Shadowhunters 2x16

Shadowhunters 2x16

"Day of Atonement"

Thoughts and Feels

I think the biggest thing that I want to address from this episode is the reveal of Sebastien's background and how he fits into the world in relationship to the other characters. My huge question mark moment concerning all of this is that Sebastien was in hell? Even for Valentine, that seems extreme. For awhile during the episode too, I had no idea where they were going with it. But then, with the conversation that Seb had with Val it sort of makes sense- it's like Seb was sent there for a time-out. And by the end of the episode, I like this backstory because I think it will transition well for where the story needs to go. For those who have read the books, there is a connection to Lilith later that seems a bit out of the blue in the book, but this alternate story in the show creates a bridge that will make this connection much smoother and believable. So while it is a different backstory, I think it was well done and is a good set up for what I hope/believe is to come.


The single issue that I have with the Sebastien development is the line, "I've never given a damn about your mortal instruments, I never had." Um.....well shit. Am I remembering this wrong from the books? Maybe at this point in the show they're angling for a fatherly connection but Seb will eventually grow into caring about the Instruments so that he can make a psycho demon army. If this is the case, I actually think it will be really interesting for the development of the character. It will definitely make Seb more sympathetic to viewers which could be very interesting given what I hope will happen by the end of this season (cough*deaths*cough). I think Will Tudor could also do a really good job with this development. I am really enjoying his work with the character so far. His portrayal of Seb at the Institute versus in the cabin with Valentine is fantastic, so I definitely think he could handle a development like this.

Only question: are they cutting the sick sibling attraction Seb has for Clary? If so i think I'm OK with that one. We already had the weird maybe-incest stuff back when Clary and Jace thought that they were related, so I don't think we really needed the Seb stuff in the book. And while it was 100% more character development for Seb in that context, I think if the show handles his character in the way I described above, they might have enough for his character as it is. On the other hand, I don't think I'll ever complain for them sticking to canon book content. It would be hard for them to go wrong either way on this matter.

Switching gears away from the psychopathic demon-shadowhunter villain of the series, I really enjoyed the scenes with Simon and Maia. They have a really great relationship growing between them and the show is making it seem so natural and easy, which I really appreciate. The moments that they had during and after Yom Kippur made the feels come to the surface. I know that they probably won't last too long if they go along with the books for Simon's love interest, but it still is a very crucial element to the development of both of their characters. The each learn and get so much out of the relationship that they have with each other, and I think it's really nice for the show to have this included and I think they will do a good job with it. All that being said, it also makes me really excited because this means we are some steps closer to A) meeting Jordan (I really hope they get a Jordan on this show...maybe season 3?) and B) SIZZY- aka the more adorkable ship to every grace the YA community.



On the shipping note, I absolutely love how they are taking their time developing Clace. They aren't jumping straight from Simon to Jace, which is perfect because I don't think Clary and Simon have even officially broken up yet. But there was definitely a major Clace moment in this episode where Clary was hallucinating about Jace's safety after she swallowed the Lake Lyn water and OH MY WORD I LOVED IT. It was a moment that was so fuzzy-feely and it shows the growing feelings between them without them acting on it and I really really think it was done well. A+ scene. Another very entertaining piece to the episode was that Jace's sass was spot on. I don't if it was the screenwriting or if Dom delivered them differently or if it was simply the context of when they were said, but dang the sass was tangible. Perfect classic Herondale sass that I sincerely hope we see more of.

A big thing that circulated this episode was that it was directed by Paul Wesley, and I think he did a really amazing job. Even if you were to ignore all of the amazing shots that captured the indirect developments of the characters, Idris was stunning. I know that is something that may/probably was chosen by someone in set design, but the shoots and angles that were done in the episode showed it off beautifully. I am really looking forward to going back to Alicante so that we can see more of it. Back to the Paul Wesley thing, I think I am missing something: why is it such a big deal that he directed? Because there was a lot of hype around him directing this episode. I know him from the Vampire Diaries, but I haven't seen all of the episodes yet and I know for a fact that I have not gotten to the point where he has directed any of the episodes. He is a fantastic actor in my opinion, and after watching this episode I think he is just as good at directing, if not better (from a viewer POV only obviously). Did people know this from watching the episodes of VD that he directed? Is that what I'm missing? I think so.... either way, I really appreciate the work that he did with this episode.

