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Last Summer #1
Last Summer
Last summer was a vacation island, beachgrass and plum, sunshine and sand...Last summer was a million laughs...Last summer a pretty blonde girl and two carefree, suntanned youths nursed an injured seagull back to health...Last summer, too, they befriended Rhoda, a shy young girl with trusting eyes...Let the reader beware. This is a shocking book - not for its candor and daring but for its cruelty and scorn, its shattering impact, and its terrifying vision of reality. What begins as a vacation idyll gradually turns into a dark parable of modern society, revealing the insensate barbarity of man.The opening is as bright as summer, as calm as a cobra dozing in the sun. But, as summer and compassion wane, the author strips away the pretense of youth and lays bare the blunt, primeval urge to crush, defile, betray. The tragic, inevitable outcome exposes the depths of moral corruption and the violation of the soul.In this tale of depravity, Evan Hunter has written a novel that is a work of art. Its theme and portent are inescapable, its insolence cauterizing, its humor outrageous - a brilliant stabbing, altogether unforgettable book.
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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769 people want to read
About the author
Evan Hunter
188 books115 followersBetter known by his pseudonym Ed McBain.
Born Salvatore Albert Lombino, he legally adopted the name Evan Hunter in 1952. While successful and well known as Evan Hunter, he was even better known as Ed McBain, a name he used for most of his crime fiction, beginning in 1956.
Born Salvatore Albert Lombino, he legally adopted the name Evan Hunter in 1952. While successful and well known as Evan Hunter, he was even better known as Ed McBain, a name he used for most of his crime fiction, beginning in 1956.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
January 24, 2025
Salvatore Lombino, best known as Ed McBain, wrote this as Evan Hunter. It was also a highly successful motion picture in 1969. In it, We are treated to an adolescent narrating about the endless days of summer on Fire Island with what would become his two best friends in the world, Sandy and David, a threesome centering around Sandy and the three teens’ exploration and coming of age. But, it’s a teenage relationship so powerful that the individuals loose themselves in it, merging into the one and nothing exists or matters for themselves outside their little group. And there lurks the danger for outsiders who have not melded into this threesome and for who, ultimately neither Peter, nor David, nor Sandy has any loyalty toward. What Hunter does here is give an honest sense of what Peter feels through this process as the three begin by cruelly tormenting a bird and gravitate toward bigger things from that. On the way, he demonstrates how powerful these teenage friendships can be to the point where no one else exists for these teens. We get a sense of what people are capable of becoming in groups, often so different from what they are like one on one.
August 12, 2019
Perfectly captures the claustrophobic intensity of a very particular type of teenage friendship and that phase of adolescence when even the most innocuous-seeming interactions feel high stakes and can even have life-altering ramifications (to say nothing of the way casual cruelty becomes easily misrecognized as adult sophistication). Was inspired to seek out after watching Frank and Eleanor Perry’s excellent 1969 film adaptation which is very faithful to Hunter’s novel, though the casting of Catherine Burns as Rhoda gives the character—and thus the entire story—a slightly different tenor; it’s the effect of a familiar piece of music being played in a different key. The surrealistic appearance of Alfred Hitchcock toward the end is an amusing touch for those who know Hunter wrote the screenplay for The Birds (my favorite of his films); both share a similarly menacing, almost apocalyptic quality.
October 16, 2018
I loved this one so much! The writing style, the story, the characters - everything was perfect. Funny, cruel and incredibly disturbing at the same time, just how I like my books. Seriously gave me some "The Secret History" and "Lord of the Flies" vibes character- and relationship-wise, the latter being just straight-up messy and manipulative (not to say sick). Trust me, a mix of both of these books is something you definitely want to read. I have literally no criticism and can't wait to read the sequel and more books written by this so very talented (and sadly already deceased) author!
July 14, 2019
I cat sit in the apartments of friends in the summer and this one in East Harlem, maybe not far from the author’s childhood home, has a few Evan Hunter/EdMcBain novels on the bookshelf. One of which is an old Signet paperback of Last Summer. I needed something to read and since I had positive feelings about the old movie and the novel is only 206 pages, I thought, “Why not?” Sometimes it is good to follow an impulse.
I had remembered the movie as being good and the first time in saw both Barbara Hershey, and Richard Thomas. Also that it was not a happy movie, it involved bullying and worse. The movie script was written by Eleanor Perry and directed by Frank Perry. As a pair, they made some fine movies in the 1960s-70s. They made David and Lisa, another intimate human drama. After reading the brief Last Summer novel, I’d like to see the old movie again although it seems out of distribution currently.
Last Summer is about four high school aged white children of economic and social privilege from Manhattan private schools dealing with life at their parent’s summer places on an island somewhere outside the city presumably a brief ferry ride off Long Island somewhere.
The boys know one another from summers past. They bond in sort of a moderate triad with a brash attractive bikini clad girl, Sandy. She has found an injured seagull. These three hang out, acquire beer, do stuff with the seagull, none of which is heartwarming, and take Peter’s dad’s sailboat out. All the while we are becoming familiar with their characters and their relationship with one another. Dan (was that even his name?) is the sketchiest character even through his suggestions propel some of the plot. He is mainly focused on Sandy. Not so much in love with her but seeing her as a vehicle for his urges to act out sexuality. He is not motivated by need for intimate human connection, but sensational pleasure that is selfish and greedy and heightened by getting away with something natural and beautiful turned nasty naughty. He is a consumer. There must be a core of attempted connection in showing other boys/men how one has scored.
