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nevergogenetic's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
- Loveable characters? Yes
romanaromana's review
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
2 stars.
(Here are some content warnings. Nothing in this review).
I am merely underwhelmed. And I didn't get it.
For all her life, Katie has known her grandmother as nothing more than an unfamiliar figure who played no real part in her or her mother's life. But when she unexpectedly crashes into Katie's life with nowhere else to go and an unravelling mind filled with fast-fading memories, Katie realises she doesn't know the full story. Desperate to understand how the women before her really lived, Katie vows to find out all she can from her grandmother before her memories are lost forever, even if it means dragging her reluctant mother into the project. She can only hope that in piecing together the truth, she might find the parts of herself she has always felt were missing.
I'm not sure what Jenny Downham was trying to do with Unbecoming. The core of what the novel was really about felt hazy, leaving the overall plot quite weak and lacking in urgency. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be interested in or focusing on. Sure, I was learning bits and pieces about the last three generations of Katie's family, but I didn't particularly care, especially when they were drip-fed with such sluggishness and rarity.
The general trudging motion of Unbecoming was not aided by Downham's slow and unexciting narration. I've felt a similar way about Downham's previous novels which all seemed to lack something which made them truly memorable, but on this occasion it was harder to ignore and ultimately made the novel lack vitality.
This was especially true in the chapters which focalised on Katie, because I didn't feel as though her youth or curiosity came through. The only things which reminded me that she were a teenager, were her very questionable, immature reactions. This may be something others read into differently, but I saw most of these as evidence of Downham's own adulthood - Katie's behaviour was stereotypical of how an adult (wrongfully) believes a teenager would react, in that 'moody, dramatic teen' type of way which I just find patronising and unfair.
What saved this from a lower rating was probably my curiosity. Despite the execution of the story being unimpressive, I did ultimately want to know more about Mary and her past. But when the revelations came through, I was sadly unimpressed all over again, and left feelings unsatisfied given how long I had to wait for things to come to light. The only real thing I got from it all was that parents sometimes lie to their kids, or something. I don't really know.
I've continued to invest in Jenny Downham's work since I've always been relatively happy with what I've read, even though they've never been big hitters. But I think this ties things off for me.
(Here are some content warnings. Nothing in this review).
I am merely underwhelmed. And I didn't get it.
For all her life, Katie has known her grandmother as nothing more than an unfamiliar figure who played no real part in her or her mother's life. But when she unexpectedly crashes into Katie's life with nowhere else to go and an unravelling mind filled with fast-fading memories, Katie realises she doesn't know the full story. Desperate to understand how the women before her really lived, Katie vows to find out all she can from her grandmother before her memories are lost forever, even if it means dragging her reluctant mother into the project. She can only hope that in piecing together the truth, she might find the parts of herself she has always felt were missing.
I'm not sure what Jenny Downham was trying to do with Unbecoming. The core of what the novel was really about felt hazy, leaving the overall plot quite weak and lacking in urgency. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be interested in or focusing on. Sure, I was learning bits and pieces about the last three generations of Katie's family, but I didn't particularly care, especially when they were drip-fed with such sluggishness and rarity.
The general trudging motion of Unbecoming was not aided by Downham's slow and unexciting narration. I've felt a similar way about Downham's previous novels which all seemed to lack something which made them truly memorable, but on this occasion it was harder to ignore and ultimately made the novel lack vitality.
This was especially true in the chapters which focalised on Katie, because I didn't feel as though her youth or curiosity came through. The only things which reminded me that she were a teenager, were her very questionable, immature reactions. This may be something others read into differently, but I saw most of these as evidence of Downham's own adulthood - Katie's behaviour was stereotypical of how an adult (wrongfully) believes a teenager would react, in that 'moody, dramatic teen' type of way which I just find patronising and unfair.
What saved this from a lower rating was probably my curiosity. Despite the execution of the story being unimpressive, I did ultimately want to know more about Mary and her past. But when the revelations came through, I was sadly unimpressed all over again, and left feelings unsatisfied given how long I had to wait for things to come to light. The only real thing I got from it all was that parents sometimes lie to their kids, or something. I don't really know.
I've continued to invest in Jenny Downham's work since I've always been relatively happy with what I've read, even though they've never been big hitters. But I think this ties things off for me.
storytimed's review against another edition
4.0
About three generations of women, each with their own struggles (dementia, mommy issues, LESBIANS). I'm not necessarily happy about how all the drama played out, but I do think it was handled deftly and with sympathy for each character.
miia_salomaki's review against another edition
2.0
This book had all the ingredients for a heart-warming, gripping story, and I really liked the parallels that were drawn between different generations, but some of the solutions were too obvious to my taste, some characters a bit too black and white, some of the storytelling a bit too underlining. Still, an okay read.
bestdressedbookworm's review against another edition
1.0
I'm sad to say that this book was not only boring and badly written in the smear that it was quite confusing, but also left me felling like it was a complete waste of time.
If a book takes me 4 days too read it means I don't really like it, but I always finish it to find out what happens.
