California Golden

If everybody had an ocean
Across the U.S.A.
Then everybody’d be surfin’
Like California
You’d seem ’em wearin’ their baggies
Huarache sandals too
A bushy, bushy blond hairdo
Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys

1960’s

Carol Donelly was a legendary female surfer in a time when men ruled the sport. She happily took to the Ocean and gave it her all. Her two young daughters, Mindy, and Ginger grew up in the shadow of their mother’s surfing. Their father had left, and Mindy had to pick up the slack, looking after herself and her younger sister. To get their mother’s attention, they both took up surfing and left school behind. Both are desperate for love and to belong. Mindy will excel at surfing while Ginger feels more comfortable being on the beach.

The sisters who have always been together have their relationship changed one evening. This will be the catalyst for the rest of their lives. Mindy will go on to be in beach movies, party on the sunset strip, excel at surfing and win surfing championships. Ginger, who never felt as if she belonged or mattered, grows attached to Tom and lives in a shack with him doing drugs and basically whatever he wants.

This is a coming-of-age story that takes place in sunny California and beyond. I felt for both Mindy and Ginger who grew up without parents who were involved in their lives. Mindy was a parentified child who had the responsibility of not only taking care of herself but also her sister at a young age. They were neglected by their mother, and both bore the emotional pain and trauma of their upbringing. I enjoyed how the author showed how experiences/trauma/neglect in an individual’s formative years/childhood shapes thoughts, expectations, self-image, self-worth, and feelings.

This was a gripping read that had me walking down memory lane. I lived in Los Angeles for a long time and spent almost every weekend on Zuma beach. I watched the surfers and swam in those waters. It’s always a treat to read about the places who have lived in and enjoyed.

The characters were all interesting and fleshed out. I had some strong feelings about Carol and the way she raised (didn’t really raise) her daughters. There is a section of the book which gives readers a glimpse into her early life and that softened me to her when that section came. I also wanted to tell both Mindy and Ginger that they were worthy and deserving. I felt for both sisters but felt for Ginger most of all.

This book touched on expectations, motherhood, family relationships, sibling relationships, surfing, racism, abuse, drug usage, cults, and neglect. It also shows determination, love, hope, strength, and second chances.

Benjamin set the stage and did a great job describing the beaches, Hollywood and the USO tour in Vietnam. I found the book to be well written and thought provoking.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Delacorte Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.