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Immaculate
Mina is seventeen. A virgin. And pregnant.
Mina is top of her class, girlfriend to the most ambitious guy in school, able to reason and study her way through anything. But when she suddenly finds herself pregnant—despite having never had sex—her orderly world collapses. Almost nobody believes Mina’s claims of virginity. Her father assumes that her boyfriend is responsible; her boyfriend believes she must have cheated on him. As news of Mina’s story spreads, there are those who brand her a liar. There are those who brand her a heretic. And there are those who believe that miracles are possible—and that Mina’s unborn child could be the greatest miracle of all.
Mina is top of her class, girlfriend to the most ambitious guy in school, able to reason and study her way through anything. But when she suddenly finds herself pregnant—despite having never had sex—her orderly world collapses. Almost nobody believes Mina’s claims of virginity. Her father assumes that her boyfriend is responsible; her boyfriend believes she must have cheated on him. As news of Mina’s story spreads, there are those who brand her a liar. There are those who brand her a heretic. And there are those who believe that miracles are possible—and that Mina’s unborn child could be the greatest miracle of all.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2015
30 people are currently reading
3982 people want to read
About the author
Katelyn Detweiler
5 books136 followersKatelyn Detweiler was born and raised in Pennsylvania, living in a centuries-old farmhouse surrounded by fields and woods—a setting that fueled her childhood imagination and, many years later, inspired her YA debut, Immaculate. Katelyn is a writer by night (and weekend) and a literary agent by day, representing books for all ages and across all genres. She currently lives, works, and writes in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
July 25, 2015
“This is the story of a miracle.”
Immaculate's premise is so intriguing that I had to check it out, despite not usually being a fan of religious books or those dealing with teen pregnancy. I first wondered if things were going to be not as they first appear in the blurb, but no, this is exactly what it seems to be: a modern immaculate conception. And it was pretty damn compelling and interesting.
I'm not religious in any sense, but the reason I think this book works is because religion is more of a sub-theme behind the central issues of family, friendship, bullying and finding out who you can really trust. At the heart of the original Bible story about Jesus' birth is a story of a young girl who has an impossible situation thrust upon her. How must it feel to be so young and have something so crazy happen to you? How do you get people to believe something that shouldn't be possible?
This is the place Mina finds herself. After an old woman comes into her workplace and makes some strange statements about "her baby", Mina is suddenly pregnant, despite never having had sex. Friends turn their back on her, her boyfriend dumps her, her father thinks she's lying. The situation escalates and soon everyone knows and believes they have a right to judge her. This is what the story is about - the practicalities of dealing with something like this, rather than the religious aspect.
Of course, Mina is forced to confront her own beliefs for the first time. But this book is not pushing any one religion and Mina researches many different religions and beliefs. In fact, when the "message" is delivered, no mention of "God" is made. I feel like some readers may be dissatisfied with the ambiguity, but I appreciated it more than I would have appreciated a straight-up Christian novel.
Immaculate is not really about Christianity or immaculate conception - those are trimmings - it's actually about a girl dealing with a huge change in her life's direction; it's about the positive aspects of faith and the dangers of religious extremism; and it's about the capacity to try and believe in the impossible, believe in the people you love.
I thought it was an excellent take on a concept that could so easily have been terrible and preachy.
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August 31, 2015
“There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
- Attributed to Albert Einstein
When I stumbled upon this book on Goodreads last year, I was suspicious. The synopsis intrigued me too much, but all I could think was: “This is going to be a freaking retelling of Virgin Mary and Jesus. It's going to be preachy as hell and I'm going to be really angry.”
One of those things is false: It isn't preachy at all. But then... is it a retelling of the story of Virgin Mary? Hmmm, more or less, but the purpose of this book was not for delivering a story of a second Mesiah. This book is actually about a girl and the struggles of being pregnant and virgin (have you heard of a case like this?) in the 21st century.
Mina is an ordinary girl: She studies, makes plans for college, has a boyfriend, etc. There's nothing particularly special about her. One day, while she's working in a pizzeria, a strange woman named Iris comes and Mina attends her (Mina is a waitress). The woman starts telling Mina weird things about a baby, and as you may expect, Mina feels scared and wants to leave.
This woman, however, won't let her alone until Mina hears what she has to say. But Mina was planning on going to a party that same day, and she was already late, so to get rid of Iris, Mina does what maybe is the biggest decision in her life: She dismissed the woman by agreeing with her in everything she said.
That, without knowing it, was when Mina's fate was settled and she was already carrying another being inside her.
What follows is a chain of events that goes from bad to worse: First, when her two bestfriends find out she is indeed pregnant without having had sex before, one of them abandons her. Then, her father won't believe her. And then, her boyfriend for two years thinks she was cheating on him. But a pregnant girl can't hide her situation for long - sooner or later it will be obvious she's pregnant - and when that happened, things got really bad.
If you think about it (and you need not be religious in any sense to know this), Virgin Mary had it easy. In the story, her husband accepts the fact that the baby she's carrying is not his without much trouble. Imagine just for one moment that he didn't believe her. Just imagine what they did to adulterous wives... what they would have done to an innocent girl who was in a situation she could not control.
In Mina's story, no one believes her. Her family, with the exception of her father at the beginning, her other bestfriend (Hannah), her doctor, and a co-worker (Jesse) are the only people that support her.
I, Mina Dietrich, an absolute and utter virgin, was pregnant.
Knowing how people are, you can expect all kinds of awful shit to start happening to Mina just because they thought she was lying to all of them about her virginity. Remember what I said at the beginning? That one of three things was false? Now, remember number three? (“This is going to be a freaking retelling of Virgin Mary and Jesus. It's going to be preachy as hell and I'm going to be really angry.”) Well, I was really angry most of the time.
I was angry at how immature people are - at how realistic this book really was. Think about it: A girl is pregnant, but she claims to be a virgin. Would you believe her? It's kind of difficult accepting that fact.
I think the idea behind this book worked perfectly because of that. As I said, this is no story of a second Jesus - this is the story of a girl who is a liar to the eyes of the public and the difficulties that fact carries. Some of that difficulties include bullying, and serious bullying - there's one part I'm going to call The Three Wizards in which the people at her school "represent" the scene of the wizards visiting Jesus but throwing Mina more contemporary presents: Condoms, a perfume called Seductress (because "she must have lured someone"), and baby oil "that could be used for other purposes as well." That scene made me really angry - so angry I had to stop reading and take a break (and things get even worse).
Immaculate also deals with family tensions, the difficulties of being pregnant and also being a senior high school student, religion, but not in a preachy way. The latter one is addressed more like how Mina questions her beliefs.
I didn’t know what I really thought or what I really believed about anything anymore. I couldn’t separate absolutes from myths, facts from fiction. I couldn’t say what was real and what wasn’t real.
This book, in my opinion, is worth the read, not only because of what I have already said, but because the MC, Mina, is great and she actually doesn't see sex as a bad thing, nor she is naive or stupid when it comes to that.
Nate didn’t pressure me, but I wasn’t naive. (...) But I’d always wanted to wait until at least college to lose my virginity, until I was living on my own and old enough to make the right decision.
The ending might annoy some readers because it's vague, but it was good for me. In any case, being blurry just highlighted the fact that the intention of the author was not, as I said many times in this review, writing the story of a second Mesiah.
So yeah, in short, I recommend this book. I think it handled really well the concept and it was really compelling and interesting.
P.S.: I just learned there's a sequel planned for next year. Why, oh, why must all books be part of a series? >.<
February 3, 2018
Immaculate had perfect premise but extremely boring execution. Lesson learned, YA magical realism genre is not for me. And don't even make me start on how shallow, underdeveloped and completely unrealistic characters were. The dialogues were artificial and cringeworthy. Heroine sounded nothing like teenager. Her voice was, in one word, unbelievable.
Writing part aside, there was another thing that completely ruined this book for me. (RANT AHEAD)
Firstly, I got angry when it was implied in all but words that not to visit OB/GYN for years is okay. Cancer prevention anyone? Is this the standard that we want to present to young girls reading this book all around the world? Do we want to make them think that it is okay and normal not to visit OB/GYN for years? Books play a role in shaping character of teenagers, is this the example we want to set up when it comes to such an important topic as their health?
Later, author made common gynecological examination sound like the most terrible experience ever that brought heroine to tears and she had to "detach herself from the room" to survive it. I mean, come on! Gynecological examination may not be the most pleasant thing and can be a bit uncomfortable for some women, but it is not painful or something that would affect you so negatively mentally. If author intended to scare teenage girls off examination that should be normal and regular part of their lives (since it is important for their health and cancer prevention) she definitely succeeded. Why, oh why would anyone publish such false and misleading scenes for teenage girls to read???
