How It's Done

How It's Done

by Christine Kole MacLean

Rating: Great

Difficulty: Normal

Pages: 324

Synopsis

Brought up in a strict fundamentalist home, eighteen-year-old Grace feels trapped in a "suburban Alcatraz" by her overbearing father and her timid mother. An affair with a college professor--a man of the world who's more likely to quote Shelley than scripture--seems like a great escape. But freedom brings with it unanticipated complications and Grace discovers that being involved with an older man is not all chardonnay and poetry . . .
Told from Grace's perspective, How It's Done is an unflinching story of love and freedom and the price you pay for both.

Review

Now How It's done is basically a book about how it NOT done- how you shouldn't go about life, relationships, friendships, family and religion. Grace was brought up in an higly religous and strict household, run by her father and timid and submissive mother. It doesn't take long before she starts to rebel by going out with a much older, much more sophisticated college professor named Michael. It's all fun and games at first until her father finds out about the seriously forbidden relationship and demands her not to see her anymore. Just 18 Grace is forced to make a decision about her life- either conform to her fathers strict and dull ways or lead a life of a grown up with her new grown up boyfriend. Michael asks her to marry him and when she says yes she also gives up the most important thing in her life- her virginity and strangely her independence. It weird how she does become dependent on Michael even though she's trying to break free from her dad. She depend on his love, sex, approval and assurance to get her through their engagement until, after a series of events makes her realize that not only does she not want his approval but she doesn't want to be a grown up just yet either. Michael is such a slimy character, even though he's mostly amazing to Grace during th whole book- you just know he's not right for her. It made me so frustrated reading this because i wanted to hit Grace with a rock on her head and say "Wake up from this impossible dream!" I mean yes we are capable of finding love and yes we have to grow up someday but really, how much are we willing to give up for that? This is an excellent book but some might be apprehensive at first because of how much religion i in it. Im not saying there is a ton but you have to be comfortable with where you stand about God to understand what all the fuss is about. I really enjoyed reading this and hopefully you will to!