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The Last Summer of the Camperdowns: A Novel
Set on Cape Cod during one tumultuous summer, Elizabeth Kelly’s gothic family story will delight readers of The Family Fang and The Giant’s House.
The Last Summer of the Camperdowns, from the best-selling author of Apologize, Apologize!, introduces Riddle James Camperdown, the twelve-year-old daughter of the idealistic Camp and his manicured, razor-sharp wife, Greer. It’s 1972, and Riddle’s father is running for office from the family compound in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Between Camp’s desire to toughen her up and Greer’s demand for glamour, Riddle has her hands full juggling her eccentric parents.When she accidentally witnesses a crime close to home, her confusion and fear keep her silent. As the summer unfolds, the consequences of her silence multiply. Another mysterious and powerful family, the Devlins, slowly emerges as the keepers of astonishing secrets that could shatter the Camperdowns. As an old love triangle, bitter war wounds, and the struggle for status spiral out of control, Riddle can only watch, hoping for the courage to reveal the truth. The Last Summer of the Camperdowns is poised to become the summer’s uproarious and dramatic must-read.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
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4868 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Kelly
3 books118 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the goodreads data base.
Elizabeth Kelly is the best-selling author of the novel Apologize, Apologize! and is an award-winning journalist. She lives in Merrickville, Ontario, with her husband, five dogs, and three cats.
Elizabeth Kelly is the best-selling author of the novel Apologize, Apologize! and is an award-winning journalist. She lives in Merrickville, Ontario, with her husband, five dogs, and three cats.
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April 15, 2013I have no rating for this book. I finished it over a week ago. I've had intense conversations about this book all weekend, but I don't know how to rate it - or if I am even qualified to rate books. This is what I know:
1)The language in this book is beautiful. Camperdowns is the type of book that I stopped and reread sentences because the language grabbed me.
2)The characters in this book are quirky and odd and at times completely repulsive. Gula is so creepy and scary that I was completely freaked out every time he entered a scene, and I waited anxiously for him to leave.
3)There is a sense of isolation in this book that is created both by setting and by the characters' actions.
4)This is a complexly layered book.
5)It is a book I will remember. I had a strong reaction to it. As I think about writing, I realize that it's more important to evoke reaction from a reader than to fail to evoke reaction. I will remember this book for years to come.
1)The language in this book is beautiful. Camperdowns is the type of book that I stopped and reread sentences because the language grabbed me.
2)The characters in this book are quirky and odd and at times completely repulsive. Gula is so creepy and scary that I was completely freaked out every time he entered a scene, and I waited anxiously for him to leave.
3)There is a sense of isolation in this book that is created both by setting and by the characters' actions.
4)This is a complexly layered book.
5)It is a book I will remember. I had a strong reaction to it. As I think about writing, I realize that it's more important to evoke reaction from a reader than to fail to evoke reaction. I will remember this book for years to come.
July 11, 2013
I read this because of the high star rating here and was thoroughly disappointed. Add me to the list of others that felt the narration was way too sophisticated for the mind of a 13 year old. ("We stared at each other, both of us silent and expressionless, sepulchral stillness filling the air like incense, conjoining us, seeping into my brain, this taciturn partnership of ours a kind of ceremonial dirge.") Seriously?!
I also found it inconsistent to the point of distraction that such an outspoken, brash girl would keep silent about what she knew. She was spouting off at everyone else the entire book! I thought the author was rather sloppy about some plot/character details. The number of times strong-headed Riddle was forced to accompany her mom to Gin's (repeatedly), the Devlin's or with "the bad guy" were totally unbelievable and forced for the sake of moving the plot forward.
Lastly, I found myself disliking every character from her narcissistic parents to Riddle herself. Did not find her endearing at all.
I also found it inconsistent to the point of distraction that such an outspoken, brash girl would keep silent about what she knew. She was spouting off at everyone else the entire book! I thought the author was rather sloppy about some plot/character details. The number of times strong-headed Riddle was forced to accompany her mom to Gin's (repeatedly), the Devlin's or with "the bad guy" were totally unbelievable and forced for the sake of moving the plot forward.
Lastly, I found myself disliking every character from her narcissistic parents to Riddle herself. Did not find her endearing at all.
June 24, 2021
I found this book at Dollar Tree last year and was intrigued by the cover and summary. Once I brought it home and checked to see what Goodreads and Litsy had to say about it, I put it away to languish at the bottom of my TBR pile.
When we moved our bedroom and bookshelves around a couple months ago, I spotted this once and it kept calling to me. Though hesitant by the low end of 3 stars rating, I dived in and am thrilled that I did!
It's been twenty years since Riddle James Camperdown saw Harry Devlin. When they run into each other at a party, it brings back memories of a summer long ago in Cape Cod when she was only thirteen.
From there, readers are swept back into Riddle's eccentric family as her WWII hero father, known by all as "Camp", runs for political office and her movie star mother, Greer, is bored with the entire idea. On a visit to a neighbor's barn, Riddle stumbles on a confusing scene; uncertain of what she witnessed, she's reluctant to say anything.
Camp's campaign is heating up just as his former friend Michael Devlin threatens to reveal a shocking secret from the war that would end his political career before it can even begin. Riddle learns her mother was once engaged to Michael, who supposedly left her at the altar, and is unhappy to see them spending time together though she's enamored with Michael's nineteen-year-old son, Harry.
Riddle's secret about what she may have witnessed in the barn becomes dangerous when she stumbles upon the body of Harry's missing brother, Charlie, on her neighbor's property.
Her secret reaches fever-pitch when Michael accuses her father of hurting Charlie and spills the horrible secret he has been threatening Camp with... but has her silence put her family on a collision course with destiny?
This book was fascinating. It's character driven and tells young Riddle's story through her own voice with the perspective that age has given her.
"Sometimes it seemed to me that my parents never met a catastrophe they didn't like. The day-to-day stuff---cooking, laundry, simple parenting---undid them, but give them a war or a murder, set the whole world on fire, and they were like a vaudeville team that you couldn't extract from the stage without a grappling hook."
Her parents are a train wreck, their relationship is messy and their parenting questionable. Riddle's silence on what she believed she saw felt authentic and compelling to me. I felt like I could understand (having once been a kid myself) why she chose not to say anything for as long as she did: she didn't witness a crime with her own two eyes, it was a complex situation where she feared at first she could be wrong, there were consequences whether right or wrong, followed by the vaguely threatening actions of the person involved.
The ending stunned me. I honestly didn't see it coming and I let out an actual gasp when I read it. The story came together seamlessly and was incredibly bittersweet. Complex characters, great dialogue, strong writing overall.
I recommend The Last Summer of the Camperdowns to readers who enjoy quirky family dramas / mystery.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
When we moved our bedroom and bookshelves around a couple months ago, I spotted this once and it kept calling to me. Though hesitant by the low end of 3 stars rating, I dived in and am thrilled that I did!
It's been twenty years since Riddle James Camperdown saw Harry Devlin. When they run into each other at a party, it brings back memories of a summer long ago in Cape Cod when she was only thirteen.
