwood guitar, a promise to herself to keep it safe and it's down by the creek where Summer learns to play once more. Gabe is drawn to Summer by the music she creates, but there's something strange about Gabe that Summer can't seem to grasp. He can't remember where he is, nor does he know why he's inexplicably drawn to her. 

It's through Gabe where Summer begins to heal, her once heavy heart has found a kindred spirit and Summer is about to discover how true that is.

I adored it. It was so beautifully written and enchanting, Summer's character is a young lady who is on the verge of finding herself again after her family has been torn apart by tragedy and begins to reluctantly enjoy life once more.

Magical realism is quite often explored within middle grade and coming of age stories, but none more so beautiful than The Other Side of Summer. I loved seeing Summer explore her new surroundings, the neighbours next door and their intrusive nine year old daughter, to leaning the language and unique Australian slang. It was utterly charming and only endeared me to the Jackman family even more so.

The Final Verdict

Enchanting and wonderfully written, The Other Side of Summer was simply beautiful. A charming coming of age story that bridges the gap between middle grade and young adult and a poignant and hopeful story for the young and young at heart. I loved it immensely.

14 comments

  1. This book sounds so beautiful. And somewhat not surprising considering it's MG. I feel like it's around that age when we can fully appreciate the inevitable change and emotional growth. Gorgeous review, hun. <3

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    1. Thanks Joy. It was such a beautiful read and bridges that gap between middle grade and young adult so wonderfully well.

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  2. I remember reading Steal My Sunshine a couple of years ago by Emily Gale and it was FANTASTIC so I'm really looking forward to this. I love MG <3

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    1. I haven't read that one yet, but will be buying a copy on my next book shopping trip. She's amazing and this book is just beautiful! I can't wait to see what you think of it.

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  3. Ohhh I want to read this one. :D IT SOUNDS AMAZING. And I really want to read more Aussie books. I mean, for shame Cait, I probably only read like 1 Aussie author per month and that's quite shameful. *dashes for goodreads*

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    1. There's so many incredible Aussie authors out there with phenomenal reads. If you're looking for any recommendations, there's a tab up there in my menu bar that lists them alphabetically along with star ratings. In the last year, I think I've read far more Aussie reads than ever. I just find them much more relatable.

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  4. I do tend to struggle a little with magical realism but this one sounds enchanting; just by that one quote I can tell I would love the writing. Plus a good coming of age story never gets old. Wonderful review :)

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    1. Hey Alise. I do too usually when it's introduced in young adult, but in a coming of age middle grade read it was absolutely charming! It was really subtle and lovely, and didn't overwhelm the storyline either. Gosh I loved it.

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  5. This sounds like such an emotional yet beautiful story Kelly. I hadn't heard of it before reading your review, but now I'm definitely going to have to give it a try. Thanks for putting this under my radar and, as always, fabulous review! <3

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    1. Thanks Zoe and you definitely won't regret it, it's beautiful. Can't wait to read her previous releases now.too.

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  6. I rarely read books with characters this age, but this is the type of book I make the exception for. Sounds wonderful!

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    1. It truly is Christy. It sits between middle grade and young adult, but Summer is such a wonderful character. Seeing not only Summer, but the grieving process of her family is something I think we can all relate to at one point in our lives. Just a brilliant read. I do hope you pick up a copy, I'd love to see what you think of it.

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    1. It really was Karen, I absolutely adored it.

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