The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publish Date:  already out

Version: Hardcover print

Series: Mara Dyer

Mara Dyer was in a terrible accident that took the lives of her two friends Rachel and Claire and her boyfriend Jude.  She was the only survivor.  She has no memory of what happened but was told afterward that the building that the four of them were in collapsed.  This was a building that was abandoned, old and falling apart.  Mara’s father has told her of the dangers of this building and yet her friends and she went into it anyway.

After the accident, Mara was having trouble coping with the fact that she lost her best-friend, Rachel.  This was the hardest out of all the losses.  She asked her family to move away so that she could get a fresh start as it was difficult to be in places where Rachel has been so many times.  They moved to Miami, Florida and her brothers and she would attend Croyden Academy.   This is where she meets Noah, a student who has moved into the area from London and who has a bad reputation at the school.  Mara doesn’t need a relationship as she is trying to get her life back together.  She certainly doesn’t need one with a reputation such as that of Noah Shaw.  She also meets Jamie Roth, who turns out to be her only friend that she makes at Croyden Academy.

Even though Mara has a chance to start over with a new life and a new school, life doesn’t go easy for her as she is still seeing Claire, Jude and different hallucinations.  She refuses to tell anyone about it, especially her mother.  After the accident, her mother wanted Mara committed so she could be watched 24 hours a day and get the help she needs.  Mara’s father was against it, so it never happened.  Strange things keep happening at Croyden Academy and in Mara’s life in general, her relationship with Noah is blossoming and she is finally starting to remember what happened the day of the accident.

I read this book for six hours straight.  I couldn’t put it down.  I had to know what would happen to Mara and Noah.  This book had a good mix of romance, mystery and even some frightening scenes.  I love it when you cannot predict what is going to happen in a book and this book fits that to a T.

 “Wait," I said as Noah slipped a book from a shelf and headed toward the door. "Where are you going?"
"To read?"
But I don't want you to.
"But I need to go home," I said, my eyes meeting his. "My parents are going to kill me."
"Taken care of. You're at Sophie's house."
I loved Sophie.
"So I'm...staying here?"
"Daniel's covering for you."
I loved Daniel.
"Where's Katie?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Eliza's house."
I loved Eliza.
"And your parents?" I asked.
"Some charity thing."
I loved charity.
"So why are you going to read when I'm right here?”

 

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.

“Have you kissed many boys before?" he asked quietly.
His question brought my mind back into focus. I raised an eyebrow. "Boys? That's an assumption."
Noah laughed, the sound low and husky. "Girls, then?"
"No."
"Not many girls? Or not many boys?"
"Neither," I said. Let him make of that what he would.
"How many?"
"Why—"
"I am taking away that word. You are no longer allowed to use it. How many?"
My cheeks flushed, but my voice was steady as I answered. "One."
At this, Noah leaned in impossibly closer, the slender muscles in his forearm flexing as he bent his elbow to bring himself nearer to me, almost touching. I was heady with the proximity of him and grew legitimately concerned that my heart might explode. Maybe Noah wasn't asking. Maybe I didn't mind. I closed my eyes and felt Noah's five o' clock graze my jaw, and the faintest whisper of his lips at my ear.
"He was doing it wrong.” 

▪ Mara Dyer.  Even though she is confused after the accident as to what happened, she tries to keep herself together and prove to everyone that she isn’t crazy, although she believes she is.  Mara is strong and has many wonderful characteristics.  I love the transformation she goes through as she learns the events of that night.

▪ Noah Shaw.  Noah has this bad reputation of treating women like “a condom.”  Using them once and throwing them away.  He does have some good qualities about him.  First of all is perseverance.  Even though Mara is intrigued by him in the beginning, she shows no interest in Noah.   Noah doesn’t give up though.  He hangs in there until Mara gives him a chance.  Noah is also a good person.  He does things throughout the book that show his true character, one that goes above the reputation that he has rightfully earned.

▪ Daniel and Joseph, Mara’s brothers.  When Mara is having problems, they are right there by her side.  Even though this is Daniel’s senior year, he and Joseph have no qualms about leaving the town that they are in so that she can start over and possibly heal from what happened to her and her friends.

▪ Mara’s parents.  Yes, Mara’s mother wanted her committed, but she truly has her daughter’s best interests at heart.  Being in the psychology field, she scrutinizes what is happening with Mara.  Her father is there when they move to Florida, but a trial is keeping him busy and doesn’t have much time to pay attention to what is happening to Mara.

▪Jamie Roth.  Mara’s only friend at Croyden Academy.  Even though he believes that Mara is making a mistake when it comes to Noah, he still is her friend and helps her when she needs it.

▪The way this story is written.  I like how Mara remembers a little bit at a time the events that happened the night of the accident.  This kept me intrigued in the story.  It gave me just enough so that I wanted to know more, but couldn’t actually guess what happened.

▪The ending!  I really love the ending of this book and cannot wait for the next one.  I’m presuming there will be a next one considering at the end of the book, it says “end of volume one.”

“Is there any point asking what you're going to make me do on Sunday?"
"Not really."
Okay. "Is there any point asking what you're going to do to me?"
He grinned wickedly. "Not really."
Fabulous. "Does it involve the use of a safe word?"
"That will depend entirely on you." Noah moved impossibly closer, just inches away. A few freckles disappeared into the scruff on his jaw. "I'll be gentle," Noah added. My breath caught in my throat as he looked at me from beneath those lashes, ruining me.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're evil."
In response, Noah smiled, and raised his finger to gently tap the tip of my nose. "And you're mine," he said, then walked away.” 

▪ The Cover.  Don’t get me wrong, it is a good cover, I just don’t understand it.  A lot of times, you will understand the meaning in the cover after reading the book.  This wasn’t the case with this one.  If someone can explain what the water has to do with this story, maybe I will like it a little more.

▪The swearing.  Anyone who knows me knows that this is the surefire way to get me to not like something.  Having said that, the fact that I liked this book ANYWAY is saying a lot.  I probably would’ve rated it higher if it didn’t have the swearing in it, though.

“You told me I smelled - like bacon."
"Well," he said evenly. "That's awkward.”