From there, readers are swept back into Riddle's eccentric family as her WWII hero father, known by all as "Camp", runs for political office and her movie star mother, Greer, is bored with the entire idea. On a visit to a neighbor's barn, Riddle stumbles on a confusing scene; uncertain of what she witnessed, she's reluctant to say anything.
Camp's campaign is heating up just as his former friend Michael Devlin threatens to reveal a shocking secret from the war that would end his political career before it can even begin. Riddle learns her mother was once engaged to Michael, who supposedly left her at the altar, and is unhappy to see them spending time together though she's enamored with Michael's nineteen-year-old son, Harry.
Riddle's secret about what she may have witnessed in the barn becomes dangerous when she stumbles upon the body of Harry's missing brother, Charlie, on her neighbor's property.
Her secret reaches fever-pitch when Michael accuses her father of hurting Charlie and spills the horrible secret he has been threatening Camp with... but has her silence put her family on a collision course with destiny?
This book was fascinating. It's character driven and tells young Riddle's story through her own voice with the perspective that age has given her.
"Sometimes it seemed to me that my parents never met a catastrophe they didn't like. The day-to-day stuff---cooking, laundry, simple parenting---undid them, but give them a war or a murder, set the whole world on fire, and they were like a vaudeville team that you couldn't extract from the stage without a grappling hook."
Her parents are a train wreck, their relationship is messy and their parenting questionable. Riddle's silence on what she believed she saw felt authentic and compelling to me. I felt like I could understand (having once been a kid myself) why she chose not to say anything for as long as she did: she didn't witness a crime with her own two eyes, it was a complex situation where she feared at first she could be wrong, there were consequences whether right or wrong, followed by the vaguely threatening actions of the person involved.
The ending stunned me. I honestly didn't see it coming and I let out an actual gasp when I read it. The story came together seamlessly and was incredibly bittersweet. Complex characters, great dialogue, strong writing overall.
I recommend The Last Summer of the Camperdowns to readers who enjoy quirky family dramas / mystery.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
April 18, 2013
Like many of my GR friends, I received this ARC in anticipation of meeting the author at Booktopia Vermont 2013, a gathering of passionate readers. Those friends have done a fine job of giving an overview of this story and I'm not certain I can add anything profound but I'll add my two cents anyway.
When I first started this I thought not for me. Too wordy, where was it going?; just being a lazy reader I think. So many more books on my shelves that I wanted to read. Two things encouraged me to continue, the first was that it came highly recommended by a friend and the second, that its editor is Katie Henderson Adams of Liveright,a woman with a good eye for a good read. I was glad I went with my gut as I did end up considering time spent worth it.
When we talked about Last Summer of the Camperdowns, many thought it was a very character driven novel. I agree, yet the most important piece for me and what gave me the most pleasure in reading was the dialog. Kelly is a master at bringing her characters to life through their conversations. Snappy, snarky, philosophical,funny sometimes, I loved it all. Told from the viewpoint of the adult Riddle Camperdown, it allows the author to explore the child's feelings with that maturer perspective. This is one strange family, the father preoccuppied with running for political office, the mother, an aging film star, both seeming to have little time to truly hear Riddle. Barbs between mother and daughter are constant and yet I never felt that love was missing in this trio. Riddle has a secret. She knows something awful and doesn't tell. I think her parents know something is not quite right but never seem to be able to have the conversation they need to have with their daughter. I don't fault them for this as I can see how it happens. What Riddle knows terrifies her. What she doesn’t tell has lasting consequences for all. The why of the secret is very interesting and I was delighted that I was so totally wrong about who did what.
Before our session with the author there was another panel discussing whether place is important to the story. I did not attend this but now wish I had. I could be wrong but I got the sense that Elizabeth Kelly didn't feel place was that important. It was interesting to me that two members at Kelly's talk and discussion of Last Summer of the Camperdowns, were at opposite ends of the poll about its setting. One felt she got it totally wrong, the other thought she nailed it. This made me really stop to think about the whole question of place in story. In regards to this book, I didn't get a strong sense of place and I didn't really care as it seemed like it could have happened anywhere. I think back to books that I think had a strong sense of place and yet if I've never been to the place, how do I know? Maybe it's not quite as important as I thought as long as for the fictional story it works. Need to think about this more.
We talked a lot about star ratings and what they mean. I've decided that for me I rate each book on its own merits and how I felt about it. Though it would be impossible to not compare the whole of my reading, let this one stand alone. A four - I really liked it.
Last Summer of the Camperdowns, will be published this June.
When I first started this I thought not for me. Too wordy, where was it going?; just being a lazy reader I think. So many more books on my shelves that I wanted to read. Two things encouraged me to continue, the first was that it came highly recommended by a friend and the second, that its editor is Katie Henderson Adams of Liveright,a woman with a good eye for a good read. I was glad I went with my gut as I did end up considering time spent worth it.
When we talked about Last Summer of the Camperdowns, many thought it was a very character driven novel. I agree, yet the most important piece for me and what gave me the most pleasure in reading was the dialog. Kelly is a master at bringing her characters to life through their conversations. Snappy, snarky, philosophical,funny sometimes, I loved it all. Told from the viewpoint of the adult Riddle Camperdown, it allows the author to explore the child's feelings with that maturer perspective. This is one strange family, the father preoccuppied with running for political office, the mother, an aging film star, both seeming to have little time to truly hear Riddle. Barbs between mother and daughter are constant and yet I never felt that love was missing in this trio. Riddle has a secret. She knows something awful and doesn't tell. I think her parents know something is not quite right but never seem to be able to have the conversation they need to have with their daughter. I don't fault them for this as I can see how it happens. What Riddle knows terrifies her. What she doesn’t tell has lasting consequences for all. The why of the secret is very interesting and I was delighted that I was so totally wrong about who did what.
Before our session with the author there was another panel discussing whether place is important to the story. I did not attend this but now wish I had. I could be wrong but I got the sense that Elizabeth Kelly didn't feel place was that important. It was interesting to me that two members at Kelly's talk and discussion of Last Summer of the Camperdowns, were at opposite ends of the poll about its setting. One felt she got it totally wrong, the other thought she nailed it. This made me really stop to think about the whole question of place in story. In regards to this book, I didn't get a strong sense of place and I didn't really care as it seemed like it could have happened anywhere. I think back to books that I think had a strong sense of place and yet if I've never been to the place, how do I know? Maybe it's not quite as important as I thought as long as for the fictional story it works. Need to think about this more.
We talked a lot about star ratings and what they mean. I've decided that for me I rate each book on its own merits and how I felt about it. Though it would be impossible to not compare the whole of my reading, let this one stand alone. A four - I really liked it.
Last Summer of the Camperdowns, will be published this June.
March 8, 2013
I loved this book so much! I want to hug it, wrap it in an afghan, and make it a nice cup of tea.
