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Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
Summer of '82 is a coming-of-age young adult novel written by T. Allen Madding. Set in the early 80s, the book follows the lives of three young friends growing up in the small rural town of Haggard in Whitaker County, South Georgia. Ricky Mann, Jimmy Lowe, and Buck Blue are three high school seniors on the verge of graduation, trying to figure out their respective futures. While Jimmy loves to hunt and fish, Buck is an expert on cars. But both of them pursue the affections of the redheaded Jenny Smith. Meanwhile, Ricky, who makes friends easily, doesn't want his two closest friends to ruin their friendship over a girl. As the three friends navigate friendship, love, and small-town life, a shocking incident changes their lives forever.
If you love slice-of-life stories about friendship and growing up in small towns, you'll love Summer of '82. T. Allen Madding perfectly captures the slow-paced life of people living in the deep south. The early 80s backdrop adds a sense of nostalgic flavor to the proceedings, making the narrative feel authentic and engaging to read. The narrative is character-driven, and as such, the pacing is deliberately slow. The author takes his time setting up the plot and slowly fleshes out the characters to immerse the reader deeper into the story. Ricky, Jimmy, and Buck's friendship forms the bedrock of the narrative and propels it forward. I thoroughly enjoyed their banter, and the dynamic between the three was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Recommended to readers who love young adult coming-of-age stories.
