Summer is just around the corner, even though it may
not seem like it, and that means it's time to start stocking up on light,
relaxing reads. Whether you plan to spend your free time on the beach, at the
cottage, or simply getting a breath of fresh air at your local park, it never
hurts to have a good book on hand. Sheila Horne's Sunshine Girls is the
perfect quick and easy read for your relaxation plans. Told through the eyes of
Toronto-born Ella, Sunshine Girls is like Sex and the City but
about 20-something Canadians during the 1970s rather than 30-something New
Yorkers around the 2000s. It's fun, sexy, and not afraid to touch on
important social issues along the way.
Having recently been dumped by her long-time
boyfriend, Ella is on the hunt for a new man. But finding one that lives up to
what she has in mind proves harder than expected. From nice guys that just
aren't quite right to guys who want nothing more than sex, she has her work cut
out for her.
When Ella decides to spend her weekends up in Wasaga
Beach with her friends — the sexually adventurous Raynie, the
ready-to-settle-down Meg, and the chilled-out Jessie — all kinds of adventures
take place. The four of them are ready to spend their summer hitting the bars,
meeting boys, and making memories. But what starts out as four friends looking
for fun times soon turns into a coming-of-age story as their lives begin to
take unexpected turns and they face challenges they can't ignore.
The story takes note of some of the important social
changes of the times, such as the gay rights movement, but it mostly focuses
on Ella's experiences as she changes from relatively carefree young girl into a
woman with real world concerns. In this way, though, it does deal
consistently with the subject of the women's liberation movement on a more
personal level. Ella and her friends' ideals are constantly at conflict, as
they were raised to believe they needed a husband to be happy and established —
but in the evolving world of the '70s, this once-steadfast concept is starting
to shift. Which set of ideals will win out for Horne's young heroine is an
interesting parallel to the women's rights movement being fought for on a
larger scale across Canada.
Horne's style is perfect for a fun summer read. She paints
a clear and interesting picture of the characters' surroundings and
interactions without getting bogged down in pages of description. She also does
a lovely job portraying four very believable young women and the fallout that
can happen when life throws unexpected events their way. All in all, Sunshine
Girls is an easy and enjoyable read.
The only downside to the book being such a quick
read is it leaves you wanting to know more about Ella and what she
decides to do with the new challenges that have come her way. She faces so many
less-than-stellar men (to say the least) as well as some serious life-changing
experiences, so you can't help but want to know more about what she'll do next.
Horne introduces us to four incredibly different but equally interesting young
female characters that develop beautifully over the course of the book. We only
wish we could get a clearer picture at the end of where they'll be in a few
years. Perhaps a sequel is in order?
The most intriguing aspect of Sunshine Girls
is without doubt the period it takes place in. You'll feel transported back
to 1973 Toronto as Horne subtly adds in little throwbacks that will constantly
have you going, "I remember that!" Remember back when the only
way to tell if someone who was picking you up that you couldn't hang out was to
leave a note on the door, since cell phones didn't exist? Or when offices were
filled with the sounds of typewriters and adding machines rather than the beeps
and rings of computers and printers? You'll be taken back into the era when
everyone smoked and a woman aspiring to more than finding a husband was only
just starting to be considered a possibility.
If you're familiar with Toronto, you're sure to get an
extra thrill from mentions of walks along the Danforth and tobogganing in
Riverdale Park. If you weren't around to experience life in the 1970s or you
haven't spent much time in Toronto, don't worry. Horne paints a clear and
captivating picture of the city and its surroundings at that time, so young and
old, Torontonian or not, can all enjoy Sunshine Girls.
You
can get the hard copy or Kindle version at amazon.ca or get a copy for your
Kobo at chapters.indigo.ca.
