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Inconvenient
A 2011 Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teen Readers! 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 riveting and whole."―Beth Kephart, author of Undercover
306 pages, Paperback
First published November 8, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 28, 2011
Two stars only for an unquestionably good young adult book about growing up, cultural identity and alcoholism in a community that includes excessive alcohol consumption as a part of everyday life. Two stars only for a realistically harsh and raw story told believably from a likable girl's insecure and helpless point of view that makes the reader root for her and ache with her. Two stars only for the sad story of an unraveling childhood friendship, that breaks apart because of one half's single-minded efforts to fit in with the popular crowd. Two stars only for the more bitter than sweet illustration of experiencing the imperfectness of first love with a guy who does not know what - and who - he really wants. Two stars only for a book which made me skipping pages on a quest for a glimpse of a rainbow in the murky weather of unsoftened honesty. Two stars only, because it's hope-addicted me and my enjoyment-focussed rating system and definitely not the book.
Believe it or not: I give my reading experience two stars only, but I do not hesitate to recommend the book to a certain kind of reader - the one who is perfectly alright without the caviar, the creamy filling and the laughter.
Believe it or not: I give my reading experience two stars only, but I do not hesitate to recommend the book to a certain kind of reader - the one who is perfectly alright without the caviar, the creamy filling and the laughter.
June 12, 2011
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would at the beginning. Prose isn't always amazing, but the characters are very believable and engaging. From my LJ write-up:
My goal of noting where I saw a review, recommendation or just passing mention of a book when adding it to my Goodreads to-read shelf is clearly not being met, and I've unfortunately no memory where I heard aboutInconvenient, Margie Gelbwasser's first novel. I can see why I'd be interested once I did hear about it, as I generally love YA about the experiences of immigrant communities in the US (or UK), and Inconvenient is about a girl whose Russian-Jewish parents moved to the States when she was very young. The community is a hard-drinking one, and Alyssa's mother has been slipping from drinking hard into drinking too hard - the inconvenience of the title for Alyssa's family.
I almost put this one down after a few chapters - the prose wasn't doing much for me, and it seemed like a lot of pages and hours since I'd read anything that had really grabbed me. But I'm glad that tiredness didn't stop me from reading on, as I was really pretty impressed by the end. Alyssa's only real friend, Lana, has been her friend since they were little, and both are pretty much outsiders because of their background. Alyssa really doesn't care to be accepted by the cool gang, happy enough with Lana and a friend on the track team, but Lana is increasingly turning herself into someone else in order to be accepted, especially by 'the king' of their class. All this was pretty well done, and Keith, the guy on the track team turned out to be neither the unequivocal boyfriend Alyssa wants nor the jerk he seems as if he might be at times.
The greatest impact, however, comes from the portrayal of Alyssa's mother and her drinking problem, which is quite powerful. I didn't love the mother the way I loved the mother in Sara Zarr's Once Was Lost, but it was easy to see how moving from one country in which you were discriminated against for being Jewish to another, in which you're discriminated against for being Russian, with a hard-working but emotionally distant husband, in a culture where heavy drinking is just what you do, could be a disastrous mix. Especially as every time she really starts to become successful in writing magazine articles, the magazine folds, or a new (horrible) editor takes over who cuts her down continually.
Of course, despite that understanding of the factors that lead Alyssa's mother to problem-drinking, our sympathy is completely with Alyssa. Her mother goes through the typical cycles of denial, remorse and promises to stop abusing alcohol, dragging Alyssa through the again, all-too typical pattern of the family of an alcoholic. Her father is big on telling them they have to be tough, Lana increasingly excludes her, and she's not quite sure where she stands with Keith. The loneliness Alyssa feels, and the need to cover up for her mother, despite her growing frustration and desperation, are very moving.
I was telling Younger Daughter about the book when I'd finished, and she said wisely, from the sink where she was washing dishes, "Ah, the old button strings, eh?" It took me a minute to notice that something was wrong, but I quite like the phrase, combining buttons and heart-strings, very appropriately. When thinking about it afterwards, I did the usual 'this isn't my button, really' sidestep; perfectly true in one way, as certainly my mother never had a drinking problem. Of her own. Neither did my father, but yet as a child, I lived with two parental figures who did. Not my button, I thought, but only because I didn't realise that their drinking problems were problems - or rather that they were the kind of problem anyone ever did anything about. One thing about that, of course, is that you don't have the torturous see-saw of hope and disappointment Alyssa experiences. That part of the book was all too convincing, all the same.
Lest this sounds too bleak to be bearable, I don't think there's much harm in saying that towards the end, Inconvenience suggests that the hope of being okay can be uncoupled from the need for the other person to be okay. I certainly couldn't have loved this book if Alyssa hadn't had that much, at least.
My goal of noting where I saw a review, recommendation or just passing mention of a book when adding it to my Goodreads to-read shelf is clearly not being met, and I've unfortunately no memory where I heard aboutInconvenient, Margie Gelbwasser's first novel. I can see why I'd be interested once I did hear about it, as I generally love YA about the experiences of immigrant communities in the US (or UK), and Inconvenient is about a girl whose Russian-Jewish parents moved to the States when she was very young. The community is a hard-drinking one, and Alyssa's mother has been slipping from drinking hard into drinking too hard - the inconvenience of the title for Alyssa's family.
