Judy Blume’s In The Unlikely Event [Book Review]

JUDY BLUME AND CHILDHOOD

Judy Blume’s books are usually read by those in their younger years, like sixth, seventh and eighth grade and even into high schools for her most of her books are based during those times in a girl’s life. But they are also read by adults who wish to relive those days (by re-reading the books), or those, like me, who wish to relive those younger years and forget about adulthood for a bit. I started with Summer Sisters and fell in love with the book and, to this day, outside of Cater in The Rye (J.D Salinger) is one of my favorite books that I could read again. After I read Summer Sisters I decided to visit her other books such Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret, Here’s To You Rachel Robinson, and Just As Long As We’re Together.

When I found out that Blume was coming out with a new book via @goodreads, I was ecstatic for I missed reliving the childhood I wish I had; I went so far as to pre-order the book via Barnes and Noble (Nook e-reader). And the day finally came when I received an email stating my book was ready for download, and a-downloading I went and a-reading I began.

THE PLOT

Elizabeth, New Jersey is hit with not one, not two plane crashes, but three plane crashes within months of each other. Granted, I didn’t know what the book was about save for it’s about a tragedy that this town has to live through, but I wasn’t expecting plane crashes to be the tragedy.

We are introduced to the characters in the book before the first plane crash: Miri, 15, Natalie, a few years old and a wanna-be dancer, Daisey, assistant in Dr. Osner’s dental office, Steve, senior in high school, Mason, Miri’s boyfriend (senior high school), Catherine, high school age, etc., etc., There are a gang of characters in this book that it’s hard to keep up at times; both kids and adults and those entering adulthood.

WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES

As I’m reading the book I’m wondering what the tragedy could have been during that time from of 1952 (the Korean war was going on and it wasn’t log after WW II ended in 1945). Then the first plane crash happened and it put a bit of twist in the book because now you have to see how everyone is going to handle/react to the plane crash, and this is what I love about Blume…she draws you into her characters that you want to call them and make sure they are OK. Just when you have lived through the first plane crash with them another one takes places place about a month or so after the first one. Blume incorporates actually news articles written about the crash into the book and it’s interesting to read how people wrote back then. This is another aspect of Blume’s books I like, she has a way of transporting you to the time period she is writing about.

TIME PERIODS

I’m going to divert for a bit regarding the time period. As mentioned, this is during the early 1950’s and I didn’t think much about the time period until one of the characters (I believe it’s Catherine) decides she wants to become a stewardess for TWA and two things the jobs requires besides having that Hollywood look is to be between 5’2 and 5’6 and…get this one…you have to be white. This took me aback a bit, but then I had to remember the time frame of the story. I believe Blume was pointing this out as showing how ridiculous things were back then when it came to race without being over the top about it. I like her subtle mention of it, but it didn’t make me angry at all, I just forgot the time frame, for the quick second, how things were back then.

I was OK with the first plane crash, started getting annoyed with the second plane crash, but was through with the book when the third plane crash took place. I was starting to find the book a bit hard to believe for I couldn’t see how a small town as Elizabeth, NJ could have three plane crashes in less than year of each other. The third plane crash had me stop reading the book and giving it one star on Goodreads. Yeah, I rated it before I finished it, that’s how bad this book was irritating me and I felt, taking me for a fool. Who the frack would believe that three plane crashes would take place in that short amount of time? Well, the book wasn’t taking me for a fool, I was taking myself for a fool, but wouldn’t learn that until later after I finished the book.

KEEP COMING BACK

I tried reading other books, but something kept nagging at me to finish Blume’s and I would go back to it, leave it for a few days, go back and so forth for about two weeks. Finally, I decided to stick with it and am I glad I did. This is another one of my favorite Blume books I could read again and again. I had to let the number of plane crashes go and just concentrate on the characters and things going on their lives and man, is there plenty going on or what? I’m not going to say what’s going on for I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone, but let’s just say my jaw dropped a few times during the course of the book.

I like the way book ended with you feeling like you know these people personally and want to call them up to see how they are doing. Some lives ended good and some didn’t. I changed my one star on Goodreads to four stars (not sure why I didn’t give it five stars when I’m basically giving it five stars here..hmmm).

I highly recommend this book to any and everyone. I don’t think anyone can call themselves a reader without reading a Judy Blume book (and age does not matter AT ALL!), I don’t care which one it is……yeah I do..start with Summer Sisters, but make sure to read In An Unlikely Event. Oh yeah, I forgot to add, you’ll find out later in the book why the book titled that.
I am so looking forward to Blume’s next book.


You can read more about the plane crashes that took place in Elizabeth, NJ (Blume’s hometown) HERE
You can purchase In The Unlikely Event from Amazon or Barnes and Noble (hard copy or download)
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday
Pages: 416
Release Date: 2 June 2016