At the point of writing this, I have seen a few interviews of the cast from Comic Con, and they have revealed that more than one person is going to die by the end of season 2. My predictions: Max, Valentine, and Ithuriel. These are all the characters that either should be dead already or will be dying according to the books. There is absolutely no way they are going to kill a main character, and I can come up with reasons why they won't kill each of the minor characters. Robert dies in another book, Malec is eternal, Rafael is needed later on, etc. etc. And while this news is terrifying, because character deaths always are, it is simultaneously relieving because I will say it again, Valentine needs to die. This probably sounds super harsh or aggressive, but for the sake of the plot and character developments this needs to happen. The villain focus needs to shift from Valentine over to Sebastien because if it doesn't then it will have a negative effect on not just the main characters, but the development of the Shadowhunting community.



There are only four episodes left of this season! I found something online too that said season 3 will be centered on City of Fallen Angels, which makes me think that my death predictions are probably right. Also, I think that season 3 will dip into City of Lost Souls a bit too, because CoFA isn't too long, and I don't recall it having too much happening in it.... there are definitely some big moments, but not enough I think for a whole season of TV shows.

Thanks for reading!

AELIN IS GOING TO MAKE THE BATHTUB

The Maas Crossover Theory:
My crackpot theory regarding Sarah J Maas's two series:

A Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass

First things first, I am referring to the Cauldron when I say "the bathtub". I love watching Christine Riccio's videos on YouTube (polandbananasBOOKS), and her affectionate term for the Cauldron has grown on me.

Second, this post will have major spoilers for all books in both of these series, so if you have not read up through both A Court of Wings and Ruin and Empire of Storms, I suggest you do not read this yet unless you want to be spoiled.

Theory: Aeline Galathynius is going to make the bathtub (and the wall and Prison) from ACOTAR. Theses are all things that survive years (thousands, millions, who knows) and become a part of the world that exists in ACOTAR, therefore the ACOTAR world is the TOG world set way into the future. The ancient history of Prythian is the story of Aelin and Erilea.

Here's How:
Aelin has a serious issue of how she's supposed to put the three keys together to form the lock that doubles as portal thing to other worlds. Either her or Dorian is supposed to die to make this happen, which I'm dreading either way. But it would literally be just like Aelin to find some new direct magic or something to find this loophole to make a still usable, but very hard to contain and control, conduit that doesn't require a death. Plus, with the Cauldron the capability to travel to other worlds still lies within the realm of possibility, so Aelin doesn't have to worry about the timing of getting all of the Valg out before she shuts down the portal for good.

Also, look at the details: three keys to form the lock, three legs to the bathtub. Coincidence?

In the process of all of this, Aelin could probably also solve the great debate of fae versus human debate, because Chaol brings up a really great point in that the fae are so muc more powerful tan the humans that there is almost no way to check all of the fae. In response to this then a wall is built to separate the two so that stronger jurisdiction can be put into affect over the fae, securing protection for the humans as much as possible.


So then in the north, where Terrasen is, all of the fae live and over time evolve to live in different groups that correlate with specialties. Specialties that evolve over time as well, becoming the seven different courts of Prythian. Look at the two maps: they are very similar. It would not be too far of a stretch if over time the land changed. The top of Erilea doesn't exist either, so it is entirely possible that the rest of the fae spread onwards and upwards if they don't necessarily like Aelin's rule or whoever comes after her.


The other thing that fits in this theory is the Prison. That thing could have totally been made to contain Maeve.

Another thought just crossed my mind.... the ACOTAR characters could totally be evolved from the TOG fae. Lorcan is blessed by the god of death, which could eventually translate into the Night Court. Rhys is called "Death Incarnate" at one point by Feyre, and who has been blessed by the god of death? Lorcan. Also- now this is really a stretch- without Cairn, there are five members of Maeve's cadre (I'm not counting Cairn because I'm really hoping he doesn't make it through the last TOG book). Throw in Aelin and Aedion and you have seven differnt major fae figures..... and there are seven courts in Prythian. OH! Throw Cairn back into the mix and his bloodline can become the King of Hybern.