I almost put this one down after a few chapters - the prose wasn't doing much for me, and it seemed like a lot of pages and hours since I'd read anything that had really grabbed me. But I'm glad that tiredness didn't stop me from reading on, as I was really pretty impressed by the end. Alyssa's only real friend, Lana, has been her friend since they were little, and both are pretty much outsiders because of their background. Alyssa really doesn't care to be accepted by the cool gang, happy enough with Lana and a friend on the track team, but Lana is increasingly turning herself into someone else in order to be accepted, especially by 'the king' of their class. All this was pretty well done, and Keith, the guy on the track team turned out to be neither the unequivocal boyfriend Alyssa wants nor the jerk he seems as if he might be at times.
The greatest impact, however, comes from the portrayal of Alyssa's mother and her drinking problem, which is quite powerful. I didn't love the mother the way I loved the mother in Sara Zarr's Once Was Lost, but it was easy to see how moving from one country in which you were discriminated against for being Jewish to another, in which you're discriminated against for being Russian, with a hard-working but emotionally distant husband, in a culture where heavy drinking is just what you do, could be a disastrous mix. Especially as every time she really starts to become successful in writing magazine articles, the magazine folds, or a new (horrible) editor takes over who cuts her down continually.
Of course, despite that understanding of the factors that lead Alyssa's mother to problem-drinking, our sympathy is completely with Alyssa. Her mother goes through the typical cycles of denial, remorse and promises to stop abusing alcohol, dragging Alyssa through the again, all-too typical pattern of the family of an alcoholic. Her father is big on telling them they have to be tough, Lana increasingly excludes her, and she's not quite sure where she stands with Keith. The loneliness Alyssa feels, and the need to cover up for her mother, despite her growing frustration and desperation, are very moving.
I was telling Younger Daughter about the book when I'd finished, and she said wisely, from the sink where she was washing dishes, "Ah, the old button strings, eh?" It took me a minute to notice that something was wrong, but I quite like the phrase, combining buttons and heart-strings, very appropriately. When thinking about it afterwards, I did the usual 'this isn't my button, really' sidestep; perfectly true in one way, as certainly my mother never had a drinking problem. Of her own. Neither did my father, but yet as a child, I lived with two parental figures who did. Not my button, I thought, but only because I didn't realise that their drinking problems were problems - or rather that they were the kind of problem anyone ever did anything about. One thing about that, of course, is that you don't have the torturous see-saw of hope and disappointment Alyssa experiences. That part of the book was all too convincing, all the same.
Lest this sounds too bleak to be bearable, I don't think there's much harm in saying that towards the end, Inconvenience suggests that the hope of being okay can be uncoupled from the need for the other person to be okay. I certainly couldn't have loved this book if Alyssa hadn't had that much, at least.
February 3, 2011
Inconvenient is a painfully real book about parental alcoholism, immigrant life, and just growing up. Alyssa is the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. She is proud of her heritage, but hates being subjected to Russian stereotypes by the kids at school. Soon, schoolyard teasing is the least of her concerns as her mother slowly falls under the throes of alcoholism. Her mother's disease destroys the entire family. Alyssa now has to worry about getting to school, her mother's vast mood swings, her father's denial, whether her mother will be drunk in public and embarrass her, whether people will find out, and more. At the same time, Alyssa still tries to live a normal teenage life: first boyfriend, cross-country, friends.
YA (and literature generally) often takings things to extremes. Your love interest is perfectly attuned to your wants and needs. If you have a friend who leaves you for the popular group, she suddenly becomes evil and will stop at nothing to make your life miserable. Inconvenient doesn't limit itself to black and white. This is jarring at first. When Alyssa's boyfriend seemed more interested in making out than delving into her psyche, part of me wondered what was wrong with him. Why wasn't he more sensitive? Then I remembered...he isn't Edward...he is a teenage boy. Similarly, Alyssa's best friend Lana desperately wants to be part of the popular group. I kept waiting for her to do something horrible to Alyssa to show the break in the relationship, like broadcast embarrassing videos in front of the whole school. But it didn't come. I love how the author made the characters seem like real teenagers. Just when you expect them to act one way, they don't. Keith shows surprising sensitivity. Lana does do something mean (unintentionally) to Alyssa. The characters are neither good nor evil. They feel like normal people. It's nice to know that good, interesting books can be written without resorting to extremes.
Similarly, I really liked how the author didn't insist upon a completely resolved story. Alcoholism has no easy solutions and neither does this book. Everything doesn't end "happy, happy." The book and characters grow as the plot goes on, but never in ways that seem unrealistic. Alyssa makes some bad choices, but nothing really bad. One particular thing she did at the very end of the book really bothered me, almost to the point of ruining the ending for me. But I understood why she did it. It's interesting how choices you personally disagree with can have such a big effect on one's opinion of a book.
