My First Love and Other Disasters (Victoria Martin Trilogy)

My First Love and Other Disasters is a seminal text in Young Adult fiction. With this book, Pascal is a peer to Judy Blume, Norma Klein, and Paula Danziger, who are all authors that wrote witty, intelligent texts for young adults. The novel, a continuation of Pascal's earlier novel "Cici and Me", deals with 14 year old Victoria Martin's obsession with the popular boy in school, and it progresses through the hillarious antics that Victoria puts herself through to gain the attention of Jim. Victoria's quest for Jim takes her to Fire Island, where she learns valuable lessons about the pitfalls of popularity, gaining independence, and discovering self-worth. The book is literally a non-stop laugh-a-thon throughout, yet Pascal deftly uses Victoria to convey that self-worth is paramount to successful relationships. Sadly, Pascal made an about-face with her Sweet Valley High Series, but My First Love and Other Disasters nevertheless exists as a profound work that uses humor to instill self-esteem in teenagers.

"My First Love and Other Disasters" is one of the few books written by Francine Pascal, not some Sweet Valley or Fearless ghostwriter, and it's really too bad she doesn't write more of her own books. "My First Love..." is a really funny story about 14-year-old-going-on-15 Victoria Martin who is trying to get gorgeous Jim Freeman to fall in love with her as much as she has for him. To do this, Victoria begs her parents to allow her to work as a mother's helper during the summer on Fire Island in New York, the same vacation spot as Jim. Imagine that. :) However, Victoria never expected Jim's beautiful girlfriend, Gloria Donovan, to show up with him, or to have Jim's good friend Barry to fall for her instead, or to be stuck with two very spoiled demon spawns, who's mother hardly pays Victoria anything.

In addition to the laughs, this book is very realistic by involving such things as drug use, nudity (the scene where Victoria enters a nude beach for the first time is priceless--"wow, look at all those penises!"), profanity, etc., matters that are rarely placed in teen fiction, even though they're commonplace things in most kids' lives. In that sense, this book kind of reminded me of Judy Blume's writing (another good writer to check out).

I thought the ending was great as well, and I highly recommend "My First Love..." to preteen and older girls, especially Francine Pascal fans who want to read how she really writes.

I agree with all the other reviews for this book. A breath of fresh air compared to any other teen book out there. A real shame these aren't readily available anymore. Francine Pascal may not be anything anymore with those horrid Sweet Valley books, but the Victoria series is the most hilarious set of all young adult books. A real must-read!

My mom gave me this book out of a box of books that were her's. I threw it aside and one day picked it up. It was the best book I've read in a long time. It actually had me laughing out loud at certain parts. It's a must read for anyone.

This book was really a good book. It describes what can go through the mind of a teenage girl in love with a boy. Something i can relate too. It also can open your mind with the out comes that may happen and warn you to be careful!! Maybe who liked isnt who you really want to be with.