Ali Standish tells the story of Georgia and her summer at her great-aunt’s house in her book, The Mending Summer. When alcoholism begins to consume Georgia’s father so that her mother must work and study extra hard to support their family, Georgia is sent to live with her great-aunt in the countryside. There, she makes a new friend, Angela. Together they discover a magical lake in the woods near Georgia’s great-aunt’s house. This mystical lake appears to be the solution to all of Georgia’s problems, but Georgia’s home life worsens and the powers of the lake are abused. Georgia must find a way to reckon with her emotions regarding her father and learn important lessons about friendship and family.
I liked this book. The figurative language that Standish used transported me into Georgia’s forest paradise. I also appreciated the way both magical and realistic elements were intertwined in this story. That said, the plot was pretty predictable. Georgia was also a more childish character in comparison to most characters in other young adult novels.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading both realistic fiction and fantasy.