They meet Rhonda. She is the opposite of Sandy. She’s injured by something horrible that happened in her family and socially awkward.
Sandy is the dominant force in the triad. Through a series of encounters Rhonda is granted a type of provisional acceptance by Sandy into the group. The boys just follow. Ultimately it would have been better had Rhonda stayed away from them.
The novel is written from the point of view and in the voice of Peter. This character is the nicer of the two boys, the nicer of all three really. Perhaps it is that he is the only one who gets to tell his side of the story. His description of the characters and their actions are all we have. We have to take him on his word, unreliable narrator that he no doubt is. There is the sort of weakness in him, an insecurity that compels him to stay with the group and its power. His is a self-protective chameleon nature. He blends in to hide, thrive, and consume. He develops sympathy and ultimately affection toward Rhonda. But can he follow through?
Peter is the story. He is the one who represents maybe all of us when we are on the fence, know what is right action, but must drift along with power. When we are given the choice of the uncertainty of loving, and take the alternative route with the others into fleeting sensation and a type of gang mentality.
Evan Hunter presents a wonderfully constructed scene with the entrance of the Anibal character. Having read the brief online biography of Salvatore A. Lombino and his East Harlem roots it appears Anibal from Puerto Rico, with learner’s level but carefully accurate English, and living in East Harlem, is a sort of stand-in for the author or based on men he once might have known as a youth. Even Anibal is not immune to the allure of the young white rich pleasure seekers. Heartlessly they call him “Annabelle”, ignoring his repeated prompting that the accent is on the middle syllable, after all he is not a real white man. He’s just another disposable toy to bored consumer kids. The sequence is also of retro interest because it has a modern element of ancient computer dating. In the way familiar, not remote, from 21st Century hookup apps, as well as reflecting current “Build a wall” mentality incubating in kids.
50 years after this book came out, it is easy to see that the people in it are in their late 60s now and perhaps still holding on to that kind of gang power thing that seemed to work for them back then. They are the elite in business and politics still running things. Getting ready to pass it on to their survivors. Sophisticated yet ruthless they went through whatever it took to please their spouses, children, and their good old American narcissistic personal needs.
The rest of us? Maybe we are all Rhonda hanging on the fringes trying to fulfill our own narcissistic needs, by attracting high profile miserable jerks in control. We would probably be better off wandering away from them and playing alone or among ourselves.
Evan Hunter presents a sunburned noir.
It still holds up.
I had remembered the movie as being good and the first time in saw both Barbara Hershey, and Richard Thomas. Also that it was not a happy movie, it involved bullying and worse. The movie script was written by Eleanor Perry and directed by Frank Perry. As a pair, they made some fine movies in the 1960s-70s. They made David and Lisa, another intimate human drama. After reading the brief Last Summer novel, I’d like to see the old movie again although it seems out of distribution currently.
Last Summer is about four high school aged white children of economic and social privilege from Manhattan private schools dealing with life at their parent’s summer places on an island somewhere outside the city presumably a brief ferry ride off Long Island somewhere.
The boys know one another from summers past. They bond in sort of a moderate triad with a brash attractive bikini clad girl, Sandy. She has found an injured seagull. These three hang out, acquire beer, do stuff with the seagull, none of which is heartwarming, and take Peter’s dad’s sailboat out. All the while we are becoming familiar with their characters and their relationship with one another. Dan (was that even his name?) is the sketchiest character even through his suggestions propel some of the plot. He is mainly focused on Sandy. Not so much in love with her but seeing her as a vehicle for his urges to act out sexuality. He is not motivated by need for intimate human connection, but sensational pleasure that is selfish and greedy and heightened by getting away with something natural and beautiful turned nasty naughty. He is a consumer. There must be a core of attempted connection in showing other boys/men how one has scored.
They meet Rhonda. She is the opposite of Sandy. She’s injured by something horrible that happened in her family and socially awkward.
Sandy is the dominant force in the triad. Through a series of encounters Rhonda is granted a type of provisional acceptance by Sandy into the group. The boys just follow. Ultimately it would have been better had Rhonda stayed away from them.
The novel is written from the point of view and in the voice of Peter. This character is the nicer of the two boys, the nicer of all three really. Perhaps it is that he is the only one who gets to tell his side of the story. His description of the characters and their actions are all we have. We have to take him on his word, unreliable narrator that he no doubt is. There is the sort of weakness in him, an insecurity that compels him to stay with the group and its power. His is a self-protective chameleon nature. He blends in to hide, thrive, and consume. He develops sympathy and ultimately affection toward Rhonda. But can he follow through?
Peter is the story. He is the one who represents maybe all of us when we are on the fence, know what is right action, but must drift along with power. When we are given the choice of the uncertainty of loving, and take the alternative route with the others into fleeting sensation and a type of gang mentality.
Evan Hunter presents a wonderfully constructed scene with the entrance of the Anibal character. Having read the brief online biography of Salvatore A. Lombino and his East Harlem roots it appears Anibal from Puerto Rico, with learner’s level but carefully accurate English, and living in East Harlem, is a sort of stand-in for the author or based on men he once might have known as a youth. Even Anibal is not immune to the allure of the young white rich pleasure seekers. Heartlessly they call him “Annabelle”, ignoring his repeated prompting that the accent is on the middle syllable, after all he is not a real white man. He’s just another disposable toy to bored consumer kids. The sequence is also of retro interest because it has a modern element of ancient computer dating. In the way familiar, not remote, from 21st Century hookup apps, as well as reflecting current “Build a wall” mentality incubating in kids.
