Review of Sophistries of Summer Days

[Guete Zuelo]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Sophistries of Summer Days" by Jenny Lofters.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Sophistries of Summer Days by Jenny Lofters is a historical novel that follows the coming-of-age story of Cherrimina, a fourteen-year-old girl in the West Indies. I've been in a reading slump for about a year, but this novel that tackles sexuality, race, cultural norms, and the shift from childish naivety to introspective adulthood broke me out of it. Lofters tells a story that is soothing yet realistic. It narrates the simple day-to-day lives of the islanders, yet it excites you as you follow the perspective of our protagonist.

Cherrimina is a quiet, young girl with an inquisitive mind living with her mother and Nanna. The life of a sheltered young girl took a lunge into reality with the arrival of a beautiful foreigner named Dove. The two formed a friendship that developed into a lifetime bond when Cherrimina witnessed Dove committing a crime. The thrill of the story starts when her devout Nanna and the rest of the family listened to Barabbas' plan to help Dove escape back to New York. The two would later reunite after Cherrimina became a young adult who gained wisdom from experiencing grief, loss, guilt, and different natures of men.

I've always been bitter about how time changes the lives of people in the stories I've read. Time touched Cherrimina's life, and she grew up. I've felt bitterness and awe as I moved from one page to another in Jenny Lofters' book. It contained different tones that kept me entertained from the beginning to the end. There's a variety of characters, each with their own rich lives intertwined with one another. The story tells of a family-oriented culture and the warmth of a tight-knit community. Through Cherrimina’s journey towards adulthood, the novel makes you realize that some struggles are timeless and that some longings are universal.

I'm once again envious of a book character because our protagonist has adults imparting their wisdom to her, and that's what I liked the most in the book. The book contains many ideologies and lessons you might find helpful in your life. And it has what every other historical novel offers, the lessons from the past. It reflected on slavery, war, and the insistence of beauty through the warmth of culture. With my great admiration for the melody I've heard while reading, I have nothing to dislike in this book.

The most enjoyable moment I've had reading this book is learning numerous slang; its surprising humor comes as a runner-up. I recommend the readers of this book to be diligent in looking up the meanings of the words you don't understand. This book is free from typos and grammatical errors. It has slang that could be considered vulgar and contains sexual language and scenes, which is why this is a recommendation for young adults. The book also cites religious verses several times as part of the culture of a religious person. From the reasons I stated, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. A well-deserved perfect score for the book that pulled me out from my reading slump. I'm recommending this to everyone who likes casual reading.

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Sophistries of Summer Days
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[Mary Lou Mills]

I love your style of reviewing a book. It feels like you understand the motive of the author. I also reviewed this book. It's one of my favorites of the year.

[Osito]

Seems a great book. Time changes everything, not only in the fictional world, but also real life.