I work with gynecologists and their patients very often so I know from first-hand experience how pointlessly destructive for female health can be the disinformation and prejudices about gynecological examination. Instead of increasing awareness and fighting these prejudices, author of this book added to them heavily. And I can't condone that. Everyone, please avoid this book like the plague.
Writing part aside, there was another thing that completely ruined this book for me. (RANT AHEAD)
Firstly, I got angry when it was implied in all but words that not to visit OB/GYN for years is okay. Cancer prevention anyone? Is this the standard that we want to present to young girls reading this book all around the world? Do we want to make them think that it is okay and normal not to visit OB/GYN for years? Books play a role in shaping character of teenagers, is this the example we want to set up when it comes to such an important topic as their health?
Later, author made common gynecological examination sound like the most terrible experience ever that brought heroine to tears and she had to "detach herself from the room" to survive it. I mean, come on! Gynecological examination may not be the most pleasant thing and can be a bit uncomfortable for some women, but it is not painful or something that would affect you so negatively mentally. If author intended to scare teenage girls off examination that should be normal and regular part of their lives (since it is important for their health and cancer prevention) she definitely succeeded. Why, oh why would anyone publish such false and misleading scenes for teenage girls to read???
I work with gynecologists and their patients very often so I know from first-hand experience how pointlessly destructive for female health can be the disinformation and prejudices about gynecological examination. Instead of increasing awareness and fighting these prejudices, author of this book added to them heavily. And I can't condone that. Everyone, please avoid this book like the plague.
Read
September 25, 2014Mmmm recreation of Virgin Mary in a high school setting?? Conflicted between interested and worry.
May 1, 2016
"I didn't know what I really thought or what I really believed about anything anymore. I couldn't separate absolutes from myths, facts from fiction. I couldn't say what was real and what wasn't real. "
---
"Maybe my decision was selfish; maybe it was reckless and self destructive and naive.
But there was no question, not a fraction of a second's consideration: I would have this baby.
I would be a mother. "
---
But at the same time, was it so awful to give someone hope? Wasn't hope sometimes all we needed to be stronger? To pass through something hard--to make it to the other side.
Maybe hope isn't always about the perfect ending.
Hope is making the journey easier.
This is one when I first heard the summary, I was intrigued but wary. I was afraid it would be super preachy and make me want to chuck it across the room. Once I seen a few reviews from people whose opinion I trusted, I relaxed some but it still took me awhile to pull the trigger and purchase it.
I might not have picked it up for awhile if I hadn't been in a book slump and my confidence being low from not finishing so many books. I was looking on my shelves, just letting my eyes skip along the spines of my collection when this one jumped at me, nudging me. I figured 'what the hell?' and picked it up, not expecting much really.
I was surprised how fast this book drew me in.
"Whenever I think back to that night at the restaurant, that night that changed everything--and I do mean everything--I wonder if I could have done or said anything different, somehow convinced the old woman she had the wrong girl. That my life was just fine as it was, no life-altering, world-altering miracles necessary, though I appreciated the once-in-a-few-millennia-or-so offer.
Mina is just your"typical" teenager, working a job while in school and excited/nervous about her plans for the future when a mysterious old lady comes in and, though she doesn't fully realize it at the time, turns her world upside down.
I thought this was an extremely compelling and (as much it can be) realistic take on what would happen/what reactions would be if this kind of thing happened in this age. How would any of us react if it was us this was happening to or our sister/friend/cousin/daughter? Which side of the fence would you be on, push come to shove?
Some support Mina right away, even if they aren't sure what to believe while others jump on the "anti-Mina" bandwagon right away, or they mean well in their own minds but can't bring themselves to believe her. This was all well done to me, it felt grounded and not "soap opera" over-the-top. There is no black and white, very much a gray area. On either side, each person believes passionately they are "right." (Though it baffles that some think it is okay to violate someone's privacy).
This book did make me angry, but not in the way I thought. It had more do with the fact of people, pushing their beliefs, and hatred onto Mina like they had the right to make sure she had no peace or privacy... I was literally humming with anger at the ignorance of some of these dingleberries, I wanted to reach in and shake them all till some semblance of sense leaked back into their brains.
I am all for people having their different opinions but when you cross a certain line...
Mina's dad said it best:
"Let me say this. I may still not know what to believe here, Mina, and I'm well aware that I haven't been one of your biggest supporters. But I would never--never --do to anyone what these people are doing to you right now. I would never force my religious opinions on a complete stranger. I would never disrespect another family's right to privacy. "Because from where I'm standing, these people are committing much graver sins of their own, casting judgement on you like they have the authority. Acting like they have the right to make God's own decisions. I won't stand for it Mina, I won't. "
And this, under spoiler tag, just to be safe:
I have a few theories about Iris, nothing concrete really... I liked that she
Jesse: such a sweet sweet guy... loyal too, he had me smiling every-time he appeared on the page.
There is some romance in this but it doesn't take away from the main story, it's more hinted at in the beginning and Mina just wants to focus on the baby at first and is adamant about not dragging Jesse down into the mud with her (becomes moot after a certain point).
Dr Keller: compassionate lady and tough too... so glad she was on Mina's side. One part near the end had me especially impressed with her.
Hannah: reminded me of some of my closest buddies.. was so proud of her for sticking to her guns and standing by Mina the whole time.
The religion aspect isn't in-your-face preachy or anything, it fits into the story quite well and the "message" of the story is vague and subtle, which suited the whole tone of the book just fine.
The ending is vague, but I liked it that way. It hints at the future to come and I can't wait to read more about what happens with Iris and her life in the next book.
Would recommend :)
---
"Maybe my decision was selfish; maybe it was reckless and self destructive and naive.
But there was no question, not a fraction of a second's consideration: I would have this baby.
I would be a mother. "
---
But at the same time, was it so awful to give someone hope? Wasn't hope sometimes all we needed to be stronger? To pass through something hard--to make it to the other side.
Maybe hope isn't always about the perfect ending.
Hope is making the journey easier.
This is one when I first heard the summary, I was intrigued but wary. I was afraid it would be super preachy and make me want to chuck it across the room. Once I seen a few reviews from people whose opinion I trusted, I relaxed some but it still took me awhile to pull the trigger and purchase it.
I might not have picked it up for awhile if I hadn't been in a book slump and my confidence being low from not finishing so many books. I was looking on my shelves, just letting my eyes skip along the spines of my collection when this one jumped at me, nudging me. I figured 'what the hell?' and picked it up, not expecting much really.
I was surprised how fast this book drew me in.
"Whenever I think back to that night at the restaurant, that night that changed everything--and I do mean everything--I wonder if I could have done or said anything different, somehow convinced the old woman she had the wrong girl. That my life was just fine as it was, no life-altering, world-altering miracles necessary, though I appreciated the once-in-a-few-millennia-or-so offer.
Mina is just your"typical" teenager, working a job while in school and excited/nervous about her plans for the future when a mysterious old lady comes in and, though she doesn't fully realize it at the time, turns her world upside down.
I thought this was an extremely compelling and (as much it can be) realistic take on what would happen/what reactions would be if this kind of thing happened in this age. How would any of us react if it was us this was happening to or our sister/friend/cousin/daughter? Which side of the fence would you be on, push come to shove?
Some support Mina right away, even if they aren't sure what to believe while others jump on the "anti-Mina" bandwagon right away, or they mean well in their own minds but can't bring themselves to believe her. This was all well done to me, it felt grounded and not "soap opera" over-the-top. There is no black and white, very much a gray area. On either side, each person believes passionately they are "right." (Though it baffles that some think it is okay to violate someone's privacy).
This book did make me angry, but not in the way I thought. It had more do with the fact of people, pushing their beliefs, and hatred onto Mina like they had the right to make sure she had no peace or privacy... I was literally humming with anger at the ignorance of some of these dingleberries, I wanted to reach in and shake them all till some semblance of sense leaked back into their brains.
I am all for people having their different opinions but when you cross a certain line...
Mina's dad said it best:
"Let me say this. I may still not know what to believe here, Mina, and I'm well aware that I haven't been one of your biggest supporters. But I would never--never --do to anyone what these people are doing to you right now. I would never force my religious opinions on a complete stranger. I would never disrespect another family's right to privacy. "Because from where I'm standing, these people are committing much graver sins of their own, casting judgement on you like they have the authority. Acting like they have the right to make God's own decisions. I won't stand for it Mina, I won't. "
And this, under spoiler tag, just to be safe:
I have a few theories about Iris, nothing concrete really... I liked that she
Jesse: such a sweet sweet guy... loyal too, he had me smiling every-time he appeared on the page.