50 years after this book came out, it is easy to see that the people in it are in their late 60s now and perhaps still holding on to that kind of gang power thing that seemed to work for them back then. They are the elite in business and politics still running things. Getting ready to pass it on to their survivors. Sophisticated yet ruthless they went through whatever it took to please their spouses, children, and their good old American narcissistic personal needs.
The rest of us? Maybe we are all Rhonda hanging on the fringes trying to fulfill our own narcissistic needs, by attracting high profile miserable jerks in control. We would probably be better off wandering away from them and playing alone or among ourselves.
Evan Hunter presents a sunburned noir.
It still holds up.
December 23, 2018
Like Lord of the Flies, Last Summer reminds us that civilisation is not always civilised and the supposedly innocent are not always as innocent as one would expect. Instead, darkness is found in places of light and depravity lurks nearby. Last Summer tells the story of four somewhat privileged adolescents from New York who meet on a vacation island (probably off the Connecticut coast). Peter, the narrator, is something of a follower; David is something of a leader, a talented musician; Sandy, the girl in the original trio is an instigator with a dark side; and then there's Rhoda, a newcomer, shy, socially ill at ease, hesitant. All four come from privileged backgrounds (not a public school in the bunch) spending the whole summer on the island but they are all deprived in some way as well. Peter's father is an alcoholic; Sandy's mother is divorced from the father she met only once and has taken up with a younger man; David's parents are largely absent; and Rhoda's mother has died in a swimming accident. Rhoda is the fourth musketeer coming to the group after it has already bonded. One gets the sense that she is something of a project for the others; they are going to help her fit in. There are moments where this actually seems to be happening, as when Peter teaches Rhoda to swim. But there are other moments when the dark side of the group is displayed. These moments culminate in the events of the end of the story which, in hindsight, seem almost inevitable.
Evan Hunter (who wrote crime fiction under the name Ed McBain) is well acquainted with the dark side of humanity. In this novel, he does a masterful job in showing how darkness can coexist with light.
Evan Hunter (who wrote crime fiction under the name Ed McBain) is well acquainted with the dark side of humanity. In this novel, he does a masterful job in showing how darkness can coexist with light.
November 17, 2018
Reminiscent of The Stranger by Albert Camus. The idyllic summer vacation for three teenage sociopaths is remembered by one for the good natured antics of the trio which turn cold and brutal. These seemingly charming youths enjoy their time together under the sun and in the waves. But, like the fire scorched island they reside on, each has a dead spot within themselves, Sandy in particular. Despite their apparent innocence, they are sociopaths who act without conscience.
I first discovered the movie on cable tv and this led me to read the book. It's always difficult to read a book after viewing a movie adaptation without being biased by it. In this case, the film took very little liberties and was actually quite faithful in both plot and dialogue. To be honest, if I had not already been familiar with the story and the events that would unfold, I probably would have gotten bored with the story and abandoned the book entirely. But, because I knew what was to come, I was better able to see and understand the characters faults, and enjoy the story for what it was, albeit without shock or surprise.
I first discovered the movie on cable tv and this led me to read the book. It's always difficult to read a book after viewing a movie adaptation without being biased by it. In this case, the film took very little liberties and was actually quite faithful in both plot and dialogue. To be honest, if I had not already been familiar with the story and the events that would unfold, I probably would have gotten bored with the story and abandoned the book entirely. But, because I knew what was to come, I was better able to see and understand the characters faults, and enjoy the story for what it was, albeit without shock or surprise.
Read
June 28, 2018Let me start by saying that I've read and own all the Ed McBain 87th Precinct books and loved them. As far as Last Summer goes, I don't rate books with stars if I abandoned them. It's not fair to the author if I don't finish a book. However, I did read 28% (on my Kindle) and I'm bored to tears. I have no idea when anything will happen (other than saving a seagull and the girl removing her bikini top which the author must think are significant events). For me, I can't wait any longer. Life is too short to read uninteresting books.
September 23, 2024
I read this all in one day, and now I'm sitting here the day after trying to bring back up what exactly this was about. It isn't exactly a cheerful book, but it has a strong beach house island vibe which aligns well with my summer mood, and so despite the moments of depravity, I felt uplifted reading it. The descriptions of the ocean and activities such as sailing and snorkeling gave this rather dark story a veneer of lightheartedness, which caused me to feel calm and happy for the majority of the book.
The underlying theme of this book was the dangers of groupthink. All throughout Peter (who's perspective this is told in) knew on some level that his actions were wrong, but his desire to be part of the group, to feel powerful and beautiful and "with the party," won out. When Rhonda was around she was a reminder of his conscience; she made him stop and think. She didn't conform, and as a result, she was crushed, just like the skull of that gull.
There was also this idea of emotional detachment that was brought up a few times. First was with the movie. Too much time was spent discussing that movie for the author to not be making some kind of point. It was about a guy who never got into any real emotionally intimate relationships. According to David, "None of the people in that picture ever really touched each other." But then Sandy adds "If the point was that all that running around and fooling around was so unattractive, then why did the director make it so exciting?" This could be understood as Sandy being caught up in the excitement and missing 'the point', but based on the description of the movie, it seemed like a valid take to me.
