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roseleaf24's review against another edition
3.0
Insightful presentation of both caring for someone with Alzheimer's and actually suffering from it yourself, and a sensitive coming-out story. But this is billed as a book about three women, and the middle third is sorely underrepresented. The chances we got to understand all that Caroline had been through and all she was currently going through were marred by her inability to deal with it appropriately. As someone in the sandwich generation myself, though with more distance and fewer complications, I wanted to sympathize with her, but the narrative continually pushed me away.
sallashelves's review against another edition
3.0
Full Review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/2019/04/review-unbecoming.html
Digging up the past can be a painful thing, especially if it is done without permission. Sometimes the revealed truths lead to healing, sometimes they end up hurting even more.
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/2019/04/review-unbecoming.html
Digging up the past can be a painful thing, especially if it is done without permission. Sometimes the revealed truths lead to healing, sometimes they end up hurting even more.
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a beautiful and sad interwoven tale of family trauma.
Katie who has kissed a girl and is worried about what it means and what her perfectionist mum, Caroline, will say. Caroline who is constantly stressed about her recent separation, getting Katie through her exams and managing Chris who has an unnamed medical condition that effects his growth and development. And then there's Mary, Caroline's estranged birth mother who has dementia and her partner who cared for her has died.
Teen mother Mary allowed her older sister Pat to look after her daughter hoping she'd have a better, more stable life, especially as it was the 1950's. It soon transpires that this may not be the case, it seems Pat had her own issues and now in the present day it has made Caroline very resentful of Mary and now that Mary needs to stay with them things are very tense.
Katie who has kissed a girl and is worried about what it means and what her perfectionist mum, Caroline, will say. Caroline who is constantly stressed about her recent separation, getting Katie through her exams and managing Chris who has an unnamed medical condition that effects his growth and development. And then there's Mary, Caroline's estranged birth mother who has dementia and her partner who cared for her has died.
Teen mother Mary allowed her older sister Pat to look after her daughter hoping she'd have a better, more stable life, especially as it was the 1950's. It soon transpires that this may not be the case, it seems Pat had her own issues and now in the present day it has made Caroline very resentful of Mary and now that Mary needs to stay with them things are very tense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Abandonment
rmarcin's review
3.0
I read this book about three generations of women in the family on the advice of a librarian. It was interesting but I didn't love the book. One of the characters, Mary, is the grandmother and she has the beginning stages of Alzheimer's disease. The youngest woman is Katie, a high schooler. The third character is Caroline, Katie's mother and Mary's daughter. Each of these women have a secret that they are unable to share until one day when everything comes to light.
So, I just read this book again, and honestly did not know that I had already read it! Nothing was familiar to me. NOTHING! Still would give it 3 stars.
#Unbecoming #JennyDownham
So, I just read this book again, and honestly did not know that I had already read it! Nothing was familiar to me. NOTHING! Still would give it 3 stars.
#Unbecoming #JennyDownham
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I am stunned by this novel. This is the novel I've wanted to write for years. It encompasses such personal subject matter to me that this review may be a little biased. Downham discusses intense subject matters such as dementia/alzheimers, coming out, parent/child roles being switched, what truth really is, and how to handle all of these in such a poignant way. There were multiple times that I cried during this book, because her words rang true to my experiences. This book may have just usurped another's place as my favorite book, and if others wanted to better understand me, I would recommend this book to them.
theangrystackrat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mbrandmaier's review against another edition
3.0
Haven't we all been Katie, going along with something that does not feel right in our hearts because we are too afraid to stand up for ourselves? Haven't we all been Caroline, treating those around us with anger to cover our guilty selves? Haven't we all been Mary, wanting to taste all that life has to offer?
katie_esh's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this tale of three generations of women and their search for identity. Katie is a teenager struggling to figure out who she is and wants to be. Katie's mother Caroline is coming to terms with her identity amidst her separation from her husband. She is also grappling with the emotions that emerge when she becomes the primary caregiver for her estranged mother Mary who has dementia. Katie's plot line seemed especially authentic as she explores her sexuality with curiosity and skepticism. The only criticism I have is that I wish Caroline had played a larger role throughout the course of the novel rather than being so present at the end. Overall, if you enjoy multigenerational stories, stories about women, stories about identity, or stories about people with flaws, check out this book!
tgosnell's review against another edition
4.0
A heartwarming story of three generations of women - Katie, Caroline, and Mary. They all have their secrets that are gradually unwound throughout the story starting when Mary, the Grandma comes unexpectedly to their house. She has alzheimer's and Katie, the teen, is gradually putting her story together when Mary shares bits and pieces.