There is some romance in this but it doesn't take away from the main story, it's more hinted at in the beginning and Mina just wants to focus on the baby at first and is adamant about not dragging Jesse down into the mud with her (becomes moot after a certain point).
Dr Keller: compassionate lady and tough too... so glad she was on Mina's side. One part near the end had me especially impressed with her.
Hannah: reminded me of some of my closest buddies.. was so proud of her for sticking to her guns and standing by Mina the whole time.
The religion aspect isn't in-your-face preachy or anything, it fits into the story quite well and the "message" of the story is vague and subtle, which suited the whole tone of the book just fine.
The ending is vague, but I liked it that way. It hints at the future to come and I can't wait to read more about what happens with Iris and her life in the next book.
Would recommend :)
June 1, 2015
I was curious about Immaculate from the first time I heard about it.
It was a "Waiting on Wednesday"
back when I still did those. And I will fully admit to being a little apprehensive because of the potential for it to end up being very religious, which is not really something I like to read.
Alas, I am here to report that it was not only non-preachy, but completely full of amazing characters and amazing, thought provoking messages. Was religion a topic that was in the book? Absolutely, I think it would be impossible not to have it involved when it's a book about someone immaculately conceiving a child. Rest assured that it is in no way going to overpower the book or try to get you to believe in any religion in particular, or any religion at all. We needed to clear that all up, because I know a few people have been a bit hesitant to read because of the religious concerns, but one needn't worry. There were a few moments in the middle of the book that felt just a tad slow, but overall, it was very well done.
What made this book so special? Let's discuss:
Mina Mina was just a fabulous main character, and I was so able to feel her emotions throughout the book. She was obviously upset and scared and feeling like her world was collapsing around her. She had moments of despair and weakness (as you would) and moments of incredible strength and bravery. She was so believable, and to be honest, reminded me a bit of myself in high school, minus the miraculous pregnancy. One of my favorite things about Mina was that while she was upset about her boyfriend being a jerk about things, she was much more concerned about her friendships and family relationships. That was a huge win.
Everyone else So obviously, I loved the characters who stood by Mina. Her mom was an absolute rock. I hope that I can be as good of a mom as Mina's mom was. Mina's sister Gracie was amazing, her friend Hannah was amazing, her OB was amazing, all supportive of Mina, even if they didn't know exactly what had happened. There were characters who were introduced as the story went along who were so wonderful to Mina, and there were characters who grew so much as the story went on.
The realization of so many characters that they could support Mina and show kindness even if they didn't quite know if they could believe her. Listen, I probably wouldn't have been able to unequivocally believe Mina's story. But, I would like to think that I could show her kindness and support, which some people were so, so wonderfully able to do.
Online and in-person bullying is portrayed in an eerily accurate way. Sadly, this stuff happens over all sorts of things, and I have absolutely no doubt that the way Katelyn portrayed the bullying would have played out very similarly if this was a real world story. It's so easy to hide behind a computer screen and/or a crowd mentality, but to judge, threaten, harass, and scare a teenage girl? Never acceptable, no matter what the circumstance. Unfortunately, in the culture we live in, this kind of thing happens far more often than it ever should (which, for the record, would be never).
This isn't just a story of a miraculous conception. Yes, that is a part, of course. But to me, it was more a commentary of how we treat each other, how we can have faith in people without having to fully understand what is happening, and how we can be braver than we'd ever imagine possible. These are really powerful messages, and when told through a beautiful, life-affirming story, they become even more profound.
Bottom Line: Immaculate was about a pregnant virgin, yes. But it was about much, much more. The messages were lovely and deep, and had me thinking about both how I'd react in the situation, and how I would act toward someone else being in the situation. Immaculate is a fabulous, unique, and thought-provoking debut.
*Copy provided by publisher for review*
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
Alas, I am here to report that it was not only non-preachy, but completely full of amazing characters and amazing, thought provoking messages. Was religion a topic that was in the book? Absolutely, I think it would be impossible not to have it involved when it's a book about someone immaculately conceiving a child. Rest assured that it is in no way going to overpower the book or try to get you to believe in any religion in particular, or any religion at all. We needed to clear that all up, because I know a few people have been a bit hesitant to read because of the religious concerns, but one needn't worry. There were a few moments in the middle of the book that felt just a tad slow, but overall, it was very well done.
What made this book so special? Let's discuss:
Mina Mina was just a fabulous main character, and I was so able to feel her emotions throughout the book. She was obviously upset and scared and feeling like her world was collapsing around her. She had moments of despair and weakness (as you would) and moments of incredible strength and bravery. She was so believable, and to be honest, reminded me a bit of myself in high school, minus the miraculous pregnancy. One of my favorite things about Mina was that while she was upset about her boyfriend being a jerk about things, she was much more concerned about her friendships and family relationships. That was a huge win.
Everyone else So obviously, I loved the characters who stood by Mina. Her mom was an absolute rock. I hope that I can be as good of a mom as Mina's mom was. Mina's sister Gracie was amazing, her friend Hannah was amazing, her OB was amazing, all supportive of Mina, even if they didn't know exactly what had happened. There were characters who were introduced as the story went along who were so wonderful to Mina, and there were characters who grew so much as the story went on.
The realization of so many characters that they could support Mina and show kindness even if they didn't quite know if they could believe her. Listen, I probably wouldn't have been able to unequivocally believe Mina's story. But, I would like to think that I could show her kindness and support, which some people were so, so wonderfully able to do.
Online and in-person bullying is portrayed in an eerily accurate way. Sadly, this stuff happens over all sorts of things, and I have absolutely no doubt that the way Katelyn portrayed the bullying would have played out very similarly if this was a real world story. It's so easy to hide behind a computer screen and/or a crowd mentality, but to judge, threaten, harass, and scare a teenage girl? Never acceptable, no matter what the circumstance. Unfortunately, in the culture we live in, this kind of thing happens far more often than it ever should (which, for the record, would be never).
This isn't just a story of a miraculous conception. Yes, that is a part, of course. But to me, it was more a commentary of how we treat each other, how we can have faith in people without having to fully understand what is happening, and how we can be braver than we'd ever imagine possible. These are really powerful messages, and when told through a beautiful, life-affirming story, they become even more profound.
Bottom Line: Immaculate was about a pregnant virgin, yes. But it was about much, much more. The messages were lovely and deep, and had me thinking about both how I'd react in the situation, and how I would act toward someone else being in the situation. Immaculate is a fabulous, unique, and thought-provoking debut.
*Copy provided by publisher for review*
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
January 27, 2016
3.5 stars
”Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.”
This is a story of a miracle; a pregnant virgin, to be precise. Immaculate is a thought-provoking and bewitching story about how society reacts to miracles nowadays and the strength required to face them. It explored all the important aspects in life such as sex, identity and belief and basically everything that builds up an individual.
From the blurb you’d probably assume that this is a Mary the Virgin retelling, which will lead you to think there’ll be a lot of preaching and biblical references thrown in, but Katelyn Detweiler recognised that there is more than one perception of God and when Mina was doing her search about what may have led to this immaculate conception she never once believed that this is the work of the same God she learned about in her church every Sunday. She knew that she had to broaden her search and look other ways, too.
Although I did not like Mina that much and I felt like she was dull and didn’t know how to react at certain moments, but who would’ve in her situation? Considering society does not react well to what they cannot explain, Mina was in for a lot.
Overall, this was a nice read and I’d recommend reading it if you’re interested.
”Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.”
This is a story of a miracle; a pregnant virgin, to be precise. Immaculate is a thought-provoking and bewitching story about how society reacts to miracles nowadays and the strength required to face them. It explored all the important aspects in life such as sex, identity and belief and basically everything that builds up an individual.
From the blurb you’d probably assume that this is a Mary the Virgin retelling, which will lead you to think there’ll be a lot of preaching and biblical references thrown in, but Katelyn Detweiler recognised that there is more than one perception of God and when Mina was doing her search about what may have led to this immaculate conception she never once believed that this is the work of the same God she learned about in her church every Sunday. She knew that she had to broaden her search and look other ways, too.
Although I did not like Mina that much and I felt like she was dull and didn’t know how to react at certain moments, but who would’ve in her situation? Considering society does not react well to what they cannot explain, Mina was in for a lot.
Overall, this was a nice read and I’d recommend reading it if you’re interested.