As someone who is fascinated by Russian culture, I was hoping to get big dose of Russian life in Inconvenient. Alyssa's Russian heritage is always present in the book, from the food she eats, to her religion, to her language, to her family. It wasn't quite enough culture for me - I would have been happy with a book that required a glossary and delved into every facet of Russian immigrant life. But really, Inconvenient got it right. The book I wanted would have no story to it. Inconvenient managed to infuse Russian culture into the story without dragging the plot down. The focus of the book was, as it should be, on the story. The Russian Jewish aspect was a strong supporting character, but didn't upstage the main players.
I highly recommend Inconvenient for someone who is looking for realistic fiction that actually manages to be realistic. A tale of a normal teenager's life. A story without a perfect ending. Likeable characters who are neither perfect nor evil.
Rating: 4 / 5
YA (and literature generally) often takings things to extremes. Your love interest is perfectly attuned to your wants and needs. If you have a friend who leaves you for the popular group, she suddenly becomes evil and will stop at nothing to make your life miserable. Inconvenient doesn't limit itself to black and white. This is jarring at first. When Alyssa's boyfriend seemed more interested in making out than delving into her psyche, part of me wondered what was wrong with him. Why wasn't he more sensitive? Then I remembered...he isn't Edward...he is a teenage boy. Similarly, Alyssa's best friend Lana desperately wants to be part of the popular group. I kept waiting for her to do something horrible to Alyssa to show the break in the relationship, like broadcast embarrassing videos in front of the whole school. But it didn't come. I love how the author made the characters seem like real teenagers. Just when you expect them to act one way, they don't. Keith shows surprising sensitivity. Lana does do something mean (unintentionally) to Alyssa. The characters are neither good nor evil. They feel like normal people. It's nice to know that good, interesting books can be written without resorting to extremes.
Similarly, I really liked how the author didn't insist upon a completely resolved story. Alcoholism has no easy solutions and neither does this book. Everything doesn't end "happy, happy." The book and characters grow as the plot goes on, but never in ways that seem unrealistic. Alyssa makes some bad choices, but nothing really bad. One particular thing she did at the very end of the book really bothered me, almost to the point of ruining the ending for me. But I understood why she did it. It's interesting how choices you personally disagree with can have such a big effect on one's opinion of a book.
As someone who is fascinated by Russian culture, I was hoping to get big dose of Russian life in Inconvenient. Alyssa's Russian heritage is always present in the book, from the food she eats, to her religion, to her language, to her family. It wasn't quite enough culture for me - I would have been happy with a book that required a glossary and delved into every facet of Russian immigrant life. But really, Inconvenient got it right. The book I wanted would have no story to it. Inconvenient managed to infuse Russian culture into the story without dragging the plot down. The focus of the book was, as it should be, on the story. The Russian Jewish aspect was a strong supporting character, but didn't upstage the main players.
I highly recommend Inconvenient for someone who is looking for realistic fiction that actually manages to be realistic. A tale of a normal teenager's life. A story without a perfect ending. Likeable characters who are neither perfect nor evil.
Rating: 4 / 5
December 31, 2011
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!
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!
February 11, 2011
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.
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.
December 1, 2024
I read four chapters and couldn’t finish it. I tried to give it a chance but I couldn’t get into it. I did like the authors style of writing and would be interested in reading other books by this author.
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July 23, 2011Loved this book... especially the ending.
May 16, 2011
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. If I'm being honest, I only decided to read it so I could be a part of the blog tour (since I'm international, I can rarely take part in blog tours). It didn't sound bad, but not extraordinary either - a little too out there for me, with the Russian-Jewish culture and all, since I usually need to be able to relate to the main character to enjoy the novel. None of that was a problem, though - this book is great!
What I enjoyed most about this one is the writing. It's so graceful, beautiful and vivid - the best writing in a debut novel I've read in a long time! I felt like I was there right alongside Alyssa. At first the metaphors (especially the butterfly ones) seemed kind of forced, but I got used to the style quickly. I love how Margie Gelbwasser ended each chapter with a beautiful, thought-provoking sentence I had to let sit a while before I could start the next one.
The characters are great and complex. Despite our different situations, Alyssa is easy to relate to - she's just a normal teenaged girl trying to cope with what's going on around her. Her insecurities are ones most teenagers have felt (well, at least I have, and I'm going to assume others have, too). Lana is a great character as well - even though I didn't particularly like her and wanted to shake her most of the time, her motives are understandable and she's a very realistic character. Just like Alyssa, I'm split on what to make of her mom. At times I hated her for making those decisions and putting her daughter in such a difficult situation, but I could also understand how she felt pressured and didn't know what else to do. Towards the end, though, I grew more and more frustrated with her.
The novel does have some flaws, though. For me, the romance aspect is only okay, at least in the first half. While I could understand Alyssa's feelings perfectly, I just did not like Keith. I got annoyed by how he treated her. I warmed up towards Keith at the end, once the reader found out about his problems, but it still wasn't enought to make me feel that storyline.
I'm not sure what to make of the whole Jake-Ryan-Trish storyline. Obviously, everyone's experiences are different, but from what I know, it's not realistic how easy it is for Lana to befriend the "cool kids", and how even before they start hanging out she comes up to them and just starts a conversation with them. In my experience, that's not how popularity works.
