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Like Mandarin

by Kirsten Hubbard (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 677 ratings · 167 reviews

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin.

When they're united for a project, they form an un...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published March 8th 2011 by Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

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2011 Debut Authors (Young Adult and Middle Grade Lit.)

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Apr 03, 2011 Flannery rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-want-to-go-to-there, kcls, read-in-2011, young-adult-teen, reviewed-2011

Grace Carpenter has lived in the same small town her entire life. Her mother forced her into pageants when she was younger but Grace sabotaged her way out of them. Now a sophomore (after skipping a grade), Grace has a few interests (collecting rocks, plotting how she might get out of her tiny town) but she spends a great deal of time ~~stalking~~ being mildly obsessed with Mandarin Ramey. Mandarin, a senior, is rather mysterious. She is known around town for her...loose moral character. Grace finall...more Grace Carpenter has lived in the same small town her entire life. Her mother forced her into pageants when she was younger but Grace sabotaged her way out of them. Now a sophomore (after skipping a grade), Grace has a few interests (collecting rocks, plotting how she might get out of her tiny town) but she spends a great deal of time ~~stalking~~ being mildly obsessed with Mandarin Ramey. Mandarin, a senior, is rather mysterious. She is known around town for her...loose moral character. Grace finally gets her chance to get to know Mandarin when she begins to tutor her. (If you can call it tutoring, because there really wasn’t much tutoring going on.) The two of them cause trouble around town and Grace learns what it is like to have a reputation. At the same time, Grace feels alienated from her mother. Grace’s father has been out of the picture since her birth and she feels like she lost her mother’s love when she left pageants. Now that Grace’s younger sister Taffeta (no joke) has taken up the pageant rein, Grace feels forgotten.

Okay, enough about the plot. I found the writing to be rather heavy on the description but I didn’t mind. I read this book in a day—and I wanted to finish it, which is more than I can say about a lot of books I’ve been reading lately. I wanted to find out if either Grace or Mandarin came to some life-altering realization about life. (view spoiler) Throughout the story, I was more fascinated with Mandarin than with Grace. This book suffers from Secondary Character Syndrome—when the side characters are more interesting than the protagonist. John Green seems to want his books to have this affliction. (Tiny Cooper, Alaska, Margo Margo Roth Spiegelman) Anyway, I wanted to know more about what made Mandarin the way she is. Her story seemed like it was begging to be told but he could only grasp onto small bits of it through Grace’s perspective. It was frustrating.

There are several aspects of this book that just didn’t do it for me. I don’t want to spoil anyone’s read so I’m going to put them into a spoiler. Read at your own risk:
(view spoiler)

I find it rather amusing that I read Unearthly last week and remarked on how few books are set in Wyoming. What are the chances that I'd read another in the same week? Like Mandarin is set in Washokey, a fictional town that seems to be located in the Northeast corner of the state. (Just about every town in Wyoming gets a mention but I couldn't pin it down) Kirsten Hubbard describes the town, environs, and weather in such a way that I could absolutely picture it all in my imagination. Then again, I've been through that area of Wyoming several times and I think seeing some of those tiny towns in the middle of nowhere really helps form the picture in my mind. Even if this book wasn't my favorite, I'd really enjoy reading more books set in this town from the author.

Overall, though, I just didn’t find Grace’s story engaging. However, it seems like many other Goodreaders did so it might be a case of wrong book, wrong time.
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19 likes · like · see review

Mar 12, 2011 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Tatiana by: Phoebe

Shelves: 2011, ya

2.5 stars

Disturbed women is something I definitely enjoy reading about, especially when they are portrayed through the eyes of slightly over-involved observers. It is fascinating to get to know such women who think they have it all figured out but who in reality grossly underestimate the depth of their own wretchedness. Breakfast at Tiffany's and to some degree Girl, Interrupted are the books that explore this premise. And so does Like Mandarin.

High-school senior Mandarin is the famous slut of t...more 2.5 stars

Disturbed women is something I definitely enjoy reading about, especially when they are portrayed through the eyes of slightly over-involved observers. It is fascinating to get to know such women who think they have it all figured out but who in reality grossly underestimate the depth of their own wretchedness. Breakfast at Tiffany's and to some degree Girl, Interrupted are the books that explore this premise. And so does Like Mandarin.

High-school senior Mandarin is the famous slut of the town, an object of gossip, envy and lust of many residents of Washokey, Wyoming. 14-year old Grace is mesmerized by Mandarin, by her beauty and her strange charisma. Grace constantly fantasizes about being just like her. A school assignment brings these two girls together and finally Grace has an opportunity to get close to her idol. Where will this unlikely friendship lead both girls?