All of this is stemming from the fact that Feyre and Rhys have to fix the bathtub because Amren broke it. Amren is definitely a goddess of some sort that was trapped in a fae body. The description just fits perfectly to what we know about the TOG world and Sarah's writing. And we already know that those gods and goddesses can take over a fae body because Diana took over Aelin's body in Empire of Storms. WHAT IF AMREN IS MAB!!!!! That was random, but think about it. Aelin is blessed by Diana, but a descendant of Mab, who we know ships Rowaelin because Rowan prayed to her in Heir of Fire and got his prayer answered. She would totally then come through to help out Aelin make the bathtub and survive so that she could live with her mate, Rowan. It all fits.


I'm actually really hoping that at least a fraction of this post is correct now, if not all of it, because it makes sense to me. And look at the quotes from the series! I mean really, "The world will be saved and remade by the dreamers". Remade. I think this may be it. But I could also be really wrong. Feel free to ask questions or comment because I would love to flesh out this theory some more!!

Please let me know what you think and thanks for reading!!

Shadowhunters 2x15

Shadowhunters 2x15

"A Problem of Memory"

Thoughts and Feels

I just checked and I have not written one of these since episode 7. I'm sorry!!!! I got really busy at the end of the school year and start of summer, but now I'm planning on finishing out the season with these Thoughts and Feels posts again, so I hope you enjoy reading them! For this post specifically, I will be making references to the other episodes. While I did not write about them, I did watch them so they may be coming up in conversation.

Right in the begining of the episode, we see Jace getting so hopeful about the kiss in the Seelie Court, and I loved it, because it just sort of reminded me of a sad little puppy looking happy for the first time in ages. For those of us who have read the books, I feel like we know more backstory about Jace and understand how important this is for his character to open up like this, but generally speaking for all fans, TV and book, I think this moment was really well done because everyone at this point knows that Jace has reservations about his feelings for Clary. It got slightly messed up with the whole sibling revelation before the Climon break up, but the sentiment is still the same. Jace doesn't think he can be with Clary, for a multitude of reasons (blame the Herondale gene); but in this moment we see the hope come through his eyes for the briefest of moments before it gets shuts down again, which is great development for the character of Jace.

One of the things that I've actually appreciated these past few episodes is how accurate they have been to the history of the Circle and how things went down with the different families and Valentine. Especially concerning Jace and the experiments I feel like they are sticking really close to the books, which is fantastic. In this episode specifically, I LOVE that they dropped one of the most iconic Jace quotes from his "lessons" from Valentine.  Granted, this quote is used differently in the show than the book, but I think it worked just as well in the show. It also had a really great effect of giving Valentine a chance to make barbs at Jace about his feelings for Clary, driving deeper those Herondale pessimistic moody thoughts.

Aline came!!! This was something that I have been looking forward to since the reveal of Will Tudor of Sebastien. Aline is a minor character in the books, but a catalyst for so many things, so of course I was waiting for her. I think they did a decent job with her role in the show, but there were a few things that I didn't really like and now have concerns about for the future. First, would it really have been so hard to say that she was seeing a girl named Helen? Maybe I'm missing something from the books, but if they are having her open in the show, then why not match her with Helen from the get-go? With this actually is my concern for the future episodes. If Aline is openly gay in the show now, what about the Jace-Aline thing in Alicante then that will lead to Jace breaking a window and such. It is a small thing in relation to everything else in the show and story, but it still is a bit of a moment for all three characters involved: Aline, Jace, and Clary. In that scene, Aline realizes that she really is only into girls, Jace realizes that there is no one else for him but Clary, and Clary realizes that she doesn't want Jace to be with anyone else. But now.... I can't really see how that will happen.

As far as Climon goes, I think that ship is done for the show, but I can't really be sure based on the final conversation that Clary and Simon have. Honestly, while watching it, all I could think of was Ross and Rachel from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and how they had confusion if "they were on a break" and what that actually meant. So yeah, I think it's done, but not closed, which means there's room for chaos and heartbreak at least on one end of the two. This is something that I really hope gets wrapped up quickly in the next episode. 

I think the show is doing a really good job with the roles of the minor characters in the books. For example, in this episode, Simon gets accused of murder and we follow him and Luke and Raphael interact more in that aspect of the Shadow World. In City of Glass (which is where I think the show is roughly at), Simon and Luke don't really have roles and appearances, so it's nice for them to have something to do in the show that doesn't interfere with the big picture and not just disappear.

