Review Detail

MYSTERIOUS WAYS is a unique YA magical realism read about a teen that can read other people's minds. Maya begins the story in a mental hospital because of the voices she hears when she is reading minds. Later, when she goes to a new school, she begins to reevaluate her ability and the way that she relates to others and herself.

What I loved: This was a really interesting plot and the ability works in unique ways to tell a story that felt quite original. The story felt like a lot of short stories connected by a thread throughout which add to the unique feeling of the book. Maya's experiences color her views of the world, and she is considering what she knows and her ability in new ways throughout the story.

The story also does a good job of capturing the challenges and pressures the different characters are facing with insights into how they approach and view the world, shaped by things around them. The departure from typical writing styles also made them feel individualized with some poems, texts, and other things scattered into the story.

What left me wanting more: I struggled with some of the plot points, particularly early on where the writing is quite philosophical and a bit confusing. It felt like a very slow start. Once I began to view it more as vignettes than the traditional story, it did become more entertaining.

Final verdict: MYSTERIOUS WAYS is a unique YA magical realism that will work best for people who enjoy short story-style writing and slower burn stories.