The book's synopsis promises dark secrets and revelations about Mandarin, but surprisingly enough, Mandarin remains a very secondary characters throughout the book. She is described as a troubled, damaged girl, but somehow she comes off as much less complex on the pages than I expected. Like Mandarin is, instead, mostly Grace's story and, unfortunately, she, as a character, is not as interesting as Mandarin. Grace's musings about the badness of her town, her desire to break free and the lack of connection with her pageant-obsessed mother slowed down the story for me. I couldn't stop myself from wishing the book were more about Mandarin, about her wickedness. I needed more drama and intensity, more sordid details of Mandarin's life.

Like Mandarin is a respectable debut. The writing is good, very atmospheric, especially when it comes to describing windy, isolated, stagnant Washokey that, in a way, becomes the main character of this story.

However, and it might be just a reflection of my reading taste, I felt the narration was occasionally overly descriptive when it didn't need to be and a little overburdened by semi-awkward similes. To give an example:

By Thursday, Momma's pageant fever was worse than ever, though the tri-county pageant wasn't until early June. She hadn't even bothered to get dressed. She bustled around in a baggy satin muumuu covered in a pandemonium of butterflies and flowers against a royal blue background. Her bosom jiggled underneath like smuggled water balloons.(p.151)

If such descriptive writing doesn't bother you and doesn't make you want to shorten this paragraph to one sentence, you will definitely appreciate this novel much more than I did. (less)

25 likes · like · see review

Dec 17, 2010 Phoebe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult, loved-it

Usually, I save my FTC/keepin’-me-honest disclosure for the end of my review, but here, it seems prudent to state it up front. I won this review copy of Kirsten Hubbard’s March 2011 debut Like Mandarin through a contest on her group blog, YA Highway. What’s more, I “know” Kirsten (not in the biblical sense of the term, of course, getchermindouttathegutta!) as well as any two people who have exchanged emails but never met can know one another. In fact, we met on goodreads, and bonded over a book...more

22 likes · like · see review

Jun 21, 2011 Ashelynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommend

Cross posted at A Gypsy Writer.

I didn't know about this book until a few weeks ago. When I did, I fell in love with the cover, then with the summary. I live in Wyoming, and not a lot of books are about Wyoming. After talking with Kirsten Hubbard after I won the book in her first giveaway, I found out this book is based in the county I live in. How cool is that? She even wrote in the book that I was meant to win the book. How can I argue with that?

Hubbard's writing is magical. I was so caught up...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Kari rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-teen

The Short Version:
Striking and fluid, Like Mandarin brings a new voice to YA with vivid, highly developed characters and a no holds barred plot. Grace is a perfect compliment and contrast to Mandarin, and the connection and dynamic between them is handled flawlessly. Fleshed out with Hubbard’s stellar writing, there are some strong messages and a poignant realism within this book.

The Extended Version:
Grace is intelligent and mature for her age, but still on the cusp of strong breakthroughs in ma...more The Short Version:
Striking and fluid, Like Mandarin brings a new voice to YA with vivid, highly developed characters and a no holds barred plot. Grace is a perfect compliment and contrast to Mandarin, and the connection and dynamic between them is handled flawlessly. Fleshed out with Hubbard’s stellar writing, there are some strong messages and a poignant realism within this book.

The Extended Version:
Grace is intelligent and mature for her age, but still on the cusp of strong breakthroughs in maturity. Advanced a year in school to a sophomore but at the age of a freshman, Grace is quiet and keeps to herself. She has a very distinct voice, reflecting this intelligence but still holding the naivety that helps characterize her and factors into some of her decisions and reactions. Grace shows tremendous growth on several fronts, some coming more rapidly than others but each one timed perfectly. Her relationship with her mother is trying and far from perfect, bringing in the strong note of realism Hubbard has infused throughout.

Mandarin is a bold and breathtaking character, certainly strong enough to hold her own book and perspective, even through the eyes of Grace. She carries a good front, holds her head high, and remains shrouded in the mystery the town puts her in. Passionate, multifaceted and intense, while seeming to shirk all social norms and hiding her flaws, Mandarin is just as intriguing for the reader as she is for Grace and the rest of the town. Her home life is far from perfect, and she is a destructive mess inside and out, holding as many layers and secrets as anyone, but also goes through notable strides in personal development.

The way Grace’s view of Mandarin changes as the book progresses is a strong feature, giving beautiful insight into not only Mandarin, but Grace as well. Mandarin reflects on Grace and changes her in ways both sad and telling of the ages, but it goes the other way as well. The subtle shifts in Mandarin come through strongly, more than Grace maybe realizes, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. As things unfold, the reader will come to care about Mandarin as much as they do Grace, and this aspect alone speaks volumes as a reminder to not judge someone simply from the rumors and impressions made without meeting them.

The plot is perfectly paced, explosive at some parts and light at others, with both speeds blended masterfully to give the biggest effect. Grace’s captivation with Mandarin is deep rooted and well explained, now as much a part of Grace as anything else that makes up her personality and history. While this infatuation with Mandarin and sudden connection to her is the central premise, it doesn’t overpower the subplots, or continue needlessly. There are lighthearted and funny moments, and a freeing feeling is attached to many events, but Hubbard also inserts plenty of emotional, more pressing scenes that give an overall solemn air to the book.

