Book Review: Detour by S. Mariah Rose

Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth

A friendly reminder that some things in life might just fall apart for the better

No matter how much planning you do, life has a way of turning things in an entirely new direction. S. Mariah Rose shares her uplifting story of spiritual self-transformation in Detour, a memoir about physically and spiritually moving from NYC to the American Southwest. Readers who have enjoyed The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and Eat Pray Love should jump on this book.  

Mariah reveals that life is a never-ending spiral. It doesn’t begin when you graduate from high school or end after a 15-year marriage. Who we are won’t be the same 30 years from now. 

Rose had a decent life growing up. There were expectations of her living with two prestigious educator parents, getting into a fantastic college, landing a great career, and becoming happily married with kids. But for Mariah, this was not all it was cracked up to be. She tried that traditional path only for it to fall apart. Her relationship with her husband Michael faded as she rediscovered herself in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

If it weren’t for the help of a good friend, Mariah might still be in New York City attempting to live up to her parents’ expectations and maintaining a crumbling marriage. Detour wouldn’t exist if Rose didn’t take a chance and move.

Reading Detour is a thought-provoking experience that discusses how spirituality is beyond what we can ever perceive and is not only related to one’s religion. To Mariah, spirituality is a way of being, and it cannot be taken away. 

She has grown up in both Jewish and Christian ties. Her parents didn’t believe in God, angels, or anything extraordinary. Chakras and kundalini awakenings were not an evening dinner discussion. The physical world was all that was—nothing more. It took Mariah meeting all the spiritually-attuned people in Santa Fe to change her perspective. Spiritually lies within. We are all spirits having human experiences.  

A lot of readers are going to relate to Mariah’s journey. We are all trying to find ourselves. Mariah is honest, humble, and doesn’t hide her shortcomings. Like her, we all can see how life can be messy. But no matter what, it can lead us to the right moments. So while her marriage with Michael wasn’t needed where Mariah would be going, it (and he) served a valuable lesson. From the eccentric acupuncturist to the friendly Hispanic hiker, the people Mariah met helped her change one day at a time.  

Detour is a deeply approachable and intriguing spiritual memoir. Once I got started, I didn’t want to stop. As somebody already attracted to the mystical American Southwest (especially Sedona), I enjoyed reading about her Santa Fe experiences. There is so much world out there to explore. It can change our entire lives.

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