The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Romance
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 470
Format: E-Book
Rating: ★★★★
Series: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (#1) | The Evolution of Mara Dyer (#2)
Where to Find: Goodreads | Amazon

This was probably my favourite book in the trilogy. It started out gross. I never thought I’d get to read about someone cutting out another person’s eye. (You can guess I haven’t read A Song of Ice and Fire!) Mara is no longer just troubled but bordering on insane. Everything that’s happening to her is unbelievable and that’s why it’s so interesting to read.

First of all, this book starts with a road trip. Even though Mara and Co. are thrown into a world where no-one cares about them, and they have to rely on each other to survive, somehow they manage to experience something so inherently YA. The friendship between the three most affected patients of the psych ward is jovial and humorous, taking a step back from the severity of the previous two books, without reducing the threat.

If you thought Mara couldn’t deal with more, you’re wrong. Boiling acid could be poured on this girl and she’d still survive. Again, it’s tricky to summarise what went on and why it was so good without giving spoilers, but I’ll tell you one thing: I’d now compare this book to ‘The Darkest Minds’.

More of an emphasis was put on the supernatural within this finale and with that comes a HUGE  twist to the story, one that I totally didn’t see coming. I don’t know if I’d call the ending resolved, however, just circular. I felt satisfied, but in a way that I would be happy to read more, if more was given to me.

As a series, this was completely unexpected and immersing. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for something different, but with a large romance story arc. At the end of the series, the characters themselves struggled to define what had happened to them, and came out with it being ‘a love story’. Not what I would have gone for, but still true. I give this book 4 stars and a strong recommend!