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Reviewed by Stephen Christopher for Readers' Favorite
Gary Hale, Darnell King, Peter “Newbs” Newburg, and Brenna Stanton forge an unlikely foursome. Gary is a wanderer, never fully present. Darnell is almost a stereotypical jock, but he has more depth. Newbs is a Rainman-type super-nerd, and Brenna, the token female, hides a secret that the US Navy doesn’t feel positive about. So, how do they become a crew? A last-minute room switch results in the three boys becoming roommates. They meet Brenna accidentally when the four of them are getting back at a bully in an incident that results in everything that happens afterward being referred to as PD. What transpires that night bonds the foursome, and for the rest of their time at the Naval Academy, they’re almost inseparable. But life goes on, and cracks appear. Can they remain friends long after graduation, or is this yet another friendship that has no purpose? You’ll need to read Anne Keene’s The Mark: Built to Vanish Book 1 to find out.
I love literary fiction as it has a broad scope, is more character-driven, and often features an introspective tone. The Mark is all this and more. Anne Keene draws you in with her unique characters, slow-burning revelations, and smart, realistic dialogue. I knew very little about the US Naval Academy rules and practices, but I feel extremely educated after reading this book. The theme is friendship, but the threat of it being a 'situationship' lies constantly underneath the surface. The narrative unfolds over six distinct episodes, with numerous breaks in each. It’s not the kind of book to read in one sitting, as you need to take time to reflect on what you’ve just read. This story will evoke a wide range of emotions from the reader, from cheers to tears, anger to joy, and confusion to understanding. I felt like someone who’d been privy to a four-person friendship but only ever as an onlooker. The Mark is a book that will stay with me for a while. I recommend it to other literary fiction lovers who appreciate a character-driven narrative.
