Review: Unbecoming by Jenny Downham

I am super excited to share this book with the community! I came across this gem at my library, and I needed to check it out! The cover art really popped, and the description on the jacket sounded incredible. It is always pleasant to find raw and real novels which tugs at your heartstrings with every turn of the page.

The Story

Three generations. One story.

Katie is a teenage girl trying to uncover both her family's secrets and her own identity.

Caroline is a mother of two who struggles to protect the people she loves most.

Mary battles Alzheimer's and becomes a shock in the lives of her daughter, Caroline and grandchild, Katie when her partner dies and she can no longer live on her own.

As Katie cares for her grandmother, she listens to Mary's tales of grandiosity as a girl. The wise words of her grandmother begin to spark something new within Katie. Suddenly, she is no longer content with going through the motions. She wants to know the truth. She wants to live. And she wants to love.

What I Liked

There were many aspects of this novel I enjoyed including:

• ​The Format: I admire how Jenny Downham alternates between the perspectives of Katie and her grandmother, Mary. While the novel is in third person, the various perspectives are spot on. The parallels between the two women are executed well without feeling forced. The perspective of Katie's mother is never directly provided, but it was interested to watch her evolve through the stories of Katie and Mary.
• Covers serious issues in a realistic manner: One aspect of Unbecoming which moved me was the presence of topics such as the impacts of depression, suicide, and dementia on a family. As Katie and her mother care for Mary, I was exposed to both the moments of love and the moments of difficulty experienced by the family members of dementia patients. For the sake of a spoiler-free review. I will not reveal the character who commits suicide, but Jenny Downham is spot on with her portrayal of the effects suicide can have on the family members left behind after tragedy.
• The "Firey Spirit": Throughout the book, Mary references the idea of a "fiery spirit", someone who isn't afraid to bend the rules and explore the world for the sake of living. She frequently promotes the idea to her granddaughter in the hope of igniting the flame within Katie.

What I didn't Like

There are very few things I disliked about this novel.

• ​At first, I was confused by the alternating perspectives of Katie and Mary.
• There is a certain like mother, like daughter incident toward the last quarter of the book which feels a tad forced (will not go into detail to avoid spoilers).
• Very little information is provided on Katie's father.

Overall

Unbecoming by Jenny Downham was a pleasant surprise from the YA section of my library. I would reccomend it to readers who enjoy emotional stories full of drama, family, and love.

Rating: 4/5

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