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Page 6 September 13, 2018 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Entertainment
The Geography of You and Me
by Jennifer E. Smith
Reviewed by Katrena Woodson,
Teen and Young Reader Librarian,
El Segundo Public Library
This week’s book review is inspired by
the recent hit Netflix original movie To
All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, which
happens to be an adaptation of a popular
Young Adult novel by the same title that is
amazing! I have decided to review a similar
book in case you’re anything like me and
find yourself craving another Young Adult
novel that could easily be made into a teen
romantic comedy. This week’s review is of
Jennifer E. Smith’s book called The Geography
of You and Me. Smith has written eight
Young Adult novels, most of which are teen
romances and coming-of-age stories that will
leave you wanting more.
The Geography of You and Me centers
around two teens: Lucy who lives on the
24th floor; and Owen, who lives in the basement
of the same New York City building.
Despite their close proximity, the two don’t
meet until a power outage leaves them stuck
in an elevator between two floors. After they
are rescued, they spend the entire night
wandering the streets of Manhattan and
marveling at the almost unheard-of appearance
of stars in the sky over the city. Once
the power comes back on, reality crashes
down around them and threatens to tear
them apart. Lucy is moving abroad to be
with her parents, while Owen and his father
are moving out west. Even though the two
only spent one night together, they both feel
a deep connection and want to find a way
to stay close despite the distance. They try
sending postcards, writing emails and even
talking on the phone, hoping to find a way to
be reunited despite the odds and the farflung
locations their lives take them.
Smith delivers a smart and wonderfully
romantic tale that shows the power of love
and hope. The reader is given plenty of food
for thought in regards to fate and faith as
well as the strength and fragility of a longdistance
bond. Readers ages 12 and up will
fall in love with Smith’s beautiful writing
style, realistic characters and totally sighworthy
romantic moments.
The El Segundo Public Library offers
access to its collection of titles in a variety
of formats, including traditional hardback,
e-books and books on CD. To check out
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer
E. Smith, or any other title on your to-read
list, please visit the library to apply for your
library card, or please contact the reference
staff for further assistance. •
Check It Out
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
Katrena Woodson.
South Bay-Based Age of Summer
plant in exchange for information about
his stolen bike. Every experience that
Minnesota goes through leads up to one
moment -- meeting a man known by the
locals as The Rock God (Peter Stormare).
The spiritual character, dressed in hippie
garb and sporting a beard, reveals that
an opportunity for a “cosmic do-over” of
Minnesota’s life is forthcoming. This is a
welcomed premonition.
There are many things to enjoy about Age
of Summer, but those who are familiar with
the South Bay communities and Hermosa
Beach in particular may get even more from
this hometown indie film than the average
viewer. There are a few Easter eggs that are
sure to make any local smile…like a cameo
of The Beach Reporter newspaper and the
missing boy “Davie Harris,” whose name
sounds awfully similar to the film’s writer,
Dave Harris. A sweet nod to childhood, Age of
Summer is ultimately enjoyable and charming.
Age of Summer is not rated. 89 minutes.
Now playing at the Laemmle Monica Film
Center and on VOD. •
Film Review
Morgan Rojas.
By Morgan Rojas
for www.cinemacy.com
Hermosa Beach, 1986. Although it was
two years before I was born, the nostalgia of
coconut sunscreen and bright neon activewear
is timeless for any South Bay native -- myself
included. Director Bill Kiely and writer Dave
Harris bring this feeling of endless summer
Age of Summer, Courtesy of Freestyle Digital Media.
to the big screen this Friday in the comingof
age comedy Age of Summer, which is
both a story about teenage self-discovery
and a love letter to the beautiful beaches of
Southern California.
Doug Mills (Percy Hynes-White), who
goes by the nickname Minnesota, is a teenage
transplant from Chicago who finds himself in
Hermosa Beach after his family was forced
to relocate. His awkwardness isn’t lost on
his peers. His scrawny build and boyish
features make him an easy target for more
mature kids, who steal his rare and expensive
bicycle and flaunt relationships with girls in
his face. However, things begin to look up for
Minnesota when he makes the cut as a junior
lifeguard -- a coveted opportunity among
the locals. In order to secure his position on
the team, he must complete a week of boot
camp put on by the intimidating Australian
tough guy Tony (Diarmaid Murtagh). Here
begins Minnesota’s summer of learning as
his perseverance is tested both psychically
and mentally.
The exercises are tough, but the bonds
that Minnesota begins to build with the
other kids in the group, including the scenestealing
Woods (Jake Ryan) and his love
interest Brooke (Charlotte Sabina), slowly
give him the confidence to live authentically.
Of course, his journey of self-discovery
isn’t without hiccups. His friendship with
Woods is tested when Minnesota starts hanging
out with the “cool” kids, and his moral
compass drifts when he steals a marijuana
“At the beach, life is different. Time
doesn’t move hour to hour but mood
to moment. We live by the currents,
plan by the tides and follow the sun.”
– Sandy Gingras
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