The Mark by Jen Nadol

The Mark

Author:  Jen Nadol

Publisher:  Bloomsbury

From Goodreads:

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

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The Mark was just a okay read for me. I loved the concept, it’s very unique, and so much could have been done with it, but overall I just felt the story was lacking.

As far back as Cassie can remember she would see a glow all around certain people. She never understood exactly what it meant, until slowly she started realizing that the glow meant that they were going to die within 24 hrs. After proving her theory right by following a man with the mark, and consequently seeing his death, she is stuck with the moral dilema of telling these people, or letting them go on with there day totally unaware that these are their last hours. I enjoyed this part of the story. It was the most interesting part of the story, and the most realistic. What would you do?

Cassie begins a relationship with the assistant teacher in her college class, and that’s where the story kinda fell flat for me. I understand that there is going to be a love interest, but what he brought to the story was what I wanted Cassie to come to on her own. Does that make sense? I never really felt her grow, but more poked and prodded to come to some realizations.

Overall, I thought The Mark was okay, but it’s definitely not a hit with me. I know many people love this book, so to each their own. The idea is great, and for that I would definitely say give it a try.

Rating: 3

Received from Around the World Tours for review