Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com
Mary Harold Woods is peculiar. Because she is so peculiar, she is often picked on by her classmates, and she doesn't feel like she belongs in Virginia. However, there is one place that Mary Harold has always felt like she belongs: Wren, Alabama.
Wren is where her beloved Grandma, Ayma, lives. However, Mary Harold's mother, Tabitha (Bye), won't go back. So it's up to Mary Harold to somehow get to Wren so she can figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world.
Once in Wren, Mary Harold works as a farmhand along with the friendly Bud, who has some past history with Bye. And there's another surprise in Wren: another girl just as peculiar as Mary Harold herself. Dixie is odd, and Mary Harold takes it upon herself to stand up for Dixie and protect her, something no one ever did for Mary Harold.
Through this coming-of-age and self-discovery story, Gigi Amateau provides a quaint and peaceful setting where a lone and lonely girl finds herself. Any reader can relate to the sense of belonging that Mary Harold struggles with in the beginning of the novel.
A CERTAIN STRAIN OF PECULIAR is recommended for all teenage girls who went through the odd phase of coming into your body and personality, becoming who you are today.
Mary Harold Woods is peculiar. Because she is so peculiar, she is often picked on by her classmates, and she doesn't feel like she belongs in Virginia. However, there is one place that Mary Harold has always felt like she belongs: Wren, Alabama.
Wren is where her beloved Grandma, Ayma, lives. However, Mary Harold's mother, Tabitha (Bye), won't go back. So it's up to Mary Harold to somehow get to Wren so she can figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world.
Once in Wren, Mary Harold works as a farmhand along with the friendly Bud, who has some past history with Bye. And there's another surprise in Wren: another girl just as peculiar as Mary Harold herself. Dixie is odd, and Mary Harold takes it upon herself to stand up for Dixie and protect her, something no one ever did for Mary Harold.
Through this coming-of-age and self-discovery story, Gigi Amateau provides a quaint and peaceful setting where a lone and lonely girl finds herself. Any reader can relate to the sense of belonging that Mary Harold struggles with in the beginning of the novel.
A CERTAIN STRAIN OF PECULIAR is recommended for all teenage girls who went through the odd phase of coming into your body and personality, becoming who you are today.
