Fourteen year old Kat Baker plans to burst onto the high school scene by using her summer to get in shape for the track team. Her mother, however, derails these plans by announcing that the whole family will be visiting Greece for the summer. Kat's mother is from the small village of Paralia on the coast of the Mediterranean, where technology hasn't exactly caught up yet. Upon her arrival in Paralia, Kat immediately feels out of place. Kat never learned Greek, she doesn't know the customs and everything that she wants to do, including running, isn't fit for a "good Greek girl". Kat's brother, James, fits in immediately, furthering Kat's frustration. Kat finally decides to take matters into her own hands and go running at night. On her night runs, she meets with Theofilus, a Greek boy who she saw on her first day in town. Theofilus only speaks Greek, but he and Kat make it work. Kat's night visits become dangerous and keeping secrets from the adults doesn't work out for very long.
Kat's Greek Summer is a charming and lighthearted read, perfect for the summer. The setting of Paralia is vividly portrayed, and the book offers a glimpse into Greek culture, both its appealing and less appealing aspects. Kat's initial struggles with feeling out of place as she navigates the social dynamics of a new environment felt authentic for a teenager on the cusp of high school. Her disappointment at having her summer plans changed and the lack of preparation for the cultural norms she encountered were understandable. I appreciated how Kat found a way to stay true to her passion for running, even if her methods were somewhat dangerous. While I enjoyed the overall story, I would have liked to see a deeper exploration of Kat's connection with Artemis and Greek stories. The stark contrast in expected behavior for teenage boys and girls in Greece was also quite striking and, at times, highlighted underlying misogyny. Ultimately, Kat's summer in Greece allows for personal growth as she learns to embrace the Greek aspects of her heritage that resonate with her. Although her relationship with Theofilus developed quickly and seemed somewhat superficial, their language barrier interestingly forced them to connect on a different, perhaps more fundamental, level of shared interests. As an adult reader, I did find it slightly concerning that Kat, a fourteen-year-old in an unfamiliar place, made numerous questionable decisions with limited adult guidance from either her mother or her Greek relatives. Overall, Kat's Greek Summer is an enjoyable and easy read with a lovely Greek backdrop.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Kat's Greek Summer is a charming and lighthearted read, perfect for the summer. The setting of Paralia is vividly portrayed, and the book offers a glimpse into Greek culture, both its appealing and less appealing aspects. Kat's initial struggles with feeling out of place as she navigates the social dynamics of a new environment felt authentic for a teenager on the cusp of high school. Her disappointment at having her summer plans changed and the lack of preparation for the cultural norms she encountered were understandable. I appreciated how Kat found a way to stay true to her passion for running, even if her methods were somewhat dangerous. While I enjoyed the overall story, I would have liked to see a deeper exploration of Kat's connection with Artemis and Greek stories. The stark contrast in expected behavior for teenage boys and girls in Greece was also quite striking and, at times, highlighted underlying misogyny. Ultimately, Kat's summer in Greece allows for personal growth as she learns to embrace the Greek aspects of her heritage that resonate with her. Although her relationship with Theofilus developed quickly and seemed somewhat superficial, their language barrier interestingly forced them to connect on a different, perhaps more fundamental, level of shared interests. As an adult reader, I did find it slightly concerning that Kat, a fourteen-year-old in an unfamiliar place, made numerous questionable decisions with limited adult guidance from either her mother or her Greek relatives. Overall, Kat's Greek Summer is an enjoyable and easy read with a lovely Greek backdrop.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
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