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Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Contemporary
Release Date: Hardcover - August 23, 2005; Audiobook - December 21, 2010
Source: OverDrive Audio, opinions are honest and my own. – review policy here.
Ginny Blackstone is lead on a European adventure via the guidance of her "Runaway Aunt" Peg and the envelopes she's left behind. Ginny is a fairly reserved 17 year old who adores her Aunt Peg and allows each envelope to guide her no matter how confused she may become at time. Navigating multiple levels of love and loss Ginny learns how to say goodbye.
This has it all! Amazing character development for both Ginny and Aunt Peg. Just when you think you know Peg she surprises you, shows you the world is not always what it seems, and neither is she. Ginny transpires from being a timid young woman to laughing off the ludicrous and taking leaps towards adulthood. My adoration for Ginny is solidified in the fact that she never loses sight of who she is but she's willing to take chances. Her relationships with Richard (her London contact) and Keith (a British boy she falls for) are enduring, supportive and support Ginny in her quest to fulfill her mission. Not to mention the Keith swoons! I most appreciated her logical and cool head that actually saves her in the end and made me laugh the entire journey.
The plot is driven by the envelopes Aunt Peg has left behind beginning in New York City to London and then on a series of other stops. Each stop contains a mission from Aunt Peg that may or may not come with logic, reason, or a whole lot of sense. I adored each letter read and envisioned the European tour based off this mission. I see the narrow streets of Paris filled with cafes, the various modes of transport, and the bougie monstrosity of Harrod's.
This book has been out a while, but it is truly timeless. I can definitely see myself retracing Ginny's steps or at least re-listening to the audiobook. This is what Becoming Books is all about.
Fav Quote
I liked you because you are mad. And you're pretty. And pretty sane for a mad person.
- Keith, Envelope Seven
- Keith, Envelope Seven
In a Tweet
Only @maureenjohnson can seriously make me question turning around in the middle of my daily commute #13LittleBlueEnvelopes #Wanderlust
— Meghann (@BecomingBooks) June 18, 2014
4.5 Stars – I went on the backpacking adventure of my life during my morning commute.
You can too. So you should.
You can too. So you should.
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