Unfortunately, there were so many different parts of this episode, that I think Magnus got brushed off a bit. What I think is kinda funny though is that the title of the episode primarily applies to him and his history. It also applies to Sebastien, because he doesn't have the actual Sebastien Verlac's memories when Aline comes, but really the only plot Magnus has in this episode is overcoming his worst memories from when he was a child. And we didn't really get to see too much of that, which just makes me wonder about why they decided to title this episode what they did.

The biggest thing that I feel like I need to talk about is Sebastian. Because I haven't written one of these posts in ages, I haven't gotten the chance to talk about him yet!! While being one of my favorite secret villains on this show (lol I say this as if there's more than one), he is also simultaneously one of the biggest wrenches that the show has added. There are just some details that do not line up with the book at all and it does concern me because there are a few things from the book that I think REALLY need to happen, but cannot yet because there is absolutely no set up for them yet. I might write an entire post about his, and if I do I will link it here. But for this episode, my immediate concern was that Sebastien/Jonathan looked exactly like the real Sebastien. A million warning bells went off in my head at that moment because I had no freaking clue what the show was playing at. But then they resolved it at the very end by showing Seb/Jon as a super burned person demon thing with black eyes. Which, I guess works, even though I do think they could have easily just stuck to the book cannon. Unless they have something else in mind, but I really cannot see what that could possible be.


Coming off of that, I have to say that I think Will Tudor is doing a phenomenal job. Sebastien is such a twisted complicated character, and Will is doing a great job balancing the different faces that he puts on in the public of the other Shadowhunters and the privacy of his own apartment. Plus, some of the expressions he makes and lines he delivers are perfect, which is commendable to the screenwriters and directors as well. This character I think is being handled the most carefully out of all of them, which is spot-on considering the depth of Sebastien and the role that he plays, now and in the future. I think that Will Tudor was a fantastic choice and I cannot wait to see where the character of Sebastien goes. Do I wish his hair was dyed black like it was in the books? Yes. But I guess that was a really small detail and the show is fine without it. :)


Final question to think about: when and how is Valentine going to die? Because let's be honest, that needs to happen, and probably quickly now that Sebastien has revealed himself to Valentine. It is also just critical to the plot of the story, and I really really do not want to see the show mess it up. Based on the rest of season 2 so far, I don't think they will, but I'm still nervous.

Thanks for reading!

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First Review (2013): AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's it. That's all I wrote. I can honestly say I'm slightly embarrassed by that review because it really isn't any review at all and this book deserves all the accolades I can verbally express.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer may be the most beautifully crafted horrific tale of suspense I have ever read. Not to mention, this book has some great quotes and one-liners that serve to either accentuate certain elements of creepiness or depth, or to add humor to the mix in the middle of all of this darkness. I love this second book even more than the first one. In this book, the story morphs from that of a character central story into one that, before you realize it, has really amazing intricate details of paranormal, sci-fy, and classic tension. This is a book where you keep reading it for one thing but then before you know it you cannot put it down for an entirely different reason. And even as the story gets darker and creepier, you will not be able to stop reading it.

SPOILERS BELOW

PLOT:
This book absolutely has more of a plot structure than the first book, which is part of the reason why I like this one more. The plot of this story is so captivating because whether or not you realize it, you will become completely wrapped up around this story that just gets more and more intense and dark. There is no escape from this book. With every turn of the page, another element and layer is added, and like a train that is beginning to derail, you have the sense of what catastrophe is about to happen but you simply cannot look away. As the pieces start to fall together, there are moments when SO many things make sense, and words cannot describe the feeling of these revelations nor the horror and tension/suspense that they add. Spot on plot building.


CHARACTERS:
Mara: This poor girl. Really, this is the second time I have read this book and what she goes through is still so mind boggling and confusing that I can't help but feel terrible for her. (And I am perfectly aware that this is a fictional character we're talking about.) In this book we do get more clarity of what is going on though and we also get to see more backstory about her grandmother and the bigger picture. It still is very complicated and can be hard to follow, so I highly recommend reading it at least twice.


Noah: I freaking love this guy. In the first book, he had this great heart throbbing moment, and he has another one in this book when he shows up at Lakeview just so that he can be there for Mara. His devotion to Mara is greatly admirable and it makes the story so much better because the two of them balance each other out beautifully. In this respect, I really love how the two of them are foils for each other in every aspect possible. And in a totally fangirl perspective, Noah Shaw just becomes more fantastic in this book.