The second time this idea came up was when Rhonda was talking to Peter on the beach about how she feels left out of "the party" of loud, bright and happy people, but at the same time finds them shallow. "I want to be drowned in sound and color, I want to laugh with them, and dance with them and move with them!" But later "I long to go to that party, but I'm terrified of going to it...I have the feeling that once I get there, I'll really become like all the rest, that in our nuclear generation I'll forget that I'm the nucleus and just lose myself in all the others laughing." Peter tells her that she sounds like an old lady and should hide her feelings, which is undoubtedly a dick move, but not much different from regular teenage boy behavior.
So I think the author was trying to say that their group (Peter, Sandy, and David) had no depth to their relationship and that it revolved around adrenaline chasing and whatnot, but I don't know if I got that, they seemed like genuine friends to me. They were (almost) always honest with each other and discussed sensitive matters like family troubles and embarrassing past moments. What struck me most about the group was how normal they all seemed in the beginning, yet how quickly and easily they fell into cruelty.
Anyway, I want to read this book again. It must be good since I've written this much. This might be my longest review yet.
Edit: I'm uping this to 5 stars for staying power. It's been 2 months since I read this book and I still think about it all the time.
The underlying theme of this book was the dangers of groupthink. All throughout Peter (who's perspective this is told in) knew on some level that his actions were wrong, but his desire to be part of the group, to feel powerful and beautiful and "with the party," won out. When Rhonda was around she was a reminder of his conscience; she made him stop and think. She didn't conform, and as a result, she was crushed, just like the skull of that gull.
There was also this idea of emotional detachment that was brought up a few times. First was with the movie. Too much time was spent discussing that movie for the author to not be making some kind of point. It was about a guy who never got into any real emotionally intimate relationships. According to David, "None of the people in that picture ever really touched each other." But then Sandy adds "If the point was that all that running around and fooling around was so unattractive, then why did the director make it so exciting?" This could be understood as Sandy being caught up in the excitement and missing 'the point', but based on the description of the movie, it seemed like a valid take to me.
The second time this idea came up was when Rhonda was talking to Peter on the beach about how she feels left out of "the party" of loud, bright and happy people, but at the same time finds them shallow. "I want to be drowned in sound and color, I want to laugh with them, and dance with them and move with them!" But later "I long to go to that party, but I'm terrified of going to it...I have the feeling that once I get there, I'll really become like all the rest, that in our nuclear generation I'll forget that I'm the nucleus and just lose myself in all the others laughing." Peter tells her that she sounds like an old lady and should hide her feelings, which is undoubtedly a dick move, but not much different from regular teenage boy behavior.
So I think the author was trying to say that their group (Peter, Sandy, and David) had no depth to their relationship and that it revolved around adrenaline chasing and whatnot, but I don't know if I got that, they seemed like genuine friends to me. They were (almost) always honest with each other and discussed sensitive matters like family troubles and embarrassing past moments. What struck me most about the group was how normal they all seemed in the beginning, yet how quickly and easily they fell into cruelty.
Anyway, I want to read this book again. It must be good since I've written this much. This might be my longest review yet.
Edit: I'm uping this to 5 stars for staying power. It's been 2 months since I read this book and I still think about it all the time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2021
I was saving Evan Hunter's Last Summer for summertime on purpose, just for the atmosphere of it all. Oof, this one is a sour little lemon, with Great Gatsby's disdain towards the wealthy and Clockwork Orange's terror of the teen mindset. It astounds me how many reviews for this book say things like "the characters were bad people!" Like... I don't know how they could possibly miss that that's the point. 'Protagonist' doesn't automatically mean 'hero'!! Hell; I barely passed high school, and I still saw plenty worth discussing here. How about the parallels between the seagull and Rhoda? Both briefly became these characters' pet project until they (literally) bit Sandy; then she destroyed them, and the boys helped. What about the sexual predation both girls faced throughout the entire story? Sandy was preyed on by adults she should've been able to trust; her friends Peter and David; and complete strangers. I don't think it's a coincidence that she "gave" Rhoda to them as a way to protect herself. The mental absence of the wealthy parents felt very Gatsby-esque, too; entire pages were just the most inane, repetitive conversations just to show how disconnected the parents are from their kids. I feel like there's a lot going on here; stuff I'm not necessarily smart enough to pick up on. It deserves better than the comments just saying "I didn't like the characters! Weh! :C " like a bunch of babies. (Trigger warnings for animal abuse/death, homophobic/racial slurs, and gang rape.)
May 1, 2009
Depressingly sparse book about teenage alienation among the wealthy and privileged on a thinly disguised Fire Island in the summer of '69. Not Hunters best.
June 24, 2010
Once again, Hunter (aka McBain) steps into the very dark realm of human nature. But if you like to read these types of books occasionally, Hunter is your man!
January 17, 2021
LAST SUMMER is truly a chilling book ... made all the more so because it doesn’t seem to set out to be one. When most of us use the term “last summer,” it is a reference to the previous summer. That is partially the case here, too. Yet, it can also be seen as a reference to finality ... the end of a time of year filled with a rosy glow of freedom and adventure. For the central characters, any pretense to a more “innocent time” is gone.
The writer, Evan Hunter, is mostly known as a mystery writer (although I especially remembered him as the screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock’s film, “The Birds”). LAST SUMMER isn’t a mystery, but it does take the Reader inside the dynamics of a group of three teenage friends on a summer island tourist spot. They appear to be “typical teenagers” with an easy willingness to take risks, an obsession with personal appearance, and a strong curiosity about sex.