May 20, 2015
Immaculate was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, because of the whole pregnant virgin storyline. I started out liking the book okay mostly because the writing style was very enjoyable. However, I thought the characters were a little flat overall and needed to be fleshed out a little bit more. The main character, Mina, was a decent character, but I didn't feel much of an emotional connection to her. I have to admit that she was a little too accepting of her pregnancy, but at the same time I was glad that she handled herself so gracefully throughout the book. I did really love Mina's mom and best friend. They were an incredible support system to her and Mina needed them by her side. One thing that could have made Immaculate a much stronger read is the length of the book. This book is very long for a contemporary novel at over 400 pages and sadly, a lot of the scenes were repetitive. I thought it needed more editing so as to cut off scenes and to be shorter. I'm also not sure what the overall message of the book was supposed to be. All in all, the writing makes Immaculate readable, but the story in itself was rather lackluster.
think-about-it
July 11, 2015 Blurb is too awesome it's kinda scary...
January 26, 2016
4.5
If someone—your girlfriend, wife, best friend, or a random stranger—told you that they were pregnant and a virgin, would you believe them? You'd probably think they were crazy, right?
Well, everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Mina is crazy, because that's just the story she's been telling them. And it's true. Mina is a virgin, and yet one night an old, white-haired woman comes into the pizzeria where Mina works as a waitress and tells her that she is going to have a baby. Of course Mina wonders, How is this possible?
This book is loosely based off of the Bible story of Jesus's mother, Mary. There weren't a whole lot of strictly "Christian" themes incorporated into the plot, but there were many powerful messages about faith, hope, and miracles.
When people start finding out about Mina, someone starts a hate blog dedicated to her called "Virgin Mina." Every day Mina checks the blog to see that more and more people are spewing all kinds of cruelty about her online. Eventually Mina's story becomes so popular that she's in the news, but she wants nothing more than to be out of the spotlight and go back to her normal life . . . well, as "normal" as it can get when you're a pregnant, virgin teenager.
I thought the characters in this book were great, and very well developed. Mina isn't a perfect main character—she screws up a lot, but that's to be expected. And out of all the people jeering at her and throwing nasty comments her way, she does have a few supporters, people who believe her story—namely her family, best friend Hannah, and new friend Jesse, who works with her at the pizzeria.
You might think things sound rather bleak for poor Mina, but believe it or not, everything works out all right in the end, and it leaves off with a hint of something even more amazing to come. This book covered the main topic so well, and the author delved much deeper into the concept of miracles than I ever would have thought possible. I expected a quiet, moving story, but Immaculate was loud, dynamic, and powerful in a way that demands your attention. Everything ties together in the end in a huge, amazing climax.
I would highly recommend this book, even if you aren't particularly keen on religion. It was just so lovely, thought-provoking, and meaningful, but also incredibly sad and frustrating. This book dares you to believe in the miraculous. It grated on my nerves in a good way and was truly a pleasure to read.
If someone—your girlfriend, wife, best friend, or a random stranger—told you that they were pregnant and a virgin, would you believe them? You'd probably think they were crazy, right?
Well, everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Mina is crazy, because that's just the story she's been telling them. And it's true. Mina is a virgin, and yet one night an old, white-haired woman comes into the pizzeria where Mina works as a waitress and tells her that she is going to have a baby. Of course Mina wonders, How is this possible?
This book is loosely based off of the Bible story of Jesus's mother, Mary. There weren't a whole lot of strictly "Christian" themes incorporated into the plot, but there were many powerful messages about faith, hope, and miracles.
When people start finding out about Mina, someone starts a hate blog dedicated to her called "Virgin Mina." Every day Mina checks the blog to see that more and more people are spewing all kinds of cruelty about her online. Eventually Mina's story becomes so popular that she's in the news, but she wants nothing more than to be out of the spotlight and go back to her normal life . . . well, as "normal" as it can get when you're a pregnant, virgin teenager.
I thought the characters in this book were great, and very well developed. Mina isn't a perfect main character—she screws up a lot, but that's to be expected. And out of all the people jeering at her and throwing nasty comments her way, she does have a few supporters, people who believe her story—namely her family, best friend Hannah, and new friend Jesse, who works with her at the pizzeria.
You might think things sound rather bleak for poor Mina, but believe it or not, everything works out all right in the end, and it leaves off with a hint of something even more amazing to come. This book covered the main topic so well, and the author delved much deeper into the concept of miracles than I ever would have thought possible. I expected a quiet, moving story, but Immaculate was loud, dynamic, and powerful in a way that demands your attention. Everything ties together in the end in a huge, amazing climax.
I would highly recommend this book, even if you aren't particularly keen on religion. It was just so lovely, thought-provoking, and meaningful, but also incredibly sad and frustrating. This book dares you to believe in the miraculous. It grated on my nerves in a good way and was truly a pleasure to read.
August 6, 2015
This book makes you think - and not necessarily about religion. I was very intrigued when I read about this one; I was worried it would be overtly sacrilegious or fire-and-brimstone preachy. It was neither. Mina's story toes the line just enough to not fall in either category. Her story reminds us what it truly means to have faith in love, in life, and in each other as well as what happens when we lose that faith. A fast-paced read that I'm so glad I picked up.
June 25, 2015
Immaculate by Katelyn Detweiler is not about the how’s but rather the result, the after effects of that result & what to do with it. So if you’re interested to read it because you’re too keen to know on how the supposed Immaculate Conception happened then you won’t get that. I didn’t get that. I think the why/how pregnant is not the real focus but more of a device to kindle events; and those events were given spotlight. At least that was the impression I got.
If my friend told me that she is pregnant and she was still a virgin and didn’t do the deed, I would be very skeptical. I will doubt for sure. Just like her fiends did. Just like her boyfriend did. Just like her father did. Just like most people did. Because at this modern age will someone really believe a phenomenon like this could still happen?
Now with that question lingering in my head, made me conclude that maybe this is what the book wanted me to think. The absence of the definite “how” did make me think like the people of the book: to doubt . In hindsight maybe it’s not about the miracle itself but being able to believe it exists/that it could happen. I think the faith of the people was tested when they were presented with a situation that truly suggests cynicism because no one can prove it. We always need an evidence to believe, right?
The heroine was lost because she herself didn’t know how it happened. People gossip about her, lost trust on her. But amidst that there were still people who didn’t lose faith on her. Who trusted & believed her. Who doubted first but managed to believe later. And those who have unwavering trust. I think it was such a big assurance to know that people still believe—even against the odds—on her; or even if they doubted at first still chose to believe. That was what happened. In fact, someone took a chance on her.
When I finished the book I was so confused, a bit disappointed but after weighing in, I think it was somewhat clever. And that itself was quite a feat that this book managed to accomplish. Like I said it felt like I was in those people’s shoes.
3.5/5
Originally published at The Aeropapers.
If my friend told me that she is pregnant and she was still a virgin and didn’t do the deed, I would be very skeptical. I will doubt for sure. Just like her fiends did. Just like her boyfriend did. Just like her father did. Just like most people did. Because at this modern age will someone really believe a phenomenon like this could still happen?
Now with that question lingering in my head, made me conclude that maybe this is what the book wanted me to think. The absence of the definite “how” did make me think like the people of the book: to doubt . In hindsight maybe it’s not about the miracle itself but being able to believe it exists/that it could happen. I think the faith of the people was tested when they were presented with a situation that truly suggests cynicism because no one can prove it. We always need an evidence to believe, right?
The heroine was lost because she herself didn’t know how it happened. People gossip about her, lost trust on her. But amidst that there were still people who didn’t lose faith on her. Who trusted & believed her. Who doubted first but managed to believe later. And those who have unwavering trust. I think it was such a big assurance to know that people still believe—even against the odds—on her; or even if they doubted at first still chose to believe. That was what happened. In fact, someone took a chance on her.
When I finished the book I was so confused, a bit disappointed but after weighing in, I think it was somewhat clever. And that itself was quite a feat that this book managed to accomplish. Like I said it felt like I was in those people’s shoes.
3.5/5
Originally published at The Aeropapers.
August 23, 2015
I did NOT like this.
I have to admit the idea was so interesting I started reading it hours after I first heard about it.
But the book?! AUGH! I had to stick with my record of not reading even one teenage pregnancy book!
The truth is the idea didn't do much for this book, replace this with a let's say rape pregnancy and not much would be different.
Besides that, it just pissed me off with how unrealistic and predictable it was. Jessie? Seriously? I can honestly say NO teenage boy in their right mind would act the way he did!
And don't get me started on Gracie? She was supposed to be seven? For goodness sake, she seemed more like 17, And Mina the 17 year old? Well let's go with 37 for her - except for the times she acted like a 2 year old-
Every character was so incredibly shallow and one dimensional. I didn't fill connected to a single on of them. There was no complexity to them, just typical stereotype teen characters, The kind best friend, the strong best friend, the ex boyfriend, the dreamy perfect boy, the jerk in school,...