***The next paragraph contains vague information about the ending that could be considered spoilers!***
I love the ending of Inconvenient. It's always hard to find a good ending for a book like this - if the author wrote a happy ending, it wouldn't seem realistic, but if the ending were sad and there was no real development, the novel wouldn't really have a point. Margie Gelbwasser chose the perfect balance of sad and happy: hopeful. Hopeful endings are always my favorite ones, and this one is perfect; it's realistic but still showcases the development and character growth of the main character.
Inconvenient is a great read with beautiful writing, fully-developed characters and a hopeful message. Despite my problems with two of the storylines, I definitely recommend Inconvenient!
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
What I enjoyed most about this one is the writing. It's so graceful, beautiful and vivid - the best writing in a debut novel I've read in a long time! I felt like I was there right alongside Alyssa. At first the metaphors (especially the butterfly ones) seemed kind of forced, but I got used to the style quickly. I love how Margie Gelbwasser ended each chapter with a beautiful, thought-provoking sentence I had to let sit a while before I could start the next one.
The characters are great and complex. Despite our different situations, Alyssa is easy to relate to - she's just a normal teenaged girl trying to cope with what's going on around her. Her insecurities are ones most teenagers have felt (well, at least I have, and I'm going to assume others have, too). Lana is a great character as well - even though I didn't particularly like her and wanted to shake her most of the time, her motives are understandable and she's a very realistic character. Just like Alyssa, I'm split on what to make of her mom. At times I hated her for making those decisions and putting her daughter in such a difficult situation, but I could also understand how she felt pressured and didn't know what else to do. Towards the end, though, I grew more and more frustrated with her.
The novel does have some flaws, though. For me, the romance aspect is only okay, at least in the first half. While I could understand Alyssa's feelings perfectly, I just did not like Keith. I got annoyed by how he treated her. I warmed up towards Keith at the end, once the reader found out about his problems, but it still wasn't enought to make me feel that storyline.
I'm not sure what to make of the whole Jake-Ryan-Trish storyline. Obviously, everyone's experiences are different, but from what I know, it's not realistic how easy it is for Lana to befriend the "cool kids", and how even before they start hanging out she comes up to them and just starts a conversation with them. In my experience, that's not how popularity works.
***The next paragraph contains vague information about the ending that could be considered spoilers!***
I love the ending of Inconvenient. It's always hard to find a good ending for a book like this - if the author wrote a happy ending, it wouldn't seem realistic, but if the ending were sad and there was no real development, the novel wouldn't really have a point. Margie Gelbwasser chose the perfect balance of sad and happy: hopeful. Hopeful endings are always my favorite ones, and this one is perfect; it's realistic but still showcases the development and character growth of the main character.
Inconvenient is a great read with beautiful writing, fully-developed characters and a hopeful message. Despite my problems with two of the storylines, I definitely recommend Inconvenient!
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
November 27, 2010
The blurb does a great job summarizing what Inconvenient was about so I'll just go on about my thoughts and feelings about this book. I've been reading out of my comfort zone lately, picking up "tough issues" type of books, and I am glad because Inconvenient was a fantastic, worthwhile read. While the book did mostly center around Alyssa's mother's descent into alcoholism, this book was a lot more than that. Themes of identity, family, friendship, loyalty, growing up, ethnic pride and first love were touched upon in this honest, emotional and unputdownable read.
I loved Alyssa's character--she was a real girl in her thoughts, emotions and actions. She wasn't perfect but I thought her first-person narrative was spot on. In the beginning and all through book, we are given hints as to how close and special Alyssa and her mom's relationship were and watching it deteriorate was painful. I really felt for her but I really liked how her character grew and evolved throughout the book. Besides the alcoholism--and this book definitely didn't shy away from the harsh realities of living with an alcoholic--what made this book a powerful read for me was that I related to Alyssa and her friend Lana in terms of their immigrant identity in school. I moved to the United States from the Philippines when I was nine years old and just like Alyssa and Lana, my friends and I endured teasing and innuendos in school and in the community. And just like Alyssa, I felt like an outsider for most of my years in school.
The glimpse of Russian-Jewish culture in the book were interesting and one of the aspects of the book I particularly enjoyed. The secondary characters added to the story and I thought Alyssa's blossoming romance with Keith, her running partner, was sweet. I was thoroughly riveted by this book until I got to the end. My one complaint about this book was that it ended abruptly--I understand that it's impossible for this book to have a happy ending concerning Alyssa's mom (I'm certain her alcoholism will be an ongoing battle for her and her family for many years) but what about Alyssa and Lana's friendship or Alyssa and Keith's romantic relationship? I don't know if there's going to be a sequel but this book reads like a standalone and an epilogue would've been nice. All in all, though, I really liked this book and thought it a fantastic debut by Maggie Gelbwasser. I am definitely excited for her next book.
4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved Alyssa's character--she was a real girl in her thoughts, emotions and actions. She wasn't perfect but I thought her first-person narrative was spot on. In the beginning and all through book, we are given hints as to how close and special Alyssa and her mom's relationship were and watching it deteriorate was painful. I really felt for her but I really liked how her character grew and evolved throughout the book. Besides the alcoholism--and this book definitely didn't shy away from the harsh realities of living with an alcoholic--what made this book a powerful read for me was that I related to Alyssa and her friend Lana in terms of their immigrant identity in school. I moved to the United States from the Philippines when I was nine years old and just like Alyssa and Lana, my friends and I endured teasing and innuendos in school and in the community. And just like Alyssa, I felt like an outsider for most of my years in school.
