The Summer I Turned Pretty REVIEW

Jenny Han ('To All the Boys I've Loved Before') adapts her own novel about Belly (Lola Tung), who navigates romance and other life-altering events during her 16th birthday summer.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Amazon is an excellent coming-of-age narrative. It's tenderly written and endearingly acted, and it's sensitive to the subtle but unchangeable shifts in perception of oneself that come with the latter stages of adolescence — while also clear-eyed enough to recognize that teenagers, including its own blushing heroine, can act like clueless jerks while figuring out how to wield their newly acquired powers.

Summer escapism for anyone who wishes to deal with heartbreak, establish new connections, and learn the value of family.

The Summer I Turned Pretty, on the other hand, gets it. And it explains why everyone else seems to be having a difficult time this summer. Though Belly is the main character, the drama also allows characters like Susannah and Laurel to deal with their own concerns, separate from their children's petty jealousies or grudges. If learning to feel like the main character in her own story for the first time is part of growing up for Belly, a late-season reveal serves as a devastating reminder that discovering that everyone else is the main character in their own is also part of growing up.

The Summer I Turned Pretty reminds us that... the first summer experiences, such as love, may permanently stay with us, with an emotional roller coaster and a focus on the power of being young. Belly is without a doubt one of the most uninteresting protagonists in recent memory. Tung is unable to make the character intriguing, and she has no connection with either boy, rendering the love triangle - the show's raison d'être - meaningless. Despite its flaws and tropes, the series is addictively entertaining. It's excellent summertime fodder for those who enjoy romantic narratives, and it's as filling as a tub of popcorn.