June 17, 2013
It took me a few pages to get into Kelly's madcap wit, yet once I did, I throughly enjoyed reading this hilarious book. Riddle Jimmy Camperdown is the narrator of this great summer read. She's 12, turning 13 during the summer of 1972. Her father is a wealthy blue blood from Wellfleet Ma, on Cape Cod. He is running for office as a protector of the poor and human rights. In fact, Riddle is named after Jimmy Riddle Hoffa. Riddle's mother, Greer, is a has been movie star who still has her looks, searing wit, and ice cold demeanor. The only thing poor Riddle has in common with her mother is their love of horses. During this summer, a boy goes missing who happens to be the son of her father's, Camp, arch enemy. Riddle unwittingly becomes embroiled in this mystery, caught in the midst of her father's preoccupation with his political career and her mother's hostile ennui. This is a great beach read.
June 25, 2013
2.5 stars would be my ranking, I'm being generous!
Our character is also young (12 going on 13) but the language of this book is very sophisticated (more on that later.) And the pacing is extremely slow.
So, I LOVE unsympathetic characters, but my argument is always "I don't have to like them, I just have to believe them." In the case of these characters, I did neither.
Greer is an ex-movie star, but we never do get an idea why she is an "ex." And she's frosty and mean.
Riddle, our main character, sees something but doesn't say something, and again, for no good reason. Riddle is sophisticated and has no friends her own age, she only hangs with adults, so there is no good reason for her to not trust the adults in her life. Her fear is totally unrealistic.
When the Devlins return, I find it hard to believe that Riddle, who, again, hangs out with adults and has lived her whole life in this town, has never heard of them, when they're supposed to be some of the richest people on the Eastern seaboard, they grew up there, and they own two of her neighbors houses.
THE ENDING IS RIDICULOUS. MAYBE if this was Lee Child or another thriller/potboiler writer, but in the case of "literary fiction", I figured out who Gula was before we are told, and prayed I was wrong, as it's an eyerollingly implausible development.
Finally, let's return to the language. Here is an example of some words supposedly coming from the mouth of an almost 13-year old
"Too horrified to respond, I briefly wondered whether it was DNA-mandated or hormonally fated that every woman of a certain age decides lasciviousness is a kind of wit."
No. Just No.
Our character is also young (12 going on 13) but the language of this book is very sophisticated (more on that later.) And the pacing is extremely slow.
So, I LOVE unsympathetic characters, but my argument is always "I don't have to like them, I just have to believe them." In the case of these characters, I did neither.
Greer is an ex-movie star, but we never do get an idea why she is an "ex." And she's frosty and mean.
Riddle, our main character, sees something but doesn't say something, and again, for no good reason. Riddle is sophisticated and has no friends her own age, she only hangs with adults, so there is no good reason for her to not trust the adults in her life. Her fear is totally unrealistic.
When the Devlins return, I find it hard to believe that Riddle, who, again, hangs out with adults and has lived her whole life in this town, has never heard of them, when they're supposed to be some of the richest people on the Eastern seaboard, they grew up there, and they own two of her neighbors houses.
THE ENDING IS RIDICULOUS. MAYBE if this was Lee Child or another thriller/potboiler writer, but in the case of "literary fiction", I figured out who Gula was before we are told, and prayed I was wrong, as it's an eyerollingly implausible development.
Finally, let's return to the language. Here is an example of some words supposedly coming from the mouth of an almost 13-year old
"Too horrified to respond, I briefly wondered whether it was DNA-mandated or hormonally fated that every woman of a certain age decides lasciviousness is a kind of wit."
No. Just No.
July 13, 2013
I can't even finish it. I'm literally 11 pages in and am so annoyed by the language that I can't force myself to finish. What kind of 12 year old speaks like that?! Ridiculous.
Example -
"...the eccentric linchpin of an unchanged repertoire he'd performed in camphorated living rooms..."
No. Just no.
Example -
"...the eccentric linchpin of an unchanged repertoire he'd performed in camphorated living rooms..."
No. Just no.
abandoned
November 7, 2013This was way too over-written for me to get more than fifty pages into it. It felt like Kelly was laboring to create excessively literary sentences and paragraphs and the result was unrealistic characters and a plot that was taking too long to develop. Not for me.
June 12, 2013
A beautifully written book!!! I truly loved it, although I will say it took a few chapters to get into it, but it was so worth it!!!I couldn't put it down after the first few chapters and honestly read every available moment I had. :) Elizabeth Kelly's writing style is seriously beautiful and amazing and.....I just don't have the words to properly convey how I feel about this book..... I will say that it is not my typical reading choice (genre), but the book description grabbed my attention and so I entered and won an Advanced Reading Copy on Goodreads, and I truly feel so lucky to have received this book! I loved the characters, Greer being my favorite, although at first I really could not stand her...but she so grew on me with her witty charm. :) I really liked Camp, Riddle, Harry,and yes, even Michael.... sometimes! Gula was truly terrifying and creepy and I am serious when I say that I could feel Riddles fear whenever Gula's character was around. I honestly cannot say that I have ever read a book that had characters that grabbed me like the characters of this wonderful novel.......I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good read! I honestly had to give it 5 stars!!!! Even though it did not have the traditional "happy ending" I always love... you know, the guy gets the girl, or the girl gets the guy......anyway..... AWESOME book! One of the most amazingly written books I have read in a LONG time!
March 1, 2013
4.5 stars
Goodreads, when will you introduce half star rating choices?
I’m not sure whether I pity or envy Riddle James Camperdown. She has one of the funniest mothers I’ve ever encountered in fiction. That makes me envious. On the other hand, Greer Camperdown’s withering humor is often aimed at Riddle. Score one for pity. Her father, Godfrey, known as Camp, is unnervingly gifted. A labor historian and activist, composer of off Broadway musicals, and noted biographer of James Hoffa, he’s now a candidate for Congress. He’s also the source of Riddle’s unusual moniker; she’s named after James Riddle Hoffa. Score two for pity.
12 year old Riddle, or Jimmy, as her father calls her, is the narrator. It’s 1972 and Riddle is looking forward to a lazy summer at the family home. It’s in Wellfleet, Massachusetts and the perfect seaside setting for reading, playing with the dogs and indulging her passion, horseback riding. The only cloud on Riddle’s summer horizon is her father’s campaign. Her mother is not happy about it either, especially the expected entertaining and schmoozing. But she’s a famously beautiful actress who left Hollywood when she married, and she knows how to pretend she’s listening.
Riddle is at the age when she begins to realize adults have a life in which important things happened before she was born. They have secrets too, and her parents’ will turn out to be unexpectedly dangerous.
Riddle acquires her own fatal secret when she witnesses something unsettling in a neighbor’s barn. It involves the truly frightening hired hand and gifted horse handler, Gula Nightjar, a man who pops up to terrify Riddle whenever she has an impulse to tell what she knows. He is spooky, spooky, spooky, and you believe he would paralyze Riddle into inaction.
Secrets abound in this novel and the author uses them to explore the cost of silence, what constitutes true love and friendship, and how hesitating to do what’s right can have devastating consequences. These are big themes and I found the way they’re explored in this novel compelling. I also loved the characters, all sharply drawn and given to conversations so hilarious and beguiling I found myself losing track of time when reading. I love it when that happens. Highly recommended.
Goodreads, when will you introduce half star rating choices?
