Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 464 pages
Purchased
"Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can. She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed. There is. She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong."
Besides, the stunning cover art, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer has a synopsis that will intrigue anyone. As soon as I read that synopsis I was completely sold. A girl who wakes up in a hospital, doesn't know how or why she's there and is just finding out all her good friends died? Hooked from the first chapter. I became so enveloped in the plot, the romance, and the mysteries that were gradually uncovered.
The storyline is just so interesting. Mara doesn't know what happened, even though she was supposedly there, and she is trying her best to remember. But who wants to remember something so tragic? The pacing was absolutely terrific! There was just enough incidents and romance to keep reading. I had started this book just to read a few chapters, but ended up getting half way through the novel and then finishing it!
The characters are wonderful. Mara Dyer is dealing with her life. Having PTSD, putting up with nightmares, attending a new school, and trying to gain control over her own life. I enjoyed reading more about her past life and her new one as well. Another character anyone would love is Noah Shaw. First of all, he has a British accent! I mean, seriously, I just get swoony over an accent. Noah's also one of the two friends Mara makes at school. He's kind, caring, and interesting. Mara and her brother Daniel share a close relationship, which was admirable. Mara's mother is watchful of Mara, which is burdening to her. While Mara's father is a lawyer and heavily involved with work.
Like I already noted, the pacing was so well done. Michelle Hodkin seemingly bounces back and forth with two interests: Mara's romance with Noah and how Mara's life is such a mystery to herself. Each subplot sufficiently kept me intrigued. I literally had to keep reading, I found it difficult to put down.
Everything that was happening to Mara left me trying to solve the mystery even Mara couldn't solve. From Mara's hallucinations to what was actually real and happening felt foggy, but not in a bad way. I think this was what Michelle Hodkin wanted; for her readers to try and determine which hallucinations were only in Mara's mind and which were really happening.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a gripping story that has both romance and supernatural aspects. I would recommend this book to anyone because it's such a unique story that ends with the biggest cliff hanger! Seriously, I'm dying for the sequel. If you can get your hands on a copy, then do it right now!!
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it! Buy a copy!
The characters are strong and I like how it isn't the two main characters that the story is revolved around but other characters are strong connected as well. This story is richer than other YA books and I can't wait to see how the next book comes out and how the story and characters are affected.
ReplyDelete