With the book is boiling have bothered.
SPOILER - major!!!!!
This book told the lives of three women, but honestly through out the book, I got annoyed at Katie's mother, she seemed very immature (people have hard loves it doesn't mean you can use that as an excuse for behavior), Mary's story felt like you only heard the shocking bits, like none of the good things, like she was just this horrible person, and Katie, well hers was a typical know it all teen.
But what really pissed me off is 430 pages later the "big story reveal" was that Katie was gay, which you knew from the start anyway, and that the big event that Mary couldn't remember was that Caroline had taken Katie out of Mary's life when Katie was 4, and never let her have contact again until she was 17!!!! I promise you this sounds big but in the context of the story it was
Lame lame lame lame lame lame!!!
I was expecting something really really really shocking, this was pathetic!
If a book takes me 4 days too read it means I don't really like it, but I always finish it to find out what happens.
With the book is boiling have bothered.
SPOILER - major!!!!!
This book told the lives of three women, but honestly through out the book, I got annoyed at Katie's mother, she seemed very immature (people have hard loves it doesn't mean you can use that as an excuse for behavior), Mary's story felt like you only heard the shocking bits, like none of the good things, like she was just this horrible person, and Katie, well hers was a typical know it all teen.
But what really pissed me off is 430 pages later the "big story reveal" was that Katie was gay, which you knew from the start anyway, and that the big event that Mary couldn't remember was that Caroline had taken Katie out of Mary's life when Katie was 4, and never let her have contact again until she was 17!!!! I promise you this sounds big but in the context of the story it was
Lame lame lame lame lame lame!!!
I was expecting something really really really shocking, this was pathetic!
stacy837's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Grief, and Dementia
Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Alcohol
cathiestrover's review against another edition
5.0
Bravo, Jenny! This new YA offering is a tricky combination of two themes dealing with the problems of teenagers and the elderly - coming to terms with your sexuality, and the currently rather popular theme of dementia. The plot unfolds cleverly and the elderly granny is question is definitely a character. I like the way this story shows two perspectives on the elderly - the teenagers see family links and some fun, whilst the single parent daughter struggles with sadness and exhaustion. Excellent read.
ohnoflora's review against another edition
4.0
Read for the YA Book Prize. What a strong shortlist, by the way. You can see it here: http://www.thebookseller.com/ya-book-prize/2016
I read Jenny Downham's [b:Before I Die|1314332|Before I Die|Jenny Downham|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348002855s/1314332.jpg|3128767] when it came out and it utterly blindsided me. I had never really read anything like it: a contemporary teen novel that felt contemporary; characters whose voices were fresh; a plot about living (and dying) with cancer that wasn't sentimental. The characters were flawed and we were allowed to dislike them at times - cancer doesn't stop you from being a brat. It felt honest. It felt real. I wept buckets and read it four times.
I didn't read her second book ([b:You Against Me|8720917|You Against Me|Jenny Downham|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311064228s/8720917.jpg|13593837]) but I am delighted to come to Unbecoming, almost ten years on, and discover that what I loved about the first book is still very much in evidence in the third. Fresh voices, characters that aren't clichés, issues (sexuality, aging, family secrets) dealt with honestly and without sentimentality.
This is maybe the first book I've read in which a character with Alzheimer's is neither grotesque nor a tragedy. This is maybe the first book I've read in which a character with Alzheimer's is funny and sparky and sad all at once; who is, in fact, a person.
The only bum note is the TXT SPK that the author insists on using - you are writing about/for teenagers! At least learn how they communicate with each other!
It also is quite long, which some might find difficult. It also perhaps wraps up a little too neatly. Other than that, it is very good. I cried several times but it never felt maudlin.
I read Jenny Downham's [b:Before I Die|1314332|Before I Die|Jenny Downham|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348002855s/1314332.jpg|3128767] when it came out and it utterly blindsided me. I had never really read anything like it: a contemporary teen novel that felt contemporary; characters whose voices were fresh; a plot about living (and dying) with cancer that wasn't sentimental. The characters were flawed and we were allowed to dislike them at times - cancer doesn't stop you from being a brat. It felt honest. It felt real. I wept buckets and read it four times.
I didn't read her second book ([b:You Against Me|8720917|You Against Me|Jenny Downham|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311064228s/8720917.jpg|13593837]) but I am delighted to come to Unbecoming, almost ten years on, and discover that what I loved about the first book is still very much in evidence in the third. Fresh voices, characters that aren't clichés, issues (sexuality, aging, family secrets) dealt with honestly and without sentimentality.
This is maybe the first book I've read in which a character with Alzheimer's is neither grotesque nor a tragedy. This is maybe the first book I've read in which a character with Alzheimer's is funny and sparky and sad all at once; who is, in fact, a person.
The only bum note is the TXT SPK that the author insists on using - you are writing about/for teenagers! At least learn how they communicate with each other!
It also is quite long, which some might find difficult. It also perhaps wraps up a little too neatly. Other than that, it is very good. I cried several times but it never felt maudlin.