March 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Veins of romance and spiritualism run through this taut psychological novel. In this second part of a proposed trilogy, 17-year-old Mara wakes up in a psychiatric ward, not knowing how she got there. She does not believe that her evil ex-boyfriend, Jude, died in the building collapse in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (S & S, 2011); instead, he is alive and stalking her. Thrown into the mix is Mara's belief that the building collapsed because she wished that it would. Mara's new boyfriend, Noah, believes her, but her doctors and parents think that she is delusional, paranoid, and has PTSD. The high level of suspense never lets up. Mara is the narrator, but her stints in psych wards and her regular doses of antipsychotic meds beg the question: Is she reliable? Mara believes that the bloody message written on the bathroom mirror, the mutilated cat on the patio, and the spooky doll retrieved from the trash are Jude's ways of taunting her. Is he responsible for these acts or is Mara? Tension escalates as Mara and Noah uncover clues but find no answers. Are Mara's unnerving dreams really memories belonging to her dead grandmother? The unusual charm that Noah wears on a cord around his neck is nearly identical to the one Mara finds hidden in a doll that belonged to her grandmother. Suspenseful, romantic, and spooky, The Evolution of Mara Dyer is one terrific yarn.-Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Library, NC

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
After Mara's breakdown ([cf2]The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer[cf1]), her parents have her committed for psychiatric evaluation. She's convinced her presumed-dead ex-boyfriend is stalking her, and only her beguiling love interest Noah believes her; as she tries to prove her sanity, Mara's fears and instabilities are tautly drawn out. This creepy psychological thriller is as complex and suspenseful as its predecessor.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

October 1, 2012
Mara's absorbing tale continues in this first sequel in the Mara Dyer series, answering some questions but, clearly, leaving plenty of suspense still to come. In the opening book, the author left open whether Mara's difficulties were psychological, paranormal or criminal. Here, Mara continues her relationship with wealthy Noah, and the two learn that they have more in common than they ever suspected. Meanwhile, Mara insists that her supposedly dead former boyfriend, Jude, continues to stalk her. She is being treated as an outpatient for PTSD after causing (as she originally believed) the deaths of Jude and her friends, but she's sure she doesn't need to be in residential psychiatric care. Noah uses his wits and wealth to try to protect her and to investigate the possibility that Jude indeed survived, even as Mara's actions appear increasingly disturbed. Hodkin stretches the story into another lengthy tome but keeps readers' interest focused throughout with a lively prose style and a bit of romance. Her skillful exploitation of ambiguity enhances the suspense, exploring not only the psychological possibilities, but narrative tricks as well. Is it a realistic tale of insanity, a supernatural story or a mystery? Readers will be guessing until a final suspenseful scene resolves some secrets and sets up what promises to be an exciting and intriguing next installment. Interesting and unusual. (Suspense. 12 & up)

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