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Westminster Abby
 | Westminster Abby Ostow, Micol Date: 05 May, 2005 — $6.99 — Book Rating: |
In this first entry in the Students Across the Seven Seas series, Abby Capshaw thinks her parents are too controlling. She's not allowed to watch The O.C. They seldem let her stay overnight at her best friend's house, and they expect her to always get straight A's. When they discover that Abby has been dating James, a college student, they become furious. In a move that made absolutely no sense to this reviewer, Abby's parents send her to London on an abroad program. A note to parents who are trying to have more control over their children: Sending them to a foreign country 3000 miles away for two months is probably not the route you want to take. Abby, however, learns to embrace the opportunity. She recently found out James was cheating on her, and she also is looking to get out of the shadow of her more outgoing best friend, Dani. In London, Abby learns to be more outgoing, and learns to be more ascertive towards her parents. She makes several new friends including Zoe, another American, and Ian, a British college student who becomes more than a friend. Just as she becomes comfortable with Ian, and falls in love with London, James shows up. Abby is faced with possibly choosing one boy over the other, and possibly hurting the other.
Westminster Abby is a light read, perfect for younger YAs who like to read about romance and travel. The characters are a little bland, and relationships are not well developed. Frequent pop culture references may shorten the shelf life, as well. The strength of this book are the descriptions of all things British. Ostow clearly knows her way around the country, and takes the reader on a tour through London, stopping at places that are both mainstream and off the beaten path. She also seems to have a firm grasp on colloquilisms and British slang. Ostow is a fairly new author to the Young Adult scene is only other entry is a title in Simon Pulse's Romantic Comedy series. There are flashes of promise in her potential, here. I look forward to reading a book that is not part of a series, and she will have more leeway to write what she wants.