I’m not sure whether I pity or envy Riddle James Camperdown. She has one of the funniest mothers I’ve ever encountered in fiction. That makes me envious. On the other hand, Greer Camperdown’s withering humor is often aimed at Riddle. Score one for pity. Her father, Godfrey, known as Camp, is unnervingly gifted. A labor historian and activist, composer of off Broadway musicals, and noted biographer of James Hoffa, he’s now a candidate for Congress. He’s also the source of Riddle’s unusual moniker; she’s named after James Riddle Hoffa. Score two for pity.
12 year old Riddle, or Jimmy, as her father calls her, is the narrator. It’s 1972 and Riddle is looking forward to a lazy summer at the family home. It’s in Wellfleet, Massachusetts and the perfect seaside setting for reading, playing with the dogs and indulging her passion, horseback riding. The only cloud on Riddle’s summer horizon is her father’s campaign. Her mother is not happy about it either, especially the expected entertaining and schmoozing. But she’s a famously beautiful actress who left Hollywood when she married, and she knows how to pretend she’s listening.
Riddle is at the age when she begins to realize adults have a life in which important things happened before she was born. They have secrets too, and her parents’ will turn out to be unexpectedly dangerous.
Riddle acquires her own fatal secret when she witnesses something unsettling in a neighbor’s barn. It involves the truly frightening hired hand and gifted horse handler, Gula Nightjar, a man who pops up to terrify Riddle whenever she has an impulse to tell what she knows. He is spooky, spooky, spooky, and you believe he would paralyze Riddle into inaction.
Secrets abound in this novel and the author uses them to explore the cost of silence, what constitutes true love and friendship, and how hesitating to do what’s right can have devastating consequences. These are big themes and I found the way they’re explored in this novel compelling. I also loved the characters, all sharply drawn and given to conversations so hilarious and beguiling I found myself losing track of time when reading. I love it when that happens. Highly recommended.
January 23, 2014
This book was an entertaining though slow read. The setup was good, the characterization strong, the setting clear, but the pacing in the middle slowed a bit too much for this reader. After witnessing a crime, 13 year old Riddle is left to cope with her terror and her shocked silence, as well as her growing awareness of her family's best kept secrets, resulting in a stew of anxiety and self-loathing and disconnection from everyone around her. Though the author depicted this angst and fear quite well, the plot sort of stalled midstream. I guess perhaps my frustration stemmed from Riddle's self-imposed powerlessness in the face of creepy evil. But I also guess this is what it must feel like to be 13 and an only child in a household of self involved parents who seem to adore their horses and their politics more than their children. While I found the over-the-top Camperdown parents to be maddeningly out of touch with the emotional needs of their 13 year old daughter, I must admit the Greer dialogue was snappy and funny for all its nastiness. Greer saved the book from sounding one note of earnest throughout, a counterpoint to Riddle's POV. Kudos to Elizabeth Kelly for making an essentially unlikeable character an enjoyable one. Kelly resolved the mystery element in a satisfying way. One essential question remained unresolved in the Devlin/Camperdown feud, and that was a welcome gesture toward ambiguity. The villain of the piece, Gula Nightjar -- yes, that's his name GULA NIGHTJAR! -- was depicted with a mystical evil sheen which, while of a piece with the 13 year old narrator, seemed overdetermined; he was just too much of a black-hat-wearer for this reader. Finally, a few times I wished an editor had toned down the use of Latinate words and expressions in favor of the less erudite but more realistic. The narrative voice became a little too precious. Overall, if you like coming of age stories, a murder mystery plot, gothic dread, or reading about the moneyed Cape Cod set, or horses, you'll probably enjoy this book, and I heartily suggest you give it a go. For me, it was between a 2 and a 3.
August 12, 2016
This is a story about families and the secrets held within and the devastating consequences because of them. This book is told from the point of view of 12 year old Riddle who is an only child thrust into the world of adults and adult problems and all the contentions of her difficult parents she is amidst their marital woes which start to slowly unravel and Riddle finds herself in the centre of it all. Riddle witnesses something untoward and doesn't completely understand what she sees and this is the crux of the main plot. At times it's overwritten and is often laid on thick and it doesn't seem like the language is suited to the main protagonist and doesn't feel natural or authentic but I did enjoy the razor sharp and quick witted insults delivered back and forth by her parents particularly from the mother Greer who has a ferocious acid tongue and doesn't hold back the insults. These people are rich pompous self absorbed and not nice people! The book drags and feels overly long at times and is over wordy which feels abit out of place for me. I read this as an audio so not sure if that's the reason I didn't completely connect with this book. It has some enjoyable moments for me but I found it lacked some oomph and believability.
January 17, 2014
It was the first time I had seen Harry Devlin in two decades. His eyes registered brief surprise, then something more. There was a whole lifetime in that look.
The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kelly
400 pages; Liveright; June 2013
Literary Fiction
What do you think of when you think of a beach read? Something light, something you can pick up and put down without much thought to it, something to take you away a little, but not absorb you too much; a silly romance, maybe, or an easily-solved mystery. Something everyone’s reading. The magazines always come out with lists of beach reads in the summer. (I usually want nothing to do with any of them. I don’t think I’m a beach-read type of gal.)
This, however, is my type of beach read, for the simple reason that it’s a wonderful book, and it’s set at the beach. Maybe this should be our new criteria for a beach read: it has to be good, and there has to be sun, sand and water involved, at least tangentially. Make that a thing, will you? Whoever does such things? Good, good.
Riddle Camperdown is twelve years old in the summer of 1972, living on the beach in Cape Cod with her mother, Greer, an ex-screen star, and her father, Camp, a hopeful politician. Everyone drips with old money, in one form or another; the Camperdowns (although they’re a bit down on their luck, due to Camp’s plans and schemes), Greer’s old friend Gin, who lives just up the road and has dreams of breeding horses never before seen on American soil, and Michael Devlin and his sons Charlie and Harry, who have history with the Camperdown family – history that’s studiously hidden from Riddle.
A child disappears; a romance is rekindled; a building burns; a girl falls in love for the first time; secrets pile up upon secrets until no one seems to know who’s got the truth in their hands anymore; and in the shadows, a man lurks, waiting for the minute he can catch you alone and unaware.
It’s a beach read in that it’s set at the beach, but it snags you and it doesn’t let you go. Perhaps not the right thing to read on your vacation, then, because you’ll find the sun has long since set, everyone else has gone in for the night, you have a terrible sunburn, and the tide is creeping much too close to your toes for comfort.
Riddle is a believable twelve-year-old, and I loved her for it. Who among us doesn’t remember that awkward age between childhood and the teen years, where you’re still longing for your dolls but relationships, with all their twisty mysteries, are starting to look interesting? Well, interesting, and also terrifying, because no one gives you a rulebook, do they? You’re expected to figure it out as you go. You’re all hormones and longing and weeping for no reason and overblown theatrics and everything is the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, often all within moments of one another.
I usually get bored with the horsey, old-money set – I mean, I have nothing in common with them, I don’t understand their ways, and what’s with the no white after Labor Day nonsense, I don’t even own white pants, I mean please, those are just asking for trouble, you know I’d sit on something and ruin them within fifteen minutes of purchasing them – but these people intrigued me. They were well-written enough that I wanted to know more, even when they were behaving terribly. Which was often. I mean, give people all the money and free time in the world, and what are they going to do with it, cure cancer? No. They’re going to tear each other apart. It’s human nature.