And the ending? Don't get me started on the ending. You know what don't get me started on anything, because in case it wasn't clear enough,
I DID NOT like this.
I have to admit the idea was so interesting I started reading it hours after I first heard about it.
But the book?! AUGH! I had to stick with my record of not reading even one teenage pregnancy book!
The truth is the idea didn't do much for this book, replace this with a let's say rape pregnancy and not much would be different.
Besides that, it just pissed me off with how unrealistic and predictable it was. Jessie? Seriously? I can honestly say NO teenage boy in their right mind would act the way he did!
And don't get me started on Gracie? She was supposed to be seven? For goodness sake, she seemed more like 17, And Mina the 17 year old? Well let's go with 37 for her - except for the times she acted like a 2 year old-
Every character was so incredibly shallow and one dimensional. I didn't fill connected to a single on of them. There was no complexity to them, just typical stereotype teen characters, The kind best friend, the strong best friend, the ex boyfriend, the dreamy perfect boy, the jerk in school,...
And the ending? Don't get me started on the ending. You know what don't get me started on anything, because in case it wasn't clear enough,
I DID NOT like this.
Read
May 8, 2015While this isn't a perfect novel -- there were some things that were too clean and tidily resolved at the end -- this is a GREAT read.
What happens when a girl is told she's pregnant and she's never had sex, even though she's had a long-time boyfriend? Who will believe her story?
This is a book about girls' stories and how people do and don't believe them. It has some religious elements to it, but it is NOT about that. The story relies more on the idea of faith than it does on capital-R religion, so if that's a thing that worries you, rest assured.
There's romance here, but at the heart is the struggle Mina deals with knowing she's pregnant, making choices about her future and her child's future, and more, what she'll do socially when people are eager to dismantle her, mar her reputation, and abandon her when she most needs them. The friendship strings in this book are out of this world good, and the whole read is compelling. It's longer, but it's well-paced and never drags.
What happens when a girl is told she's pregnant and she's never had sex, even though she's had a long-time boyfriend? Who will believe her story?
This is a book about girls' stories and how people do and don't believe them. It has some religious elements to it, but it is NOT about that. The story relies more on the idea of faith than it does on capital-R religion, so if that's a thing that worries you, rest assured.
There's romance here, but at the heart is the struggle Mina deals with knowing she's pregnant, making choices about her future and her child's future, and more, what she'll do socially when people are eager to dismantle her, mar her reputation, and abandon her when she most needs them. The friendship strings in this book are out of this world good, and the whole read is compelling. It's longer, but it's well-paced and never drags.
February 2, 2017
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
I read this book ages ago, so why haven't I reviewed it yet? It kind of got lost in my "to-review" pile, and I just kept pushing back a review for it. But I realized that I need to get those reviews finished up, so here goes!
Mina has a great life, and she's incredibly happy with the way things are going for her. For starters, she has an awesome boyfriend with whom she is in love (a great guy who gets great grades and makes her all kinds of happy), plus she manages to get good grades and studies so that she can get into college. She's close with her family, especially her father, and everything seems to be going well for her. She even has two best friends to share everything with.
One night, after a weird encounter with an old woman at the pizza place where she works, Mina is troubled, but moves on with her life, just chalking it up to the old woman being lonely and not really sure what she is talking about.
However, a few weeks later, when Mina starts throwing up and feeling off, her friends ask her the question: is she pregnant?
Mina, of course, says no. After all, she hasn't had sex with her boyfriend, so how could she possibly be pregnant? Although she does find this concerning, because she has plenty of symptoms that point to that being the problem. Desperate to make her friends realize that there is no way she could be pregnant, she takes a test. And then another. And much to her surprise, the tests all come up positive.
Mina is, indeed pregnant. But how?
Explaining things to her friends and family (and especially her boyfriend, who her father forces her to tell), no one believes her. Except her mother and one of her friends. As time goes on, Mina realizes that the odd encounter she had a few months ago at the pizza place might not have been so crazy after all - in fact, maybe the old woman knew exactly what she was talking about.
Immaculate follows Mina through 9 months of pregnancy, self-discovery, and coming to terms with a new life. Through everything, even the most devastating moments, Mina must find her faith and realize that there must be a reason that she has been chosen for this. It is painful, as friends desert her, the media picks her apart, and those closest to her, such as her father, turn their backs on her and leave her to figure out her life on her own.
As Mina makes new friends and comes to term with her life, and the life she will soon be bringing in to the world, she makes discoveries about herself and those around her that shake up her world even more.
This book had been on my list for quite some time, and I went into it with high hopes, because the plot sounded like something I wouldn't be able to get enough of. I did manage to have that "Hey, I can't put this down!" feeling throughout the entire book, too.
But the one thing that got me was how unbelievable some of this book was. I mean, I know we're dealing with a immaculate conception here, but what bothered me in this book was the way that when Mina's classmates were pretty much torturing her, she just kept going back to school and dealing with it. I understand that most kids don't have the ability to get home schooled or something, but you'd think in her special case, her parents would have insisted upon it. I seriously found myself wondering what was up with that several times throughout the book. It just...I don't know. Kind of bothered me a bit, I guess.
Mina's boyfriend also seemed like the cookie cutter boyfriend to me. He lacked personality that would have made his character otherwise a little more substantial to the story. I didn't even much care for him in the beginning of the book, before Mina was even forced to tell him she was pregnant.
And speaking of being forced to tell him she was pregnant, her father really should have handled that situation better. I know he was upset and I understand that, but he forced her into a situation that she herself didn't even understand yet, and pretty much showed that he had no trust in his daughter. Mina's mother believed her, but her father didn't, and it was kind of hard to witness. Especially when Mina has been a good girl pretty much her entire life.
Enough ranting about those issues, though, because this was a really good book and I don't want to throw out the idea that maybe I didn't actually enjoy it. The plot and story were different (from all other YA I've read), and for the most part, the characters in this one were really interesting. Aside from the few problems that I've already picked apart, I think this was a great read. I'll probably pick it up again in the future to reread, too.
I read this book ages ago, so why haven't I reviewed it yet? It kind of got lost in my "to-review" pile, and I just kept pushing back a review for it. But I realized that I need to get those reviews finished up, so here goes!
Mina has a great life, and she's incredibly happy with the way things are going for her. For starters, she has an awesome boyfriend with whom she is in love (a great guy who gets great grades and makes her all kinds of happy), plus she manages to get good grades and studies so that she can get into college. She's close with her family, especially her father, and everything seems to be going well for her. She even has two best friends to share everything with.
One night, after a weird encounter with an old woman at the pizza place where she works, Mina is troubled, but moves on with her life, just chalking it up to the old woman being lonely and not really sure what she is talking about.
However, a few weeks later, when Mina starts throwing up and feeling off, her friends ask her the question: is she pregnant?
Mina, of course, says no. After all, she hasn't had sex with her boyfriend, so how could she possibly be pregnant? Although she does find this concerning, because she has plenty of symptoms that point to that being the problem. Desperate to make her friends realize that there is no way she could be pregnant, she takes a test. And then another. And much to her surprise, the tests all come up positive.
Mina is, indeed pregnant. But how?
Explaining things to her friends and family (and especially her boyfriend, who her father forces her to tell), no one believes her. Except her mother and one of her friends. As time goes on, Mina realizes that the odd encounter she had a few months ago at the pizza place might not have been so crazy after all - in fact, maybe the old woman knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Faith, I was learning, wasn't easy. But then again, wasn't I carrying around the proof of a miracle, every minute of every day for these nine months?"
Immaculate follows Mina through 9 months of pregnancy, self-discovery, and coming to terms with a new life. Through everything, even the most devastating moments, Mina must find her faith and realize that there must be a reason that she has been chosen for this. It is painful, as friends desert her, the media picks her apart, and those closest to her, such as her father, turn their backs on her and leave her to figure out her life on her own.
As Mina makes new friends and comes to term with her life, and the life she will soon be bringing in to the world, she makes discoveries about herself and those around her that shake up her world even more.
"Maybe hope isn't always about the perfect ending. Hope is making the journey easier."
This book had been on my list for quite some time, and I went into it with high hopes, because the plot sounded like something I wouldn't be able to get enough of. I did manage to have that "Hey, I can't put this down!" feeling throughout the entire book, too.
But the one thing that got me was how unbelievable some of this book was. I mean, I know we're dealing with a immaculate conception here, but what bothered me in this book was the way that when Mina's classmates were pretty much torturing her, she just kept going back to school and dealing with it. I understand that most kids don't have the ability to get home schooled or something, but you'd think in her special case, her parents would have insisted upon it. I seriously found myself wondering what was up with that several times throughout the book. It just...I don't know. Kind of bothered me a bit, I guess.
