THE BERMUDEZ TRIANGLE by Maureen Johnson

Hey All! I've been a little bogged down with life and what not, so I apologize for being so quiet over here. Things haven't really settled down, but I think I'm in a better place--mentally--to handle everything. I hope. (g) I've gotten some rest, so that's a bonus. :)

Anyway, thought I'd dip my big toe back in and do a review. So, here we go.

THE BERMUDEZ TRIANGLE
by Maureen Johnson
Young Adult Contemporary

Brief Synopsis: Nina, Avery and Mel have been friends forever--referring to themselves as the Bermudez Triangle. Nothing can get in the way of their friendship. That is, until Nina goes away for an out-of-state summer program and returns to find Avery and Mel have begun a romantic relationship. With each other. Now she's left trying to figure out where she belongs in the triangle--if at all.

To my shock and surprise, I just learned that this book was banned in certain places. Well, I guess I'm not totally shocked. The book addresses lesbianism, which is of course a hot button for certain people and areas of the country. To be frank, I'm not sure WHAT these people think goes on in this book, but I highly doubt many have actually read it. I thought the topic was handled wonderfully and with subtle restraint. There aren't any graphic chick on chick sex scenes (there aren't any sex scenes _at all_) and it certainly didn't take a moral stand on the issue. All viewpoints were represented, and it gave an insightful glimpse at what a young girl might experience upon coming out about her sexuality.

What I really liked about this book is that it deals with a universal theme that most teens (or adults) go through at one point or another--what happens when two of your good friends fall in love and start dating? And where do you fit into the scheme of things when that happens? Who hasn't gone through that? Now imagine it's two thirds of the circle you run with. Goodness. That would be hard. Especially when you used to spend every minute together as a group. Now they have "their" time when you don't belong. Everything would change, I imagine.

This book doesn't celebrate any choice of sexuality as being the correct one. It simply focuses on these three girls' journeys toward finding out who they are. And while some of the characters know exactly where they stand as far as their sexual preference goes, others are still trying to figure themselves out. I really liked the way it was all handled. (Trying not to give too much away here. (G))

My only real complaint about this book is the sheer amount of characters involved in the story. It's told from the viewpoint of all three girls and each has a group of periphery characters trailing behind them. There were so many that at times I got a bit confused about who was who, etc.

Other than that, the viewpoint characters all had unique voices and personalities. I enjoyed all of them. The writing is fast-paced and lively -- all around a really good book. I highly recommend it.

Buy or Rent? Buy.