Jamie: I freaking love this kid. As you can tell, I think very highly of the two guys closest to Mara who are not related to her. But again, just like how I mentioned in my review for the first book, Jamie is one of the best friends I think Mara could ever and will ever have. He gets so many friend points and sarcastic points and I love his lines and actions.

Jude: I am generally not a fan of even the "I wish this character would die" thing. But I guess my equivalent would be I wish Jude would be stranded on an isolated island in the middle of the ocean so that he can never harm another living soul again. Maybe he'll be able to sort himself out too while he's there. But seriously, I would banish him from the rest of human civilization.


Kells: I correct my statement about Jude's island. This b***h can join him there. I actually hate her more than I hate Jude. Jude is Voldemort, but Kells is Umbridge. It is actually infuriating who she is and what her role is in the book. But it does add another wrench into the story of the book. She is this authoritative figure that is so corrupted that it turns this dire situation into an impossible one. Literary speaking, her character is brilliant. Humanly speaking, she is the definition of vile.

WRITING:
I've already touched on this point in the plot, but Michelle Hodkin did a great job with the writing of this book, because if it had been anything less than stellar than the slow revelation and entrapping of the plot would not have been possible. That, and the careful manipulation of the characters and their developments simply make this book fly above the typical novel. Between those two things and the detail that goes into the descriptions of the events and sensations of our lovely unreliable narrator, this book is unlike any other.

Like I said in my review for the first book, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, I really love the narration of this book. It is incredibly witty, and it is a phenomenal use of an unreliable narrator. If I had to pull up an example of an unreliable narrator, it would be Mara Dyer. This series is the best use of one that I have ever read, and it makes it all so much more interesting and creepy and keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-y.


If you've read the first book, keep going. If you have not read these books yet, go start with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and then come back and read the full review.

Thanks for reading!
View all my reviews

The Evolution of Mara Dyer SPOILER FREE Review

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Spoiler Free Review

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First Review (2013): AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's it. That's all I wrote. I can honestly say I'm slightly embarrassed by that review because it really isn't any review at all and this book deserves all the accolades I can verbally express.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer may be the most beautifully crafted horrific tale of suspense I have ever read. Not to mention, this book has some great quotes and one-liners that serve to either accentuate certain elements of creepiness or depth, or to add humor to the mix in the middle of all of this darkness. I love this second book even more than the first one. In this book, the story morphs from that of a character central story into one that, before you realize it, has really amazing intricate details of paranormal, sci-fy, and classic tension. This is a book where you keep reading it for one thing but then before you know it you cannot put it down for an entirely different reason. And even as the story gets darker and creepier, you will not be able to stop reading it.

Like I said in my review for the first book, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, I really love the narration of this book. It is incredibly witty, and it is a phenomenal use of an unreliable narrator. If I had to pull up an example of an unreliable narrator, it would be Mara Dyer. This series is the best use of one that I have ever read, and it makes it all so much more interesting and creepy and keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-y.

If you've read the first book, keep going. If you have not read these books yet, go start with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and then come back and read the full review.

Thanks for reading!
View all my reviews

Spiderman Movie Review

Spider-Man: Homecoming Movie Review

4.45 out of 5 Stars

I remember going to see The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield in theaters, so I was really worried stepping into the movies to see this one. I had seen the trailers, and watched some interviews, and saw that it was getting good reviews online, but I was still on the cautious side, because I had really liked the other movies.

I really had nothing to worry about. This movie portrayed Spidey in a way that was younger and more geeky, which is different from the others, but I liked this aspect because it made it so much easier to suspend my disbelief about a 15 year-old super hero and it drove home the magnitude of what Peter Parker did, all because it seemed more realistic for someone of that age. It didn't take away from the hero complex of the character either. If anything, they emphasized it by putting the character of Spider-Man in juxtaposition with Tony Stark and having Peter really want to join the Avengers. It modeled a father and son dynamic which increased the motivation to do good in the city. 

What's taking away from this movie is that I feel like there are a few too many stereotypical tropes played out. Granted, these things are stereotypical for a reason, and Marvel does call itself out on it at one point via Tony Stark, but I thought it still was a bit too heavy handed. They had the moments, hero underappreciated by those he wants it from, hero has a moment where he messes up, hero has revelation about who he is, etc. etc. That's all fine and good, but the way they made it in this movie seemed too on the nose to me.