Mina's boyfriend also seemed like the cookie cutter boyfriend to me. He lacked personality that would have made his character otherwise a little more substantial to the story. I didn't even much care for him in the beginning of the book, before Mina was even forced to tell him she was pregnant.
And speaking of being forced to tell him she was pregnant, her father really should have handled that situation better. I know he was upset and I understand that, but he forced her into a situation that she herself didn't even understand yet, and pretty much showed that he had no trust in his daughter. Mina's mother believed her, but her father didn't, and it was kind of hard to witness. Especially when Mina has been a good girl pretty much her entire life.
Enough ranting about those issues, though, because this was a really good book and I don't want to throw out the idea that maybe I didn't actually enjoy it. The plot and story were different (from all other YA I've read), and for the most part, the characters in this one were really interesting. Aside from the few problems that I've already picked apart, I think this was a great read. I'll probably pick it up again in the future to reread, too.
May 25, 2020
I did not know what to expect when going into this book. It is definitely not one of my normal reads since it is contemporary. But it was so good and I could not put it down. There are some religious aspects in this book and I think I was intrigued even more because of them. The more I read it the more I wanted to know the reasons behind it and the ending. Though there were definitely some aspects that I wish the author had talked more about, I think the story flowed very well and the characters were very well developed. When I finished the buck there were a lot of things that clicked and a lot of things that are still a mystery. I think that's what made me love the store even more because it leaves it to your own imagination to try to piece together the real reasons for everything that happened...
June 17, 2015
At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult; Contemporary
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Slight Triangle
Cliff Hanger:
Rating: 3 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 7
Characters: 6
World Building: 6
Flow: 4
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 5
Total: 7
In Depth
Best Part: Virgin Mary!
Worst Part: Draggingggg.
Overall Feels Felt: Not ok!; Always say no!; That's it?!?
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: yah
Misc.:
Short Review: Well, a modern day virgin Mary, i was disappointed with this. Honestly this could have gone so much better in my opinion. They could have really played up the crazy peeps who were supporting who and all that. The ending was very iffy for me. She had the baby and that's the end! WTH. There needed to be so much more! How did the world react?!? Did they test it??? Ugh. So many unanswered questions! And the MC was flaky as a biscuit.
Review In GIF Form
Genre: Young Adult; Contemporary
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Slight Triangle
Cliff Hanger:
Rating: 3 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 7
Characters: 6
World Building: 6
Flow: 4
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 5
Total: 7
In Depth
Best Part: Virgin Mary!
Worst Part: Draggingggg.
Overall Feels Felt: Not ok!; Always say no!; That's it?!?
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: yah
Misc.:
Short Review: Well, a modern day virgin Mary, i was disappointed with this. Honestly this could have gone so much better in my opinion. They could have really played up the crazy peeps who were supporting who and all that. The ending was very iffy for me. She had the baby and that's the end! WTH. There needed to be so much more! How did the world react?!? Did they test it??? Ugh. So many unanswered questions! And the MC was flaky as a biscuit.
Review In GIF Form
February 16, 2016
The premise of a 17 year old virgin getting pregnant was enough to grab my interest but I did not expect this book to be as captivating and thought provoking as it was! Some parts were infuriating, the persecution Mina suffered through at the hands of people who had no business getting involved in her life. But it was so inspiring to read about the support she got from her family, Hannah, and Jesse. I shed a tear or two. The role of religion remains ambiguous throughout the book; in reality, this is a story about family, friends, the impact of an event this unexpected, and having faith in something you could never explain. It made me question how I would react if this happened in real life. If people could believe in miracles laid out in religious texts of the past, why is it so out of the realm of possibility for miracles to happen now? I lowkey hope there is a sequel, the author is a lovely writer and I want to see what happens to these characters. I believe Immaculate was a perfect read for the holiday season.
July 7, 2015
Basically a 21st version of Mary, pregnant virgin, with her very own Joseph. I kept waiting for something to happen but nope. This novel had flat characters, unrealistic dialogue, a heroine that I increasingly disliked, and something that stretched my belief even more than pregnant virgins: mainstream media actually caring about a girl saying she was a pregnant virgin. I mean. Does the author live in 2015? And, if you're waiting for the mystery to be solved, you'll be waiting a long time. In the mean time, satisfy yourself with some hippy dippy after school vague platitudes about faith and belief. There are some books you read and you think, "If getting a novel published was purely based on writing and story-telling ability and if this book got published, I could do it too." That's how this novel made me feel. That's not a compliment, yo.
to-read-own
April 5, 2016Declined.
:(
Imma cry.
:(
Imma cry.
March 24, 2016
Ma chronique 4,5/5 : http://enjoybooksaddict.blogspot.fr/2...
February 10, 2017
I picked up Immaculate on a whim. Some reviewers who I trust had given the book glowing reviews and I had a week or so without any new releases I was planning to buy. So I thought "why not?"
I think sometimes the best books are the ones you don't plan to read. At least, in this case that was true.
Immaculate is the story of Mina, a pregnant virgin. It's the story of what happens when something is unbelievable--nay impossible--but it happens anyway.
The "issue" in Immaculate wasn't Mina's pregnancy, not really. It wasn't even Christianity, or religion at all (despite some of the parallels. Mina - Mary; Jesse - Joseph; etc.). The pregnancy was the vehicle that delivered the message-- no, not message... the food for thought. It was the thing that served to make the reader think about the main issue of the book. The main issue was faith. Can you believe something unbelievable? Should you? If something impossible happens, does that mean it's not impossible? Whose job is it to decide what is possible and what is not?
I though the schism that formed was very believable. Some people believed Mina, some didn't. She lost one friend, she got closer to one friend. Her mom trusted her without question, her dad was a skeptic. The author did a lot of exploring the issue, showing a wide array of different reactions. Part of the point of the book, I think, was the show Mina (and the reader) how to decide who in your life matters. At one point, one of the characters recited the ever popular quote "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter." I loved her support system, which consisted of her family (whether or not they believed her), her friend Hannah, a boy named Jesse (who also met the strange old lady who came to Mina to ask her to carry the child).
And along the lines of "people who believe her and people who don't," nothing in this book felt contrived. There was no drama put in just for the sake of drama. It was all genuine, a natural progression. Katelyn Detweiler built the set up and then followed the story where it naturally flowed. Like a stream breaking off a river and running through a forest for the first time, dodging rocks and roots, picking up sticks-- this metaphor is kind of getting away from me. What I mean is, once the story was set in motion, all the things that happened had to happen. Friendships had to be severed. Some kids at school and some members of the community had to be hostile in their disbelief. Self-proclaimed "righteous anger" at Mina's "blasphemy" had to get out of hand (in the form of a slanderous website and a community of vitriolic people spewing hatred). That's not to say it was right for those things to happen, but it was realistic.
I thought it was interesting that blind faith was pitted against itself, in a way. Mina's mom believed in and supported her no questions asked, but the people who were the most angry about her situation were blindly faithful religious fanatics who could not resist calling her blasphemous and telling her how God felt and what God would do and what God thought, even though they couldn't possibly know those things.
I don't really want to get into my own feelings about religion, but I will say that Mina's feelings about religion resonated with me a lot. Maybe that's part of why I liked the book so much.
But I also liked it because it was well written. The story flowed well, my interest in the story never waned, it needed everyone of the 460+ pages to tell its story.
I only have a few small reservations.
1. I would have liked to feel more closure when it came to Mina's ex-boyfriend Nate. They were apparently so close, but after he broke up with her he pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth (only showing up again to accuse Jesse of sleeping with Mina and to make Mina sad about losing half of her close friend group).
2. Jesse's motives to be so dedicated to Mina were a little weak. but at the beginning, I thought his feelings were a little too intense a little too fast.
3. The reason for Mina's pregnancy felt a little bit like "just because." I would have liked more closure on that front, too. I understand, of course, that stories can't always be neatly wrapped up, so I'm not faulting the book for this. I'm just a very curious person so I like to dig deeper into things.
I'm so trained to sandwich negatives in between positives, I feel a little bad for sticking my reservations at the end like that. But my conclusion is positive enough, I'm sure.
Katelyn Detweiler is a promising debut author. I'm looking forward to reading whatever she writes next. In fact, even though I just finished reading this book yesterday, I wish she'd announce another project so I could get pumped about it.
I think sometimes the best books are the ones you don't plan to read. At least, in this case that was true.
Immaculate is the story of Mina, a pregnant virgin. It's the story of what happens when something is unbelievable--nay impossible--but it happens anyway.