But, it is more than that. The unofficial “leader” (being the one with the greatest influence) doesn’t just have the typical teen issues. There is also a bit of a sociopath present that includes harmful attitudes and actions. That influence becomes peer pressure and even “herd mentality” that grows more and more disturbing. When a fourth teen joins the group, the uneasy balance spirals out of control.
The writer does a great job of lowering the Reader’s defenses. These are kids, right? And when things get out of hand ... well, that’s just kids who are lacking the maturity to govern their actions. Isn’t it?
The writing style is quite easy to follow, and there aren’t so many characters as to cause the Reader to ponder, “Okay, who was that again?” There is also a very uncomfortable juxtaposition between a group of teen “townies” who have formed their own gang, and our “normal” kids who have some tendencies of their own. I won’t be forgetting these characters for a while.
When I finished the book, there was a sample section at the end from the sequel. I didn’t read it. Although I was quite engaged throughout LAST SUMMER, I don’t know that I’ll be wanting to spend more time with these folks ... certainly not anytime soon. It’s not a comfortable place to be.
The writer, Evan Hunter, is mostly known as a mystery writer (although I especially remembered him as the screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock’s film, “The Birds”). LAST SUMMER isn’t a mystery, but it does take the Reader inside the dynamics of a group of three teenage friends on a summer island tourist spot. They appear to be “typical teenagers” with an easy willingness to take risks, an obsession with personal appearance, and a strong curiosity about sex.
But, it is more than that. The unofficial “leader” (being the one with the greatest influence) doesn’t just have the typical teen issues. There is also a bit of a sociopath present that includes harmful attitudes and actions. That influence becomes peer pressure and even “herd mentality” that grows more and more disturbing. When a fourth teen joins the group, the uneasy balance spirals out of control.
The writer does a great job of lowering the Reader’s defenses. These are kids, right? And when things get out of hand ... well, that’s just kids who are lacking the maturity to govern their actions. Isn’t it?
The writing style is quite easy to follow, and there aren’t so many characters as to cause the Reader to ponder, “Okay, who was that again?” There is also a very uncomfortable juxtaposition between a group of teen “townies” who have formed their own gang, and our “normal” kids who have some tendencies of their own. I won’t be forgetting these characters for a while.
When I finished the book, there was a sample section at the end from the sequel. I didn’t read it. Although I was quite engaged throughout LAST SUMMER, I don’t know that I’ll be wanting to spend more time with these folks ... certainly not anytime soon. It’s not a comfortable place to be.
July 12, 2020
3.75 stars. Its an amazing book, funny too. BUT I HATED IT. Morally, I can't find a star less than 1.
I hated all the 3 protagonists - Sandy, David and Peter. Im still quivering with anger and am so upset at their horrible, horrible behaviour.
Where is the redemption?
I hated all the 3 protagonists - Sandy, David and Peter. Im still quivering with anger and am so upset at their horrible, horrible behaviour.
Where is the redemption?
December 20, 2019
Plenty of reviews sing the praises of this book but I didn't think it was that mind-blowing. Teenagers Are Psychopaths And Do Something Shitty and Irreversible But Feel No Remorse is a well-trod genre and this was kind of a boring and meandering stroll through it. Unlike other books where the characters are actually likeable even when they are shitty people, the kids in this were just boring spoiled kids on a summer vacation who decide to ruin another person's life because....they think she's annoying? I mean it was realistic in many ways but also reminded me that teenagers like this are not deep despite being told how smart and special they are their whole lives, and they are super boring kids who will be super boring adults and never face the consequences of being shitty and manipulative. I guess it was considered edgy at the time because one of the villains was the narrator and the morality of him wasn't heroic? Honestly I do not know.
October 23, 2012
The book is deceptively simple, reminiscent of the sort of books assigned to honors English student in 8th grade and not read by anyone else, but it is also really effective.
Most authors these days start where this book ends, saturating the reader with angst and brutality on every page, wallowing in desensitized "realism" and achieving nothing.
This is the most depressing book I've read in a long time. It's anti-cathartic and masterful in its tension. I do, however, find myself wondering how it would read if the marketing hadn't let me know that something awful was coming ...
Most authors these days start where this book ends, saturating the reader with angst and brutality on every page, wallowing in desensitized "realism" and achieving nothing.
This is the most depressing book I've read in a long time. It's anti-cathartic and masterful in its tension. I do, however, find myself wondering how it would read if the marketing hadn't let me know that something awful was coming ...
December 9, 2020
The 3 words that sprung to mind when I finished this book were “is that it?”
The premise had me expecting a dark coming of age tale involving disaffected youths and the deeds they were driven too. The reality was a bunch of spoiled , drama queen rich kids doing a whole bunch of nothing bar one act at the end.
Considering the book was originally written in 1968 then it’s not surprising that it’s ability to shock has been somewhat neutered but I was expecting a hell of a lot more from this in light of the writers other works.
The premise had me expecting a dark coming of age tale involving disaffected youths and the deeds they were driven too. The reality was a bunch of spoiled , drama queen rich kids doing a whole bunch of nothing bar one act at the end.
Considering the book was originally written in 1968 then it’s not surprising that it’s ability to shock has been somewhat neutered but I was expecting a hell of a lot more from this in light of the writers other works.
