Joy Nicholson

If you look at cover of the hardcover version of The Tribes of Palos Verdes you would probably think that it's about a girl who surfs with guys. Yes, there are guys in this book and yes, the main character, Medina, does surf, it goes much more deeper than that. Medina uses surfing as an outlet to escape the pain she feels and the horror of her home life.

Throughout the book, you see Medina painfully coming of age while dealing with drugs, sex, and being the only female surfer in her town. The dysfunction in the family is excellently portrayed. Medina's father is having countless affairs and due to this her mother's eating herself to death and has a weird obsession with Medina's twin brother Jim. Medina feels unloved and unappreciated by everyone except Jim. As much as this book is about Medina coming of age, it's also a poignant story about the love that siblings have for one another.

The Tribes of Palos Verdes is for anyone who always felt like they didn't fit in to one group. You have a heroine who you feel sympathy for and want her to come out on top. Medina remains strong despite being bullied by her peers and her mother. The Tribes of Palos Verdes was a beautiful and poignant coming of age story. It was gritty, real, and, yes, depressing. It was an extremely quick read and it is highly recommended.… (meer)