The "issue" in Immaculate wasn't Mina's pregnancy, not really. It wasn't even Christianity, or religion at all (despite some of the parallels. Mina - Mary; Jesse - Joseph; etc.). The pregnancy was the vehicle that delivered the message-- no, not message... the food for thought. It was the thing that served to make the reader think about the main issue of the book. The main issue was faith. Can you believe something unbelievable? Should you? If something impossible happens, does that mean it's not impossible? Whose job is it to decide what is possible and what is not?
I though the schism that formed was very believable. Some people believed Mina, some didn't. She lost one friend, she got closer to one friend. Her mom trusted her without question, her dad was a skeptic. The author did a lot of exploring the issue, showing a wide array of different reactions. Part of the point of the book, I think, was the show Mina (and the reader) how to decide who in your life matters. At one point, one of the characters recited the ever popular quote "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter." I loved her support system, which consisted of her family (whether or not they believed her), her friend Hannah, a boy named Jesse (who also met the strange old lady who came to Mina to ask her to carry the child).
And along the lines of "people who believe her and people who don't," nothing in this book felt contrived. There was no drama put in just for the sake of drama. It was all genuine, a natural progression. Katelyn Detweiler built the set up and then followed the story where it naturally flowed. Like a stream breaking off a river and running through a forest for the first time, dodging rocks and roots, picking up sticks-- this metaphor is kind of getting away from me. What I mean is, once the story was set in motion, all the things that happened had to happen. Friendships had to be severed. Some kids at school and some members of the community had to be hostile in their disbelief. Self-proclaimed "righteous anger" at Mina's "blasphemy" had to get out of hand (in the form of a slanderous website and a community of vitriolic people spewing hatred). That's not to say it was right for those things to happen, but it was realistic.
I thought it was interesting that blind faith was pitted against itself, in a way. Mina's mom believed in and supported her no questions asked, but the people who were the most angry about her situation were blindly faithful religious fanatics who could not resist calling her blasphemous and telling her how God felt and what God would do and what God thought, even though they couldn't possibly know those things.
I don't really want to get into my own feelings about religion, but I will say that Mina's feelings about religion resonated with me a lot. Maybe that's part of why I liked the book so much.
But I also liked it because it was well written. The story flowed well, my interest in the story never waned, it needed everyone of the 460+ pages to tell its story.
I only have a few small reservations.
1. I would have liked to feel more closure when it came to Mina's ex-boyfriend Nate. They were apparently so close, but after he broke up with her he pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth (only showing up again to accuse Jesse of sleeping with Mina and to make Mina sad about losing half of her close friend group).
2. Jesse's motives to be so dedicated to Mina were a little weak. but at the beginning, I thought his feelings were a little too intense a little too fast.
3. The reason for Mina's pregnancy felt a little bit like "just because." I would have liked more closure on that front, too. I understand, of course, that stories can't always be neatly wrapped up, so I'm not faulting the book for this. I'm just a very curious person so I like to dig deeper into things.
I'm so trained to sandwich negatives in between positives, I feel a little bad for sticking my reservations at the end like that. But my conclusion is positive enough, I'm sure.
Katelyn Detweiler is a promising debut author. I'm looking forward to reading whatever she writes next. In fact, even though I just finished reading this book yesterday, I wish she'd announce another project so I could get pumped about it.
August 25, 2015
I wish this book didn't have an identity crisis. I really do.
On one hand, it dealt sensibly wiht harsh issues. Faith, bullying, privacy, the media, friendship, trust, religious zeal, hypocrisy, etc. The main character was surprisingly likeable and I could follow her reasoning and thought process and emotional journey. I picked the book up originally because I thought the premise of a pregnant virgin was interesting.
But somewhere along the way, the execution turned sour. The story started cycling and the scenes became repetitive- I guess you have to do something to fill in nine months' worth of a pregnancy timeline.
This made the book a touch predictable. For example, I could have told you from page 10 what Mina's child could have been named and from page 100 that in the end, Izzy was coming back after a brief sling with Nate (this is a 443 page book mind you, so that's a long time waiting for the obvious to come around).
Nowhere was the book hurt more violently than with the dialogue which quickly turned long, explicit and unrealistic.
There it is: explicit. That's the word to describe this book, whereas I feel like a more implicit and gentle wording would have suited its creative premise, beautiful messages and story better.
On one hand, it dealt sensibly wiht harsh issues. Faith, bullying, privacy, the media, friendship, trust, religious zeal, hypocrisy, etc. The main character was surprisingly likeable and I could follow her reasoning and thought process and emotional journey. I picked the book up originally because I thought the premise of a pregnant virgin was interesting.
But somewhere along the way, the execution turned sour. The story started cycling and the scenes became repetitive- I guess you have to do something to fill in nine months' worth of a pregnancy timeline.
This made the book a touch predictable. For example, I could have told you from page 10 what Mina's child could have been named and from page 100 that in the end, Izzy was coming back after a brief sling with Nate (this is a 443 page book mind you, so that's a long time waiting for the obvious to come around).
Nowhere was the book hurt more violently than with the dialogue which quickly turned long, explicit and unrealistic.
There it is: explicit. That's the word to describe this book, whereas I feel like a more implicit and gentle wording would have suited its creative premise, beautiful messages and story better.
June 22, 2016
Wow, what a great concept. This is the classic 'what if' question and the novel goes on to explore exactly that: what if you were 17, a virgin - and pregnant in current day small town USA. Detweiler's introspection through her main character Mina, is so spot on that you could be inside her character's head. It's authentic, at times shocking in terms of how the world reacts to a teenage girl and her claims, but also life affirming; Mina learns to trust in and accept who she is - something teens of all generations continue to explore. Highly recommended for something original and thought-provoking.
Want to read
September 18, 2014I hope this isn't a super religious book
Still sounds interesting!
Still sounds interesting!
March 29, 2020
I thought this book had a really interesting premise and a very readable writing style that kept me engaged the whole time. The book is about a girl named Mina who encounters a strange woman named Iris. Iris says she needs her to do something and in order to get her to leave her alone Mina says yes. What follows is an unexplained pregnancy and the fallout first in her family, then her social circle, then the world at large. I really enjoyed the reading experience but I wish we would've gotten more answers in the end.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Mina finds herself pregnant in an immaculate conception. She's a virgin and nobody believes her when she says that. Her dad is especially rough on her at first. She has 2 BFF's- Izzy and Hannah- and Izzy runs out on her while Hannah stays by her side. Her mom stays by her side while her dad is angry and wants her admit to her "mistake". Her boyfriend Nate blows up on her and insists she's cheated. So now Mina is left scared, confused, and with only her mom, her little sister Gracie, her friend Hannah, and her male coworker Jesse on her side. Jesse is so kind and they kiss at some points in the book, but he's really just a great friend that may or may not evolve into more. They had just met when Iris came into her place of work. Jesse witnessed the whole thing so he believes her. Her doctor is also awesome and never really says she believes her, but doesn't openly doubt her either. The book goes on and we just see more and more people get involved in this "virgin Mary" case while Mina is also trying to figure out how to cope. She keeps seeing Iris in times of extreme emotion but then she disappears. Her friend Izzy finally comes back and apologizes, but Nate never really does. The whole world (literally) gets involved and theres a protest in her town with people from everywhere. They come to her house and she goes out and tells them to stop and something happens and she's knocked out. She wakes up in the hospital and they decide to lie and say she lost the baby so she can run away. She goes to NYC with her coworker Jesse and she lives there. It's perfect because Hannah and Jesse are both going to college there so she'll get to live her life. Unshockingly, she names the baby Iris.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Mina finds herself pregnant in an immaculate conception. She's a virgin and nobody believes her when she says that. Her dad is especially rough on her at first. She has 2 BFF's- Izzy and Hannah- and Izzy runs out on her while Hannah stays by her side. Her mom stays by her side while her dad is angry and wants her admit to her "mistake". Her boyfriend Nate blows up on her and insists she's cheated. So now Mina is left scared, confused, and with only her mom, her little sister Gracie, her friend Hannah, and her male coworker Jesse on her side. Jesse is so kind and they kiss at some points in the book, but he's really just a great friend that may or may not evolve into more. They had just met when Iris came into her place of work. Jesse witnessed the whole thing so he believes her. Her doctor is also awesome and never really says she believes her, but doesn't openly doubt her either. The book goes on and we just see more and more people get involved in this "virgin Mary" case while Mina is also trying to figure out how to cope. She keeps seeing Iris in times of extreme emotion but then she disappears. Her friend Izzy finally comes back and apologizes, but Nate never really does. The whole world (literally) gets involved and theres a protest in her town with people from everywhere. They come to her house and she goes out and tells them to stop and something happens and she's knocked out. She wakes up in the hospital and they decide to lie and say she lost the baby so she can run away. She goes to NYC with her coworker Jesse and she lives there. It's perfect because Hannah and Jesse are both going to college there so she'll get to live her life. Unshockingly, she names the baby Iris.
