Little Darlings

by Sonia Pilcer

Vintage movie tie-in paperback

Genres: Young Adult, Coming Of Age

188 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 12, 1980

Reviews

[Maria Lago · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traducción al español de la novela de Pilcer, agarraos fuerte: No quiero ser virgen... Me quedo a cuadros. Como que tuve que esconder el libro para que mi madre no sospechara nada. Total, la historia no va en absoluto de explotación adolescente, sino de todos esos malos rollos, la presión de grupo, las amistades, los complejos, lo mierda que es tener 15 años, a veces. O sea, que la novela está super bien.
Y la peli en la que se inspira, con Tatum O'Neil y Kristy McNichol y un jovencísimo Matt Dillon (y una jovencísima Cynthia Nixon), se deja ver también.

[Sonia Pilcer]

Thanks all for your interest in Little Darling. Did you know the Spanish edition titled it "No Quiero Ser Virgen ". I DONT WANT TO BE A VIRGIN.

[Robin Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was actually written after the movie, and is based on the screenplay. I usually avoid those types of books, but I enjoyed this one. At first I felt a little irritated when the dialogue or a scene was a little different than the movie. And how sad is it that 30 some years after the movie was released I still remember it well enough to be able to compare it to the book? Well, I watched it on cable over and over and over - it was one of my favorite movies at that time. Anyway, eventually it occurred to me that since it is based on the screenplay, some of the few bits that I don't remember from the movie may have ended up being cut from the movie. And as the movie was filmed, some things may have been changed. Like the very end contains some dialogue between Angel and Ferris that I don't remember from the movie, but that I enjoyed very much.

Ferris Whitney and Angel Bright are two fifteen year olds spending the summer at Camp Little Wolf. Ferris (played by Tatum O'Neal in the movie) comes from a rich family, and arrives at the bus with her parents, in a Rolls Royce. She is described on the cover copy as being "smug...and more than a little bit spoiled", which does not do her justice as she did not appear to be any of those things to me. She is a little shy, self-conscious about her clothing and her father's expensive car, lonely, and anxious to make friends and to just fit in and be accepted by other girls.

On the outside, Angel (played by Kristy McNichol in the movie) is a tough-talking, cigarette smoking, beer drinking, loner. On the inside she shares Ferris' insecurities - she is a little shy, self-conscious about her clothing and her mother's beat up crap car, lonely, and anxious to make friends and to just fit in and be accepted by other girls. She doesn't really want to attend camp but her mother insists on it.

Neither girl really wants to compete in this contest, but allow themselves to be pushed into it. The camp, and their own cabin, are soon divided into sides, and targets are chosen. Ferris is attracted to one of the camp counselors, Gary, an older man (charmingly played in the movie by Armand Assante). Angel sets her sights on Randy, a boy at the camp across the lake (played in the movie by Matt Dillon, which is probably why I was so in love with this movie at that time).

A nostalgic read that I enjoyed.

[Nianella Sando · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched this movie and instantly fell in love, even when I only saw the trailer with a very 70s feel and cute editing. Because I loved the movie so much, I had to get the book. I was surprised to find how rare this book is and how pricey it can be online. I managed to find one for about $20 if I remember correctly, and I began reading. And once I finished, I was left very satisfied. It became an instant favourite that I read it again at the beginning of the year and then another time over the summer. And of course, I had to watch the movie again as well.
Firstly, I liked how the book added extra information that the movie kept out, one of them being the scene where Angel saves Ferris from drowning. She acts cold and tough as always, but Ferris sees her in a different light and recognizes her kindness, even if Angel doesn’t want to admit it. These two girls’ personalities clash right away and we already get a good idea of how they are. Ferris is mature, yet insecure and feels the need to fit in with the other girls in order to be seen as anything but a stuck-up rich girl. Angel, on the other hand, is tough and keeps to herself. She often shows aggression to others and doesn’t let anyone see through her, even those who are supposed to. Their personalities are different and so are their views on sex. Ferris is idealistic, and she turns to fairytales and poetic thoughts that reference Shakespeare and blooming flowers while Angel doesn’t bother and sees men as “a pain in the ass.” She doesn’t care for simple things like nature and friendship and would rather keep to herself and hide everything from Randy than let things happen. It’s when she does engage in the act that her feelings change. She feels a sense of bliss, comfort, and tenderness, but she also feels melancholy and loneliness, even when Randy stayed right next to her, happy with what the two have experienced. By the end of the book and movie, she gains the knowledge and forms her own thoughts. Her behaviour also changes as well as she becomes more relaxed and even affectionate toward other people like her mom and Ferris. Ferris does not do what Angel did, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t learn anything. She sees the consequences of telling the other girls that she won, which gets Gary in trouble. And it’s in the scene where the girls decide on telling what really happened where we see a change. Angel and Ferris seem like real friends and not just hostile enemies, and the other girls, who at first pretend to know everything to please Cinder own up to their inexperience and see it as nothing more than a fact. Cinder’s taunting words no longer have any power over them and they all become closer friends. They even admit that they’re glad that Ferris and Gary didn’t do anything and that there are other things they would rather do with boys that don’t involve the bedroom.
While the book and movie were advertised as a fun sex comedy for teens with a camp setting, it is also a heartwarming story about coming of age, friendship, peer pressure, and how adolescents view sex. As someone who has done a lot of things (though never went too far) that I feel I wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for the feeling that this is something I need to do rather than something I want to do, “Little Darlings” really spoke to me. Even though I discovered this movie and book when I was a little older than the main characters, it still affected me in the best way. The story meant a lot to me as it did to the characters. We see certain parts of the characters melt away by the end of the book, but it’s still the same ones from before. They’re just different, more mature and experienced in different ways. Ferris learns that she doesn’t need to rush things and that sex is more than princes and poetry. She also learns that even if doing something for one person or group is pleasing to them, it may not be so for her and even the people around her. It can go so far as to harm both her and them. Angel, on the other hand, learns to be more appreciative of things and that she doesn’t have to act afraid or tough in every situation. She learns why everyone around her makes such a big deal out of sex, but she forms her own opinion on the matter. One of my favourite passages is when she takes the time to watch the things around her, even though she never cared about it before and even says so in case Randy or anyone else will think of her as soft:
“‘All this nature stuff’s for the birds, you know what I mean?’
Angel nodded. ‘It’s the pits.’
But both watched the way the sun’s rays moved over the trees, hitting a cluster of leaves so that they momentarily glowed, then another one. For a while the light played on their faces.”
This book as well as the movie truly are underrated gems that I am so glad I came across. It really brings a fun, yet cozy feel whenever I sit down and watch or read it. I am reminded why I love it every time I open the book or turn my TV on. And I will likely feel this way for a long time, as I will with other books and movies that have affected me this way. Like the description states, “Each will indeed go all the way—from child to adult.”

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a decent book. It shows that girls can be downright mean to one another and also competitive. But it also shows that good relationships and friends can be found in the worst of circumstances and when you least expect it. It is a good coming of age book and movie!

[Ángela · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5