Commencement: A Novel by J. Courtney Sullivan

My sister told me she was reading one of my all-time favorite books: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. I couldn't believe it. My little sister, who has never shown any interest in reading for fun, was reading for fun, and was reading one of my favorite books to boot! I was happy and excited, because this meant we could finally chat about a book. And then I realized something - my sister was reading and I wasn't. AHHHH!. Yes, its true, I have not been in a reading mood lately.  The horror, the horror!  And so, in order to break this slump, I started to read the magazines on my nightstand and eventually I picked up a book. Nothing too deep, something light and fluffy.  

Written by J. Courtney Sullivan, Commencement is:

...a sparkling tale of friendship and a fascinating portrait of the first generation of women who have all the opportunities in the world, but no clear idea about what to choose.

Their first year at college, Celia, Bree, Sally, and April couldn't have less in common.  Celia, a lapsed Catholic arrives with a bottle of vodka in her suitcase; Bree pines for the fiance she left behind in Savannah; preppy Sally is reeling from the loss of her mother; and April, a radical, redheaded feminist wearing a "Riot: Don't Diet" T-shirt, wants a room transfer immediately.  Commencement follows these unlikely friends through college and the years beyond, brilliantly capturing the complicated landscape facing young women today. 

My thoughts:

I liked Commencement.  It was the perfect book to get me out of my reading slump, because it was the type of book I would call a one-off (a quick pick me up book).  It was a light, fun read.  The writing was good and flowed rather nicely, making the story progress at an even speed.  Each chapter was told from the perspective of one of the four main characters which provided some insight into each individual character and their opinions about certain events and relationships.  The plot was about the rise and fall of these four women's lives and friendships.  The four friends met during their first year at Smith College, where they embraced feminism and friendship and life.  This book takes us through their time at Smith to their current place in life, which is their mid-twenties.  We have a wedding, the birth of a baby, serial dating, and a missing friend - all of which make for quite an interesting read.  The predictability of certain events and the ending did make me roll my eyes, but what did I expect from a beach read, right?  And the feminist themes that were mentioned were a bit cliched at times, but I appreciated that they were included (of course the collegiate setting was Smith, so how could feminism not be mentioned, right?).  Overall, I enjoyed reading Commencement and would recommend it to those who enjoy chick lit. 

And now I'm off to peruse my overflowing bookshelves and pick something new to read.  Hopefully something with a bit more bite to it.  Happy reading!!!