The mysteries – and there are multiple mysteries – never get too tangled to follow, which I appreciated. The solutions also were never telegraphed – up until the very end, I didn’t know the final solution, and when it was revealed, I grinned. It was probably the improper reaction, considering what it was…but I do like a well-resolved mystery.
And the ending – oh, the ending. Just a perfect ending. Another thing I didn’t see coming, but so true to the characters, yet also a bit surprising. Not at all what I was expecting, yet exactly what I needed.
It’s the middle of the winter, I’m apparently living in the freezing tundra one day and then some sort of strange spring landscape the next here in upstate New York, but for a few days I got to be in Cape Cod with some really fully-realized characters and the scent of the ocean in the air. Screw saving your beach books for the summer. This is the perfect time of year for them, for me.
Previously published at Burning the Bridges
The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kelly
400 pages; Liveright; June 2013
Literary Fiction
What do you think of when you think of a beach read? Something light, something you can pick up and put down without much thought to it, something to take you away a little, but not absorb you too much; a silly romance, maybe, or an easily-solved mystery. Something everyone’s reading. The magazines always come out with lists of beach reads in the summer. (I usually want nothing to do with any of them. I don’t think I’m a beach-read type of gal.)
This, however, is my type of beach read, for the simple reason that it’s a wonderful book, and it’s set at the beach. Maybe this should be our new criteria for a beach read: it has to be good, and there has to be sun, sand and water involved, at least tangentially. Make that a thing, will you? Whoever does such things? Good, good.
Riddle Camperdown is twelve years old in the summer of 1972, living on the beach in Cape Cod with her mother, Greer, an ex-screen star, and her father, Camp, a hopeful politician. Everyone drips with old money, in one form or another; the Camperdowns (although they’re a bit down on their luck, due to Camp’s plans and schemes), Greer’s old friend Gin, who lives just up the road and has dreams of breeding horses never before seen on American soil, and Michael Devlin and his sons Charlie and Harry, who have history with the Camperdown family – history that’s studiously hidden from Riddle.
A child disappears; a romance is rekindled; a building burns; a girl falls in love for the first time; secrets pile up upon secrets until no one seems to know who’s got the truth in their hands anymore; and in the shadows, a man lurks, waiting for the minute he can catch you alone and unaware.
It’s a beach read in that it’s set at the beach, but it snags you and it doesn’t let you go. Perhaps not the right thing to read on your vacation, then, because you’ll find the sun has long since set, everyone else has gone in for the night, you have a terrible sunburn, and the tide is creeping much too close to your toes for comfort.
Riddle is a believable twelve-year-old, and I loved her for it. Who among us doesn’t remember that awkward age between childhood and the teen years, where you’re still longing for your dolls but relationships, with all their twisty mysteries, are starting to look interesting? Well, interesting, and also terrifying, because no one gives you a rulebook, do they? You’re expected to figure it out as you go. You’re all hormones and longing and weeping for no reason and overblown theatrics and everything is the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, often all within moments of one another.
I usually get bored with the horsey, old-money set – I mean, I have nothing in common with them, I don’t understand their ways, and what’s with the no white after Labor Day nonsense, I don’t even own white pants, I mean please, those are just asking for trouble, you know I’d sit on something and ruin them within fifteen minutes of purchasing them – but these people intrigued me. They were well-written enough that I wanted to know more, even when they were behaving terribly. Which was often. I mean, give people all the money and free time in the world, and what are they going to do with it, cure cancer? No. They’re going to tear each other apart. It’s human nature.
The mysteries – and there are multiple mysteries – never get too tangled to follow, which I appreciated. The solutions also were never telegraphed – up until the very end, I didn’t know the final solution, and when it was revealed, I grinned. It was probably the improper reaction, considering what it was…but I do like a well-resolved mystery.
And the ending – oh, the ending. Just a perfect ending. Another thing I didn’t see coming, but so true to the characters, yet also a bit surprising. Not at all what I was expecting, yet exactly what I needed.
It’s the middle of the winter, I’m apparently living in the freezing tundra one day and then some sort of strange spring landscape the next here in upstate New York, but for a few days I got to be in Cape Cod with some really fully-realized characters and the scent of the ocean in the air. Screw saving your beach books for the summer. This is the perfect time of year for them, for me.
Previously published at Burning the Bridges
July 11, 2013
Riddle James Camperdown is about to have a life changing summer. Her father, known as Camp, is running for office. Camp's campaign happens mostly behind the scenes, as the reader spends the summer with Riddle and her razor sharp former movie star mother Greer at their family home on the Massachusetts coast. There is a cast of characters from the same background as the Camperdowns, all dripping in money and riding horses at their ocean estates. There is Gin, gossiper and breeder of horses as well as Greer's best friend and doormat; Greer's former flame, the rich and powerful Michael Devlin; his son, the handsome and charming Harry Devlin; and Gula, the nefarious and mysterious Eastern European caretaker of Gin's horses. One character we don't meet in person is Charlie, the Devlin son gone missing, whose disappearance provides tension throughout the summer. What Riddle may have seen happening in a barn on Gin's property holds the answer to that mystery.
Charlie's disappearance is not the only source of suspense. Michael Devlin and Camp were once good friends who served together in WWII and whose friendship went terribly wrong at some point. It is also questionable whether Greer is carrying on with Michael again, years after he left her at the altar. Riddle tries to make sense of the secrets her parents carry as well as the one she holds. Elizabeth Kelly does a terrific job, the detailed care she takes with this story and its players is wonderful. All the characters are drawn in full life, particularly Greer. Greer is beautiful, elegant, arrogant and self-absorbed. She constantly puts down Gin and Riddle and practically everyone else who crosses her path. She is also totally amazing. Riddle, also similarly conflicted, says of Greer, "Her imperiousness was astounding. I couldn't help both admiring and being appalled by her arrogance, the way she wore it! Like an apparatus of fashion, matching ocelots trotted out for snarling effect."
Bottom line - I loved it a lot. Please make a movie of this novel.
Charlie's disappearance is not the only source of suspense. Michael Devlin and Camp were once good friends who served together in WWII and whose friendship went terribly wrong at some point. It is also questionable whether Greer is carrying on with Michael again, years after he left her at the altar. Riddle tries to make sense of the secrets her parents carry as well as the one she holds. Elizabeth Kelly does a terrific job, the detailed care she takes with this story and its players is wonderful. All the characters are drawn in full life, particularly Greer. Greer is beautiful, elegant, arrogant and self-absorbed. She constantly puts down Gin and Riddle and practically everyone else who crosses her path. She is also totally amazing. Riddle, also similarly conflicted, says of Greer, "Her imperiousness was astounding. I couldn't help both admiring and being appalled by her arrogance, the way she wore it! Like an apparatus of fashion, matching ocelots trotted out for snarling effect."
Bottom line - I loved it a lot. Please make a movie of this novel.
