Becoming Mila (Somebody like You)

Becoming Mila (Somebody like You)

French edition : PKJ

English edition : Black and White Publishing

Number of pages : 300

Genre : Romance, Coming of age story

Publication year : 2021

Author : Estelle Maskame

Summary

    Mila is the daughter of Everett Harding, THE most famous actor of Hollywood. However, during a party for her father’s new film release, she makes an enormous blunder. Because of this, her parents decide to send Mila to Fairview, near Nashville (Tennessee). There, she will live with her grandfather and her aunt who will push her to make new friends. In that case she will meet Savannah, Tory and Blake, an irresistible and unbearable boy. Together, they will discover things about themselves and their parents ...

Criticism

    Like every novel of Estelle Maskame, Becoming Mila makes us dream and travel into another country, another world. During this volume, we are in the American countryside, but also near to a well-known city, which is Nashville. Those two types of places make us discover the different faces of the USA. We have the urban aspect with the Americana part which represents also the American Dream in our imagination. Besides, references to Elvis Presley (or country music) reinforce this “cliché” about America that we all love and that gives the dreamy aspect to the book. On the other hand, there’s the rural part which allows us to discover the other side of America. We discover the customs of American countryside inhabitants. For example, parties in front of cars trunks right in the middle of woods with a guy who’s playing music, Sunday masses, which are a way to unite people of a whole village and catch up everyone’s news, ranches, the fact that everyone knows each other…

    Thanks to the countryside we can also learn more about our characters because like nature in the countryside, they are living without any artifices (if they do, they slowly begin to live without). For instance, at the beginning of the book, we don’t really know Mila because she even doesn’t know herself very well. Through the story she matures, makes mistakes, develops in order to discover who she really is. We can see her gaining self-confidence and rebelling against unfair processes in order to have a better life. This evolution is very enjoyable to observe because Blake, who is our second main character, takes the same way at the same time. He affirms proudly all along the story what he likes to do, what he is made for, even if he encounters issues. Finally, our two main characters turn their lives upside down mutually and build themselves mutually. Moreover, through the time, the tension between them intensify like the suspense about their relationship. At the end of the book we can feel proud about them, otherwise, they still have to grow up (because if they don’t we wouldn’t like to read the second volume, ahah).

    Concerning Estelle Maskame’s way with word, there is still a part of psychology in her books. I really like this because each time we understand our main character and we are always angry towards the “bad” character, the one who puts obstacles, because we want things to change an improve. To me, this way of writing is stunning.

Final Conclusion

Another firm favorite book, like almost all the novels of Estelle Maskame !!!!

So are you going to read it ?

Other information

At the end of the book, you can find a playlist made by the author herself to accompany the story.

The song

Dear Society, Madison Beer, because it shows the pressure that Mila can feel because of her father’s job.

My note : 12/10

Characters : 2/2            My taste : 3/2

Story : 5/4                   Originality : 2/2