The setting is incredibly telling and vivid, bringing to life the small town in Wyoming where Grace lives. From the obsession with pageants to the endless rumor mill, the way of life and physical locations are all very well described. This is certainly an example of the place almost becoming its own character, and the way it’s shaped both Grace and Mandarin comes through just as strongly. The desperation to escape not only the trapping town but the people in it is often present, showing in sometimes subtly striking ways, and helping drive home the deeper messages of the book.

Hubbard’s writing is gorgeous, giving a strong narrative voice to Grace and building her mentality while still giving the reader insight into other characters, the setting, and the events. Few clichés in wording are present in this book, making some of the unique phrasing to stand out even more. This, coupled with explosive scenes, a distinct setting, and phenomenally built characters, makes Like Mandarin a stunning and memorable novel.
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Jan 13, 2011 Shannon Messenger added it

I'm pretty sure there's nothing I can say to properly do justice to this absolutely gorgeous book--without using the words "lovely," "beautiful," or "Wow" too many times. But I'm going to try!

There are plenty of reasons to read this book. It's darn good for one thing. (One of the best Contemps I've read). The characters are believable and relatable, the setting is perfectly integrated to the story, and the plot itself is surprisingly page turning for a contemporary novel. But the reason I person...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Margo Berendsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporaray, 2011-my-reads, debut-2011, young-adult

I'm trying to find something non-cliche to praise this book, in honor of all the great original non-cliches describing Grace and Mandarin and their complicated friendship.

A taste of Mandarin:

She paused a second, backlit, as if surveying her realm. Then she sauntered across the classroom and fell into her seat

A taste of Grace:

Although I liked Ms Ingle [history teacher], sometimes I found myself sneering at our forefathers or extending my middle finger, unseen, in my lap. Then I felt guilty, as i...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Melanie McCullough rated it 5 of 5 stars

Okay, where to begin? Maybe the very first line since, as every great book should, it sucked me in.

The winds in Washokey make people go crazy

The prose just gets better from there. It's lyrical, poignant, intense. Beautiful. It's everything that I, as a writer, aspire to achieve and that I, as a reader, feel honored to experience. Hubbard had me re-reading lines and highlighting passages in an effort to understand their simple brilliance. Nearly every line is a wonder, ripe with the power to squ...more Okay, where to begin? Maybe the very first line since, as every great book should, it sucked me in.

The winds in Washokey make people go crazy

The prose just gets better from there. It's lyrical, poignant, intense. Beautiful. It's everything that I, as a writer, aspire to achieve and that I, as a reader, feel honored to experience. Hubbard had me re-reading lines and highlighting passages in an effort to understand their simple brilliance. Nearly every line is a wonder, ripe with the power to squeeze your heart or kick you in the gut.

The setting is almost surreal and is a testament to its importance in all great works of fiction. The dry, barren wasteland that is Washokey lends itself to the story. Works its way into the cracks and crevices, filling every gap and hole, leaving a seamless surface that becomes as much of a character as the people who inhabit it, and makes the story one that could not have taken place anywhere else.

Characterization in Like Mandarin never falls short. Each character, from Grace to the random drunk stumbling around a parking lot, was written in a way that acknowledged their unique histories and complexities. They felt like living, breathing human beings. People that you know, love, or ignored at some point in your life.

Grace herself is a smart, mature, 14-year-old who harbors an obsession with geology and, as the title suggests, with the carefree, often promiscous 17-year-old Mandarin Ramey. She keeps her head down and dreams of the day she'll get to leave her irritating, selfish mother, her small town, and her small time existence behind.

Mandarin is Grace's opposite. She's rebellious, gutsy, troubled. On the surface Mandarin seems like the more interesting character. And in less capable hands than Hubbard's it would be easy for Mandarin to overshadow Grace, and although this is often how Grace feels -- overshadowed, less than --, it's never felt by the reader. You are painfully aware that it's Grace's story being told. You experience every embarrassment, every bit of anger or frustration, every setback and awkward moment with her.

And while Grace's journey is complicated and sometimes edgy or dark, in the end it's a story about friendship, love, finding your identity and coming to terms with the "you" that you are, and is perfectly suited to a young adult audience that is no doubt currently experiencing, or has recently experienced, the same thing.

There is absolutely nothing about this book that I didn't adore. I'll admit to being a sucker for the supernatural and fantastical. I like to be transported to worlds unlike my own. But a contemporary done right, like Like Mandarin, is a reminder that there is often nothing more complex, compelling or magical than real life and the depth of human emotion.(less)

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Jul 16, 2011 Margo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grace Carpenter, the book's main character, lives in Washokey, Wyoming. She's a failed beauty queenlet (by choice), a year ahead in school (not by choice), and has an obsession with dead things. Well, rocks. But rocks have to be the most dead things on the planet, right?