July 20, 2013
...and came up with this story as a lark one gin-fueled summer night. This novel seems to have all the right ingredients for a transporting beach read: clever characters in moneyed summer community including eccentric neighbors and famousy parents, mysterious happenings to be explained later, references to 1972 current events, etc. Unfortunately, my imagination couldn't find a comfortable place to settle in and enjoy the story. From the beginning, this book made me restless, or like I had a pebble in my shoe.
As I began to listen, I thought, "This novel is like 'The Lovely Bones' meets 'Seating Arrangements!'" After meeting more characters, notably, the plucky 12 year old protagonist named Riddle, I said, "No, it's an east coast 'To Kill A Mockingbird' with a super sinister Boo Radley!" When Riddle witnesses a crime and becomes completely unable to say a peep to these sophisticated, caustic parents with whom she seems to have a fairly good relationship, I became exasperated and called it. I need to be done. From what the author tells us of Riddle, she would have spoken up; even if her parents were self absorbed and preoccupied. That's where R.L. Stine comes in. I haven't read his children's "Goosebumps" series, but I have heard him called "Stephen King for Children" and that's the flavor of this book. Without Stephen King's compulsive readability. Poor Riddle is left to solve her own problems in a world where adults are shadowy presences with influences ranging from benign to malign.
I was four hours in before I gave up so please forgive me if this turns out to be an incredibly amazing story for those willing to invest the full thirteen hours. I have absolutely been wrong about books before but I'm willing to risk losing out and am returning this title. Still in the mood for some windswept summer house drama, I think I'll reread "Fortune's Rocks" or "Sea Glass" by Anita Shreve. Then a little Updike. Summer's too short to waste time on things so underwhelming.
July 8, 2013
A few days before only child Riddle James Camperdown turns 13, she sees and hears something sinister in a neighbor’s barn. Despite several opportunities to tell her parents, Riddle stays quiet. As you can probably guess, this doesn’t end well.
I’m not sure I have ever read a book where every character was a caricature to the extent that they were in this novel. 90% of the book consisted of interminable variations of the same scenes with the same seven characters – or when some of the characters were missing, they were being discussed by those present as we plodded toward the finish (a horse metaphor, since horses played a prominent role).
I’m pretty sure the only reason I’m rating this book 2 stars instead of 1 is that I don’t want to admit I spent so much time on a book I disliked so much. I strongly considered abandoning it, and should have, 150 pages in.
I’m not sure I have ever read a book where every character was a caricature to the extent that they were in this novel. 90% of the book consisted of interminable variations of the same scenes with the same seven characters – or when some of the characters were missing, they were being discussed by those present as we plodded toward the finish (a horse metaphor, since horses played a prominent role).
I’m pretty sure the only reason I’m rating this book 2 stars instead of 1 is that I don’t want to admit I spent so much time on a book I disliked so much. I strongly considered abandoning it, and should have, 150 pages in.
March 24, 2013
Loved this book! Once I started I literally couldn't put it down. The way she weaves the story is fascinating, and the language she uses builds the writing into one of the best I've read on a while. I often think about my rating as i read, and this one never went below four and a half stars. By the end I couldn't given this anything less than five. Highly recommend this one!
July 23, 2013
I LOVED this book. LOVED it. Riddle's voice is so real. I felt like I was reading a book about myself as a child. I absolutely loved her relationship with Greer, her mother. It felt natural and simple and I really related to it. My mother was not a fallen movie star, but there were so many similarities.
As for the murder (which isn't a spoiler, it's a main part of the book), I really wish Riddle had said something sooner. Of course. I wanted her to tell. I wanted the bad guy to get caught and everyone to live happily ever after. But then there wouldn't be a book. Or there would, but it would be very short and no one would read it. So it had to happen as it did, I suppose.
I found the character of Gula to be SO unsettling. I felt like I was Riddle, being 13 years old and being really mature for my age, but also still a kid and just being scared and spooked and not quite knowing where to turn. It seemed very real to me. I have read a lot of reviews on here about people not understanding why Riddle didn't tell anyone about Charlie's murder right away, but to me, it made total sense.
To me, overall, this book was about relationships. And I loved every single one of them. The main one, for me, being the relationship between mother and daughter, as I mentioned. I seriously laughed aloud so many times reading the dialogue between Riddle and Greer. But I also loved the character of Camp. I loved how he stuck up for Riddle. I love how he loathed and also respected Greer. I loved how Riddle looked up to him as her hero in a way, while also acknowledging that he was human and had some flaws (she never did seem to understand how he held so much hatred for Michael Devlin, or for his kids). The relationship between Greer and Gin was wonderful and hilarious and straight out of a comedy movie. I loved how Camp disliked Gin and saw him for what he was, but also knew he was harmless and humoured him in a certain way. I even loved the relationship between Mirabel and Greer. It all seemed so real to me. That's how each person would have acted around each other. It made sense to me. The relationship between Riddle and Harry was sweet. Any girl can look back to when they were 13 and find something familiar in that.
I know I have used the word 'love' a lot in this review, but it really was a wonderful book and is one of those books that I will re-read again each summer. I often write down great lines of dialogue in a notebook, witty quotes that I like, that make me laugh and think and by page 5, I realized that I didn't have a notebook big enough for all the great lines in this book.
If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like, and I'm reaching here...it would just be that I want to know what happens after. There was an epilogue, but I wanted more. I think what I want is a separate book that follows Riddle. She was such a wonderful character. I am still thinking about her hours after I finished the book. Everyone, please. Go read this book.
As for the murder (which isn't a spoiler, it's a main part of the book), I really wish Riddle had said something sooner. Of course. I wanted her to tell. I wanted the bad guy to get caught and everyone to live happily ever after. But then there wouldn't be a book. Or there would, but it would be very short and no one would read it. So it had to happen as it did, I suppose.
I found the character of Gula to be SO unsettling. I felt like I was Riddle, being 13 years old and being really mature for my age, but also still a kid and just being scared and spooked and not quite knowing where to turn. It seemed very real to me. I have read a lot of reviews on here about people not understanding why Riddle didn't tell anyone about Charlie's murder right away, but to me, it made total sense.
To me, overall, this book was about relationships. And I loved every single one of them. The main one, for me, being the relationship between mother and daughter, as I mentioned. I seriously laughed aloud so many times reading the dialogue between Riddle and Greer. But I also loved the character of Camp. I loved how he stuck up for Riddle. I love how he loathed and also respected Greer. I loved how Riddle looked up to him as her hero in a way, while also acknowledging that he was human and had some flaws (she never did seem to understand how he held so much hatred for Michael Devlin, or for his kids). The relationship between Greer and Gin was wonderful and hilarious and straight out of a comedy movie. I loved how Camp disliked Gin and saw him for what he was, but also knew he was harmless and humoured him in a certain way. I even loved the relationship between Mirabel and Greer. It all seemed so real to me. That's how each person would have acted around each other. It made sense to me. The relationship between Riddle and Harry was sweet. Any girl can look back to when they were 13 and find something familiar in that.
