Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Inconvenient by Margie Gelbwasser

Alyssa is used to seeing her parents drink. As they're Russian Jews, alcohol is an honored guest at every party. It isn't until her mom's drinking habits interfere with Alyssa's life that she realizes her mom has a problem. Trapped by convention (It's nobody's business but our own!), Alyssa has to sit back and watch her mom become an alcoholic. In this warped reality, Alyssa becomes the parent and her mom the child. Things can't go on like they are or can they?

What I thought: I enjoyed this book. Never having been exposed to the Russian-Jewish culture that Alyssa is raised in, I never dreamed of the problems that could arise from a society where it's normal to drink, expected to say the least. I admire Alyssa's fortitude in dealing with her mom's episodes. The characters were believable and the setting unique. Inconvenient is a nice addition the YA problem novel genre.

(Review copy provided by publisher. Flux, 2010)

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