Twenty Boy Summer discussion

What did you think about this book?

I really liked this book! Within the first couple chapters I was crying with Matt died and nobody had known about Matt and Anna's relationship.

Omg! This was seriously like my second favorite book I've ever read. I thought that it was so well written and everything! And I also had a tear when reading the part where Matt died...I just felt like while reading this book I could relate to everything that was happening. I definitely think that the author captured the lives and thoughts of teenage girls really as well as the changes that occur in a family when they're grieving. Ugh this was such a good book.

I also teared up too at the part where Matt died. I felt like I could really relate to everything the book was talking about. It was very well written and very understandable. The storyline was easy to follow and it kept me wanting to read more and more about what was going to happen next. I have to say at first I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because something to big happened very soon in the book. Overall it was one of my favorite books and I have recommended it to a lot of people!

I know I would agree with you that it was something very big and dramatic to happen right away in the beginning of the book. Someone also told me that they felt that the author didn't do a good job of transitioning from the death to the rest of the book and that it didn't spend enough time going through that process. That did make me realize that there could have probably been more to that part of the book but it didn't make me like the book less or anything. P.S. I shed a tear while reading that part too! Even though it got cheesy at times, I still think that everything that happened in that book was very realistic and I could see it all very easily happening to a tee. What do you guys think?

Yes now that you say that, the author really did not spend much time going through the process after Matt died. But she mention a little bit throughout the book of how much they miss him. So relating back to when he passed away later in the book made everything tie together a lot more! But yes I also felt even though it got a little cheesy sometimes I would catch myself smiling at the book because it felt so realistic.

Ya for sure, I would definitely sit there and smile while reading this book. I think what I liked the most about this book though were the symbols that it carried throughout the story. Like the glass that Frankie wore around her neck from Matt and the significance that it has to Anna, and how she found some at the beach just when she knew that it was time to let go of him, and that it was okay for her to do that. I think that was my favorite part of the book, and just hearing how Anna dealt with his death and difficulty she was having with the idea of never wanting him and their memories to escape from her mind and heart, but learning that they never will and she can move forward with her future without him while still always loving him. Very realistic and something that I think a lot of people have trouble with when someone they love dies.

Yes I also thought a lot of the symbols. I like when books carry little symbols such as the glass throughout the story, it seems to carry more of meaning than if there were not any.