Jenny Han’s work has been adapted once before in a very successful movie trilogy by Netflix, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Han is known for her Asian representation in her books, and this new adaptation is no different. However, since the first book of the trilogy came out in 2009, the author says she decided to change some elements of the story to have a more modern approach.
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The Summer I Turned Pretty tells the story of 15-year-old Belly. She and her family spend their summers at her mother’s best friend’s beach house alongside her two sons, Jeremiah and Conrad. After being in love with Conrad her whole life, Belly won’t know what hit her this summer since everything is so different — especially her. The new Prime Video hit gave everyone a few new television crushes, lots of laughter, and even some tears, all accompanied by some great needle drops courtesy of a killer soundtrack by the one and only Taylor Swift. Here is why the series is the perfect summer watch.
Diversity and Inclusion in The Summer I Turned Pretty
Even though Asian representation is more prominent in the storyline of the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before movies, there is still space for it to happen in this series. Lana Condor, who plays Lara Jean in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before movies, stated how grateful she was for the opportunity to connect with so many Asian girls and be able to represent them on the small screen.
Another refreshing element in the show is how comfortable the characters are with their sexuality or exploring it. Jeremiah, one of the love interests, has a fluid sexuality: he is seen with boys and girls during the first season. Also, the girls are open to talking about their sexual desires, and even Belly, who is not as experienced as the others, is open to trying new things and feels comfortable doing it. Is not so common to see a positive look at sexuality and teenagers.
Multigenerational Drama in The Summer I Turned Pretty
One element of the show that stands out and was well explored is the multigenerational drama; how it is intertwined and how it diverges from one another is fascinating to see ebb and flow. The main protagonist group is the teenagers, but the moms, Susannah and Laurel, have drama of their own. This creates a feeling of really being a part of these two families while exploring subjects that are not so commonly seen in teenage coming-of-age stories, such as dating life after a divorce.
Susannah and Laurel’s storylines are one of the highlights of the season. The decades-old friendship between the women really translates to how they lived their lives and the choices they made, but most importantly, how they are always there for each other — even if that means breaking their own heart.
Cliché Romance and Jenny Han
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Yes, there are all those clichéd summer romance tropes imaginable in the show: the ball, the love triangle, the late-night swims, the brooding boy that seems distant but actually cares, etc. They are, however, not something that hurts the storytelling. This is definitely a feel-good type of series (even though the ending is quite sad, for now), and those clichés are definitely for those who love teen romance stories to swoon over. They are not the strongest or most compelling part of the show, but the romance is only one element of what is the main story: Belly growing older.
Belly discovering herself and how others perceive her is a pivotal point for the character, and falling in love and getting her heart broken is definitely a part of that. Even her preoccupation with her crushes is put into check when she realizes there was something much more important going on, and she didn’t notice it.
Female Friendship in The Summer I Turned Pretty
Female friendship is probably the most important subject present in The Summer I Turned Pretty. From the long-standing friendship between Susannah and Laurel to Belly and her best friend, healthy and complex female friendships are the core of what the show is about. This has been a change that can be seen in recent projects, both for television and film, that has ended the long-term stereotype of what a friendship between two women is like. These relationships are not always perfect, and sometimes these characters hurt each other, but that makes it even more interesting because it’s real.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is a perfect summer watch for those who love romance stories. Between bonfires on the beach, debutante rehearsals, and the thrill of falling in love, the series creates a feel-good space that is hard to let go of after the last episode.
