The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Students at school have heard me say many times, I’m sold by great cover art. You may not be able to judge a book by the cover, but it sure can convince me to read it. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer sold me through cover art alone. The story didn’t disappoint.

When they asked the ouija board how Rachel would die, the board spelled out M-A-R-A. Sixth months later Mara is the only survivor of a building collapse, her best friend Rachel, their friend Jude and his sister Claire dead in the rubble. Mara wakes form a coma but remembers nothing of that night.  What was the Tamerlane? Why had they gone there? But that is only the beginning. Mara begins to hallucinate. She sees her dead friends in mirrors. After changing schools to avoid the stressful memories of her dead friends, Mara’s hallucinations follow her. The first day of classes at her new school, she experiences the collapse of the classroom including falling face first and bloodying her nose in front of a room full of strangers. She then discovers it is a fresh round of horror produced by her own mind. Mara is willing to accept the diagnosis of these images as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder until they start meshing with physical reality. After imagining a choking accident for a brutally cruel teacher, the teacher dies of anaphylactic shock – just as she has imagined. Mara begins to question herself. She begins to accept the possibility that she killed her best friend. Somehow she must be causing the violence. As Mara struggles with her personal demons, real or imagined, Noah enters her life. Secretive and bound to break her heart, Mara just can’t resist his charms.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a thriller with a touch of romance. It will have you looking over your shoulder in the dark and holding your breath. The romantic element is hot and sultry enough to catch the attention of plenty of romantic hearts but tame enough to happily live in any high school library. Additionally, the romantic element buoys the story. In the hands of a different author, the story of a girl’s hallucinations about her dead best friend and questions of her own guilt could be brutal and tragic. But here it is thrilling, surprising and compelling. Since Mara narrates her own story, realities are revealed as she learns them keeping the reader guessing and wondering along with her. 

If you enjoy stories that are unpredictable, read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. One of the most compelling parts of Mara Dyer’s story is its capacity to keep the reader off balance. Every time it appears the story will slide into familiar predictable patterns, it shifts just enough to turn the pages a little faster. If you prefer stories that contain both mystery and romance, read this. If you like your romance with a touch of heart racing intensity but without the R rating, read about Mara Dyer. Whatever your preference, read it. You won’t be disappointed.