The Story is About   +  young adult

Inconvenient by Margie Gelbwasser

Inconvenient by Margie Gelbwasser

Release Date: November 8, 2010
Publisher: Flux
Age Group: Young Adult
Shelfability: Acquire/Borrow
Pages: 312
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Interest: Debut
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon

In fifteen-year-old Alyssa Bondar's Russian-Jewish culture, having a few drinks is as traditional as blinchiki and piroshki. So when her mom's midday cocktails turn into an all-day happy hour, it seems like Alyssa's the only one who notices—or cares. Her dad is steeped in the nightly news—and denial—and her best friend Lana is too busy trashing their shared Russian heritage so she can be popular.

Alyssa would rather focus on cross-country meets and her first kiss with her running partner, Keith, but someone has to clean up her mom's mess. But who will be there to catch Alyssa when her mom's next fall off the wagon threatens to drag her down, too?

Inconvenient is an honest and somewhat brutally portrayed novel on the effects of alcoholism on a family. As well as a story about growing up and finding oneself.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for what seems like forever. I would always forget that it was there to read. Inconvenient sounded like a good book and I wanted to read it, but the summary didn’t make it stick out in my mind. Which is probably why it sat on my shelf for so long. Once I started reading the story, I rarely put it down.

The thing that I enjoyed most about this novel was the main character Alyssa. I commend her for not being afraid to embrace her Russian-Jewish heritage even when her classmates taunt her for it. Her insecurities are similar to the ones that I had as a teenager. Perhaps that is why I felt such a deep connection with her. And of course you can’t help but empathize with her dealing with an alcoholic parent. Alyssa experiences things that no teen should have to face.

There were aspects of the novel such as Keith and Alyssa’s relationship and Lana & Alyssa’s relationship that I didn’t agree with but found added extra depth to the novel. And when I say I didn’t agree with them, I don’t mean that they were wrong for the story! I just wish things would have worked out differently! For instance, I was disappointed that Lana was more worried about being popular than being there for her friend. Although I’ve seen the same thing happen in real life as a teen.

The ending was also unexpected. I think I was expecting some sort of resolution. For Alyssa’s mother to be over her addiction. I wanted so badly for Alyssa to have a happy ending. That being said, I agree with the ending the author chose. It might not have been a “happy” ending, but it was a “hopeful” ending.

Looking forward to more from Gelbwasser!