Most of all, Grace wants to be – you guessed it – like Mandarin Ramey.

The story follows an unlikely friendship – one girl wants to leave town, the other seems to own it. I found the book so utterly readable, and I admired every...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 18, 2011 Audrey (holes In My brain) rated it 4 of 5 stars

full review on my blog, holes In My brain

This book is… full. It’s hard to describe, it just feels like it’s brimming over with essence and energy from the moment you’re whipped into the story by the winds in Washokey. It feels almost surreal to be so caught up in a complexly simple storyline; Like Mandarin is explosive and impulsive like a shout of laughter, yet reins it all in within a dustbowl of brilliance. This book is damn good.

With a rather simple and somewhat predictable plot, I had to w...more full review on my blog, holes In My brain

This book is… full. It’s hard to describe, it just feels like it’s brimming over with essence and energy from the moment you’re whipped into the story by the winds in Washokey. It feels almost surreal to be so caught up in a complexly simple storyline; Like Mandarin is explosive and impulsive like a shout of laughter, yet reins it all in within a dustbowl of brilliance. This book is damn good.

With a rather simple and somewhat predictable plot, I had to wonder if Hubbard could pull it off. I already knew some of the main events, I could tell where the story was headed… but this is not a story about the ending. It is one about the journey and Hubbard created one that was worthy of Narnie Schroeder*.

Kirsten Hubbard’s writing is impeccable; she manages to create people and places with disturbing ease and elegance, her gritty setting of Washokey is pitch-perfect and intensely atmospheric. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and stand-out fictional locations in my recent memory. Let me say, it was not hard to find beauty in the badlands! The dialogue flowed smoothly and the adept descriptions of anything and everything enriched the novel greatly.

However at the crux of this novel, it’s the characters that count and this is where Hubbard truly shone. Mandarin Remey, who is somewhat a supporting character on Grace’s journey of self-discovery, stole the show for me. Magnetic and alluring, it isn’t a surprise how Grace, who longs to escape from her confined life, is drawn to Mandarin’s naturally enigmatic beauty. The two characters are both half-lost, half-searching, which brings them together. There are flaws in their friendship, but this is what makes it work. Grace’s almost obsessive desire to be like Mandarin— to encompass her actions, looks and even her speech patterns— was the driving force of the novel.

This has a ripple effect on Grace’s equally fascinating relationship with her family, whether it was the sisterly affection with Taffeta or the stand-offish one with her mother. I believe it was through the juxtaposition of her family and Mandarin that was Grace ultimately capable of finding true beauty and discover herself. Lessons are learned the hard way as Grace will realize that even the most coveted friendships aren’t always meant to be. Also, very, very refreshing to find a book void of romance. You don't even notice it...yay.

There's so many things I still want to touch on and compliment, but I need to wrap this up... how about you just read it and find out?

4.5/5 – because this is a breathtaking contemporary debut with a ton of soul. While I wish there could've been a bit more to Grace, I think Mandarin Remey is one of the most memorable characters of 2011 for me, and I think at the end of the year, it won’t be the flashy dystopian novel that resonates with me the most; it would be a book like this. “A beautifully crafted, bittersweet story about an unlikely friendship that sets two very different people free.” –Melina Marchetta; I couldn’t have said it any better.(less)

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Jul 05, 2011 Faye rated it 5 of 5 stars

'Like Mandarin' easily surpassed my expectations. I was completely hooked by Grace and Mandarin by the end of the Chapter 1. I love to read fantasy books with supernatural creatures and the works but every once in a while, it's good to touch ground with something as stunningly beautiful as 'Like Mandarin.' Hubbard has an amazing capability to write a captivating story that's so compelling, you can't stop reading till it's over! The worst part of this book for me, was that it had to end. I fell i...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 26, 2011 Lily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-ya-and-childrens

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin. When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights sp...more Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin. When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their Badlands town. Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

This is a debut novel! I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be a fast read but also a read that makes you think. I saw a vlog with Kirsten Hubbard who described her book as dealing with heavy topics but also being light-hearted. I think that is probably the best way to describe it.

The book does deal with heavy topics and Hubbard does allude to some difficult things such as rape (At least that is how I interpreted a scene towards the start of the book)
I really liked the character of Mandarin and how she is care-free one moment, but can get really angry the next.

I was a teenage girl at one point and I think Hubbard did an awesome job in capturing the intensity and the frailness of friendships between females, and teen females to be more precise.

I found Grace’s mother to be self-centered and to blame Grace for a lot. Her little sister I found to be adorable.

The book had a lot of parts that will make you smile and parts that make you stop and think. There were also some parts that will make your heart ache for the characters. I loved the book and I look forward to Hubbard’s future works.

Overall rating ***** 5 out of 5 stars

Cover art: I like the simplicity of it.