The glimpse of Russian-Jewish culture in the book were interesting and one of the aspects of the book I particularly enjoyed. The secondary characters added to the story and I thought Alyssa's blossoming romance with Keith, her running partner, was sweet. I was thoroughly riveted by this book until I got to the end. My one complaint about this book was that it ended abruptly--I understand that it's impossible for this book to have a happy ending concerning Alyssa's mom (I'm certain her alcoholism will be an ongoing battle for her and her family for many years) but what about Alyssa and Lana's friendship or Alyssa and Keith's romantic relationship? I don't know if there's going to be a sequel but this book reads like a standalone and an epilogue would've been nice. All in all, though, I really liked this book and thought it a fantastic debut by Maggie Gelbwasser. I am definitely excited for her next book.
4.5 out of 5 stars
December 1, 2010
Inconvenience is a brutal and honest truth for a young Russian Girl living with her alcoholic mother. Gelbwasser gives readers a very active writing style from page one. This is novel that will reach out and grab the readers pulling you through page after page with little effort. I sympathize with this young girl on so many levels. First, there is the lack of attention to what her life is becoming to cover up the "inconveniences" of her mother. Second, is that more concern appears spent on what others will think of their situation. This child is living through issues that will cause lifelong scars, and this family seems more interested if the neighbor is scoping out their trash cans for liquor bottles. I found myself cheering on Alyssa's father when he finally grasps what kind of situation this child is living. The best decision in this books entirity was the decision to move himself and Alyssa out. An added bonus was wrapped up in this quick intense story. A sweet love story begins building between Alyssa and her long time friend. This was perfect, but I began to wonder about halfway through if I had misjudged his character. I was estatic to find that I was wrong about him, and that his own family issues seemed to be hindering his decisions. Adding the romance distraction seemed to add an upbeat moment for the readers, and overall changing the content of the story. This was no longer a sad and tragic tale of a daughter with her alcoholic mother; adding in this romance seems to twist to an empowering story for this young girl. Alyssa is having to break free from the inner child in this novel. On several occurrences Gelbwasser shows that inner struggle for this her, and what it takes not to jump on mommy's lap when you know she is wrong. I love the ending of Inconvenience it was not the traditional happily ever after, but a ending with hope. A glimpse of what is possible, and that change is on the horizon. I almost think that endings like these are better than happily ever afters. With a hope ending anything is possible, and it leaves the reader to imagine their own conclusions. This was an awesome novel that I would highly recommend.
June 8, 2011
Review from my blog: http://christitheteenlibrarian.blogsp...
This was a deceptively powerful debut novel. Alyssa is an extraordinary narrator--we are immediately drawn into her world and eager to learn more about it. At the same time we're growing increasingly horrified for Alyssa as her family starts to crumble, but she seems to be the only one to notice. Wanting to keep your family life private is one thing, but reaching out and asking for help when it's desperately needed is quite another.
Of course, I was originally drawn to this story because it's about teens in New Jersey, and, as a NJ native, those stories are always near and dear to my heart. This side of New Jersey, however, I haven't ever experienced. Perhaps my life was little more sheltered than most, or perhaps my childhood town was a little more accepting, but I've never felt the need to hide who I was, culturally, from my peers. It's not that Alyssa is ashamed of who she is, and where her parents have come from, it's just that those components are so vastly different from the cultural backgrounds of her friends. I think we can all recognize the dangers of being too different as a 15-year-old girl. I think that the majority of characters in this story are just absolutely small-minded and ignorant, but unfortunately I can also recognize that many people in this world who unfortunately still harbor those prejudices.
There are so many intriguing components to this story--of course there is Alyssa's mom, who is drinking more heavily than ever before. That, in and of itself, would lend itself to a great story. But! We also have best friends Alyssa and Lana, who are beginning to recognize that they want different things in life. AND of course there's a potential first love component, as well. My heart broke for Alyssa during several points during this novel. This is not a happily ever after story, but it is a hopeful story and one that deserves to be read. Margie has done a wonderful job with her 2010 debut, and I can't wait to read more from her!
Borrowed book from the library.
This was a deceptively powerful debut novel. Alyssa is an extraordinary narrator--we are immediately drawn into her world and eager to learn more about it. At the same time we're growing increasingly horrified for Alyssa as her family starts to crumble, but she seems to be the only one to notice. Wanting to keep your family life private is one thing, but reaching out and asking for help when it's desperately needed is quite another.
Of course, I was originally drawn to this story because it's about teens in New Jersey, and, as a NJ native, those stories are always near and dear to my heart. This side of New Jersey, however, I haven't ever experienced. Perhaps my life was little more sheltered than most, or perhaps my childhood town was a little more accepting, but I've never felt the need to hide who I was, culturally, from my peers. It's not that Alyssa is ashamed of who she is, and where her parents have come from, it's just that those components are so vastly different from the cultural backgrounds of her friends. I think we can all recognize the dangers of being too different as a 15-year-old girl. I think that the majority of characters in this story are just absolutely small-minded and ignorant, but unfortunately I can also recognize that many people in this world who unfortunately still harbor those prejudices.
