Summer Sisters
follows the lives of two friends, Caitlin Somers and Victoria Leonard over the course of twenty years. It begins when they are 11 and ends when they are in their early 30’s. Although the two girls are the main characters, the story has so many other important characters, all of whom and growing and interacting with the girls and changing them, for better and for worse, that it’s hard to leave them all out. Therefore, this Fantasy Cast will be broken up into three parts. Imagine how honored I am to steal Gina’s show three times! Ha. Seriously. I am excited.Caitlin Somers is one of the most dynamic, interesting, and realistic literary characters I’ve ever read in this genre of chick literature. She is beautiful, even at the age of 11, and has the kind of beauty that she can use to her advantage. She’s beautiful, smart, and vibrant and, as a reader, you instantly fall in love with her, especially through the eyes of Victoria, or her summer sister. Vix describes herself as an ordinary, mousy brown girl who isn’t very interesting or eye catching, not at all like Caitlin, the most popular girl in her school. Despite their perceived differences, 11-year-old Caitlin invites Vix to join her for a summer at her house on Martha’s Vineyard and the rest is history. The story follows the two girls through twenty or so summers, through friendship and lovers, through epic fights and reconciliations, through betrayal, and redemption and focuses mainly on two periods of their lives together, their adolescence and their journey through adulthood and closes with a devastating end.
It’s important to first cast the girls as children because this is where they start and you can’t have an end without a beginning. Also, the purpose and intent of some of the major and more static characters, takes place in the beginning of the book as well.
Caitlin at eleven would need to be played by a versatile actress – a child star that has a lot of credit and whom can effortlessly pull off the part of a vivacious, carefree, and sassy eleven year old girl. The first summer that they spend together, Caitlin doesn’t wear shoes, doesn’t shower, and hardly even changes her underwear. Throughout the story, the actress has to play two different sides of the character – popular, coveted, and beautiful Santa Fe Caitlin and the relaxed, crazy, and carefree, Vineyard Caitlin. She is a beautiful girl with a wild personality. I immediately sensed Elle Fanning for this role as she has great range as an actress
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Vix is the complete opposite of Caitlin in personality and in looks. She is quiet and reserved and goes along with whatever Caitlin wants because she’s so infatuated with her and wants to always be the one that Caitlin chooses as her summer sister. At the beginning of the friendship, you see Vix’s hesitance to jump in but eventually, the two girls come together as a dynamic team. Their chemistry together has to be questionable at first so the actress who plays the 11-year-old version of Vix has an incredible job to do in making their inevitable bond believable and to seal it completely. I picture Perla Haney-Jardine. She’s cute and not overtly beautiful but has a delicate, submissive look about her – a perfect blend to the wild force that is her companion.
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Some of the main characters that are featured throughout the book are the girls’ parents. Lambert Mayhew Somers, affectionately nicknamed, Lamb, is Caitlin’s father and he’s the strongest male role model in the book. He loves his daughter with all of his heart, body, and soul but he just doesn’t know how to hold her down or understand her wanderlust as she grows up and leaves the island behind. He’s an island man, with a rugged, laid back appeal – the perfect role for the unbelievably handsome, Dennis Quaid
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Vix’s mother, Tawny, also plays a large role in the story – especially when it comes to understanding Vix’s past and how she guards herself as she grows older. Throughout the story you sense that Tawny loves her husband and her children but that she doesn’t know how to express it to them or that she’s just grown weary of trying so hard. She isn’t an easy character to love but in the end, she redeems herself. I see this character perfectly portrayed by Felicity Huffman.
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| desperatehousewivesfansite.net |
Abby is Lamb’s second wife, Caitlin’s step-mom. She is introduced to the girls during the first summer that Vix stays with them and Caitlin instantly hates her. Throughout the book Abby remains to be a wonderful role model (and mother) for Caitlin and she tries desperately to win her step-daughter's approval. In the end, Abby becomes more of a mother to Vix and she holds her weight in the story as an anchor for the whole family as they slowly fall apart and then come back together. I see Maura Tierney fitting this role perfectly.
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| babble.com |
Phoebe is Caitlin’s mother and although she appears in only just a few chapters, she’s essential to the story because she allows the readers to understand not only where Caitlin’s beauty comes from but also, where she gets her sense of adventure and her care-free attitude. Michelle Pfeiffer fits this part like a glove. She’s great at doing parts like this that showcase all of her beauty and diverse acting skills in a small but deliverable package.
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*A note from Gina: I did not pay her to gush like this. Although I'm certainly not above such devious tactics, she really did say all these nice things about me on her own. Also, she concocted this fabulous fantasy cast. Show Heather some comment love, and maybe swing by her blog, too. That would be nice of you :)
