crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Unbecoming was a Stonewall honor book this year. It's a wonderful multi-generational book. I love that there is a grandmother involved as my grandmother is also aging and I could connect to much that was happening. I would call it a lovely book.
m_amelia's review against another edition
5.0
This was a wonderful read about discovering yourself. The three generations were different but in some ways the same. This book really portrays the importance of adventure and really living.
freesien's review against another edition
4.0
3,5 Sterne
Eine berührende Geschichte. Ich hab sofort mit allen drei, Katie, Caroline und Mary mitfühlen können, egal, ob sie grundsätzlich verschieden waren oder nicht. Die Charakterisierung der Figuren war vorzüglich, sie haben sich auch verständlich weiterentwickelt. Auch Alzheimer/Demenz wurde realistisch dargestellt.
Nur zieht sich die Geschichte an manchen Stellen so ziemlich.
Eine berührende Geschichte. Ich hab sofort mit allen drei, Katie, Caroline und Mary mitfühlen können, egal, ob sie grundsätzlich verschieden waren oder nicht. Die Charakterisierung der Figuren war vorzüglich, sie haben sich auch verständlich weiterentwickelt. Auch Alzheimer/Demenz wurde realistisch dargestellt.
Nur zieht sich die Geschichte an manchen Stellen so ziemlich.
kricketa's review against another edition
4.0
katie's family is thrown into turmoil when her grandmother, who she thought was dead, comes to live at their house. mary is sweet and suffering from dementia, so katie can't understand why her mother, caroline, is so angry with her. slowly katie must help mary remember pieces of the past, while also persuading caroline to speak about her own childhood, all while recovering from her own traumatic event at school.
i love a good family mystery, especially one where different generations of a family delve into the past. this did not disappoint.
i love a good family mystery, especially one where different generations of a family delve into the past. this did not disappoint.
dlberglund's review against another edition
4.0
Tells the stories of Katie, her mother Caroline, and her grandmother Mary, and the secrets they all hold. Katie has been told to keep that past closed, and that she had no grandparents...until the day the hospital calls to have them pick up Mary, the estranged grandmother. Mary is clearly suffering from a form of dementia that is painful to watch and understand. While Caroline is eager to get Mary into a different living arrangement (and rebury the past), Katie is drawn to Mary's fire and her circling stories, trying to piece together all of the things that happened long ago.
It was painful to read about Mary's declining memory and sense of time, particularly how easy it was for Caroline to misunderstand her or become frustrated with her. Anyone who has watched someone go through the painful process of losing names, words, and linear memories will likely see pieces of this in Unbecoming.
My only piece of criticism: Narratively, the book does come around to the secrets and frustrations of all three of these women (and their former selves), but the narrative voice was omniscient and overreaching. There were too many jangling sentences of perspective from random characters, and not enough heart from Caroline.
It was painful to read about Mary's declining memory and sense of time, particularly how easy it was for Caroline to misunderstand her or become frustrated with her. Anyone who has watched someone go through the painful process of losing names, words, and linear memories will likely see pieces of this in Unbecoming.
My only piece of criticism: Narratively, the book does come around to the secrets and frustrations of all three of these women (and their former selves), but the narrative voice was omniscient and overreaching. There were too many jangling sentences of perspective from random characters, and not enough heart from Caroline.
eriickamay's review against another edition
3.0
"I AM UNBECOMING. Which felt very apt, because Mary’s father used to say she was ‘unbecoming’ when she misbehaved. It meant perverse, incorrect and unseemly. Everything a girl wasn’t supposed to be. Of course, it also meant unravelling... I'm a work in progress."
sneakya3's review
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.25
nanaaax3's review against another edition
I couldn't get into it and I am not super interested in the books topic (got it from a surprise bag from my schools Library)
julienbakerstan69's review against another edition
3.0
i LOVE coming out stories that are realistic and messy but hopeful and not tragic :')
angstyp's review against another edition
2.0
So this might be a good book to some, I just was not impressed with either the writing or the set up of the story.