Sex, for all its sometimes gruesome oughts and shouldn'ts, never deserved Forever … …. Judy Blume takes more than just a peek at Kath and Michael making it in Summit, NJ. From first base all the way to home, we get the blow by blow. Kath loses her virginity with one qualm—she doesn't have an orgasm. 'Maybe it was the rubber,' Michael says. Maybe it was. Anyhow, they work it out (they love each other, don't they?): but satisfaction leaves tristesse and Mom and Dad think marriage is appalling at 18. Wasn't she lucky she was careful? Isn't it great they were both so well adjusted? Their friend Artie, a closet queer, tries suicide when vamped beyond endurance by raunchy Erica. That's good too: 'Now at least, Artie will get the kind of professional help he's needed all along.' Kath bops off with another guy, a better candidate for the deep relationship than sniffling Mike, who's taught her two positions—and love. (p. 644)
Anne Redmon, in New Statesman (© 1976 The Statesman & Nation Publishing Co. Ltd.), November 5, 1976.
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