A young adult graphic novel that seems lighthearted at first, with the introduction of two best friends, Rose and Windy whose only concerns are enjoying their summer at the lake house, and talking about boys and their changing bodies, it slowly develops into more serious, one might even say uncomfortable, themes which relate to life and growing up.
Rose develops a cheesy crush on a town boy, but it is soon revealed that the boy left another teenage girl pregnant, and is refusing to take responsibility for it. It shows the uncomfortable reality of sexual development linked with the immaturity of these characters’ age, and the consequences of it.
Further on, there is the familial issue with Rose’s parents. After an argument, Rose’s father leaves, and Rose puts all the blame on her mother. This adds the complicated mother-daughter relationship aspect to the novel, and raises the question of why Rose’s immediate reaction was to blame her mother, and why is she more empathetic towards her father.
The conclusion to the novel answers a lot of questions, Rose finally understands her mother after she opens up to her daughter about her struggles. The lighthearted ending in which the two friends make a reference to their changing bodies by the next summer is in contrast to the heaviness with the events that took place, but correlate to the overall theme of emotional and psychological growth present in the novel.
