Digital Editor Halima Ahad reviews Amazon Prime’s screen adaptation of The Summer I Turned Pretty, praising its feel good themes and high quality acting
The Summer I Turned Pretty is the latest TV show adaptation of Jenny Han’s young adult trilogy of the same title. The series follows Isabel – nicknamed Belly – Conklin (Lola Tung) and her family as they spend the summer at Cousins Beach with her mother’s friend Susannah (Rachel Blanchard) and her two sons. This summer is different to all the previous ones, as the boys are starting to notice something different about Belly.
Lola Tung is someone new and refreshing for the audience, the newcomer actress is captivating and fun as well as being the perfect choice to represent Belly Conklin. The Fisher boys are both contrasting and the actors behind them clearly show this. Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) is positively charming and there are numerous reasons why Belly is drawn to him. Contrastingly, Conrad (Christopher Briney) is quiet and mysterious and his acting makes you want to have a love and hate relationship with his character.
Having watched the first season and the five available episodes of season two, at the time of writing, I can say that the show has done really well, considering it has been based on the trilogy of books. The plot of the show almost replicates the books perfectly, with the added Debutante scene to add something new and refreshing to the show to attract a new audience as well as those from the books.
The plot of the show almost replicates the books perfectly
The first three episodes of season one are definitely captivating, with the soundtrack perfectly accompanying Belly’s journey. Lover by Taylor Swift plays when Belly and Conrad first meet since her pre-summer glow-up, the use of Swift’s songs as well as the meaning and significance behind them is absolutely stunning. Another one of my favourite tracks from the show’s second season includes déjà vu by Olivia Rodrigo when Jeremiah and Belly go and get blueberry pie and Belly reminisces on the same thing she used to do with Conrad.
There are many themes and motifs in The Summer I Turned Pretty but one of the main themes which stood out to me was being comfortable in your own skin and not letting anyone else dictate your life. Belly gradually learns to be her own person and not rely on others to be happy, such as her mother or best friend Taylor (Rain Spencer). Being a Debutante in season one Belly gains the confidence to be herself as well as find her own feet in her love life.
The show is all about how you should be comfortable in your own skin
However, family is also a huge theme in the second season of the show. As Susannah’s condition gradually worsens, the Fisher boys learn to come together and overcome their differences. As well as this, Belly and the Conklin family almost become a second family for the Fisher boys after Susannah’s death.
The social implications of the show mainly include themes of grief and overcoming this. Grief can be present in many ways, whether this be through losing a family member or losing a friend through an argument. In the first season of the show, it was difficult for both the Conklins and Fishers to come to terms with Susannah’s condition gradually worsening however in the second season they come to terms with this.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is the perfect show to escape into this summer and I am so excited for the remaining episodes of season two to come out as well as a potential final season to be announced. The show is all about how you should be comfortable in your own skin and being there for one another in times of hurt and grief. It is definitely one of my top shows.
Rating: 4/5
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