A Review of 'Dramarama' by E. Lockhart (Audio Book)

"Two theater-mad, self-invented fabulositon Ohio teenagers.  One boy, one girl.  One gay, one straight.  One black, one white.  And SUMMER DRAMA CAMP.  It's a season of hormones, gold lame, hissy fits, jazz hands, song and dance, true love, and unitards that will determine their future-- and test their friendship."

I didn't do drama in high school-- well, I didn't act, but I wrote a one-act play-- so I can't relate to this book in that respect, but I did go to a number of plays both through school and around the city.  I'm a huge musical buff, so it was exciting to read about a number of shows that I'm familiar with.

I listened to this as an audio book over the summer while I was working as a gardener (yeah, I'm still wrapping up summer reads...).  It was nice because there really isn't anything heavy to this book.  It was a really nice summer read.  I'd read a number of heavier books during the school year and this was a good time to just chill out and read something light.  Just because it is a relatively light read, that doesn't mean it was boring.  I remember really liking the narrator, Sadye.  She wasn't annoying or too in-your-face, but actually very relate-able as a character.  Sadye and her friend Demmy are mainly trying to find out where they belong in the world.  Demmy, upon entering Summer Drama Camp almost immediately finds where he belongs and settles in comfortably.  Sadye, however, doesn't find her place so easily.  Most everyone, while growing up or even after that struggles with personal identity: who am I?  What am I good at?  Where can I practice what I'm good at?  How will I know that this is what I'm meant to do?  I think that Sadye is a good narrator for the job.

I have read The Boyfriend List, but that was years ago.  I think I would like to reread that book and try E. Lockhart's other books.  She has a playful and mildly sarcastic style-- it's my favorite, I just love it.  I can't wait to pick up more of her books!  Perhaps I'll have a chance to get more when I go to an even on Monday called 'Booked for the Evening' at my college.  Perhaps I'll talk more about that later.

Overall, this book is a great fun-read and one you'll be happy to lose yourself in.

I give Dramarama:

Thanks for Reading!

--Jude