Obtained: Personal book shelf.
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Mar 23, 2011 Kaitlin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: yahighway, my-faves

I think it is finally time for me to write some actual thoughts to go with my five star rating. So. I have read this book three times now. And every time, it is as beautiful as the last time. It's beautiful in so many layers, you almost NEED to read it more than once to truly appreciate it. Or at least, I did. The most obvious way in which this book is beautiful is the writing--the similes and metaphors, the way the setting creeps into the smallest details. And of course there's Mandarin. If Man...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 08, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2011

Full rview: http://stackedbooks.blogspot.com/2011...

this book? it is something.
i'm saving a longer review for a couple weeks, when you can run out and buy this one, but this is a girl's bible. i mean, who HASN'T been grace? i'm still grace. she's so much smarter than me and she's 14. i cannot express the number of ways i identified with her. but it's so real. it's spot on.
a really, really, really killer debut.

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Jan 07, 2013 Kali Gibson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like Mandarin, Kirsten Hubbard’s debut novel, is about fourteen-year-old Grace Carpenter and her newfound friend, Mandarin Ramey. The story takes place in Washokey, Wyoming, a small, uninteresting town in the heart of the Badlands. Grace is very smart and insightful, but she doesn’t seem to have many true friends. She is different from the other girls who fit the stereotype of catty teenagers perfectly. She likes to read and has a passion for geology, which contrasts greatly with her mother’s be...more Like Mandarin, Kirsten Hubbard’s debut novel, is about fourteen-year-old Grace Carpenter and her newfound friend, Mandarin Ramey. The story takes place in Washokey, Wyoming, a small, uninteresting town in the heart of the Badlands. Grace is very smart and insightful, but she doesn’t seem to have many true friends. She is different from the other girls who fit the stereotype of catty teenagers perfectly. She likes to read and has a passion for geology, which contrasts greatly with her mother’s beauty pageant obsession. Mandarin can also be considered Grace’s opposite. She is regarded as a wild child and the town whore. She also has a temper and can be very blunt. Despite this, Grace has always been fascinated by Mandarin and, as the title suggests, wants to be like her.
Kirsten Hubbard writes in a way that feels like poetry at times. Dreamy passages are broken up by Grace’s unique internal dialogue and her interactions with various characters. Like Mandarin is an easy read although some will find it to have a slow beginning.

I personally felt like something was missing. Grace’s complete adoration for Mandarin edges on obsession at times. While I was reading Like Mandarin I couldn’t help but compare Grace’s constant observation of Mandarin to Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe. Although, to be honest her obsession is not nearly that intense and yearning.
I think the story would have been better suited as a romance of sorts; a tale of a shy girl who falls for the bad girl and in turn becomes a little bit bad.

" “It’s just…,” I began again. “You know I’ve never…,”
“Obviously.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’ve never even kissed a guy.”
“No big deal. Although…” Mandarin looked at me, her expression intense. “Do you want to practice first?”
I stared at her a little too long. "(Hubbard 245)

I think this passage really expresses the tension that I sensed between Grace and Mandarin. It is because of the moments like these that I was left with expectations of a forbidden romance between the two. Because of this I felt like something was missing when the story ended before their friendship developed into anything else.

Mandarin and Grace are both far too big for their small town and they bond over their desire to discover the rest of the country. Overall, Like Mandarin is a good book that will keep you occupied for a few hours. It is interesting enough to keep most readers interested but those who seek action or romance will not be amused. Hubbard has a way with words; I look forward to reading her other work.
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Jun 19, 2012 Catrin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Okay...

The two-star probably doesn't look too promising. I was pulled by the blurb of the book, when Madarin becomes the friend of Grace, whose relationship with her pageant-obsessed mother was rather strained, living in a small, boring little town.

What I liked

I liked the description of the book, the general concept.

What I Disliked

I really disliked how the story doesn't actually revolve around the plot. We are told that Grace likes Mandarin. Grace becomes friends with Mandarin. Grace wants to be...more
Okay...

The two-star probably doesn't look too promising. I was pulled by the blurb of the book, when Madarin becomes the friend of Grace, whose relationship with her pageant-obsessed mother was rather strained, living in a small, boring little town.

What I liked

I liked the description of the book, the general concept.

What I Disliked

I really disliked how the story doesn't actually revolve around the plot. We are told that Grace likes Mandarin. Grace becomes friends with Mandarin. Grace wants to be like Mandarin, despite her having a reputation as a whore. But there isn't much of their relationship in the story. It seemed that Grace was something of a punchbag, a teddy bear instead of a friend. Mandarin claimed that Grace was her best friend (completely weird, because they didn't even know each other properly. Nobody does that) and then proceeded to go about as she pleased, ignoring Grace, talking to Grace, ignoring Grace. It was extremely confusing to me why Mandarin bothered to suddenly befriend Grace and even toss her secrets. I also didn't understand why Grace wanted to be like Mandarin. Sure, she was rebellious and didn't need to conform to the standards of others, and she was beautiful, she didn't care what others thought of her. To a certain extent, yes, but Grace is pretty much of a boring character. She didn't really have it in her to be rebellious and frankly? Who wants to turn beautiful only to be hated by the judgmental (but also quite justified) town?

