Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading this book three years ago, I loved it. Reading it again, even with my attention having been brought to some underlying problems re: representation (Mara being biracial but very ambiguous about it, and not terribly connected to the Indian side of her family, not to mention some sadly rampant whitewashing), I still love it, because even though I really shouldn't, it's downright addictive and irresistible. Especially for some of the supporting cast. Daniel. Noah (I got into this book largely because I was in a GR group with a few Noah Shaw stans, and they weren't wrong - he's surprisingly deep.) And of course Jamie Roth. I freaking LOVE Jamie.

The general vibe of this series is Miss Peregrine meets The Archived, with a bit of Shatter Me and Dexter thrown in for good measure. Based on that alone, it's enough of a mashup of everything that it's one of the most unique, and uniquely awesome, books you'll ever read. It may not be for everyone - some people find themselves defeated by the book's sheer peculiarity, Noah being a serpentine smooth-operating asscrown (how did I forget that particular zinger of Mara's? "The zenith of the hierarchy of asses," indeed.), and especially the fact that it's a long one with next to no explanation of the underlying paranormal-ness of it all. But that comes later, in the increasingly kick-ass sequels, which I'll be re-reading and re-reviewing very soon.



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