There are so many intriguing components to this story--of course there is Alyssa's mom, who is drinking more heavily than ever before. That, in and of itself, would lend itself to a great story. But! We also have best friends Alyssa and Lana, who are beginning to recognize that they want different things in life. AND of course there's a potential first love component, as well. My heart broke for Alyssa during several points during this novel. This is not a happily ever after story, but it is a hopeful story and one that deserves to be read. Margie has done a wonderful job with her 2010 debut, and I can't wait to read more from her!
Borrowed book from the library.
July 24, 2011
Inconvenient was a different book, but a very realistic book. It involves a teenage girl undergoing several problems at one time. First she's a Russian immigrant and she has some difficulty with teasing and fitting in due to her heritage. Then there is some tension at home and her mother seems to drink too much at times, while her dad seems to withdraw. On top of that she gets her first boyfriend who confuses her all the time and her best friend is trying to fit in and be popular and seems to be leaving Alyssa behind. I honestly felt for Alyssa through this book, yet it didn't feel unrealistic. Any one of these problems would be hard enough to go through, but all of them together make it really difficult for Alyssa. And while at times she feels like giving in, I really love her strength.
In Alyssa, Ms. Gelbwessar, has made an amazing character for all girls to aspire to, she's not perfect, and she's struggling to find herself, but she doesn't give up even when things are at a point most people would. I also love the side characters, especially Keith, who at times frustrates me, but then he seems like a good guy. I didn't really like Lana, but I understood her. What girl who is in high school or has been to high school hasn't aspired to be liked by the popular kids and to fit in with them. Lana will do what it takes to fit in even if it means leaving Alyssa and her heritage behind.
There is a message in the book and I don't want to give too much away, but it's a great message to take away. I enjoyed the book, it had great learning experiences, romance, and a high entertainment factor for me. I wanted to know how Alyssa would react next and what life would throw at her. Ms. Gelwessar crafts a great young adult novel in Inconvenient and I will be searching out more of her work in the near future.
In Alyssa, Ms. Gelbwessar, has made an amazing character for all girls to aspire to, she's not perfect, and she's struggling to find herself, but she doesn't give up even when things are at a point most people would. I also love the side characters, especially Keith, who at times frustrates me, but then he seems like a good guy. I didn't really like Lana, but I understood her. What girl who is in high school or has been to high school hasn't aspired to be liked by the popular kids and to fit in with them. Lana will do what it takes to fit in even if it means leaving Alyssa and her heritage behind.
There is a message in the book and I don't want to give too much away, but it's a great message to take away. I enjoyed the book, it had great learning experiences, romance, and a high entertainment factor for me. I wanted to know how Alyssa would react next and what life would throw at her. Ms. Gelwessar crafts a great young adult novel in Inconvenient and I will be searching out more of her work in the near future.
November 17, 2015
This book was recommended to me by some friends who know the author; she apparently lives a few towns over from my home in northern NJ. The plot is quite interesting and concerns the coming of age of a 15 year old Russian Jewish girl in present day suburban New Jersey. Alyssa has vague memories of coming to America as a small child with her parents and their first rat infested apartment in New York City. Eventually her father is able to move the family to a nice house in an area with a large Russian Jewish population. Alyssa and her best friend Lana, also of Russian Jewish heritage are sophomores in high school, trying to navigate the difficult world of social status, dating, and fitting in. Alyssa is smart, a math geek, and a track athlete who is focused on maintaining her grades and doing well in school, while Lana is struggling to change her personality and appearance in order to gain acceptance into the popular crowd, many of whom like to ridicule the girls about their Russian heritage. As Lana tries to hide her background, and change herself to fit in, Alyssa finds herself attempting to hide things as well. Her struggle is a family one, hiding her mother's increasing problems with alcoholism from the neighborhood as she cleans up the messes and deals with her father's denial, all the while navigating her first "romance" with a fellow track runner. The plot is a realistic study of the effects of alcoholism on the entire family. The characters are realistic and sympathetic, and this is an accurate portrayal of adolescence in the 21st century. Many important issues are dealt with in this novel, including alcoholism and its effects on all family members, the difficulties encountered by immigrants adjusting to a new life, peer pressure, and parent child relationships. An interesting and engaging read.
Read
December 15, 2010When I first read the premise for Inconvenient I couldn't wait to read it, but what I didn't know was how much I was going to love it! I am still left in awe by this book. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. The author immediately pulls you into Alyssa's world. Once an easy and care-free world slowly turns into a dark and lonely one. The author created such a incredible character cast, each character was so well written and so real. It's very easy to relate to the characters whether it's Alyssa, a young girl that just wants her life to be like it use to be. Or Lana, a teenager with the desire to fit in.
The transformations throughout the book are pretty dramatic, every character has one. But the one most obvious and dramatic is Alyssa's. She was taken from her teenage life and was forced to walk down a road that no 15 year should have had to deal with. She reacted with how any real teenager would react...angry. She never sugarcoated a moment when telling us how painful it was to see her mother battle with her addiction and how angry she was at her mother for allowing it to happen.