May 13, 2018
To be honest, I am not sure why I finished this book. I had no idea where it was leading and I guess I wanted to know. The writing was good- not excellent but decent, the plot was somewhat intriguing although most of the time I felt like it wasn't going anywhere. The book was classified on some forums as being a coming of age novel. It wasn't. It was about three spoiled, cowardly teenagers, who (at least) during this summer never learned to stand their ground. It in no way made me feel good.
May 28, 2012
I had enjoyed this movie on late night tv, finding the antics of the characters to be a nice bit of mischief. The book, however, portrays them as a bit more sociopathic and by the end of the story, they are not very likable. In fact, their cruelty to the troubled character, Rhoda, rendered them reprehensible.
August 5, 2022
Both the book and film haunt me. Cruel, naked narratives, repressed memories of a very singular era. It’s everyone’s youth, though: a kangaroo court where judgment is passed without context or consideration, experience or information. It’s kids caught between Lord of the Flies and The Secret History and it’s utterly mesmerising.
April 4, 2018
Could not finish, very boring.
January 1, 2019
Strange Story
August 10, 2011
The classic coming-of-age story (& a damn good movie, too)!
April 30, 2025
Was really familiar with the 1969 film Last Summer (honestly better than this book), but this does kind of have the same sort of nightmarish tone that this film has and honestly some of the most vividly cruel characters you'll ever find. Also interesting how this book is split into two parts "The Gull" and "Rhoda" and by the time that the first part was finished I felt awful and then even more awful just with "Two: Rhoda" because you instantly know "Oh, they're going to replicate something like this to a person instead of an animal." and like yeah.
What I find really disturbing is how this story does showcase the way that people can be cruel in a way that's ostensibly compassionate and sympathetic and inviting but it's almost too perfect in a way that only a sociopath would think of, and how people like this prey on insecurities. And yeah, something about that really messes with me because it's precisely the sort of mentality behind a bully and how more conniving ones will act like your friend and play on deeper feelings of betrayal and discarding you or doing something awful to you. Expressing vulnerability can be such a relief but doing it in front of the wrong person can probably make things so much worse, so you kind of get conditioned to lock in those feelings more than anything else. Imposing environments will drive you insane, so you never will get the agency you get over abuse, even if you recognise it. You're a "good kid" only because nobody ever sees the horrible things you do. You're good at playing with people, and honestly this reads like something where it's about sociopathic manipulation - how people lie to themselves just as much as they lie to others. Told with such creeping sublimation of intentions, but you do get a sense that something awful WILL occur.
It's uh yeah. Another one where it conjures up feelings of nostalgic memories, but then it actually turns out to be a trauma memory and how hard it is to separate. Also is book-ended by self-conscious narration from one of the boys, speaking on regret over things that he does quite deliberately. Honestly probably liked the film a bit better, in terms of storytelling, maybe because this one is probably a bit too emphatic with its themes sometimes. When the story in the movie ends, the movie ends.
What I find really disturbing is how this story does showcase the way that people can be cruel in a way that's ostensibly compassionate and sympathetic and inviting but it's almost too perfect in a way that only a sociopath would think of, and how people like this prey on insecurities. And yeah, something about that really messes with me because it's precisely the sort of mentality behind a bully and how more conniving ones will act like your friend and play on deeper feelings of betrayal and discarding you or doing something awful to you. Expressing vulnerability can be such a relief but doing it in front of the wrong person can probably make things so much worse, so you kind of get conditioned to lock in those feelings more than anything else. Imposing environments will drive you insane, so you never will get the agency you get over abuse, even if you recognise it. You're a "good kid" only because nobody ever sees the horrible things you do. You're good at playing with people, and honestly this reads like something where it's about sociopathic manipulation - how people lie to themselves just as much as they lie to others. Told with such creeping sublimation of intentions, but you do get a sense that something awful WILL occur.
It's uh yeah. Another one where it conjures up feelings of nostalgic memories, but then it actually turns out to be a trauma memory and how hard it is to separate. Also is book-ended by self-conscious narration from one of the boys, speaking on regret over things that he does quite deliberately. Honestly probably liked the film a bit better, in terms of storytelling, maybe because this one is probably a bit too emphatic with its themes sometimes. When the story in the movie ends, the movie ends.
July 3, 2025
I recently listened to a podcast from a young on-line reviewer of “old movies that [he] had never seen before.” He viewed 1969s Last Summer, which featured a young trio of then little-known actors: Barbara Hershey, Richard Thomas, and Bruce Davison (also featuring Catherine Burns in a central role). The reviewer complained that this was a nice coming of age story which was ruined by the film makers adding gratuitous violence and sex just to sell tickets. Obviously, he neither read the 1968 novel (which he admitted) nor fully understood the movie. I mention his view to emphasize what this is not – first, it is NOT a cute little tale of happy teenagers “coming of age.” Second, the film did not add “gratuitous violence and sex,” as both things are not only more blatant in the book, but central to what the book is doing. Last Summer is superbly written, yes, and hard to put down, but it is a dark and disturbing psychological essay; nothing cute about it. Essentially from the first chapter, everything is foreshadowing, the reader knows all along that this is not going to end well. While this holds true with the film as well, the book is if anything darker. Rather than what that reviewer was expecting, Summer is more reminiscent of Lord of the Flies (William Golding 1954), Catcher in the Rye (Salinger 1951), or even Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess 1962). Sure, “coming of age” in a manner of speaking, but not in a happy, life will go on with bittersweet memories kind of way. This is a psychological horror story featuring a trio of disturbing kids ripping away their own innocence. The central figures will most likely never lead untroubled lives after this summer horribilis. If you are okay with such a dark view of teenhood, this book is a classic exploration of human behavior. If you prefer only sweet, happy thoughts, please look elsewhere. Have a nice summer! 😊
June 13, 2020
Sandy, Peter and Dan are inseparable. They met on a beach bathed in the rays of the summer sun. They seem like a normal kids, a belief which was strengthened when they've saved a seagull. Summer is a symbol of their carefree youth. Everything changes when the group is joined by a shy and not so attractive Rhoda, who is easy to mock. Sandy, using her sexuality, manipulates Peter and Dan to rape Rhonda.
