Rachel Robinson always seemed to have everything under control. But being the sensible one doesn't mean life is simple - and Judy Blume gives one of her most memorable supporting characters the chance to tell her own story.
📚 Pre-Reading Thoughts
I remembered Rachel as Stephanie's clever, organised best friend from Just As Long As We're Together, but I was curious to see what would happen when she stepped into the spotlight herself.
Would she become a completely different character, or simply reveal the parts of herself we'd never had the chance to see?
📖 Post-Reading
As I thought...
- Judy Blume's remarkable emotional honesty is just as strong here as in Stephanie's story. Rachel's worries may seem small to an adult, but the novel never treats them that way.
- Rachel is a wonderful protagonist. Intelligent, responsible and thoughtful, she also has insecurities, frustrations and moments of spectacular overthinking that make her feel completely believable.
- Family life is portrayed with warmth and complexity. The Robinsons love one another deeply, even when they drive each other to distraction.
It surprised me by...
- How much Judy Blume leaves unsaid. Charles isn't reduced to a neat explanation or tidy diagnosis. Rachel doesn't get all the answers, because sometimes life simply doesn't provide them. Instead, the novel focuses on learning to understand people without fully understanding them.
- How satisfying it is to spend time with a character who could easily have remained "the sensible sidekick." Rachel has her own hopes, fears and emotional journey, and they deserve every bit as much attention as Stephanie's did.
- How timeless the story remains. Although rooted in another era, the emotions still feel immediate. Teenagers are still trying to balance family, friendships, expectations and first crushes, and Judy Blume captures all of it with compassion.
Like its predecessor, this is a novel that trusts young readers to recognise their own feelings without minimising them. Rachel's story reminds us that growing up rarely comes with neat answers - and that sometimes understanding yourself is more important than understanding everyone else.
🎧 Music Pairing
🎵 Featured Song:
Brave
🎶 Vibe Album:
Little Voice
🎧 Artist Recommendation:
Vienna Teng — thoughtful, articulate and quietly insightful.
🌈 Vibe Check
- Colour Palette: burnt orange, burgundy, cream, soft brown
- Soundtrack: piano practice drifting through the house, leaves rustling outside, laughter echoing down school corridors
- Season: autumn
- Mood: reflective, comforting, quietly hopeful
- Scent: crisp air, library books, cinnamon
🃏 Tarot Pull
Page of Swords
Rachel approaches the world with curiosity, intelligence and an endless stream of questions. The Page of Swords represents someone eager to understand everything around them, even when the answers are incomplete. It's a fitting card for a girl discovering that growing up often means learning to live with uncertainty as well as knowledge.
👀 For fans of
- Just As Long As We're Together
- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
- classic coming-of-age stories that treat young people's emotions with respect
No comments:
Post a Comment