February 23, 2017
2.5 stars!
November 2, 2015
Obviously, I'd been looking forward to this.
Who wouldn't be, honestly? A pregnant virgin? I immediately thought of Jane the Virgin. For those who haven't seen that show, you seriously have to. It is a revelation.
Mina's tale follows a somewhat similar pattern. While getting ready to close up the pizza place where she works as a waitress, an elderly woman, Iris, ambles in. Mina decides to take pity on her and offer her soda and conversation before she goes to meet her boyfriend, Nate. However, when their conversation becomes cryptic, Mina becomes frightened. She orders the old woman to leave, then closes shop.
About a week later, she starts experiencing strange symptoms. She starts vomiting, crying profusely, and craving junk-food, which I honestly found all cliché but okay.
Her best friends, Hannah and Izzy, decide to confront her and are like, "WTF? Did you cash in your V-card and not tell us?" but Mina is like:
Flash-forward some. Mina and co. decide to head to Walgreens and grab a few pregnancy tests, then haul ass back to their childhood treehouse where she finally confirms the official news of her "miracle baby."
But the miracle baby comes with consequences. Although, Mina seems to be A-OK with a surprise pregnancy, her family and boyfriend, Nate, react differently. Nate and her other best friend, Izzy, accuses her of infidelity. Rightfully so, I would think. And her father cries. The only people who seem to believe her story are her mother, her little sister who speaks like she's like seventy-three, her other BFF, Hannah, and her co-worker at the pizza parlor, Jesse, who clings to her in a natural form of instalove.
Somehow, the pregnancy bombshell is exposed and Mina expects to head back to school like normal, but other kids start bullying her and pen a website called "Virgin Mina", which I actually found hilarious, at first. Mina, for the most part, handles the bullying like a pro. But I was surprised Mina's school still let her attend school, knowing she was pregnant.
Back to Mina and Jesse. Instalove. Ugh. I'd hoped she and Nate would've reunited somehow, but she pounced on Jesse so fast, I barely had a moment to blink.
As I'm not totally religious, I'd enjoyed having a deeper exploration of Mary and Joseph. Also, I was so fond of how loyal Hannah, her best friend, was to her. Even through all the bullying, shit-talking, BS, etc., the girl never left her side. She deserves a charm bracelet.
The ending was suckish, though.
Obviously, I preferred Jane the Virgin. Immaculate has its good points and it's definitely a great debut but Mina was too much of an immature MC for me to handle. Tell me what you think, lovelies!
Who wouldn't be, honestly? A pregnant virgin? I immediately thought of Jane the Virgin. For those who haven't seen that show, you seriously have to. It is a revelation.
Mina's tale follows a somewhat similar pattern. While getting ready to close up the pizza place where she works as a waitress, an elderly woman, Iris, ambles in. Mina decides to take pity on her and offer her soda and conversation before she goes to meet her boyfriend, Nate. However, when their conversation becomes cryptic, Mina becomes frightened. She orders the old woman to leave, then closes shop.
About a week later, she starts experiencing strange symptoms. She starts vomiting, crying profusely, and craving junk-food, which I honestly found all cliché but okay.
Her best friends, Hannah and Izzy, decide to confront her and are like, "WTF? Did you cash in your V-card and not tell us?" but Mina is like:
Flash-forward some. Mina and co. decide to head to Walgreens and grab a few pregnancy tests, then haul ass back to their childhood treehouse where she finally confirms the official news of her "miracle baby."
But the miracle baby comes with consequences. Although, Mina seems to be A-OK with a surprise pregnancy, her family and boyfriend, Nate, react differently. Nate and her other best friend, Izzy, accuses her of infidelity. Rightfully so, I would think. And her father cries. The only people who seem to believe her story are her mother, her little sister who speaks like she's like seventy-three, her other BFF, Hannah, and her co-worker at the pizza parlor, Jesse, who clings to her in a natural form of instalove.
Somehow, the pregnancy bombshell is exposed and Mina expects to head back to school like normal, but other kids start bullying her and pen a website called "Virgin Mina", which I actually found hilarious, at first. Mina, for the most part, handles the bullying like a pro. But I was surprised Mina's school still let her attend school, knowing she was pregnant.
Back to Mina and Jesse. Instalove. Ugh. I'd hoped she and Nate would've reunited somehow, but she pounced on Jesse so fast, I barely had a moment to blink.
As I'm not totally religious, I'd enjoyed having a deeper exploration of Mary and Joseph. Also, I was so fond of how loyal Hannah, her best friend, was to her. Even through all the bullying, shit-talking, BS, etc., the girl never left her side. She deserves a charm bracelet.
The ending was suckish, though.
Obviously, I preferred Jane the Virgin. Immaculate has its good points and it's definitely a great debut but Mina was too much of an immature MC for me to handle. Tell me what you think, lovelies!
May 20, 2015
When this book hit my desk, I knew I just had to read it. It sounded really good and I was totally in for a story that would sweep me off my feet. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.
Issues: My biggest issue is that there are too many questions and not enough answers. Like, who is that old lady? Why did Mina fall pregnant while being a virgin? Is there a bigger picture to this? Are angels/demons/heaven/hell involved in any kind of way? Did Aliens in-pregnant her? GEEZE TELL ME WHAT IT IS!! This story is written well but doesn’t provide the reader with any bread crumbs to go on. I kept on reading, hoping that the author would drop a hint or two and instead, I found myself desperate for answers. Anything!! There was no indication of “SOMETHING BIG” was going to happen. The reader is left in a limbo at the end of the story and that folks just left me unsatisfied.
Story: The story follows a good lead. Mina is a well rounded girl, with good friends and a great boyfriend. She is indeed going places. She works hard and concentrates on school. I can relate how this unexpected pregnancy throws her off yet helps her character grow. While her life may be in shambles, she knows what she wants and fights for it.
Supernatural: There is definitely supernatural events going on. I, for one, would really want to know what! I would consider picking up the next book (if there is one) only to find some closure with this story. I can give the author that much credit. She definitely left me in a wonder of WHY? Why Mina? Why the pregnancy? Why the conspiracy? PLEASE TELL ME!!!
This is a good story is you definitely want to feel out of the loop. I wouldn’t recommend it if you want answers now because you won’t get them. So lets hope that there is a second book cause man, I really want to know.
Issues: My biggest issue is that there are too many questions and not enough answers. Like, who is that old lady? Why did Mina fall pregnant while being a virgin? Is there a bigger picture to this? Are angels/demons/heaven/hell involved in any kind of way? Did Aliens in-pregnant her? GEEZE TELL ME WHAT IT IS!! This story is written well but doesn’t provide the reader with any bread crumbs to go on. I kept on reading, hoping that the author would drop a hint or two and instead, I found myself desperate for answers. Anything!! There was no indication of “SOMETHING BIG” was going to happen. The reader is left in a limbo at the end of the story and that folks just left me unsatisfied.
Story: The story follows a good lead. Mina is a well rounded girl, with good friends and a great boyfriend. She is indeed going places. She works hard and concentrates on school. I can relate how this unexpected pregnancy throws her off yet helps her character grow. While her life may be in shambles, she knows what she wants and fights for it.
Supernatural: There is definitely supernatural events going on. I, for one, would really want to know what! I would consider picking up the next book (if there is one) only to find some closure with this story. I can give the author that much credit. She definitely left me in a wonder of WHY? Why Mina? Why the pregnancy? Why the conspiracy? PLEASE TELL ME!!!
This is a good story is you definitely want to feel out of the loop. I wouldn’t recommend it if you want answers now because you won’t get them. So lets hope that there is a second book cause man, I really want to know.
July 30, 2016
{MY LIKE SCALE}
Romance: 3/5 (NEEDED MORE OF THEM TOGETHER)
Drama: 2/5 (A LOT OF DRAMA LIKE THE HOLE BOOK IS PRETTY MUCH DRAMA)
Cover: 4/5 (NICE COVER)
Mina: 3.4/5 (SHE HAD ALOT OF ANNOYING MOMENTS BUT SHE WASN'T THE WORSE HERION I HAVE EVER READ)
Jesse: 5/5 (HE WAS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THE HOLE BOOK)
Writings: 4/5 (WAS AN OKAY STORY NEEDED SOMETHING MORE)
Humour: 2/5 (NEEDED MUCH MORE)
Hotness: 1/5 (NOTHING TO SAY JUST THREE KISSES)
HEA:
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