I asked myself a question: why Rhoda? If you look at the three main characters, they initially seemed like a regular, average teenagers spending their holidays on fun, games and sunbathing. Only while the plot unravels, we see true colors of each of the heroes - two adolescent boys who's hormones affect their moods, emotions, and impulses, who seeks constant stimuli and who gets attention from a seductive Sandy, who is a beautiful, pampered girl, with sociopathic tendencies and exercising unscrupulous control and influence over the situation, as well as both Peter and Dan.
As it turns out Rhoda shared the same fate as the seagull. First, they tamed her, helped her overcome her biggest fear - swimming (they taught the seagull to fly), asked her to join them in everyday activities. Then, when she showed emotions and interest in Peter, she became too human and too dangerous. Just like the seagull that bit Sandy, she was treated barbarically. The seagull was killed by a blunt stone, and Rhoda was raped.
One final reflection. Summer and childhood was ultimately lost by all four of the teens. Not only for Rhonda, who was mutilated, but also for boys and even Sandy, a leader with strong sociopathic behavior. They failed to feel remorse, but they did feel shame, the most human and adult emotion of all.
I asked myself a question: why Rhoda? If you look at the three main characters, they initially seemed like a regular, average teenagers spending their holidays on fun, games and sunbathing. Only while the plot unravels, we see true colors of each of the heroes - two adolescent boys who's hormones affect their moods, emotions, and impulses, who seeks constant stimuli and who gets attention from a seductive Sandy, who is a beautiful, pampered girl, with sociopathic tendencies and exercising unscrupulous control and influence over the situation, as well as both Peter and Dan.
As it turns out Rhoda shared the same fate as the seagull. First, they tamed her, helped her overcome her biggest fear - swimming (they taught the seagull to fly), asked her to join them in everyday activities. Then, when she showed emotions and interest in Peter, she became too human and too dangerous. Just like the seagull that bit Sandy, she was treated barbarically. The seagull was killed by a blunt stone, and Rhoda was raped.
One final reflection. Summer and childhood was ultimately lost by all four of the teens. Not only for Rhonda, who was mutilated, but also for boys and even Sandy, a leader with strong sociopathic behavior. They failed to feel remorse, but they did feel shame, the most human and adult emotion of all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2020
In truth, I hated this book. I gave it three stars purely for the skill of the writer. There was not a single character that I liked. Every single one was deplorable, whether they were actively rotten, or rotten due to their inaction in the face of cruelty.
I was interested because the book was originally published in 1968 and I was eager to read about that snapshot in time. There was definitely an element of time travel to the reading of it, although some things about the human condition apparently have stayed the same since then. I am sure there is some deep and philosophical meaning behind all these characters being so unlikable but I missed it. I wanted a story about four teenagers spending the summer on an island and maybe a little romance or mystery thrown in - something that might make me nostalgically recall my own teenage summers. Well, thankfully I never knew anyone like these four, or at least they kept those traits hidden from me. The only one I could have possibly felt any sympathy for is Rhoda and even she disappointed me. I know there's a sequel (my Kindle copy gave me a preview of it) but based on the preview I read, even five years later the main three characters are still the same so I won't be reading it. Apparently there's a movie made of this novel although I'm not sure I want to see it acted out either. It's too depressing to be reminded that there is such meanness in the world.
I'd say read it if you are looking for some deep and provocative message in a story about some cruel teenagers. If you're reading for pure entertainment I would skip this one.
I was interested because the book was originally published in 1968 and I was eager to read about that snapshot in time. There was definitely an element of time travel to the reading of it, although some things about the human condition apparently have stayed the same since then. I am sure there is some deep and philosophical meaning behind all these characters being so unlikable but I missed it. I wanted a story about four teenagers spending the summer on an island and maybe a little romance or mystery thrown in - something that might make me nostalgically recall my own teenage summers. Well, thankfully I never knew anyone like these four, or at least they kept those traits hidden from me. The only one I could have possibly felt any sympathy for is Rhoda and even she disappointed me. I know there's a sequel (my Kindle copy gave me a preview of it) but based on the preview I read, even five years later the main three characters are still the same so I won't be reading it. Apparently there's a movie made of this novel although I'm not sure I want to see it acted out either. It's too depressing to be reminded that there is such meanness in the world.
I'd say read it if you are looking for some deep and provocative message in a story about some cruel teenagers. If you're reading for pure entertainment I would skip this one.
July 4, 2025
I first heard of this book and the film adaptation on the Bret Easton Ellis poscast, and it’s not a coincidence that the novel reads almost nearly like a prototype of Ellis’ “Less than Zero”. You have your sociopathic, rich white teenagers, physically beautiful, enjoying a hot summer at their parents’ beach houses. You have the not so subtle homoerotic undertones (unfortunately, undeveloped) and you have the disturbing climax of violence perpetrated by the protagonist.
