Title: I Now Pronounce You Someone Else
Author: Erin McCahan
Release Date: June 2010
Published By: Scholastic
Pages: 258
Goodreads Rating: 3.82 stars
Review: Eighteen-year-old Bronwen has always felt like she's been switched at birth; after all, how else could she explain the radical difference between her and her family members? Enter Jared Sondervan. He's sweet, funny, and has a family that makes her feel like she truly belongs. In short, he's everything she's always wanted, so when he asks her to marry him, she jumps at the chance. Except she has to wonder... is she making the right choice?
In a swamp of young adult novels that sometimes center around overly-used plots, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE brings something new to the table. It was refreshing to read something so original, something that delved into interesting themes that I haven't seen covered in any other book. After all, it's not like books about premature marriage are crowding the shelves (unless they are and I've just never seen them).
That said, I didn't really enjoy every aspect of this book; in particular, Jared annoyed the hell out of me. I just couldn't see the appeal or how Bronwen could possibly like him. He came across as irritating, fake, insincere, and boring - and he wasn't even meant to be a negative character. The whole time she found herself being swept up in a romance with him, I just couldn't empathize with her.
I was also a little bothered by the ending. I won't say what exactly happened, but the resolution involving her and Jared ticked me off. I mean, I guess it's a good thing that I cared enough about Bronwen to want her not to make certain choices so much, but really? Really? Furthermore, there wasn't that much resolution relating to other parts as well. For instance, the ending could have definitely gone into more detail about what happens to her and her relationship with her mother.
Overall, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE had a lot of potential with its fascinating premise and intriguing themes, but it fell short for me. I was completely disinterested in the romance, and the ending far from redeemed the book. Still, though, this is an interesting contemporary novel that I would recommend to those who are a bit more tolerant of romantic interests.
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1 comments:
It's always interesting to read a review where the reader just pretty much did not like the book! At first I wondered if it might be an arranged marriage, which would have been interesting, but just wanting to get married for the fun of it? Sounds a little too Kardashian to me...
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