Summerlost

By: Ally Condie

Narrated by: Phoebe Strole

Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

A tender and compelling contemporary novel for young listeners about facing grief and finding friendship, from the international best-selling author of the Matched series.

It's the first real summer since the devastating accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. But now Cedar and what's left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They're just settling in to their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, but she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar.

Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching new novel from Ally Condie, the international best-selling author of the Matched series, that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy.

©2016 Ally Condie (P)2016 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Condie is at her best...grabbing readers’ interest from the first page." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"A nuanced portrait of grief deeply grounded in the middle-school mind-set." (Booklist)

"Honest, lovely, and sad." (Kirkus Reviews)

Great summer reading book for middle school girls

Hi! I'm going into 8th grade and thought that this book was awesome, it's sad, happy, drama filled, and more!! I loved this and want to read a sequel(if the author makes one)!!!

Beautiful story perfectly delivered

What a wonderful story. We enjoyed it deeply. Theater, friendship, growing up and coping with loss are explored in a powerfully gentle way in this warm story.

Good for kids

I loved this book because it had problems and was really engaging. As a kid this is really good for kids and adults. If you enjoy realistic fiction this is great. Summary: Cedar Lee went to Iron Creek with her mom and her brother Miles after the death of her dad and her brother. One day Cedar saw a boy and followed him to the Summer lost festival and she got a job there with the boy leo.

Good, understandable

I thought it was okay, it was interesting enough to keep me going, although the story seemed a little black luster it was still good.

Great read for any age

This book flows and has both tender and some very funny moments in it. Wonderful insight into what's going on internally as well as what is external. It rings very true to life and is an enjoyable and thought provoking book. I whole heartedly recommend.

Shakespeare, loss, autism & mystery in a JA novel

Any additional comments?

This was a "PKK Bookclub" read, which means I read it with my three boys, ages 13 and 11 (the twins). As a lukewarm fan of Ally Condie (really liked Matched, but the next two in the trilogy declined sequentially; I never finished the third book), we read this only because Ms. Condie visited the boys' middle school and sold them the book. I am delighted to report that this book was - GOOD! It deals with death, autism (2 different ways), coming of age and teen-age friendships. Against a lovingly literate backdrop of a Shakespeare Summer Festival, the protagonist grapples with all of the above topics in an endearing journey through her first summer without her dad and her older (autistic) brother. This is a wonderful book for adults and young adults alike.

Summerlost by Ally Condie is a great summer read!

Wonderful coming of age, summer read!

The relationship developed is realistic and the addition of Times of our Seasons was a funny backdrop.