Began reading: 26.12.2015
Completed reading: 2.1.2016
Overall rating: 3.7 stars
Three women - three secrets - one heart-stopping story.
Katie, seventeen, in love with someone whose identity she can't reveal.
Her mother, Caroline, uptight, worn out and about to find the past catching up with her.
Katie's grandmother, Mary, back with the family after years of mysterious absence and 'capable of anything', despite suffering from Alzheimers.
As Katie cares for an elderly woman who brings daily chaos into her life, she finds herself drawn to her. Rules get broken as allegiances shift. Is Mary contagious? Is 'badness' genetic?
In confronting the past, Katie is forced to seize the present. As Mary slowly unravels and family secrets are revealed, Katie learns to live and finally dares to love.
Unbecoming by Jenny Downham is a realistic, contemporary fiction novel that explores the challenges of dealing with Alzheimers and the stigma associated with sexuality. I had no idea what this book was about when I purchased it, but I was hoping for something that wasn’t in this book.
There were some minor spelling and grammatical errors throughout the novel; however, overall, the book was well-written and included some great quotes. Here are some examples:
‘It takes more than biology to be a parent, it takes sacrifice. You can’t just run about doing what you like’ (p. 15).
‘Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find’ (p. 126).
Time travel makes the world a nicer place (p. 126).
Risk your heart and make things HAPPEN!! (p. 130).
Some things get listened to more than other things (p. 140).
‘Dare to see yourself in your own future… Dare to see all your possibilities laid out’ (pp. 249-250).
You can’t unknow things. You can’t shove information to the back of your mind and not have it hurt you. You can lie to yourself…, you can refuse to think about it… You can even get dementia and have memories fall away. But the really important ones are like blue blanks in your head — they have an emotional charge that never leaves. They spill and hurt and damage (p. 312).
‘…truth doesn’t exist.’
‘…because everyone’s got their own side of a story’ (p. 372).
The story-line was really interesting! Until I read this book, I hadn’t really read anything similar. As I mentioned previously, this book explores various contemporary situations. By exploring these circumstances, readers see how each character learns to overcome difficulties and accept each other for who they are.
Speaking of characters, each individual had their own personality and flaws. This made the plot more interesting, as it determined how each person would cope with the situation. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* For example, Mary’s bright personality reflected a positive reaction to Katie’s announcement, regarding her sexual orientation. I thought that the diverse personalities made the story more realistic, as everyone has flaws.
I found the book to be slow-paced and predictable, which let me down. I thought that all the major parts of the book occurred too early, and the rest of the novel seemed to just drag on. I will say that there were more interesting sections towards the end, but I thought the book would’ve been better if some of the highlights were spread throughout, rather than in the beginning and a bit at the end. Again, the plot was predictable, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who saw what was coming. In my opinion, a plot twist would have improved the story.
Because the novel was somewhat predictable and felt as though it was being dragged out, I was very close to not finishing the book. As I said, I could see what was coming; yet I was hoping a plot twist would pop up. Unfortunately, it didn’t and I was relieved when I finished it.
I found Pat to be the most relatable, as she was described as a ‘home body’, responsible and introverted; however, it sucks that I only had the flashbacks to see how she interacted with others. I really enjoyed Mary and Jack too. Mary had such a bright, sweet personality and I think it was a great idea to make her the focus of the novel. Jack’s appearances as a ghost were also sweet, especially seeing how he encouraged Mary to open up to her family. It was also adorable when Katie found his sticky notes around Mary’s house. It showed that he really cared for Mary, so I thought it was very heart-warming.
On the other hand, I didn’t really like Caroline. As I mentioned previously, each character had their flaws; however, I thought that Caroline’s flaws were emphasised more than the others. She was very rude, impatient and cruel to Mary. I understand that this is common and makes the plot more realistic; however, how can she be so cruel to her own mother? She explains her past, especially about how Mary used her as a kind of trophy, but she should understand, since she comes down so hard on Katie. Similarly, I thought that Katie would be my favourite character in the book; however, she turned out to be childish and irresponsible. It just really annoyed me.
I would say that Mary’s flashbacks and letters, as well as Pat’s diary entries, were my favourite parts of the book. I really enjoyed reading these sections, as they occurred in a different time — when gender equality and diverse family structures were limited. It provided me with an insight into societal expectations during the 1950s, which I always find fascinating.
Recommendation time! If you like Henry’s Sisters by Cathy Lamb, Risk by Fleur Ferris, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and Before I Die by Jenny Downham, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Still Alice, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Notebook.
Happy reading!
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