It's Unbecoming

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Published: September 27, 2011
Series: Mara Dyer #1
I've been wanting to read this book for so long, since before it was even published, and was so excited to finally have a chance. Except once I started reading, I was a little taken aback because it wasn't at all like I expected. It actually took my a while to get into it, and I started off disappointed. But about 100 pages in everything picked up, and from there, I couldn't put it down.

If I have any major complaint about this, it's that it's a little too confusing. But I think that's somewhat the point. By the close of the story, certain plot lines started to come together, although there were a ton of questions left unanswered. I already have the second book to start, and while I imagine that some questions will be answered in it, I'm guessing we'll need to wait till the third to have any real closure.

One aspect I loved about the book is that Mara is Indian, and by that I mean I loved how it was mentioned. It isn't over the top and in your face, but even so, you can't ignore the fact that Mara and her family is of Indian descent. She mentions photos of her grandmother wearing a sari, and she sits down to dinner of rice and curry. They were small simple details, but I thought it was a nice way of making clear Mara heritage, without making a big deal of it. On a similar note, I also really like the way Mara's family was depicted. They're in no way perfect, but they felt real and their relationships among each other made sense, which is something you don't always find in YA books.

While I'm not quite sure this book lived up to all the hype I built for it, I still really did enjoy it. Part of me wants to jump into the second immediately, but an other makes me think I should be patient now, so I'll have less time to wait for the third book.

4.5/5

Today I'm linking up with Blonde Undercover Blonde for Book Club Friday!