Another thing I didn't like was the pageant-loving mother. While I enjoyed reading about Grace and her younger sister, I just felt like yelling at her mother and going "Get over it already! She was like SIX, and you're sulking about that NOW?" I didn't understand her mother's motivation behind all of the pageants other than some kind of weird obsession with no basis. This also slowed down the entire speed of the story incredibly and at the end, looking back at the plot, all I could say is that Mandarin doesn't seem much of a friend to Grace, and I couldn't see anything growth in Grace, making it pointless, and rather excruciatingly slow. Sorry for my harshness. There's so much potential in the story, but it was delayed by the short chapters and the lack of plot. Perhaps my opinion defer from most, because the lowest I've yet seen is 3 stars. (less)

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Sep 08, 2011 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Liked: Beautiful imagery of the badlands of Wyoming. I love that part of the country, and spent some time in Lander, Wyo, so I could picture it pretty well. Also liked the part about them "liberating" the animal trophies. Despite what you will read in the "dislike" below, I thought it was a well crafted novel - better, anyway, than a large portion of the drivel I've read. It will appeal to a teen audience looking for books about fitting in.

Disliked: Pretty typical YA "thoughtful" fiction - there...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Camila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Like Mandarin is about a young girl (age of a freshman, but skipped a grade to sophmore year) who is average in looks, but very smart, and is growing up in a small town in Whyoming. The girl, Grace Carpenter, is very shy and has no friends. Her old friend Alexis is mostly just mean to her. There is a girl at Grace's school, Mandarin Ramey, who is beautiful and mysterious, and it the object of every man's (and some women's) lust. Also every women's jealousy. The entire town speaks of her as the T...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Darlynn Nemitz rated it 4 of 5 stars

14-year old Grace is socially awkward and the youngest sophomore at her high school in the Badlands of Wyoming. She wants to be like Mandarin, a provcative 17-year-old with “apricot skin, Pochonatas hair and eyes the color of tea”. For her community service project, Grace begins tutoring Mandarin and despite their age difference, they begin a volatile friendship based on Mandarin’s impulsive, carefree personality. Grace begins seeing a darker side of Mandarin, but after her friend sets her up to...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Ten Cent Notes added it Recommends it for: Readers looking for a complex story of friendship and family.

Fifteen-year-old Grace is living in the suffocating badlands of Wyoming with her pageant-obsessed mother and super-talented younger sister. There's no beauty to be found, except for the beauty of Mandarin Ramey: wild child, town slut, and the one person Grace would most like to be like. Unlike smart and studious Grace, Mandarin is wild and carefree, a girl the whole town talks about but nobody really knows. When Mandarin asks to be partnered with Grace for a school project, the two form an unlik...more Fifteen-year-old Grace is living in the suffocating badlands of Wyoming with her pageant-obsessed mother and super-talented younger sister. There's no beauty to be found, except for the beauty of Mandarin Ramey: wild child, town slut, and the one person Grace would most like to be like. Unlike smart and studious Grace, Mandarin is wild and carefree, a girl the whole town talks about but nobody really knows. When Mandarin asks to be partnered with Grace for a school project, the two form an unlikely friendship. Grace changes the way she dresses, walks, and thinks in order to be more like Mandarin, but the girl everybody talks about has secrets that nobody knows, and they make her more vulnerable than Grace expects. As their friendship and plans for escape grows more serious, Grace begins to wonder about the girl she's come to call her best friend and in doing so she discovers a stronger side of herself -- one she never knew existed.

I'm such a sucker for tales of complicated friendships and this one does an excellent job of setting up a friendship that, while far from perfect, is realistic and doesn't unfold in quite the way you'd expect. Grace's feelings for Mandarin are an infatuation of the non-sexual kind -- it's a total girl crush, sure, but this goes beyond that. Her long-standing obsession enters an uncomfortable territory, but luckily this fades as she gets to know Mandarin as a person and not just her ideal. The characters themselves are well-developed, but for a fourteen-going-on-fifteen year old girl, Grace seemed almost too mature for her age. I had a hard time remembering she was only fifteen and not seventeen or eighteen.

The narrative is slow moving and incredibly atmospheric. Grace and Mandarin's hometown of Washokey, Wyoming is a character in itself and the book opens up with one of the most incredible, setting-heavy first lines ever. In the beginning the heavy amount of description made me a little lethargic, but around page 75 the story really begins and though the description remains heavy throughout, the pace picks up. As someone who absolutely adores books with a strong setting, I admit that I had mixed reactions to this one and it may have had something to do with the (very authentic) split between what the main characters said and what they did. Both Grace and Mandarin proclaim to hate their small hometown, but it's obvious that this town is very much a part of them and sometimes their protests have a ring of falseness because of this. On the one hand, this is an incredibly authentic and real thing: where we grow up, love it or hate it, becomes a part of us. On the other hand, however, it did make me a little annoyed with the girls at times.