For 1968 this reads like an exceptionally modern book, fast and loose, unafraid to revel in antisocial behaviour, teenage lust, and nihilism - the destiny of the pure is to be destroyed in the world of these malicious kids.
The dialogue sometimes gets in the way of the narrative - Hunter opts for realism where a lot of what’s said by the characters is inane, stupid, and repetitive.
While the two girls, Sandra and Rhoda, are richly woven and characterized, being polar opposites, the two boys Peter and David (Peter being the first person narrator) are black holes. We gain a little bit of insight into Peter and why he’s doing what he does, but only the bare minimum. Again, these are the hallmarks of an Ellis novel and it’s surprising that his book made the waves in 1985 while Last Summer languishes in obscurity when it did the whole “immoral black hole privileged teenagers” first.
For 1968 this reads like an exceptionally modern book, fast and loose, unafraid to revel in antisocial behaviour, teenage lust, and nihilism - the destiny of the pure is to be destroyed in the world of these malicious kids.
The dialogue sometimes gets in the way of the narrative - Hunter opts for realism where a lot of what’s said by the characters is inane, stupid, and repetitive.
While the two girls, Sandra and Rhoda, are richly woven and characterized, being polar opposites, the two boys Peter and David (Peter being the first person narrator) are black holes. We gain a little bit of insight into Peter and why he’s doing what he does, but only the bare minimum. Again, these are the hallmarks of an Ellis novel and it’s surprising that his book made the waves in 1985 while Last Summer languishes in obscurity when it did the whole “immoral black hole privileged teenagers” first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2025
I have almost finished it now. Really like it. I can hardly stand what is happening, so much it grabs me. Rhoda is in love with Peter and he is also attracted to her, but there is a rift between the cool trio Sandy, David and Peter, and the supposedly bourgeois, square, Rhoda. When it's very hot Rhoda talks into his conscience. They got someone drunk the night before and more than that. She talks to him as if he really deep down is and feels the same as her; has the same morals. And in my opinion, he does. In the cool little group, he does self denial, but Rhoda appeals to his heart. But he doesn't know that and he thinks, confused by his own heart touched by her words: ‘This is outrageous and then immediately realised I was only relating to Rhoda's shock and not to any belief of my own.’ So he wants to identify with his BELIEFS, also because he doesn't want to lose the tough group, doesn't want to lose his freedom. And later it gets worse when they go to the burnt forest, where they rape her. It is so well written how he goes against his heart, it hurts so much. How it hurts when you are cowardly, when you are unfaithful to yourself and your true love. So it is very well written. Puberty is a phase of self-denial. You leave your childhood.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2020
After reading "Come Winter," written by Evan Hunter, I discovered this book and had to find out what Peter, David, and Sandy were like when they were teens. At first, they seem pretty ordinary. Preoccupied with themselves—but what teen isn't—and maybe a little pampered and privileged, but as the story moves along, they start to reveal their nastier sides. Sandy, a long-legged, blond, is probably the leader, although not in everything. David, a narcissistic, handsome, flute-player sees Sandy as a way to fulfill his sexual urges, while Peter has delusions that the three of them are one perfect organism. When a shy girl named Rhoda enters the picture and fails to see the danger, she quickly becomes caught in their web. The budding sociopaths easily manipulate Rhoda until it's too late for her to escape their selfish desires. The end is wrapped up quickly by Mr. Hunter, and it isn't pretty. You might even say it's quite disturbing, but it does explain the oddly captivating behavior of Sandy, David, and Peter as dangerous adults in the sequel—Come Winter. If you enjoyed this book, I highly recommend you read it also.
November 4, 2022
Interesting Study of Toxic Relationships
I saw the film several years ago and looked for the book. It was finally on Kindle.
The story is told from the point of view of Peter and tells the events that occurred during the previous summer.
Peter, one of the protagonists, explains his friendship with two other teens, Sandy and David, vacationing at a summer community near New York. Most of the early action focuses on how they spend their time amusing themselves and the bond that develops among the three.
Sandy amuses herself flirting with both boys adding sexual tension to the group dynamic. Things change when Peter, David, and Sandy meet Rhoda, a rather plain, shy, and sensitive girl.
The three friends alternate between treating Rhoda as part of the group and treating her with scorn when she does not conform to the group dynamic. Peter’s loyalty to Sandy and David while forming an attraction to Rhoda, acting as her mentor and protector at times.
The relationships and bonds are tested by an act of violence that shatters one member and solidifies the bonds of the other three.
I saw the film several years ago and looked for the book. It was finally on Kindle.
The story is told from the point of view of Peter and tells the events that occurred during the previous summer.
Peter, one of the protagonists, explains his friendship with two other teens, Sandy and David, vacationing at a summer community near New York. Most of the early action focuses on how they spend their time amusing themselves and the bond that develops among the three.
Sandy amuses herself flirting with both boys adding sexual tension to the group dynamic. Things change when Peter, David, and Sandy meet Rhoda, a rather plain, shy, and sensitive girl.
The three friends alternate between treating Rhoda as part of the group and treating her with scorn when she does not conform to the group dynamic. Peter’s loyalty to Sandy and David while forming an attraction to Rhoda, acting as her mentor and protector at times.
The relationships and bonds are tested by an act of violence that shatters one member and solidifies the bonds of the other three.
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