Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

I'm not much of a Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants kind of girl. I think I missed the boat. I saw the films and liked them well enough but never read the books until this year I decided to try them. So, I purchased the first one for Kindle and wasn't particularly overwhelmed. However, had I read it when I was sixteen, I would have probably raved about it. I liken the Sisterhood to the Jessica Darling novels. I know some of my friends read Jessica Darling later in life and didn't really see what the fuss was about, however I started reading them when I was about seventeen so ended up being around about the same age as Jess as I read them all. Therefore, they are synonymous with my little bit of growing up. But I digress, this is a Sisterhood review. 

I decided to skip all of the middle books and catch up with the girls on their last (or should I say latest?) outing. Lena is teaching and seems a little bit of a Debbie Downer; Bee is dreadlocked free spirit who still likes to sleep outside; Carmen is a minor celebrity; and Tibby is...in Australia. The friends still keep in contact but the bond is not as strong as life, and everything that comes along with it, proves too distracting. However, they are reunited through Tibby and her wishes for all of them. 

I have to say, I found the first half of this instalment very difficult to get through. Nothing was happening even though something 'big' does happen. The girls all seemed very monotonous and stuck in their boxes. However, I soon started paying closer attention to the quotations that preface every chapter and before I knew it, things started to pick up. The introduction of characters such as Effie, Kostos, train guy and Brian really helped to bring the girls out of themselves and their world started to become a little more three dimensional. By the end of the novel, I was fully invested in all of the characters and was even able to overlook the slightly too cute wrapping up of the story. I think my main issue with this Sisterhood novel is that the girls didn't seem like twenty-somethings, especially compared to the voices of Jennifer Close's 'Girls In White Dresses', which I have recently read. Then again, perhaps this is to do with target audience. Is it for adult readers or young adults? Or is it 'new adult'? This is more about whether or not an adult can realistically review a young adult novel, something I'd like to talk about another day once I get my thoughts in order. 

Anyway, I ended up quite liking Sisterhood Everlasting. 

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