Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Marjorie Celona about Y, her debut novel. This powerful story—about a baby who is abandoned at a YMCA—has already gotten a ton of praise from professional review outlets and book bloggers alike. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes coming-of-age tales or stories of unconventional families. (Hint: Did you like The Language of Flowers? You’ll love Y.)
The main character is Shannon, the abandoned baby who moves through the foster-care system on Vancouver Island and is eventually adopted into a (mostly) loving home. Shannon’s narrative alternates with the story of her birth mother Yula. Celona’s language is especially vivid and poetic, and I found myself admiring the rhythm of her descriptions on many occasions.
For more on Y, watch this conversation from the BookPage office. Celona was in Nashville to promote the novel at Parnassus Books.
Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? Here’s how you can enter to win one of three signed copies of the novel:
TO ENTER: In the comments, tell us the name of your favorite coming-of-age story.
CONTEST DETAILS: Three winners will be chosen by random.org from among entries received by 5 pm CST on Friday, February 1. The winners will each receive one signed copy of Y by Marjorie Celona. Prizes must be shipped to a North American address, and Rhode Island residents are not eligible. (Full contest rules here.) Good luck!
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ETA: Congratulations to our winners, Emma, Megan and Barb!
Thanks to all who entered! Contest is now closed.
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
Oh, Carrie beat me to it! A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN is one of my all time favorite novels.
And I have Y on my TBR list and on my TBR shelf over at GoodReads.
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks.
The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.
“White Oleander” by Janet Fitch
THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold is a story I will never forget.
Tell the Wolves I’m Home. Just read it and can’t get it out of my head.
The Secret Life of Bees is one of my all time favorites. Also To Kill a Mockingbird..
The Age of Miracles
Hard to pick one favorite – but Tell the Wolves I’m Home is also stuck in my hand as the favorite from last year.
Love Books about Maine so favorite is “The Sisters From Hardscrabble Bay” by Beverly Jensen.
Either the Anne of Green Gables series–one continuous coming of age story in a whole series really, or Sloppy Firsts–so honest and smart and sarcastic. Pick me!
The Secret Life of Bees
Didn’t have to wonder very long. It is “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio.
White Oleander by Janet Fitch is a favorite coming of age novel for me!
Middlesex was a great book about growing up and so much more.
To Kill A mockingbird, its story was powerful to me
Anne of Green Gables entire series is wonderful and beautiful.
To Kill a Mockingbird
I want to read this book so bad. LOVED language of flowers and as a person given up by her mother I really get a lot out of these kinds of stories!
The Long Walk, Stephen King.
The Age of Miracles! I loved it!
The Age of Miracles…best book of 2012!
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is memorable.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is still my favorite.
The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
“Hawaii”–the coming of age of a group of beautiful islands!
Catcher in the rye
The Age of Miracles
Kite Runner is a favorite!
Catcher in the Rye.
Going back to an author of my day!, Judy Blume’s: Forever…. it had me in tears but was so good for an 18 yr old back then.
The Holdouts by Sherry Clements (an indie book published by Drinian Press, LLC)…I laughed and cried as Martha and Spoon grow up in Arkansas during the late sixties and early seventies.
My favorite at the moment is The Flight of Gemma Hardy.
The Language of Flowers was an awesome book, and is my favorite coming of age story.
Without a doubt, “How Green Was My Valley” by Richard Llewellyn.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud.
I really enjoyed, The Wicked and the Just, but my heart belongs to- Where the Red Fern Grows!!
Currently, I think Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence is at the top of my list. A great novel about Paul Morel’s youthful experiences in love and passion.
The Outsiders?
To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite
The Lovely Bones is a favorite
To Kill a Mockingbird; all time favorite, with a bullet, always
Harry Potter!
IT by Stephen King.
The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.
Favourite coming of age novel – shows my age – ‘Puberty Blues’
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
I suggested Language of flowers to my book club. everyone really liked it.
I remember loving “Rilla of Ingleside”
“The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton
There are so many but A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a favorite.
This is a tough one, but I have to go with “Tell The Wolves I’m Home.”
As previously mentioned, R.J. Palacio’s “Wonder” is fanstastic, and I have to split my vote with another great coming-of-age novel, Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.”
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
All time favorite: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!
Recent favorite: The Age of Miracles.
Life of bees!!!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite.
A Day No Pigs Would Die
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
My favorite coming of age book is probably The Bell Jar. Or maybe The Chosen.
There’s so many but A Tree Grows in Brooklyn always stuck in my mind.I agree about Hawaii, a book I loved,and read both of these over several times…
Definitely “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” from last year.
To Kill a Mockingbird.
This is my favorite genre! I adore go ask alice!
Saving Cece Honeycutt and the Secret Life of Bees
The Catcher in the Rye
my favorite all time coming of age story is “a tree grows in brooklyn”
The Catcher in the Rye
My favorite coming of age story is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
The Secret Life of Bees
There are several, but I think my very favorite coming-of-age book was The Secret Life of Bees.
White Oleander. In fact I was just thinking of reading it again. Also, Me and You by Niccolò Ammaniti was quite good and off the beaten path..
I have to say, Butterfly by Kathryn Harvey.
Definitely Beth Hoffman’s novel – Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. What an OMG book!
Coming of Age books never grow old. My favorite has always been A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and all of the Betty Smith books.
My favorite coming of age story (it’s hard to choose one) is Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
I loved THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS~
Great Expectations
There are so many that I’ve enjoyed but my favorite is The Dry Grass of August. Still so timely in today’s society.
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb