The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin Review

So this book was an experience to say the least, and when I say experience I really mean frustrating. This book came out a long time ago in terms of how much YA has developed since then, and maybe that’s way - our standards as readers have changed. 

I was really disappointed not to like this book because the premise itself is a good idea - it just wasn’t well executed. The idea of Mara dying and then coming back and being able to see ghosts, and the hints that we see in the novel about her also having supernatural powers SHOULD have been really interesting - but it wasn’t. It wasn’t interesting because it focused on a lackluster and quite frankly boring romance instead. 

Also, the villains in this book were laughable. You have your bully, our typical YA mean girl ‘slut’ because she slept with a few guys and likes the main love interest - obviously a total a whore. Who obviously doesn’t deserve to have feelings or not to be ridiculed by everyone, and of course had to hate the new girl for no reason other than being jealous over a guy; I swear authors have no idea how girls actually behave in real life. As well as this we kinda don’t get any other villains, sure Mara’s younger brother is kidnapped but nothing really happens? And we don’t get to really meet the people behind it, and I didn’t really get why that plot was there other than add a new aspect to Mara and Noah’s relationship; and speaking of their relationship...

Noah and Mara are the couple everyone hates, and not because she’s that ‘special’ YA female protagonist that everyone bullied and hates (which she also is)  - they’re just really bad together; or more specifically Noah is just an arse. There’s a point where Noah turns to Mara and claims her with ‘you’re mine’ in their ‘pre-relationship stage’, and that’s when I knew I was going to hate this relationship. Noah is controlling and arrogant, I truly believe he thinks he’s better than Mara because he’s ‘European’. I’m British and even I wanted him to shut up. They're also just dull together, their whole relationship is full of useless innuendos, I honestly couldn’t tell you what they even do together and speak about if the topic is not Noah or innuendos. Not only is this a dull relationship, it’s also a toxic and unhealthy relationship, as Noah rules it all and at times mistreats her.

You know who else is dull? Mara Dyer. What the hell is wrong with this character? She has no personality at all, nor any strength of character - she’s completely ruled by her love interests; and I’m so sick of that narrative. I also find her just to be annoying, she’s safe blaming in the extreme and I just can’t be doing with that, after a while that kind of narrative from a character becomes boring and frustrating for a reader because the story can never progress, nor can the characters.  The girl is also in desperate need of some new girls in her life, as all to seem to hate her, and even her best friend at the start is painted as a ‘bad friend’ for drifting away from her; or maybe Mara just paints all other females as bad - it seems that way. However, I think what frustrates me the most about Mara is there is no character development from her at all; just straight up none as if it’s not important. She just seems to think Noah is everything the whole time, and not her dead friends???


Another thing that annoyed me about this couple is Noah, bloody perfect Noah. Minus the controlling and possessive aspect of him, it’s like he’s just freshly rolled out of the boyfriend factory with his European descent and his ability to speak six languages - oh, and not to mention his massive wealth. If you ignore his personality Noah is the perfect cut out boyfriend for any 13 year old girl, the one who will whisk you away, and take you on romantic and obviously expensive dates where you get to experience new and exciting this; and that’s just dull

I know I’ve talked a lot about the romance, but that’s because not much else really happened in this book. Honestly, please point out where the plot was in this book because I can’t find it. It could have been so interesting if Mara had woken up from her coma and explore her powers more, and why she had them and what exactly happened - but she didn’t. She focused on a new hot guy to rule her life. I think maybe that’s why I’m so harsh with this book and in this review because it could have been great, instead it was stuffed full of a romance that was a quick sell to teenage girls and I’ve had enough.