I know I have used the word 'love' a lot in this review, but it really was a wonderful book and is one of those books that I will re-read again each summer. I often write down great lines of dialogue in a notebook, witty quotes that I like, that make me laugh and think and by page 5, I realized that I didn't have a notebook big enough for all the great lines in this book.
If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like, and I'm reaching here...it would just be that I want to know what happens after. There was an epilogue, but I wanted more. I think what I want is a separate book that follows Riddle. She was such a wonderful character. I am still thinking about her hours after I finished the book. Everyone, please. Go read this book.
December 18, 2013
MODIFIED SPOILER ALERT
I won't give away the ending of this book, but to explain why I struggled with how to rate it, I have to explore some of the main reveals.
I was tempted to give this three stars, given the incandescent writing and sardonic dialogue, along with vividly imagined characters, but my struggle with the primary character and premise of the book nudged it down to two stars for me.
In this novel, the protagonist is early teen Riddle Camperdown, living in a wealthy enclave on Cape Cod in the 70s. Her father Godfrey, better known as "Camp," is a wealthy, bigger than life, pro-union Congressional candidate. Her mother, Greer, is a former film and stage star who is still devastatingly beautiful and has the tartest tongue this side of the Mississippi. They live next to a horse-owning piece of moral vacuity named Gin, who has hired a mysterious European trainer, Gula, and it is his relationship with Riddle (named for Jimmy Hoffa's middle name) that drives the book.
Gin lives on an estate once owned by Michael Devlin, a rakishly handsome, inherited wealth fellow who, it turns out, not only served in WWII with Camp, but was supposed to marry Greer until it fell apart right before the wedding.
Early in the story, Michael's younger son Charlie disappears, and Riddle knows something about this. Having wandered into a stable on Gin's property, she hears a scuffle and a boy's cries, and then encounters the creepily malevolent Gula for the first time.
The book revolves around the fact that Riddle for months and months won't tell anyone about what she saw and heard that day, even after she herself discovers Charlie's remains in a swamp, and when she finally does reveal her secret, it leads to the book's melodramatic finish, all of which is related to a mysterious incident that occurred during WWII and involved both Godfrey and Michael.
I could certainly understand how a young woman would have trouble telling her secret after she had kept it for too long -- but I never could figure out why Riddle kept the secret in the first place. She is petrified by Gula, but for me, all the more reason to spill the beans to the father she idolized. The plot's development depends on her acting this way, but it never resonated with me. I also thought Kelly had a muddy vision of who Riddle was -- on the one hand, a scared, unsure, out of place young girl in a family of luminaries; on the other, a kid who constantly challenged her mother and was almost as decisive with a quip as Greer. These two Riddles made her, well, a riddle, and if Kelly chose that name deliberately, it certainly struck me that way, but not to the effect she probably wished.
So -- great characters, sizzling dialogue, some gripping plot elements -- told through the eyes of a character I could never figure out.
June 30, 2013
This is an extremely well written, multi-layered book. At times it is laugh out loud funny and, at other times, the walls the characters have built around themselves are so high it is difficult to penetrate. The main character, Riddle, witnesses by sound not sight, a terrible incident but does not come forward. She lives with this knowledge and it changes her throughout the summer. That same summer things are unraveling between her parents as her bombastic father runs for political office while trying to keep a secret about his past military service and her mother (a former award-winning actress) contends with an old flame.
The parents are extremely well written and can be visualized quite clearly. Riddle adores her father and tolerates her mother, seeming to feel she could never be the beautiful, well-put-together person her mother is at every moment in time. She chooses to go for her father's affection as he is the tough, pick yourself up and dust yourself off person who thinks he can change the world by the loudness of his voice and the strength of his conviction. The character of Greer Camperdown, Riddle's mother, the chain-smoking, acid-tongued, gorgeous ex-actress is truly a masterpiece. She is vividly written and practically leaps off the page. She is a fabulous invention and if this book were to ever be made into a movie, she would be the most critical character to be accurately cast. There are some secondary characters who are also quite enjoyable as well, either through their creepiness or their over-the-top humorous characterizations both of which help move the story along at critical moments.
As the dynamics of the novel shift and turn, the reader rides along with Riddle, willing her to come forward with the knowledge she is keeping inside. Of course, we learn from the very first pages that she will not do so, but as a reader there are a few frustrating moments when you want to shake her and tell her to speak up NOW!
This novel gets bogged down a couple of times but overall the quality of the writing and the depth of the characters shines brightly. Elizabeth Kelly is a true talent and I will definitely be on the lookout for her future books.
The parents are extremely well written and can be visualized quite clearly. Riddle adores her father and tolerates her mother, seeming to feel she could never be the beautiful, well-put-together person her mother is at every moment in time. She chooses to go for her father's affection as he is the tough, pick yourself up and dust yourself off person who thinks he can change the world by the loudness of his voice and the strength of his conviction. The character of Greer Camperdown, Riddle's mother, the chain-smoking, acid-tongued, gorgeous ex-actress is truly a masterpiece. She is vividly written and practically leaps off the page. She is a fabulous invention and if this book were to ever be made into a movie, she would be the most critical character to be accurately cast. There are some secondary characters who are also quite enjoyable as well, either through their creepiness or their over-the-top humorous characterizations both of which help move the story along at critical moments.
As the dynamics of the novel shift and turn, the reader rides along with Riddle, willing her to come forward with the knowledge she is keeping inside. Of course, we learn from the very first pages that she will not do so, but as a reader there are a few frustrating moments when you want to shake her and tell her to speak up NOW!
This novel gets bogged down a couple of times but overall the quality of the writing and the depth of the characters shines brightly. Elizabeth Kelly is a true talent and I will definitely be on the lookout for her future books.
June 29, 2013
This book read sort of like a watered down Atonement, the story of a young girl who witnesses something she doesn't quite understand and the trouble that follows as she decides what to do with that information.
The main problem with this book is the language. I'm supposed to believe a thirteen year old girl knows whole hosts of words that I've never even heard used before and that they seamlessly roll off her tongue with the appropriate amount of wit to serve the appropriate amount of bite just when it's needed? Kelly may have a lofty vocabulary but it doesn't seem organic to the characters in the book.
The characters are the next problem. Not only are they totally unlikable, which isn't an unforgivable offense, every single one of those characters is not relatable in any way.
The plot moves too slowly and too much is revealed in the beginning, making you wait hundreds of pages for anything to move forward. The ending is certainly a fun, surprising twist, but not worth the time it took to get you there.
A so-so read that has been lauded as a well written, and yet still fun summer kind of read. I wouldn't agree with either of those descriptions.
The main problem with this book is the language. I'm supposed to believe a thirteen year old girl knows whole hosts of words that I've never even heard used before and that they seamlessly roll off her tongue with the appropriate amount of wit to serve the appropriate amount of bite just when it's needed? Kelly may have a lofty vocabulary but it doesn't seem organic to the characters in the book.
The characters are the next problem. Not only are they totally unlikable, which isn't an unforgivable offense, every single one of those characters is not relatable in any way.
The plot moves too slowly and too much is revealed in the beginning, making you wait hundreds of pages for anything to move forward. The ending is certainly a fun, surprising twist, but not worth the time it took to get you there.
