Friendship, Lies and All: Home for the Holidays, Heather Vogel-Frederick
I'm currently reading Home for the Holidays, by Heather Vogel- Frederick. It is the fifth book in the Mother Daughter Book Club series. I think that what I really love about this book is how relataeble it is, particurally through friendships. Most books show friends that are absolutely perfect together, and always help each other, and when they're together nothing goes wrong. This is something I really dislike about realistic fiction books, because generally friendships aren't like that, and like everything there is a lot of stuff that goes wrong. I think that to read a book that I cannot relate with, really makes it a lot harder to enjoy because everything tend to mean a little less to you. In Home for the Holidays the girls are incredible friends to each other, but they still lie to each other, and have their issues.
While Megan and Becca's families are on the Caribbean cruise, Becca lies to Megan. On page 236, Megan tells Becca that she really, really likes the captains son Phillipe. Later, Becca goes on a 'walk' with Phillipe because shes possibly jealous even though she claims shes not. For a few days towards the end of the cruise Megan won't talk to Becca because of how hurt she is, but by the end she realizes that her friendship with Becca is more important and that they can work through anything. Although their problems do end up a little easier and faster than they might in real life, I've read so many books where the main girl has her one best friend that has never, ever done anything wrong, which really isn't realistic. Also, while at Jess's aunt and uncles house, Jess has a broken leg and Emma befriends her mean cousin and without realizing they begin to disclude Jess. When Jess confronts Emma, Emma tells her that she wasn't trying to and although she is mad Jess trusts Emma and they forgive each other. This is another example of a relationship in a book where friendships aren't perfect, and thats a big thing that I love about these books.
Seeing how the girls get happy endings with their friends, they still do fight with their friends. when I read a book where all friendships are perfect, despite whatever other problems the main characters have, it makes me feel like I cannot relate to the book, because it feels a little fake. One of the most important qualities in a book, is when you can really get inside of it, and if it feels... wrong, that's pretty hard. I think that when I see best friends getting through struggles together it makes me want to read more, and get deeper into the book.
In conclusion, I really like the aspect of the book where it seems like there are more problems than just basic ones, and also ones that happen between best friends. This makes the book feel a lot more realistic and relatable.
Hi Maddy! Great job! I totally agree with you when you say that you can't really get into books that don't have real life problems. I usually just finish those books to finish them, and don't really take in the meanings. Friendships aren't perfect, so the friendships in books shouldn't be, either. It takes away from the story because you can't really focus. Amazing post!
ReplyDeletehey Maddy! great post! I agree with you and Jadyn; friendships are not perfect. You read a lot of good books,but then the writer make the group of friends have no disarrangements or fights, and you think "well that just ruined the story." Friendships are not always ideal, so you have to work through them. It is great when writers show that in their writing.
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS SO TRUE!!!! Every realistic fiction book has that pair- "the best friends"- that are just overall perfect together. I think a huge reason for that is writers want to focus on their main conflict that they don't want to get away from. That's mainly why I don't think "realistic" fiction is very "realistic" sometimes. People don't have just one or two problems in their lives, they have so many other problems and issues that aren't accounted for in books. Their other problems, like friendship or grades, don't get mentioned, even though it's a huge part of their life. Life isn't always centered around one aspect.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Maddy!! :)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! I pretty much never read "teen" books about popularity and middle school and cheesy things like that, because I know that they are completely ridiculous! I read the first two books in that series a long time ago however, and they are a lot more realistic. It really bothers me when authors portray friends and families and all types of relationships like what you're talking about, because they're just NOT TRUE!
Very relatable post! (just like your book ;-))
Hey Maddy! This is great. I agree with all of you. I hate how in a lot of books, especially those 6th-grade-level books that we all used to read, there are two best friends that stick together forever and ever. In real life, it's way more complicated than that. Friendships change and develop over time, whether it's with friends or family members. I definitely like a book more when it goes deeply into relationships and how to navigate them. Friendships are complicated. Especially when there's an intense plot, it isn't realistic that the two friends come out of the conflict unscathed.
ReplyDeletehey mads (:
ReplyDeleteokay so this is a really true and omg finally yesssss post!!!!! like i totally agree with everyone that in books it's all about some conflict and there are always two friends that stay together. and really it's like has this author never been in a friendship? i think friendship is deffinatly a tough topic on girls especially. people change and grow apart yes, but they also betray and trun against. girls are mean and a lot of times it's towards their friends. This post also reminded me of a friendship in gossip girl (just watch people roll their eyes at me). anyway, Serena and Blair have a really complicated relationship and they are SO mean to eachother but still call eachother their best friend. I think this is actually a toatlly realistsic relationship because there's this thing where in the end girls can be so mean that it brings them closer and in some cases if both are willing to accept that then it's a win win for everyone.
That probably made NO sense but ya....
GREAT POST!!!
Mar
BTW: i see you changed your background...hmmm much simliar to mine ;) luvv yaaa
Maddy, this is a really great post. I definitely agree with you that in most realistic fiction books,the best friends' relationship is always portrayed as perfect and the story just follows the "besties forever, won't ever betray you path." That makes the whole story less interesting. And you are right about how a best friend can't never do anything wrong or betray her friend. That is definitely not true. I read a book in the past where it's not lies that tear them apart. It's violent pranks they pull on each other. I feel like that's too extreme to happen in real-life but hey, anything is possible. Great post!
ReplyDeleteSO TRUE! I always hate in the book where they're all "la-dee-da, look at me and my best friend, watch us be awesome...lalalaaa" and I'm just like hushity hush!!!! Sure, you always have that one, two, maybe even a handful of friends, that are always there for you...ALWAYS. That's always very nice to fall back on, but then you have friends that, er, aren't. Ya know, those friends that you tell to hold your soda for a sec and you take it back a little later to find it half empty. Or the friend that always needs money, or who gets a little too competitive in go fish. We all have those, and it makes it WAY easier to read when the book includes those friends too. You were dead on about the book relating to you makes it easy, too. Good job!!!
ReplyDelete