Book Review: Commencement

Commencement
By J. Courtney Sullivan
Random House
Publication Date: June 16, 2009
ISBN: 9780307454966

After years of hearing positive reviews, I finally picked up Commencement, and am extremely happy I did. J. Courtney Sullivan tells the story of four vastly different girls who meet during their freshmen year of college, and continue their unexpected friendship through their 20s. When they first arrive at Smith College (an all-women’s school), Cecilia has chosen boys and booze over her devout Catholic background; Bree, a true Southern Belle, is pining for the fiancé she left behind in Savannah, Georgia; Sally is still reeling over the abrupt death of her mother; and April is a hardcore liberal fighting for women’s rights, one who makes feminists look weak. The heart of the story lies in the fact that this generation of women finally can be whatever they want - they have so many options and opportunities...and yet, they still don't know what to do. It's both scary and exciting.

The book starts as Sally is about the get married, and the four meet up to attend the wedding. Sullivan does a fantastic job of easily telling both the past and present at the same time. That is, as Cecelia is boarding the bus to Massachusetts for the ceremony, readers learn both what she is presently doing, as well as how the girls originally met and her role in their friendship. The book takes on alternating chapters, showing each girl’s side of the story. Never is the flashing past and present narrative confusing, and never is one girl more important than the others, as they each have an important part of the story, and just like puzzle pieces, their friendship isn’t complete without the other.

The book is marketed as a fantastic “beach read,” but I highly disagree. I believe beach reads to be easy books with simple premises and predictable plots. Commencement is nothing like that. It’s a delightful book, yes, but it’s deep and passionate, inspiring and inspired. It’s far more than an on-the-surface book. It tackles many themes aside from growing up: feminism plays a large role, concentrating on women’s roles in society, especially those coming from an all women’s college; there’s a rape scene that explores the many emotions a woman goes through; life and death are explored, and so are marriage and relationships – what makes each work. What I liked most about the book is that Sullivan never shied away from writing something that may be seen as controversial. A character gets pregnant and doesn’t instantly feel like a mother; a character gives up her dream for a man while another character gives up her family for her life's choices; and one character poses as a prostitute to get into the inner workings of street walking.

The book did sway a bit in an unforeseen direction towards the end of the second half, when it explored April's career fighting for feminism. And while some reviews found it preachy and unwarranted, I actually quite enjoyed the sudden change of pace for the book. While the first half of the book focused on what brought the girls together, the second describes what keeps them together, why they need each other, and what pushes them to achieve more. And honestly, I loved the characters. Each one felt like a friend by the end.

Honestly, I loved the book and can’t wait for Sullivan’s follow-up novel, Maine. For those who’ve been to college and know what it’s like to meet those people who keep you from falling that first scary year, this is an essential book to read. It’s shocking, inspiring, and addictive. Beautifully written and a true page-turner, I can’t wait to pass it on to a friend.