One of the most important relationships in the book is the one Grace shares with her mother. After quitting pageants as a child, Grace's once-close relationship with her mom was damaged to the point that they now barely speak. However, the deep and conflicting love they have for the other one is always present. Her mother is an incredibly fleshed-out character and to be honest I loved the story of Grace and her mother more than the story of Grace and Mandarin. I'm glad it's such a big part of the novel.

The ending here seems incredibly fitting to me and though at times this book seemed to drag on or I got annoyed with Grace, the positives here far outweigh the negatives. For readers looking for a complex story of friendship and family with a hefty dose of western setting, this is your book. It's a strong, multi-layered debut novel that deserves a spot on your shelves.(less)

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Mar 20, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Right away I was able to connect with the main character, Grace. She is the socially awkward smart girl who just wants to be like the popular girls, in this case Mandarin, that everyone wants to be or looks to as the bad girl - wild and free. Grace has disappointed her mother early in life by throwing her final big beauty pageant chances out the window on a whim of disobedience. Grace is paired with Mandarin by a teacher that is hoping that Grace will be able to help Mandarin pass her classes an...more Right away I was able to connect with the main character, Grace. She is the socially awkward smart girl who just wants to be like the popular girls, in this case Mandarin, that everyone wants to be or looks to as the bad girl - wild and free. Grace has disappointed her mother early in life by throwing her final big beauty pageant chances out the window on a whim of disobedience. Grace is paired with Mandarin by a teacher that is hoping that Grace will be able to help Mandarin pass her classes and graduate. Little does this teacher know that this is going to prove to be an interesting lesson for Grace to live though and that she is going to get hurt along the way.

My favorite part of this book is when Grace and Mandarin liberate the stuffed mounts in town. It is just odd to see these two high school girls break into grocery story and restaurant in town and then set these heads free down the river. This scene made a lasting impression on me. Maybe in part that this was Grace's way of trying to keep Mandarin as a friend after they got into a disagreement. There are very little distances that teenagers will go to keep those they want close to them close.

There are multiple layers to this book, as well. I like that there was not just one story line but there are at least two. The second is that of Grace and her mother and their relationship. Grace has a little sister named Taffeta and their mother is putting her through the pageants that Grace never finished. Grace feels as though she was never wanted and Taffeta was perfectly planned and is everything her mother wants. It was interesting to see how these views grow throughout the book.

I also enjoyed the little science lesson that were mixed in the book here and there. Things like a river flowing north instead of south and information about the rocks and winds.

Overall, this was a pretty good read. While not the best book I have read, it was worth reading and would be great for a teenage girl who just doesn't feel like she fits in her world.
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Feb 21, 2011 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-books-in-2011, 2011-debut-authors, arcs, blog-tours

Grace's story is one that is both difficult and engrossing to watch unfold. She's sick of her small town and fantasizes about getting out someday. She can't understand why her mother, who had left at one point, ever came back in the first place. Grace is intelligent (one year ahead in school even) and sticks mostly to herself at school. She has a deep admiration for two things in her life: rocks and Mandarin. When a teacher requests that Grace help Mandarin with a school project, Grace's infatua...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Hderaps rated it 4 of 5 stars

In every way, Grace is a wallflower. She is a former child pageant star, who had one shining moment of retaliation where she lifted her dress in front of her entire town. That ended both her days on the pageant circuit and her rebellion.

Since this one memorable outburst, Grace has faded into the background. Not that she's not worthy of notice. She is an awkward beauty, an honors student who has skipped a grade and may skip over another, and is brilliant about science. But, none of this compares...more In every way, Grace is a wallflower. She is a former child pageant star, who had one shining moment of retaliation where she lifted her dress in front of her entire town. That ended both her days on the pageant circuit and her rebellion.

Since this one memorable outburst, Grace has faded into the background. Not that she's not worthy of notice. She is an awkward beauty, an honors student who has skipped a grade and may skip over another, and is brilliant about science. But, none of this compares to the mystery and larger-than-life, rumor-laden legend that is Mandarin Ramey.

Though the stories that surround Mandarin's life are not exactly savory, Grace is entranced by her. Everything about her confidence and beauty seems exotic, unaffected, and mature to Grace. Wherever Mandarin walks, Grace (and many others in the town) follows with her eyes.

When a teacher places Grace and Mandarin together for a school project, Grace cannot believe her luck. She is obviously uncomfortable around such an experienced, legendary figure, but her curiosity gets the best of her. This is Grace's chance to get to know the girl behind the legend, and to be noticed. Trouble is, Mandarin's life is not as exotic as it seemed and Grace may not like the type of attention she gets. But, either way, her life will be forever changed.

