Fighting the Cliche: The Mara Dyer Series

Fighting the Cliche: The Mara Dyer Series

Nicolas Léger

The Unbecoming of Mara DyerThe Evolution of Mara DyerThe Retribution of Mara Dyerby Michelle Hodkin

"It has been said that there must be a villain for every hero, a demon for every angel, a monster for every god" (The Retribution of Mara Dyer, 284).

Mara is the villain for Noah's hero. She is the demon for Noah's angel, the monster complementing Noah, complementing god.

Mara Dyer, the survivor of a building collapse in spite of the death of her two best friends and boyfriend, moves to Miami, Florida in hopes of returning a sense of normality to her life. At her new school, Mara meets Noah Shaw -- a mysterious boy with an equally as mysterious attraction to Mara. However, not everything is as it seems to be, and when Mara's delusions, which are thought to be a byproduct of PTSD from the accident, start becoming real, Noah becomes more important than a high school romance.

Falling under the genres of science fiction, mystery, and romance, the Mara Dyer trilogy is an addicting series for readers of varying tastes. Throughout the three novels, Mara and Noah's relationship faces trial again and again, however not at their choosing. The concept of "soulmates" becomes more than a cliche attraction between the two teenagers. It is genetic. They are linked together by a mutation that complements one another's, yet also has the ability to ruin the other.

Mara, who narrates a significant portion of the series is unreliable, or at least appears to be. The theme of reality versus unreality keeps the mystery of the trilogy going, for the doctors and influential adult figures in Mara's life hold a stronger ethological appeal than Mara herself, who is reasonably deemed unstable. She acknowledges her instability to the reader, explaining that there is, "An angel sat on one shoulder, a devil on the other. Both of them wore my face" (The Retribution of Mara Dyer, 182). Yet, corruption follows Mara everywhere she goes, making her darker side useful. No one can be trusted, and for those who can be, Hodkin writes extremely likable characters, despite not always having relevance to the progression of the plot. An example of this is the involvement of Mara's family, which is (unrealistically) not always present in most young adult novels.

This touches upon a final of many qualities that the book holds, making it a recommended read -- Mara as a character is strong despite situations breaking her down. Whilst most novels are narrated by a weak female who values misogynistic patriarchal figures in their lives, Noah is supportive, even when he, perhaps, shouldn't be. For lack of a better term, Mara is a badass and doesn't need Noah to defend herself, as proven throughout the literary work. She is strong with and without him. Mara becomes stronger upon meeting more people like herself and Noah who resemble superheroes (or, perhaps, super villains). 

For readers who couldn't care less about the patriarch, appreciate banter for comic relief in spite of terrible situations, and wish for a fictional boy to fall in love with. The Mara Dyer trilogy presents a series of YA novels that, surprisingly, don't suck.