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June 16, 2017

Perennials by Mandy Berman | Review

This post may include Amazon links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Perennials by Mandy Berman - This debut is about friends Fiona and Rachel who return to Camp Marigold as counselors where they find their friendship tested.Perennials by Mandy Berman (debut)
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: June 6, 2017
Length: 288 pages
Buy on Amazon

Single Sentence Summary: Rachel and Fiona’s friendship sprouted at Camp Marigold, but when they return as counselors their friendship is tested in ways neither could have imagined.

Primary Characters: Fiona Larkin – Fiona’s family has a long history at Camp Marigold. It’s where her parents met, so spending summers there is a long standing family tradition. Rachel —— – Rachel doesn’t have as many advantages as Fiona. She’s the child of a single mother and a father who is in her life, but keeps her a secret.

From the Publisher: “At what point does childhood end and adulthood begin? Mandy Berman’s evocative debut novel captures, through the lens of summer camp both the thrill and pain of growing up… A seductive blast of nostalgia, a striking portrait of adolescent longing, and a tribute to both the complicated nature and the enduring power of female friendship…”

Review: Growing up I only went to camp a couple of times; it was never longer than a couple of weeks and the other kids were always new to me. So, I was really looking forward to experiencing summer camp in a whole new way with Mandy Berman’s debut, Perennials. On that front her book was a huge success. The setting of Camp Marigold was very well developed. I feel like I could step into that camp and everything would be familiar: the tent-cabins with nets strung over the bunks, the boy-girl dining hall, the horse barn and riding paths, and idyllic lake.

Berman’s main characters, Fiona and Rachel, I’m less certain about. The two, along with their friendship felt one-dimensional to me. Initially we’re told they’re the best of friends, though their backgrounds are very different. Six years later, their friendship is faltering with only the most superficial of explanations. Why over the last few years have they drifted apart? Can it really be that Fiona, a girl with everything going for her (she got a horse for her13th birthday), can be so undone by the “freshman 15?” Wouldn’t Rachel, more sophisticated and experienced, have been drifting from Fiona for years? Or, is it just this last summer? Much of their drama felt too young adult for me.

Had Berman spent more time developing Fiona and Rachel the story’s devastating climax would have been much more powerful. Instead, entire chapters were spent on minor characters that had almost nothing to do with the heart of Perennials. Some chapters felt like little more than fillers. This created a story that drifted from its plot far too often, making it difficult to sustain interest.

While I was not a fan of Perennials, I know others thoroughly enjoyed it. For a different point of view I’d suggest heading to The Misstery and checking out Annie’s wonderful review. It’s always fun to see how opinions about a book can vary so greatly. Grade: C

If you liked this book you might also enjoy:

  • Everything Belongs to Us by Yoojin Grace Wuertz – another debut that explores a young female friendship’s changes during the college years. Everything Belongs to Us takes place in South Korea in the 1980’s. (my review)
  • Marlena by Julie Buntin – an outstanding debut coming-of-age novel that explores the life long effects of teenage friendship. (my review)

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate links included within this post.

Filed Under: By Title, Coming-of-Age, Debuts Tagged With: 2017, Book Review, Camp, Coming-of-Age, Contemporary Fiction, Grade C, Summer Camp




Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angela says

    June 16, 2017 at 6:06 am

    This sounds like it could have been a really great summer book – too bad it didn’t work out! I never went to summer camp as a kid, so I would be interested to read about the setting, but it sounds like the main focus of the book, the friendship, gets lost.

    Reply
    • Susie | Novel Visits says

      June 16, 2017 at 8:56 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Angela. Perennials just wasn’t for me!

      Reply
  2. Allison says

    June 16, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    I read an interview with the author and it sounded so good! Her explanation of the power dynamics at play between the two girls was especially interesting. (Here’s the interview, if you’re interested: https://electricliterature.com/summer-camp-is-a-microcosm-for-life-1963462d61fe).

    The summer camps I went to were short as well, but I did meet one of my lifelong best friends there. The bubble of camp was always so strange and wonderful.

    Reply
    • Susie | Novel Visits says

      June 17, 2017 at 10:31 pm

      Thanks so much for the link. It’s a really interesting interview and definitely gives a clear picture of how the story developed. I found it especially interesting that it started as a series of linked short stories. For me there was a short story feel to the whole book.

      Reply
  3. Annie says

    June 16, 2017 at 1:11 pm

    Thanks for linking my review!!! Although I loved it, I can understand how you felt about the secondary characters, especially because at first the book seemed to be about Rachel and Fiona. Great onest review <3

    Reply
    • Susie | Novel Visits says

      June 16, 2017 at 8:50 pm

      Thanks, Annie. Have a nice weekend!

      Reply
  4. Marlene says

    June 16, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    I did go to summer camp, though it was all-girls, and two of my granddaughters go to the same camp as their mom and aunt did. Do you think this is an appropriate read for a 17 year old? You mention that it seemed for of a YA book to you. Thanks, Susie!

    Reply
    • Susie | Novel Visits says

      June 16, 2017 at 8:50 pm

      I think the book would be fine for most 17-year olds. It does have a couple scenes that are more mature, but I know I was reading the same books as my mom at 17. I also Perennials referred to as a mature YA book on another review.

      Reply
  5. Resh says

    June 19, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Too bad this book did not really work for you. I can understand how frustrating it feels when a friendship in a novel fails to touch your heart. Hope your next read is a better one

    Reply

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Welcome to Novel Visits! I’m Susie and reading is my passion. Join me for new novel reviews, musing on all things books, and much more.

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