IA Reads

Monday, March 13, 2017

Mirage by Tracy Clark review by Isabella

Mirage is about Ryan Poitier Sharpe a teenage girl with a love of all that is dangerous. Whether she is jumping out of planes at her parent’s skydiving center or taking other risks, she challenges everyone around her to embrace life to the fullest. However, after a LSD trip gone wrong, Ryan is no longer the same. She is afraid of the things she used to embrace and her relationships begin to fall apart. Ryan must fight for her identity before it is too late and the new Ryan destroys everything.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel because it surpasses the restrictions of reality and fantasy. Although the jump into the paranormal surprised me at first, after finishing the book I am glad that the author included it. Ryan is also a dynamic character whose range of emotion is both realistic and relatable. I think readers will really appreciate the nuances of Ryan’s personality, which shows that despite her self-confidence she is insecure just like the rest of us. Finally, I thought that this book dealt with issues such as PTSD and mental illness in a poignant manner that exposes readers to the complexity of both.

I think this book could be used to expose students to the difficulties of mental illness in a manner that is both engaging and relatable. It could be used as a conversation starter about how to improve access to mental health services, as the main characters are noticeably underserved.

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