Review: Sisterhood Everlasting – Ann Brashares

Ten years ago, Ann Brashares created the series “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”, which became an instant phenomenon. Her series was based around four teenage girls, Carmen, Tibby, Lena and Bridget who all miraculously fit into the same pair of pants. The girls decide to divide up the pants time/use for times when they’ll be separated from one another. The pants are used to symbolize an object that will always bring them a sense of unity.

Brashare’s newest novel “Sisterhood Everlasting” is the continuation of the girls, who are now women and this book is no longer categorized as YA, but fiction. At 29, the girls are all leading very separate lives that rarely include one another, because life keeps getting in the way.

~Lena is a teacher at an art college and is dating a sandwich maker

~Carmen is an aspiring actress who’s obsessed with Facebook, her iphone and her finance Jones

~Tibby has run off to Australia with Brian (and she’s hardly kept in touch with anyone)

~Bridget is still a free spirit who jumps around from job to job and apartment to apartment with her boyfriend Eric

The story is told from the perspective of Lena, Carmen and Bridget, whose narrative voices are intertwined throughout each chapter. Each girl seems to want their friendship to be closer and more concrete like it was when the pants kept them together. That’s why they’re all thrilled to receive a ticket in the mail from Tibby to all travel to Lena’s grandparents hometown of Greece where they’ll have a reunion. However, their reunion plans take a disastrous turn when tragedy strikes. Fans of the Sisterhood will be shocked as to what this tragedy is, but to tell you in the blog post would take away from the shock factor I felt when I turned the page and found out what happened.

The core of each of the Sisterhood stories has always been the #10 pants rule; which is, Remember: Pants = love. Love your pals. Love yourself. This rule is put to the test after their vacation to Greece. Unlike the other Sisterhood stories, this book has a serious and sombre tone; however, it’s done in a way that suits the characters and fans of the Sisterhood stories will understand their reactions, actions and self discovery along the way.

I’ve always been a fan of Ann Brashares and I’ve read everything she’s ever written, simply because I think she understands the dynamics of friendship, women and how the two develop over time. I first read the Sisterhood story when I was in grade eleven and now ten years later, I feel the conclusion of this series was thoughtful and unconventional which is why I think all of you will enjoy it, even if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series. This book is in stores today! 🙂