A so-so read that has been lauded as a well written, and yet still fun summer kind of read. I wouldn't agree with either of those descriptions.
August 3, 2013
I'm sorry, I love a metaphor as much as the next guy but "pulleeese" the amount of them in this book just distracted and bogged me down. I was so restless as I forced my way through the first 90 pages. I know Riddle saw(?) heard(?) something in the barn that scared her but the reader is left bewildered and confused. I give up. Life is too short to waste it force feeding yourself a book that is not "assigned" reading. I don't even care to know what the mystery that is alluded to in the first chapter is ever revealed to me.
There are too many great books out there crying to be read.
There are too many great books out there crying to be read.
February 5, 2013
I loved everything about this book. It was a perfect blend of everyday life and mystery. I felt as if I really got to know the Camperdowns and all their acquaintances. Kelly wrote it in such a way that I didn't feel like I was stuck in a bad 70s movie. It could've just as easily taken place today. I cannot wait to meet this author and discuss the ending of the novel.
June 25, 2015
I only finished this because I read it for a book club. The character development was awful and I didn't care about anyone, including the narrator. Far too much dialogue, far too many contrived plot points with no build up. The ending seemed shoddily thrown together and because there was no development, it wasn't a surprising twist so much as continued arbitrary actions.
August 14, 2014
This book got on my nerves. The story was decent but a lot of the dialog made me crazy. Some the characters (Greer, Gin, Mirabel) were so overdone they were basically parodies. I just kept feeling like I wanted to punch them all in the face.
April 7, 2013
I couldn't put this book down! The characters are larger than life and will stay with me along time. So much to talk about, can't wait to meet the author in April.
September 23, 2020
From the very first page, I was hooked. Riddle is such a fantastic main character with incredible maturity and razor-sharp wit. The suspense part of the plot had me whipping through pages. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
March 3, 2013
You can also read my review on my blog: http://thebookendreviews.blogspot.com...
Note: I won this book as a Goodreads.com first reads contest winning.
Riddle me this......
It's the Summer of 1972 and Riddle "Jimmy" "Hoffa" James Camperdown keeps the biggest secret of her life. At 12 years old she witnesses a crime but doesn't tell a soul. As her parents seem to become more distant (Her father is in politics and her mother still star struck) she begins to fall in love with Harry Delvin. The son of her fathers once best friend. As the year goes on, Riddle learns more truths and secrets, but does she keep her secret or finally tell someone?
I had the opportunity to read the advance readers copy of "The Last Summer of the Camperdowns" by Elizabeth Kelly (via Goodreads.com). I started reading the first few pages and was worried that I wouldn't get into it. There was a lot of description and I always seem to loose focus was a novel has too much detail. I get lost in the detail and forget what I was reading, but after a while I adjusted to the novel and the pages just flew by. I also think I've become just that much more smart after reading this. There were words that I never even heard of and actually had to look up! At times I forgot that Riddle was only 12 because of the vocabulary that was used.
I enjoyed The Last Summer of the Camperdowns. I was intrigued by how fear can prevent people from doing the right thing. I kept wondering when and if Riddle would do the right thing. Was there more to Greer (Riddle's mother) and Michael (Harry's father) than meets the eye? Who really was behind the biggest crime that shook the a little town of Wellfleet. What I liked most, is the story went fully circle.
I still have a few questions that went unanswered, but I have my theories.
Note: I won this book as a Goodreads.com first reads contest winning.
Riddle me this......
It's the Summer of 1972 and Riddle "Jimmy" "Hoffa" James Camperdown keeps the biggest secret of her life. At 12 years old she witnesses a crime but doesn't tell a soul. As her parents seem to become more distant (Her father is in politics and her mother still star struck) she begins to fall in love with Harry Delvin. The son of her fathers once best friend. As the year goes on, Riddle learns more truths and secrets, but does she keep her secret or finally tell someone?
I had the opportunity to read the advance readers copy of "The Last Summer of the Camperdowns" by Elizabeth Kelly (via Goodreads.com). I started reading the first few pages and was worried that I wouldn't get into it. There was a lot of description and I always seem to loose focus was a novel has too much detail. I get lost in the detail and forget what I was reading, but after a while I adjusted to the novel and the pages just flew by. I also think I've become just that much more smart after reading this. There were words that I never even heard of and actually had to look up! At times I forgot that Riddle was only 12 because of the vocabulary that was used.
I enjoyed The Last Summer of the Camperdowns. I was intrigued by how fear can prevent people from doing the right thing. I kept wondering when and if Riddle would do the right thing. Was there more to Greer (Riddle's mother) and Michael (Harry's father) than meets the eye? Who really was behind the biggest crime that shook the a little town of Wellfleet. What I liked most, is the story went fully circle.
I still have a few questions that went unanswered, but I have my theories.
October 15, 2013
Elizabeth Kelly has written a fascinating book about some of the most interesting characters I've come across in quite some time. Her use of descriptive language is awe-inspiring, as shown in the following examples:
" . . . people who visibly inspected me for flaws, who spoke to me too loudly, who overwhelmed me with the vivid primary colors of their curiosity, posing questions in singsong voices that bobbed like mobiles hung over a crib."
"He was one of those men who could change the weather in the room just by showing up."
"Directly behind Gin, Gula lingered in the gloaming that he wore like a cape, looming and murky, louche and intriguing, inhabiting his own dense pocket of darkness - night seeming to follow him like a feral odor."
" . . . my hair, meanwhile, looked like it was being held up at gunpoint . . ."
I could go on and on, demonstrating her exquisite use of language, and her dazzling ability to turn a phrase, but you get the picture.
And her vocabulary! I've always thought mine was rather extensive, but I read much of this book needing to look up words such as "abseiling," "louche," and "etiolated." I didn't get the impression that she was trying to impress her reader with these words, either, as some people are inclined to do, but rather they just seemed to flow naturally. I would normally be unhappy with an author who took me out of a story to search for definitions, but I never had that reaction, which surprised me, and is a testament to her writing talent.
An unusual book, to say the least, and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
" . . . people who visibly inspected me for flaws, who spoke to me too loudly, who overwhelmed me with the vivid primary colors of their curiosity, posing questions in singsong voices that bobbed like mobiles hung over a crib."
"He was one of those men who could change the weather in the room just by showing up."
"Directly behind Gin, Gula lingered in the gloaming that he wore like a cape, looming and murky, louche and intriguing, inhabiting his own dense pocket of darkness - night seeming to follow him like a feral odor."
" . . . my hair, meanwhile, looked like it was being held up at gunpoint . . ."
I could go on and on, demonstrating her exquisite use of language, and her dazzling ability to turn a phrase, but you get the picture.
And her vocabulary! I've always thought mine was rather extensive, but I read much of this book needing to look up words such as "abseiling," "louche," and "etiolated." I didn't get the impression that she was trying to impress her reader with these words, either, as some people are inclined to do, but rather they just seemed to flow naturally. I would normally be unhappy with an author who took me out of a story to search for definitions, but I never had that reaction, which surprised me, and is a testament to her writing talent.
An unusual book, to say the least, and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
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