Debutante Hill

By: Lois Duncan

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Lynn Chambers is popular, wealthy, and going (almost) steady with a handsome college boy. But when she decides not to be a debutante, for the first time Lynn finds herself on the outside. Lois Duncan's 1958 young adult classic tells the story of what happens when the debutante tradition comes to one small town.

©1958 Lois Cardozo. Copyright renewed 1986 by Lois Duncan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Interesting “vintage” story

This was a nice break from the more intense books I had been reading lately. I thought the “vintage” feel of this book was enjoyable and the details were interesting. Debutante parties, movie balconies filled with smokers, girls waiting for boys to walk around the car and open their doors, all these details and more made it easy to become immersed in the story of a different time, although actually not so long ago.

Charming and simple look at a teen girl's life

I learned this was Lois Duncan's debut novel, and it holds up quite well as such, likely in part because it's a simple story. Rather than Duncan's later thriller suspense novels, it's the coming of age story of a teen girl in the 1950s who comes to see beyond her limited social circle of well-off socialites as she's forbidden to take part in the new debutante tradition. Slamming class divides and looking critically but not entirely unsympathetically at the classic "uptown girl gets involved with a bad boy" relationship, this basic story shines because of its characters and the lessons they learn along the way. I enjoyed it as a look into yesteryear.

An old book and a completely relevant to current times book!

This book may have been written in the late 1950s, but the issues of class it explores are, if anything, even more relevant now. It's also a beautiful book and a great read, and anyone who appreciates a really good love story with down to earth characters is going to love it! The narrator comes across as young herself and engaged with the high school aged characters, and does a fantastic job.

I liked it!

I really like this author and have listened to a number of her books. I especially enjoyed this one because it takes place in the late 1950’s and, as I learned in the ending credits, was actually written in 1958(!!!), so definitely authentically a 1950’s book. Great cover, too, with the color picture of a group of young people in their ‘50’s cars, tops down, hanging around on a beautiful warm and sunny day. Completely authentic!! ☺️