One of the scenes that I both applaud Marvel for, but also am mentally giving them the side eye for, is the scene with the elevator. Ummmmm.... I don't know about other viewers, but I watched that and all I could think of was Gwen Stacy dying at the bottom of an elevator shaft in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Oh my word, love the cameo, but dang it was kinda cruel. Also, I loved the branzino reference, also from the other Spider-Man movies.

Michael Keaton as the villain was fantastic. I loved his character, partly because he was a real person without some weird scientific mishap, and partly because Michael Keaton did a great job with it. It was so good because it gave the villain a genuine reason to be doing what he was doing. This is not to justify was he did, but the motivation was good, so in a way the villain is not completely damnable. Still is, and I'm glad that Peter got him in prison, but he isn't a complete sociopath either. I'm interested to see where his character goes though because if you stuck around for the after credits (like you should) there is that scene where he doesn't give up Peter's identity, but he still has this evil look in his eye, like, "I'll be the one getting revenge". Cue evil laughter... I wonder if they'll carry his character immediately into the next Spidey movie?

The fight scenes in this movie were really great. I loved seeing Spidey flip all over the place and learn how to fight against the new alien tech weapons. My favorite fight scene would have to be when he and the Vulture were both outside the jet and from the moment they engaged out there to the moment the fight ends on the beach, I just loved it. It wasn't too fast or too slow and while I think Peter would be more injured than how he is shown, the fight was really well balanced and a great end to that plot line.

Lastly, I loved Tony Stark in this movie. I already touched on the father-son dynamic he and Peter seem to have, but what I really loved about his role in this movie is that it was light and sarcastic again, like from the first Iron Man movie. He has that sarcasm in all of the movies, but some of the later ones it feels more forced; but in this movie, it was just natural and flowed so much easier, like how it does in Stark's first movie. My only question concerning his character is, how does he know Mae? He references her in the beginning and obviously he has to have known Peter from somewhere, but did they ever mention that, either in this movie or in Captain America: Civil War?

I feel like Andrew Garfield will forever be my Spider-Man (like how Whovians have their Doctors ***coughDavidTennantcough***), but Tom Holland definitely pulled off this role so spectacularly that I will definitely watch the rest of his movies and I am really looking forward to seeing him with the other Marvel heroes. He was nerdy, he was funny, he was younger, and he without a doubt made the role his own. I think that is the greatest success of the entire movie. Everyone in the cast did great, but really I think Tom had the greatest challenge with two major predecessors and consequentially had the greatest success by still managing to create a role for his own Spider-Man.


I hope you enjoy the movie as much as I did and thanks for reading!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Book Review

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

5 out of 5 Stars

Full Review

So before I begin this legitimate review, I have to show this review from baby me that didn't know how to separate feelings from writing reviews: "OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!!!!! If I was someone who cursed, I would be in soooo much trouble right now, this book is so incredible. MUST READ." I still don't entirely know how to separate those feelings, but I like to think that I'm better at it now. I also apparently didn't curse back then... hmmmmm.... anyway, here we go. >:)

Since first reading this book back in 2013, I have always been in love with this entire series and every book in it with no exceptions. I have to say though, that this is the first time I've reread the entire first book, and I HIGHLY recommend rereading this series, because this second time around was so much better than the first. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a beautifully creepy story that will wrap itself around your mind and take root there. There is simply no getting it off your mind, so if you get freaked out easily, be warned. But really, there are so many different well-constructed elements of this book that there is probably something for near every reader. The writing is magical, the plot is definitely intriguing, and the characters are perfectly flawed and real.

What makes this all the more interesting, is that it is told in first person point of view from an unreliable narrator (Mara). There are some pretty strange happenings in this book, but the catch is that the reader can never really know what is real or not because while there are paranormal aspects in the book, Mara also has PTSD which makes her question everything. This is part of the reason why I would recommend reading it at least twice, because this second time through it read as all the more ingenious after knowing what happens in books 2 and 3, while also just being thoroughly enjoyable on its own again.  

SPOILERS BELOW
 
Here comes the big review. Please note, that while I have read the other books in this series at this point in writing, I will not take their events and details into consideration when reviewing this book. There will be absolutely no spoilers for the other two books and this review will be solely on the first book alone.
 
