I "accidently" read this book because I thought I had to read any Paul Zindel book for class, instead of actually reading a book about the author. I chose it because I remembered seeing it as a teen and the title had always intrigued me.
Overall, the book is ok as it explores the relationships and frienships of four teens in their senior year of high school. Typical teen problems are examined like insecurity, romance, family problems, and an unexpected pregancy. I found most of the characters to be sort of flat, stereotypical/stock characters (the pretty girl, her fat friend, the awkward nerd, the cool guy, etc) and would've liked more character development, but the story is definitely more plot driven. The climax of the story revolves around the unexpected pregnancy and how it is resolved. In some ways the book is probably not very relevant for today's teens (considering teens are much more sexually active, the legalization of abortions, etc.) however, when examining the book from its publication date of 1969, it was probably extremely relevant at the time and groundbreaking in its subject matter. ( )

For some reason I didn't know what to expect from this book, and wanted to enjoy it, esp since it was loaned to me by a friend. But it just made me feel so sad, and so relieved not to be in high school any more!

Considering that this book was first published in 1969, the story and characters have held up remarkably well. It is still highly readable, relevant and relatable to today's YAs. The 4 main characters (Liz, Sean, Maggie & Dennis) are believable because they are modern archetypes. Liz & Sean are the "alpha" couple -- attractive, popular, seemingly self-assured, and quite selfish; their friends Maggie & Dennis are the "beta" couple -- not so attractive or popular, plagued by insecurities, self-doubt and a certain amount of self-hatred. Maggie especially rings true as the ever-loyal friend, putting Liz's needs, desires and ultimately welfare ahead of her own -- for which Maggie will pay a hefty price in the end.
The story is ageless: Sean wants to have sex with Liz - allegedly because he "loves her" -- but Liz is afraid of getting pregnant. Of course, that is precisely what does happen, and Liz is now faced with the problem of paying for an abortion (interestingly enough, the moral question is never raised, only the practical aspects of who to go to, how to pay for it, and how to hide the whole thing from her parents and the world.) When Sean decides to marry Liz, however, the problem appears to be over -- at least, in Liz's mind. She's so happy, she's almost dancing on a cloud. And this is perhaps the least realistic part of the story, or the least relatable to today's teens. Most teenage girls today are not, I think, so eager to marry at such a young age. This is not 1969; today's girls assume that they will go to college and/or have careers before becoming wives and/or mothers. So just marrying the baby's father is no longer necessarily a satisfactory -- or ANY -- solution.
The teens' relationships with their respective families also ring true. Liz's stepfather constantly erodes her self-esteem, accusing her of loose morals. (The irony is that, up until the moment he calls her a tramp, Liz had in fact kept her virginity. His declaration would prove to be the pivotal point in the story.) Liz's mother tries to be more understanding but ultimately is more concerned about her own relationship with her 2nd husband than she is about her daughter. Sean's father is a boorish, blow-hard, good-ol'-boy type who doesn't understand his son at all (yet in the end Sean seeks, and winds up taking, his dad's chauvinistic advice.) Dennis' parents are well-meaning but utterly clueless about their son. Maggie's mother is kind and caring, she's the only one who does understand and has a good relationship with her daughter.
I see the usefulness of this book more along the lines of in-depth character studies, rather than as part of a unit on sex education, abstinence, pregnancy, or dating. ( )

Four friends,
Two couples,
One year that will change their lives.

Liz and Sean, both beautiful and popular, are madly in love and completely misunderstood by their parents. Their best friends, Maggie and Dennis, are shy and awkward, but willing to take the first tentative steps toward a romance of their own. Yet before either couple can enjoy true happiness, life conspires against them, threatening to destroy their friendships completely. TEEN FICTION ( )