I'm pretty sure my mom handed me a copy of Dicey's Song during one of our summer reading list deals. Surely you're familiar with the concept. I read so many of the books on the list and she, in turn, gave me some sort of reward. You see this was back in the pre-Chronicles of Narnia phase in my life. The early days when I would rather be rolling down hills or jumping on beds than reading during the summer. Frankly, it's hard for me to look back now and remember such a time even existed. I'm pretty sure it was a list from the local library and that most of the books on it were award winners of some sort. As Dicey's Song was the Newbery winner for 1983, it was definitely on the list. Looking back I'm actually glad I didn't pick it up that summer. Instead I held out long enough to have fallen in love with reading a year or two later as well as discover that it was actually the second book in a series of seven. The Tillerman Cycle follows the four Tillerman kids on their journey in search of home. The entire series is spectacular and covers quite a span of years, at times following close family friends and, in one instance, a relative before returning to the original four in the concluding volume--SEVENTEEN AGAINST THE DEALER. This final book hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, IMO. I'm still unable to pick my favorite of the series. Dicey's Song is an absolute classic and A Solitary Blue is breathtaking (and won the Newbery Honor a year later). But SEVENTEEN AGAINST THE DEALER grips my heart every time I re-read it and is an all too rare example of an author managing to end a long-ish series flawlessly.Dicey is now 21 years old. Having raised her three siblings in almost every sense of the word, she is now ready for that independence she's been longing for for so long. James is dealing with colleges and scholarships. Maybeth is taking care of Gram and keeping the house together. Sammy is playing enough tennis for four teenage boys. And Jeff is away at school. The perfect time for Dicey to stretch her wings and open that boat business she's always wanted to. After sinking every penny she ever earned into setting up shop and accumulating the necessary tools, Dicey spends all day every day working to pay her rent, with precious few moments leftover to craft that perfect boat she has in her head. In fact, Dicey spends the majority of her time in her own head now. She's always been introverted but she takes it to a new level here, unable to really bring anything else into focus. In the meantime, several important things go by the wayside. Her siblings need her but fear to intrude. Jeff tries to maintain their relationship, give her space at the same time, and not lose himself in the force of Dicey's indomitable will. After her shop is broken into, Dicey reluctantly admits she needs help and takes in a drifter by the name of Cisco Kidd who may be just what he says he is. Or he may turn out to be much, much more than that.Voigt's writing wraps itself around me just the way music wraps around Dicey. I never want to leave. By book seven, I love this family and these characters so much they feel as though they're mine. There's just something about the Tillermans that's impossible not to admire. And Dicey herself has long been one of my most beloved characters in all of literature. When I was 12 I wanted to be her so much it hurt. Truth be told, I still want to be her. She tackles her problems with nothing but her own two hands and an inability to fail. She is the definition of tenacity. To a fault sometimes. But she knows what's important and she takes care of her own. That's why it's so beautiful to find this last story was hers alone. And to find that after everything she's been through, she's so far from perfect. She still has things to learn about life and loved ones and not taking any of it for granted. This story is so real in its depiction of the painful entrance to adulthood, the monotonous grind of daily labor, and the process of learning how to love someone the way they need to (and ought to) be loved. It takes my breath away every time. SEVENTEEN AGAINST THE DEALER stands on its own, but don't cheat yourself and start with the last. Read all seven books for the full experience. If you're short on time you could probably get by with just the three (Dicey's Song, A Solitary Blue, and this one). But only if you're short...
I wish I could read about every year of Dicey Tillerman's life. The first two books in the Tillerman cycle, Homecoming and Dicey's Song, are both moving, timeless books about Dicey, an extremely difficult, yet amazingly strong and resilient young woman. The next several books in the cycle focus on secondary character's, and although I enjoyed most of these, especially Jeff's story, A Solitary Blue, I read them mostly to keep tabs on Dicey, even if it was only through the eyes of her friend's and family. I was very excited to reach the last book of the cycle, Seventeen Against the Dealer, because like the first two books, it is told through Dicey's eyes. While it was nowhere near as strongly plotted as the first two books, it still was very satisfying to get another glimpse into the life and the mind of this singular character. If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it!
Do You like book Seventeen Against The Dealer (2002)?
Of all the Tillerman series books, I really liked this one a lot. A lot of lessons are to be learned in this book. As I was reading, I kept wanting to change the story. I didn't want Dicey to make some of the mistakes she made. I thought she would have been smarter than that. I realized she is only human because before this book I had such a high opinion of her character. Not that I don't still love her character; I just realized she isn't perfect and that everyone makes mistakes. Also, she is ONLY 17. Because of her life's situation, I always felt like she was older than that. I guess this book just reminded me a little bit of myself.The reason I only gave it a 4 is because I don't like that this is the end to the series. I feel like I need more and I'm not sure why Cynthia Voigt decided to end the story here.
—Dawn
In this 7th and final book in the Tillerman Cycle, 21-year-old Dicey has dropped out of college and is determined to start a boat building business. With sheer determination and hard work, she is convinced that her dream will become a reality. Though her single-mindedness has served her well in the past, this time it almost destroys everything she values. Dicey is taken advantage of and betrayed because of her naiveté and inexperience, and while she devotes her time and energy to the business, she neglects Jeff, her sick grandmother, and her siblings. In time, she realizes what is most important to her and adjusts her plans accordingly. Wonderful character development allows readers to empathize with the struggles and decisions of the Tillerman family, and the love and support they have for each other is a rare and welcomed theme in YA lit.
—Fran
Seventeen Against the Dealer is the last book in Cynthia Voigt's incredible, moving Tillerman cycle. Eight years after the start of the first book, Homecoming, Seventeen Against the Dealer has Dicey starting a boat building business. However, as her business grows, her focus on her family and her relationships diminishes. Throughout the novel, Dicey must learn to balance work and life.I was so excited to get back to Dicey's point of view. I really loved reading Jeff's and Mina's, but Dicey's distinct voice and character are by far my favorite. While this book didn't necessarily have huge, dramatic events, it was still one of my favorites in the series. The gentle, rhythmic movement of the plot and Voigt's (as per usual) wonderfully expressive writing style weaved together a quietly moving story. I must say, I'm kind of sad that the series is over, but I can't wait to reread it again.
—Tori
