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Maya Storm has always been able to hear other people’s thoughts. And she definitely doesn’t consider this strange talent a gift. Knowing all the worries, wants, needs, sadness, pain, and secrets of anyone who comes close to her has weighed on her considerably.
She’s spent time holed up in her basement to avoid it, and she’s “blown up” a bit in public in response to the overstimulation. That led her to spend time in a psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately, no medicine can treat her ailment. Talk therapy won’t fix it, though a caring therapist can at least provide some support and tools.
Maya needs that support and more when she leaves Whispering Pines and starts at a new high school. She has to figure out how to fit in at least a little and make friends. That’s a real challenge for most teens, honestly, and particularly so for a girl who considers likely future professions to be “Bartender. Acrobat. God.”
But she does get to know people. She makes a couple of friends. She even meets A Guy. And she finds what she thinks may be a purpose for what she experiences. But how precarious is the new life she’s building?
I adored this book. I can see it may not be for everyone, but it worked for me. It’s frank, funny, and feminist. Maya is a force to be reckoned with — even before she fully appreciates it. Her personality just jumps off the page, and it’s sweet to see how she takes on causes, trying to make the world better, trying to help other teens as she can tell exactly what they need. I got a kick out of the teen-speak that lines up right with my own 17-year-old’s parlance. I told that daughter I’m going to hand the book right over to her to enjoy.
Mysterious Ways is heartwarming without being sappy, and a coming-of-age story I could actually get behind (typically I find that genre to be simply about discovering sex). I laughed out loud and empathized with both Maya and her parents. Smart and sharp, balanced with just the right amount of heart.
Rated: High. Profanity includes 30 uses of strong language, around 30 instances of moderate profanity, about 15 uses of mild language, and 20 instances of the name of Deity in vain. Sexual content includes a good amount of talk about sex, kissing, and some “open-door” scenes.
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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
