In the Shallows

April 1, 2024
A tragic event offers a second chance at love. Mara Malakar's friends think she should give up on Nico, who runs hot and cold, but Mara can't seem to let go. Last summer, she met Nico, who was busking in the Brighton train station, and was instantly drawn to her artsy and mysterious persona. Now it's December, and Mara often shrinks herself down so as not to upset Nico and drive her away. Nico asks Mara to meet her at midnight on New Year's Eve, and Mara jumps at the invitation. But when Nico doesn't show, leaving Mara heartbroken, it's Michelle, Mara's best friend, who's there to pick up the pieces. Although Michelle tells Mara she really needs to let Nico go this time, Mara believes there's something suspicious about the last text Nico sent. Both girls are shocked by a news report of a teenager rescued from the sea by fishermen on New Year's Day: The girl is Nico, and she has no memory of what happened or who she is. Her amnesia means she and Mara could have a fresh start, but Mara is afraid there's more to Nico's story. The book, which centers Mara's journey through loss and love, has a slow beginning, but Nico's history unfolds with a poetic tenderness. Mara, Nico, and Michelle are British girls of Asian descent (Indian, Korean, and Chinese, respectively). A character-driven story with touches of mystery and romance that builds toward an engaging ending. (Fiction. 13-18)

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May 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Nico is everything you'd expect from a raven-haired singer-songwriter who idolizes Patti Smith, busks at a busy rail station, and collects vinyl. Mara Malakar fell head over heels in love with her from the first notes and hint of a smile she caught one day at Brighton Station. They've been a thing Mara describes as, "maddening purgatory"--aka, a situationship. Mara's friends only see Nico as aloof and uncaring. Cancelling plans at the last minute and days of radio silence are Nico's MO, leaving Mara wondering if she's to blame. Sick of watching the perpetual disappointment and heartbreak, Mara's best friend intervenes, encouraging her to move on. Then Nico unexpectedly reenters Mara's life, bringing with her more questions than ever before. Did Mara ever know her at all? The truth that emerges may be shocking to all but the most avid true-crime fans. Salacious as a tabloid cover story, In the Shallows recasts some of the worst parts of being young and in love and suggests that maybe sometimes there is a good explanation for flaky behavior.

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May 17, 2024

Gr 9 Up-Mara Malakar lives in Brighton and loves Nico Rudolph, even though she's unreliable, volatile, and all of Mara's friends hate her. Despite being stood up again and again, Mara remains hopeful when Nico asks to meet her on New Year's Eve. Then the pain of a curt break-up text after midnight is followed by shock as Nico's face appears on the news the next morning: "teenage girl rescued from the sea." This novel explores trauma-induced amnesia, as Mara and Nico are reunited, and Nico remembers nothing about their previous relationship. Mara takes the opportunity, at the urging of Nico's mother, to start over. During the course of this meandering, moody novel, Mara rebuilds their relationship on top of a tremendous lie, while trying to uncover the sinister truth of what happened that night at Brighton Pier. VERDICT Slow pacing and repetitious dialogue mar this book's journey to its unexpected ending, but for readers who enjoy character-focused psychological dramas akin to E. Lockhart's We Were Liars and Karen M. McManus's One of Us Is Lying, this is a solid, sapphic, addition to the genre.-Molly Saunders

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