Inconvenient is a beautifully written book, that will have you hooked from the very first page. It is gripping and brutally honest. It is not only a book about a teenager dealing with an alcoholic mother. It is a book about best friends, first loves and self-growth. This is a brilliant book that needs to be added to your 'To be read' piles!
The transformations throughout the book are pretty dramatic, every character has one. But the one most obvious and dramatic is Alyssa's. She was taken from her teenage life and was forced to walk down a road that no 15 year should have had to deal with. She reacted with how any real teenager would react...angry. She never sugarcoated a moment when telling us how painful it was to see her mother battle with her addiction and how angry she was at her mother for allowing it to happen.
Inconvenient is a beautifully written book, that will have you hooked from the very first page. It is gripping and brutally honest. It is not only a book about a teenager dealing with an alcoholic mother. It is a book about best friends, first loves and self-growth. This is a brilliant book that needs to be added to your 'To be read' piles!
February 15, 2011
alyssa and lana are best friends, partially because of their shared russian jewish heritage, which is rare in their community. lana keeps saying that alyssa's mom is fine- everyone's parents get sloppy when they drink sometimes. alyssa's dad just looks the other way. but alyssa knows her mom has a problem, and she's tired of cleaning up after her when she has her own problems to deal with- a blossoming but confusing romance with keith, her stretching partner for cross country, and lana's obsession with becoming friends with the obnoxious beautiful people at school, at the cost of their own friendship.
i really liked this book. it suffers from an unattractive cover (was the photoshop supposed to look that bad?) and i was the first person to check it out from the new teen fiction shelf, where it sat untouched
for three months. (my teens do love an attractive cover.) but now that i've read it, i am excited to hand-sell it as a great realistic story. it's perfect for anyone who's ever grown apart from a friend, or
had a bumpy start to a romance with a high school dude (seriously, keith gets the award for "most realistic high school boyfriend in teen fiction EVER").also might be of interest for sporty types, because
of the cross country action.
obviously it's also perfect if anyone comes in specifically asking for a story about about teen children of alcoholics. i would definitely recommend it over "a room on lorelei street."
i really liked this book. it suffers from an unattractive cover (was the photoshop supposed to look that bad?) and i was the first person to check it out from the new teen fiction shelf, where it sat untouched
for three months. (my teens do love an attractive cover.) but now that i've read it, i am excited to hand-sell it as a great realistic story. it's perfect for anyone who's ever grown apart from a friend, or
had a bumpy start to a romance with a high school dude (seriously, keith gets the award for "most realistic high school boyfriend in teen fiction EVER").also might be of interest for sporty types, because
of the cross country action.
obviously it's also perfect if anyone comes in specifically asking for a story about about teen children of alcoholics. i would definitely recommend it over "a room on lorelei street."
March 1, 2012
A fuller review will follow. First thoughts: this was an excellent YA novel, characters with depth, feeling, and a vivid reality. Very well written.
What bothered me about this book at first, seriously, were some of the details that set the background of location, because the fictional "Glenfair" is in fact the town where I actually live. I would still quarrel with some of these; for example, if Glenfair is "Little Moscow," as the author writes, it cannot be possible (and isn't) that these two are the only Russian girls in the sophomore class. Maybe 30 years ago, but not today.
Once I decided to get over that foolishness and remind myself that this is Fiction,after all, I found it to be a well-written book with very true-to-life characters. The writing style at first seemed a bit off until I recognized it as exactly the way some of my former students, Russian- born, would speak and write, and I think it took great writing (and editing) skill to so that. This is an excellent book that deserves wide promotion to YA audiences.
What bothered me about this book at first, seriously, were some of the details that set the background of location, because the fictional "Glenfair" is in fact the town where I actually live. I would still quarrel with some of these; for example, if Glenfair is "Little Moscow," as the author writes, it cannot be possible (and isn't) that these two are the only Russian girls in the sophomore class. Maybe 30 years ago, but not today.
Once I decided to get over that foolishness and remind myself that this is Fiction,after all, I found it to be a well-written book with very true-to-life characters. The writing style at first seemed a bit off until I recognized it as exactly the way some of my former students, Russian- born, would speak and write, and I think it took great writing (and editing) skill to so that. This is an excellent book that deserves wide promotion to YA audiences.
December 14, 2010
I won this book in a First Reads giveaway.
I passed this book on after only reading 18 Chapters in, about halfway through.
I didn't have any problems with the book, but it wasn't my type and I originally entered the giveaway for someone else. I was talking to her last weekend and after telling her that I had just been reading it and what had been going on, and she was interested. I figured it would be best to just pass it along now, with Russian Winter, and let them be properly read and enjoyed. It will likely be on her classroom bookshelf for others after she reads it too.
If I hadn't ended up receiving other books at the same time I was more interested in, I probably would have read this one in an afternoon or two. Granted I wouldn't tell most of my friends about it, it was enjoyable, and I in no way had to force myself to read it.
I passed this book on after only reading 18 Chapters in, about halfway through.
