Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard is the perfect reminder of why I love, and prefer, contemporary fiction to almost any other genre, except maybe a fairy tale retelling.:)
Grace was initially a hard character for me to like. She was hard for me to relate to because she is very much a wallflower, going out of her way to not be noticed and she doesn't stick up for herself. She lets people walk on her and take advantage of her. And if there is anything I've ever consistently been, it's outspoken and very vocal about my 'rights' and interpretations on life. I always have a harder time relating to these character types though, but what really made it the hardest to relate to Grace was her fascination with Mandarin that bordered on, and sometimes crossed into, stalker-ish obsession. Things like, walking by her house, hoping to get a glimpse of her. Memorizing her school schedule before classes start and taking a lower lever class, just to be close to Mandarin. I have never organized my life around another person this way, and can't understand why you would. It doesn't seem healthy to me.
When they are paired up, at Mandarin's request, for a school project, Grace is in shock and cannot believe her good fortune. Pieces of Mandarin begin to filter into Grace's personality, and she embraces them fully. She believes that everyone watches her now, as they do Mandarin, wishing they could be in her place. She lets Mandarin run everything, being careful what she says around Mandarin so as not to offend her, or to tip the precarious balance of their new friendship.
For the entire beginning section of this story, Grace is completely in awe of Mandarin and there is definitely a bit of hero worship going on. But the real strength in both Grace and the story comes as Grace begins to notice the cracks in Mandarin's image where reality doesn't quite line up with expectation. Grace ignores these for as long as she can, but eventually, the cracks are so wide they are impossible to ignore and Grace must accept that Mandarin is not as together, confident, or in control she seems.
It is always hard to acknowledge flaws within your idol. This is a natural post of most adolescent's lives, when they begin to realize that their parents, who have always been 'perfect' are, in fact, merely human, which makes them fallible. Grace realizes this about her mother far earlier than most kids do, and she is very unforgiving of it, but it takes her quite a while to notice it in Mandarin.
Perhaps Grace 'broke' when she realized at such a young age that her mother wasn't perfect, that she was flawed. This might be why, when Grace notices Mandarin at the exact moment she realizes her mother's flaws and imperfections, she becomes fixated on her, almost as a substitute for where her mother falls short. Grace is obsessed with Mandarin, in awe of her, and believes that everyone else must be as well. It nearly consumes her. It isn't until Mandarin's faults become impossible to ignore and Grace begins to understand the real Mandarin beneath the flippant attitude, that she finds the pieces of herself realigning, coming back together. It is painful, it hurts, but it allows the healing to begin.
Like Mandarin is a powerful novel about growing up full of real characters, intense emotions and lessons about life. It's a novel I can easily see myself reading again in the future, and I will most definitely be watching for Hubbard's upcoming releases.
Oh ya, and can I also just mention how nice and refreshing it was to read a YA book that wasn't completely dependent and focus on the love interest?! Romance has it's place, but lately it feels like it's place is everywhere. It's nice to read a story without the boy drama.
*Disclaimer: I received this book as part of Banned Book Tours.