The Mark

The Mark
by Jen Nadol

THE MARK by

Category:

Paranormal

Age Recommendation:

Grades 9+

Release Date: 1/19/10

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Reviewed by:

Rating:

4 Stars

Cassie has seen the mark on people all her life. When a person has the mark around them, they are about to die.

Cassie doesn’t know how or why or where, but she knows with the mark, it will happen today.

Cassie tries to escape her “gift” and avoid people. But when she takes a philosophy course and befriends her TA,

Cassie has to share her secret. If you knew today was someone’s last - would you tell them?

I started reading THE MARK thinking it was a paranormal book, which in some ways it ways. Cassie’s ability

and seeing the mark has a paranormal feel to it. But THE MARK is not a paranormal book. Instead it takes a

paranormal ability to explore philosophy and try to find answers to Cassie’s dilemma. Should she tell someone

they are about to die? Does she have a responsibility to share what she knows? Can she save someone or is it

okay to keep it to herself?

This is a quiet, slow book, but it’s still an interesting read. I never found myself bored and I actually liked the

philosophy twist on the paranormal. There’s also a secondary plot about Cassie discovering information about her

family, which I thought was somewhat predictable, but still interesting. There’s a paranormal twist at the end that

after a pretty non-paranormal book felt out of place. But if you go in expecting a more contemporary storyline that

raises great questions about life and if we have a responsibility to help, I think readers will be satisfied.

THE MARK could make a great book group read and could lead to a great discussion on philosophy, especially

since the book never feels heavy or bogged down in semantics. I think THE MARK also has great adult appeal,

so give this one to older teens and adults who enjoy YA.