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Unbecoming by Jenny Downham



Unbecoming is a YA fiction novel by Jenny Downham. It was on Publishers Weekly's list of top YA books for 2016. Spanning three generations, Unbecoming tells the story of Katie, a high school girl quietly exploring her sexual identity. Her grandmother, Mary, suddenly appears on the scene, afflicted with dementia and unable to recall important memories. The two become close, with Katie's mother stuck in the middle.

Sex: It's mentioned pretty frequently in this book. Mary speaks a lot about her different boyfriends and lovers growing up. She also got pregnant with Katie's mother when she was a teenager. Katie herself is struggling with her sexuality. She tries to have a relationship with a boy she meets at a party, but in the end decides that she's attracted to girls. She has a few detailed discussions with a girl from her school who is gay.

Language: Mild to moderate.

Drug/Alcohol Use: Mary often smokes. Katie gets drunk at a party.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Mary moves in with Katie's family because her boyfriend has died. There are also several disturbing bullying scenes. Mary's sister Pat suffered from depression and committed suicide.

Final Note:  This book wasn't my favorite, but there were a few positive things I found. One, Jenny Downham is a beautiful writer. I loved how the story slowly unfurled with the use of flashbacks. The reader finds out things as Mary remembers them. Also, I really enjoyed that Katie and her mother and grandmother finally found a way to communicate and grow close as the story ended.


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