I found this to be a quick read, mainly because Wittlinger (again) does a great job with the voice of her characters. Sandpiper is the third of her books I've read and they are all compulsively READABLE and cover important issues without being heavy-handed or didactic. They are real.
Oral sex is addressed without vulgarity, open and honestly, though I was a little surprised to have that in my face BOOM! so soon on page two. Piper is aware of her sexual power -- and how it changes her relationship with her dad, his inability to deal. I've never read that in a book before.
Piper's poems were believably from a teenager's pen and relevant. Not syrupy. I liked the nods to other poets.
The only thing that irked me were Derek's corny lines. The note he left: "It's your turn now, Sandy. See you soon!" He talks like a Soc from The Outsiders.
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This book left me feeling very flat [insert joke about Sandpiper's heaving bosom here]. I can't really put my finger on why. For most of the book, I felt like I was reading a dinky middle-grade novel that was pretty light on the surface, not developed, not full, pretty flat. Granted, the oral sex theme was not very middle-grade (although it probably is more so today than I'd like to think), but still.
I'm not really sure why I feel this way, though. I liked Sandpiper fine. I guess I didn't really buy her whole relationship with Walker, before it was even a relationship and then after it became one. The mom's wedding stuff seemed pretty contrived. And I agree, Derek's comments were a little over the top. I was scared when she was nearly raped, but other than that he seemed so juvenile and petty and useless.
I did like Sandpiper's poems. A lot. She had great insight and style within those poems.
I remember not loving Hard Love either, so maybe I'm just not a huge Wittlinger fan. I did peek at her website, though, and she seems like a really neat, dynamic, interesting woman.
Too much of a problem novel?
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