PLOT:
Looking back on it, there was not too much of an actual plot in this book. There is one, but it builds on the peripheral of the book's focus, which is developing the characters and mostly just trying to figure out if Mara is completely insane or if there's more to the story. This first book is almost all character development, but there are also some miniature plots that get explored, like how Mara's friendship with Jamie grows and develops, traveling to the weird priest with the chicken blood, and then of course the murder case and finding out Jude is alive. I think I would say that those two are the main ones, because there is groundwork for them throughout the majority of the book and they both have grand resolutions (in a literary sense) at the end of the story. Overall, I think the plot of this book really only serves as a setup so that the reader is prepared for whatever lies ahead.
 
CHARACTERS:
 
Mara- Oh, Mara. I think that reading this book from Mara's point of view makes it the most unreliably narrated story that I have ever read. This does make the book all the more interesting though because then the reader's mind is always trying to figure out what is really happening too and is looking for clues in the words and always is wanting to turn the page to see what happens and if it is real or a figment of one of Mara's hallucinations. As a character, I really love how Mara is in no way "perfect". She is not a straight A student, she doesn't have extracurricular activities, and she talks about homework and tests. It all just made this book so much more realistic, because a lot of the time in YA books, the reader doesn't really get to see that mundane stuff. But here, it is front and center and I think that it is done brilliantly.

Noah- I don't even know where to begin with Noah Shaw. He is a bit arrogant, a bit sassy, and a bit entitled, but he is also entirely genuine in himself and cares astronomically about so many things. He is slightly stereotypical as the YA love interest, but he wears it so well that I don't think anyone can really count it as a fault for him. There are just so many parts of his personality and character that break my heart, like how he got angry on behalf of Mabel when Mara first found her, and then he proceeded to spend the night in the vet's office to make sure Mabel recovered. Credit also has to be given to him for sticking by Mara's side even though she is very dark and twisty. Even despite her telling him that she wants to see the criminal killed after they have the revelation about what they can do, he still believes that she is good and won't do it. Jury's still out in my opinion as to whether or not she did cause the killer's death.
 
Jamie- I love this kid. He also has his own issues, but I think for the most part it is commendable how good of a friend he is to Mara and everything that he does for her, even though they've only known each other for a few months. He does disappear from the book randomly. That is I think one of the few faults of this book. I don't know why exactly he had to leave the book like he did, but it seemed very abrupt. It did however solidify my hatred for the Evil Twins (Anna and Adrien).
 
Jude- This little bleeeeeeeeep. Feel free to fill that bleep in with any curse word of your choosing. I hate this character. Not in a way that I think that character was poorly written, but in a way that I hate the personality of this character and who they are. It is so awful, that I don't even want to dwell on it, and I don't think I need to either. I will add though that on top of everything else that he did, I hate Jude even more because at the end of the book with the reveal that he is still alive, there is also the revelation that he has been stalking and messing with Mara.
 
The Dyer Family- I really enjoyed how there was a family portrayal in this book. There's the mom, the dad, and the two brothers. There is literally a WHOLE family in this book, and they each get a fairly decent chunk of page time too. It really was done so well, that when Joseph was taken, the reader can't help but feel anxious along with Mara in more of a sense than just, "Oh, this is her little brother." No, it is in the sense of, "What! This adorable child that watches the news and is networking has been taken?!!?" The family dynamic and development in this book I think really adds to this story and makes it seem so much more rounded than if it didn't.
 
WRITING:
The biggest thing I can say about the writing, is that Mara is the most unreliable narrator ever. And I am very aware that I have pointed this out already. But looking at the actual writing, it is executed in such a good way where the reader cannot pick up on what is real or not based on the phrasing that Hodkin uses. It all flows together seamlessly, so no one, reader or Mara, can have a leg up as to if what is happening is real. Stepping away from this creepy factor, I also think that there are some really great funny lines in this book. The sass is original and well matched by the characters and put perfectly in their contexts.

One of the things that I love about this series is that it is framed by this cryptic opening letter that sets up not just this book, but the whole series, as a sort of confession. This letter, when I first read it, made everything all the more creepy. And then I found the backstory to the book, which made it all the more creepier, but also all the more amazing. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one of my absolute favorite books that I have ever read and I cannot express fully the enjoyment that can be gotten from reading this book and this series. If you still have reservations about reading this book, I'll just finish with two words: Noah. Shaw.

Thanks for reading!