Becoming Unbecoming is a powerful graphic novel with a lot to unwrap. The message of the book is carried out over two focuses: the Yorkshire Ripper killings that took place in 1977, and the author's experience as an adolescent woman growing up during those killings. From these concurrent plots comes a powerful denunciation of sexual violence against women.

The telling of these two stories together was both an interesting contrast yet also darkly set the cultural scene for her adolescence. The Yorkshire Ripper began with serial assaults on women who he would lure alone at night. He moved on to killing prostitutes and women with "loose morals", (like those who would go to bars at night alone). Yet panic ensues when a girl who is not a prostitute is killed - if he kills "innocent" girls, then any girl is in trouble.

Una explores how the police dismissed important clues from survivors of his assaults that could have caught the killer sooner, simply because the women had "loose moral fiber." I had no prior knowledge of this serial killer, and I was frankly appalled at how poorly they investigated this case.

In contrast, Una also tells the story of her adolescence and burgeoning sexuality. She is the subject of continuous "slut-shaming" throughout her school life, simply because she goes on the pill. Later, she herself is the victim of violent sexual acts, and explores how she blamed herself for years because of society's expectations on women.

There is a LOT to unpack with this graphic novel. Una covers slut-shaming, victim blaming, rape culture, the shocking statistics of violence against women. One aspect that really stuck with me was how, both denying and letting men get what they wanted from her body made her a "slut." No matter what you do as a woman, you can't seem to win. Yet she ends with ways that women can survive so much and regain power over themselves and their bodies.



I thought this was a really important novel. My only problem with it, was sometimes it was difficult to follow the narrative. She inserts little asides and "looks" into her adolescence - such as, music she liked - that didn't seem to fit in with the flow of the story. Other than that, I think this is an essential addition to the feminist literary canon, and I highly recommend reading it. After this, I feel like I have a better grasp on the nature of rape culture and victim blaming than I had before.

Review also posted on my blog. ( )

I'll think of Artemisia Gentileschi long after this book

For my book review, visit my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/pB3tVW8A3T8

Enjoy! ( )

A raw and emotional read, Becoming Unbecoming is the rough and unsteady autobiography of Una, who's childhood sexual traumas were inextricably linked with the fear of the Yorkshire Ripper and the general unease and worries that accompany being a female. The threat of sexual violence and/or sexual-based insults and rumors always looms above women, no matter how "pure" or "deserving" they are, and Becoming Unbecoming articulates this general unease clearly and rationally. ( )

This was a really great book that I feel like I should have paid more attention to. I may re-read it at another time because I wasn't able to focus enough attention to it as it is. I really liked that Una didn't spend any time describing her assaults in detail - sometimes you don't want to retell stories that are painful, sometimes your memories are hazy and you can't recall how things happened. Details aren't important in this story. Overall a good story about structural and societal sexism and misogyny. ( )