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A review by lcmarie19
Unteachable by Elliot Wake
4.0
RATING: 4.5 STARS
I don't know who Leah Raeder is but I will say this... the woman can write.
UNTEACHABLE is such a fantastic story of a love that isn't quite forbidden but isn't quite accepted. A love that isn't understood - publicly or privately. A love that, quite honestly, is used to hide from personal issues. And it's done so well.
The first chapter alone had me and then it just took off from there.
Our main characters, Maise O'Malley, an eighteen year old senior, and Evan Wilke, her film teacher, embark on quite the emotional journey of meeting one another at the most inopportune time. Of fighting their feelings in public, but acting on them in private. Of dealing with the slight gestures that slip through the cracks of their shields that accidentally let their feelings show. Maise, having to also deal with a drug dealing and useless mother, is trying to find her way out of her town through getting into film school.
There's a lot that goes on throughout this book, but not once did I feel that it overwhelmed me as the reader. Raeder did a great job with keeping everything in balance. Giving us romance when we needed it and the drama when it was required. The pacing of the story, though extremely quick, wasn't to the point when I disbelieved anything that the characters experienced. They fall in love very quickly but... for whatever reason, it didn't bother me.
The supporting characters, from Maise's friends and classmates to Evan's friends, were so necessarily in the progression of the story but also in the development of both Maise and Evan's character. There were moments throughout the book when Maise would constantly remind me of how young she was, despite being the adult at home and being in an adult relationship. It was so easy to forget that she was seventeen until it wasn't. And that's what separates Raeder from your average writer.
Evan's age also impacted the story. He may have been older than Maise, but he had youth of the heart. And it showed. These two really worked together. It wasn't forced and it wasn't uncomfortable. I am so glad that Raeder made Maise an eighteen year old versus someone who was younger. I think that would have been one too many hurdle for the characters to overcome.
Maise was an extremely smart girl. Very independent and courageous. But she was so flawed. So vulnerable. Raeder was able to display Maise's full character in about a third of the book, which was fantastic. Evan was a bit of harder egg to crack, which was fine. But once he opens up, his story was just as compelling to me.
This is such a character driven story and it was fantastic. The flow of the book was great, progression was good, evolution was great. It was just a well done read.
With all of this praise, I am still going to say that what I find it lacked? A bit more backstory to Evan. I would have like to have experienced a bit more on his part when it came to his past. While we do get a glimpse into it, we only get a glimpse into the part that impacts Maise. But I wanted to know more about him, because I really enjoyed his character. That's probably my only gripe.
Overall, I loved this book. So glad I read it and I highly recommend this one. To any and everyone who likes a story that goes full circle with strongly written characters with a seriously chaotic romantic entanglement.
I don't know who Leah Raeder is but I will say this... the woman can write.
UNTEACHABLE is such a fantastic story of a love that isn't quite forbidden but isn't quite accepted. A love that isn't understood - publicly or privately. A love that, quite honestly, is used to hide from personal issues. And it's done so well.
The first chapter alone had me and then it just took off from there.
Our main characters, Maise O'Malley, an eighteen year old senior, and Evan Wilke, her film teacher, embark on quite the emotional journey of meeting one another at the most inopportune time. Of fighting their feelings in public, but acting on them in private. Of dealing with the slight gestures that slip through the cracks of their shields that accidentally let their feelings show. Maise, having to also deal with a drug dealing and useless mother, is trying to find her way out of her town through getting into film school.
There's a lot that goes on throughout this book, but not once did I feel that it overwhelmed me as the reader. Raeder did a great job with keeping everything in balance. Giving us romance when we needed it and the drama when it was required. The pacing of the story, though extremely quick, wasn't to the point when I disbelieved anything that the characters experienced. They fall in love very quickly but... for whatever reason, it didn't bother me.
The supporting characters, from Maise's friends and classmates to Evan's friends, were so necessarily in the progression of the story but also in the development of both Maise and Evan's character. There were moments throughout the book when Maise would constantly remind me of how young she was, despite being the adult at home and being in an adult relationship. It was so easy to forget that she was seventeen until it wasn't. And that's what separates Raeder from your average writer.
Evan's age also impacted the story. He may have been older than Maise, but he had youth of the heart. And it showed. These two really worked together. It wasn't forced and it wasn't uncomfortable. I am so glad that Raeder made Maise an eighteen year old versus someone who was younger. I think that would have been one too many hurdle for the characters to overcome.
Maise was an extremely smart girl. Very independent and courageous. But she was so flawed. So vulnerable. Raeder was able to display Maise's full character in about a third of the book, which was fantastic. Evan was a bit of harder egg to crack, which was fine. But once he opens up, his story was just as compelling to me.
This is such a character driven story and it was fantastic. The flow of the book was great, progression was good, evolution was great. It was just a well done read.
With all of this praise, I am still going to say that what I find it lacked? A bit more backstory to Evan. I would have like to have experienced a bit more on his part when it came to his past. While we do get a glimpse into it, we only get a glimpse into the part that impacts Maise. But I wanted to know more about him, because I really enjoyed his character. That's probably my only gripe.
Overall, I loved this book. So glad I read it and I highly recommend this one. To any and everyone who likes a story that goes full circle with strongly written characters with a seriously chaotic romantic entanglement.