* * *

This was a great book. It wasn't as full of YA drama as other books I've read, and it felt like a true-to-life teen story. I think that Grace's life (and possibly Mandarin's) are more common than not. What smart girl living in small town America doesn't dream of a different life? What uncommon girl living in small town America doesn't have a trail of rumors following her?

This read was perfectly paced, not too fast and not too slow. I thought that the relationship between Grace and Mandarin was touchingly real and sad all at the same time. I can think of a few Mandarins who live in my town and know more than a few Graces. They felt like real girls to me.

Also, I couldn't help but be reminded of John Green's Looking for Alaska as I read this book. Grace and Miles have the same starstruck, naive love for their larger than life idols. And, in both books, the idols retain much of their mystery and seem to be truly untouchable. Distant. Unreal.

I am happy to have read another engaging and well-written Contemps Challenge book. I have another one waiting on my TBR and cannot believe how awesome they all have been. Seriously. Love Ms. Hubbard's writing and characters and I can't wait to read more of her work. Cause there will be more. I just know it!(less)

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Dec 13, 2011 Kelly Hager rated it 3 of 5 stars

Grace Carpenter hates her small-town life. Her mom's pageant-obsesed, and since her own disastrous pageant performance (which involved flashing her underwear to the judges, other contestants and basically the whole town), they haven't been very close. Her younger sister's in pageants now, and Grace knows her sister is their mom's favorite. She's not very popular in school and she knows just how forgettable she is. And then she and Mandarin become friends. Mandarin's everything Grace isn't. She's...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Krista Ashe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-111-of-2011

Like Mandarin is one of those books I really wanted to read, and then I really didn't. The main reason is I know the author from back in the Absolutewrite days. So there's this pressure of "Oh am I gonna like or hate it or what?" LOL

Here's the truth. Amazing. Read it in a day. I won't say I'm not pea green with envy for Hubbard's beautiful prose and breathtaking figurative language. She has a gift for vividly painting pictures in your mind of everything from the rebellious Mandarin to hijacked s...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: can-t-get-it-out-of-my-head, young-adult, reviewed, stunning

What a beautiful, beautiful book. Right now, my emotions are whirling as strong as the winds in Washokey.

This book was quite a bold move from the author. I found Grace and Mandarin's friendship intriguing. Never would I have thought that two people so very different would bond in the most intricate circumstances. I had a really hard time reading this novel though, because I could not stand the way that Grace was acting. I understand that she wants to escape her boring life, change the way she is...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Georgiann Hennelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Like Mandarin is a beautifully crafted, story about an unlikely friendship that sets two very different girls free.Grace Carpenter is a failed beauty queen. Her mother has an obsession with beauty pageants. Mandarin Ramey is a seventeen year old beauty she is a wild girl shameless and utterly carefree.While Grace is studious and self conscious, she would give anything to be more like Mandarin. While they are both so wildly different from each other they are united for a school project, they emba...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this, for the most part. There were moments that made me freak out a little bit, but thank God they didn't get too dark. I'm at the point where I can't read about certain things--they just make me stress out no matter how true to life they are. Sometimes, I just want to read something hopeful.

The writing is beautiful, but I thought there were too many similes. Almost everything is compared to something else, and it's usually unnecessary. Despite that, I liked the imager...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Samantha Boyette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

So so so so good! I wasn't sure I would love this book when I picked it up, but it only took about 2 minutes for me to fall in love with it. As soon as Grace recalled the first time she noticed Mandarin (right after seven-year-old Grace turned her appearance in a local pageant into a bit of a dirty dance show) I was hooked.

Mandarin is every bit the girl I would have fallen for in high school. I'm not sure why I find myself so drawn to these damaged girls, but I do. (It's clear enough with plenty...more

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May 08, 2012 Sai rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

1.65

I read this cuz I'd won a giveaway for Wanderlove bookmarks, and the ones for this also came. Which was cool and all, but now I wish I hadn't read it, (though I couldn't not have: it'd be weird to have a bookmark for a book you haven't read)but now its still weird, cuz I was using this bookmark for everything, and now I'll just think, oh that book and remember the story which I didn't really like all that much.

I really wanted to like it-- this is so predictable by now-- but this time it was...more

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About Kirsten Hubbard

A travel writer and young adult author, Kirsten Hubbard has hiked ancient ruins in Cambodia, dived with wild dolphins in Belize (one totally looked her in the eye), slept in a Slovenian jail cell, and navigated the Wyoming badlands (without a compass) in search of transcendent backdrops for her novels. She lives in San Diego, California.

Her YA debut, LIKE MANDARIN, was published by Delacorte/Rando...more

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“You can't truly hate someone until you've cared about them. Until you've loved them.” — 68 people liked it

“I used to wonder what it would look like if all my footsteps were painted red: all the steps I'd ever taken in all the places I'd ever been.” — 31 people liked it

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