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thebrainlair's review against another edition
4.0
Left me hanging at the end. I think I would have liked it more if the mom's story was different. Also, a little less Mary,Mary. Otherwise, good story!
sarahcvo's review against another edition
2.0
I probably wouldn't have ever read this except I unintentionally picked it up at ALA, so it was already in my hands. The verse makes it a quick read. Well written by a good author, and an interesting subject matter, but the Christian theology interwoven into the story was too heavy-handed for my taste. I think this book could still be good for the right reader.
sngick's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting overlay of stories...I felt like I needed less "Mary, Mary" & more of the main story. Not a fan of the ending which I assume the author left for the reader to decide.
soniakarina's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this short book. Written in prose form, it is the story of a young girl dealing with her faith and her sexuality, inter-laced with Mary's own story as she prepared for the birth of Jesus.
I read the whole thing in a few hours, and although the format of the book is unconventional, it flowed perfectly and I felt the whole story was told in so few words, so completely.
I'd recommend it for mothers of teen girls, to read first, and then perhaps read together...and discuss.
I read the whole thing in a few hours, and although the format of the book is unconventional, it flowed perfectly and I felt the whole story was told in so few words, so completely.
I'd recommend it for mothers of teen girls, to read first, and then perhaps read together...and discuss.
afro8921's review against another edition
3.0
I like dark sons better. The ending is a little too ambiguous for my liking. I'm still suggesting it for my niece though.
rakishabpl's review against another edition
3.0
Although it has an interesting premise, this book is painful to read. Mary Rudine, a.k.a M.R. a.k.a Mister, is a good Christian girl who gets pregnant. Feeling ashamed and shunned by God, she turns to a book called "Mary, Mary." In it, Mary, mother of Jesus, describes being pregnant and unwed. The book flips POVs from Mary to MR as both their pregnancies advance.
It presents a view of a wrathful & unforgiving God. It is a view that often convinces people to stop believing or never believe at all--feelings that were all too familiar to me as a teen and young adult. This book is definitely written for a teen audience, because the language and style reminds me too much of my own angsty adolescent diaries--dramatic and badly written.
It presents a view of a wrathful & unforgiving God. It is a view that often convinces people to stop believing or never believe at all--feelings that were all too familiar to me as a teen and young adult. This book is definitely written for a teen audience, because the language and style reminds me too much of my own angsty adolescent diaries--dramatic and badly written.
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
3.0
This is a tough one.
As I have said before, a book can be really good, but if it doesn't have a good ending, it spoils everything. I was ready to give this story four stars, until I got to the end.
Mary, known as Mister, because her initials are MR, is in high school and gets pregnant by her new boyfriend, because she gives in to temptation, despite trying to be "pure" until marriage.
I kind of agree with what another review said, that this, as a teaching book, would have been a good time to talk about birth control, but the point of the book is paralleling Mary, mother of Jesus, and how she felt as an unwed mother. Mister reads a book called "Mary Mary" which shows how their lives are similar and that they have to both have faith in their god. The book ends with a teaching section of questions. A sample questions is:
I'm not quite sure who this book is for. I'm not sure if it is trying to push abstinence, or trying to push to tell girls not to abort, or what. I'm not quite sure that the message is that your life is different if you are a teenager who gets pregnant? I'm really not sure at all.
The story is well written, however, even if I do not agree with its message.
The book is very easy to read, being written in short verse, with only a little bit per page.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
As I have said before, a book can be really good, but if it doesn't have a good ending, it spoils everything. I was ready to give this story four stars, until I got to the end.
Mary, known as Mister, because her initials are MR, is in high school and gets pregnant by her new boyfriend, because she gives in to temptation, despite trying to be "pure" until marriage.
I kind of agree with what another review said, that this, as a teaching book, would have been a good time to talk about birth control, but the point of the book is paralleling Mary, mother of Jesus, and how she felt as an unwed mother. Mister reads a book called "Mary Mary" which shows how their lives are similar and that they have to both have faith in their god. The book ends with a teaching section of questions. A sample questions is:
How did Mister get swept away by her emotions for Trey? How would you have reacted to Trey?
I'm not quite sure who this book is for. I'm not sure if it is trying to push abstinence, or trying to push to tell girls not to abort, or what. I'm not quite sure that the message is that your life is different if you are a teenager who gets pregnant? I'm really not sure at all.
The story is well written, however, even if I do not agree with its message.
The book is very easy to read, being written in short verse, with only a little bit per page.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
sngick's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting overlay of stories...I felt like I needed less "Mary, Mary" & more of the main story. Not a fan of the ending which I assume the author left for the reader to decide.
afro75's review
3.0
I like dark sons better. The ending is a little too ambiguous for my liking. I'm still suggesting it for my niece though.