I didn't have any problems with the book, but it wasn't my type and I originally entered the giveaway for someone else. I was talking to her last weekend and after telling her that I had just been reading it and what had been going on, and she was interested. I figured it would be best to just pass it along now, with Russian Winter, and let them be properly read and enjoyed. It will likely be on her classroom bookshelf for others after she reads it too.
If I hadn't ended up receiving other books at the same time I was more interested in, I probably would have read this one in an afternoon or two. Granted I wouldn't tell most of my friends about it, it was enjoyable, and I in no way had to force myself to read it.
April 1, 2012
This novel, for me, had a shaky start and I was concerned it might become a super light YA read. But it wasn’t. Inconvenient deals with alcoholism and the silence around it. I also found it interesting to look into a Jewish Russian lifestyle.
Thoughts while reading…
Who around me could be dealing with alcoholism and I don’t know about it. Many people who have issues with alcohol keep it very silent.
How far will you go to be accepted? How far will your kids go to be accepted? How far will your friends go to be accepted? There is a line where a person can try so hard to be accepted by someone that they are no longer the person they were created to be.
A sweet reminder to cherish our differences rather than change and become more like another person, so that they will accept you.
I read this in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down.
Thoughts while reading…
Who around me could be dealing with alcoholism and I don’t know about it. Many people who have issues with alcohol keep it very silent.
How far will you go to be accepted? How far will your kids go to be accepted? How far will your friends go to be accepted? There is a line where a person can try so hard to be accepted by someone that they are no longer the person they were created to be.
A sweet reminder to cherish our differences rather than change and become more like another person, so that they will accept you.
I read this in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down.
January 25, 2011
This debut novel tells the story fo 15 year old Alyssa, a high school sophomore tyring to find and establish herself as she navigates many things in her life: her Russian Jewish heritage that is not shared by many in her small New Jersey town, her increasingly alcoholic mother, falling in love for the first time, and a changing relationship with her BFF who is also the only other Russian Jew in their high school class.
This book is at times heartwarming and heartwrenching and is s strong tale of families and learning about yourself. The character of Alyssa grabs you from the beginning and doesnt let go and reminds you of events in your life as she just tries to be a teenager. I finsihed the book in less than two days because I could not put it down!
This book is at times heartwarming and heartwrenching and is s strong tale of families and learning about yourself. The character of Alyssa grabs you from the beginning and doesnt let go and reminds you of events in your life as she just tries to be a teenager. I finsihed the book in less than two days because I could not put it down!
June 10, 2012
INCONVENIENT is a story about fifteen-year-old Alyssa Bondar's conflicts with a new boyfriend who may only be interested in a fling, a popularity-hungry best friend who’s drifting from her, classmates who poke fun at her Russian-Jewish heritage, and a loving mother whose lack of confidence leads her into heavy drinking. Alyssa and her father are in denial at first about the mom’s drinking until it becomes strongly apparent that she is out of control with her problem. This is a fantastic debut and a realistic contemporary read centered on the heavy issue of alcoholic parents and their family dynamics.
June 28, 2011
There was something special about this novel from the moment it quietly opened, set in suburban north Jersey. The story centers around a caretaking, sensitive, resiliant teenager who comes from the one of the worse kind of hells a teenager can exist in - that of a parent struggling with alcoholism. The portrayal of each of the members of the family - the denying patriarch, the addicted, erratic mother and the daughter - is honest and realistic. Do not expect a fluff YA novel. Both gritty and sensitive, Inconvenient will stay with you long after you put it down.
July 3, 2011
I truly enjoyed this book. Any teens living in a dysfunctional household, will surely understand and relate to Alyssa's situation. Alyssa's strength and determination to move forward with her own life in spite of her mother's alcoholism and her father's lack of acknowlegment of it, is admirable. Ms. Gelbwasser came to the Mahwah Public Library in May, and graciously spoke to the teen audience offering advice, and critiques to those up and coming authors.
October 31, 2011
Interesting at times, sometimes funny...but I have to say there were way too many weird/awkward moments for me.
However, the author did do a great job of capturing the conflict of emotions that come with having an alcoholic family member. She also touched on the drama that comes with a bi-cultural background.
However, the author did do a great job of capturing the conflict of emotions that come with having an alcoholic family member. She also touched on the drama that comes with a bi-cultural background.
December 20, 2010
I absolutely loved this book. Best I've read in a very long time. Really drawn in and interest held throughout. Cared about characters. Descriptions were amazing. Author's style made characters come to life for me and were so relatable. I didn't want the story to end.
May 28, 2014
Don't even get me started on this book. Maybe it's just because my parents are also Russian immigrants, maybe because it's just what my book addiction was craving at the time that i read it; i don't know.
Regardless, i loved it!
Regardless, i loved it!
October 15, 2010
A teenage girl whose mom is an alcoholic and dad is in denial. I especially liked the Russian info and how much drinking is ingrained in that culture. The end left me hanging and wanting more.
November 17, 2011
3.5 stars
February 16, 2011
Excellent read! Tough story well handled. Highly recommend.
April 22, 2013
Just alright - I really don't see the mass appeal in this one - it's both a teen romance and addiction story-by-numbers cast in a cultural light but no particular part really stands out.
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