Be True to Me

May 1, 2017
It’s 1976 in Sunken Haven, a gated beach community on Fire Island. Jean, 16, is ready to dump her longtime beau, Bertie, for a summer romance with Gil, the nephew of another old Sunkie family. But Gil, who grew up in Alabama, has his eye on Fritz, who hails from Louisiana and has spent the last few summers as a guest of her best friend’s family. Though not exactly an outsider, Fritz isn’t considered part of the in crowd because she’s poor. As Gil gets closer to Fritz, Jean’s jealousies and insecurities take hold and she fights for what she believes is rightfully hers, with disastrous consequences. Griffin (The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone) deftly weaves Jean and Fritz’s voices together to explore their rivalry for both Gil and a coveted tennis trophy. She expertly captures the voice of a spoiled rich girl who expects things to go her way merely because they always have, but Fritz remains comparatively enigmatic. Still, it’s a summer read to lose oneself in. Ages 14–up. Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management.

April 1, 2017
In 1976, handsome and charming Gil's arrival in an exclusive, white, summer-island community inflames two girls' rivalry with disastrous results.The novel's opening scene reveals an unidentified girl on the verge of drowning and surprised that Gil isn't there to save her. The rest of the novel is a flashback of Gil's ultimately unsuccessful attempts to juggle the romantic attachments of two island girls. Jean's family belongs on the island, as proven by the Junior Cup tennis trophy inscribed with her mother's and sister's names. So it was bitter for Jean to lose it the previous summer to Fritz, a working-class white girl invited to the island each year by her best friend's family. Jean's unhappiness grows when Gil, the long-lost nephew of a prominent islander, arrives and immediately begins dating Fritz, although he'd already met and kissed Jean in New York City. Determined to climb the social ladder using his rich family's acceptance, Gil treats both girls callously. Even still, Jean constantly schemes to win his affections, poor Fritz falls in love with him, and readers await the approaching, seemingly inevitable tragedy, which unfolds in Griffin's customarily meticulous prose. A reminder, if one is still needed, that it doesn't pay to be the interloper in a community of rich, upper-crust-society snobs. (Historical fiction. 14-18)

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Starred review from April 1, 2017
Gr 8 Up-Eager to escape her sister's shadow for the summer, privileged but insecure Jean Custis is delighted to meet newcomer Gil Burke one early June night. Yet within a matter of days, Gil has been intercepted by Fritz, a girl with no family connections to the small town of Sunken Harbor, who humiliated Jean in last year's tennis playoff. As both girls interact with Gil through the summer of 1976, their relationships grow complicated and eventually lead to disastrous consequences for all three. Set against the backdrop of a Long Island beach town in the 1970s, Griffin's latest is peppered with historical references without being heavy-handed. From the evocative descriptions of the sun-drenched setting down to the tiny details of rickrack being sewn onto a summer dress, this book is an immersive experience. The dual perspectives work well; the protagonists have two very distinct narrative voices. The feeling of dread that permeates the latter half of the novel comes to a head, and the concluding chapters will have readers racing to reach the final pages. Some sexual content and an unhappy ending make this a better choice for mature readers. VERDICT An atmospheric and engaging piece of historical fiction, this work will haunt and resonate with readers long after it ends. An excellent selection for YA collections.-Erinn Black Salge, Saint Peter's Prep, NJ

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