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allthaterricka's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.5
My thoughts about this one are still jumbled up but this was an experience. It probably would’ve been 5 stars if the pacing was different but also I think the pacing was for a reason.
nordstina's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Unsettled reads as almost two separate books to me. Ava and her son have left the fraught home situation they are in and are living in a homeless shelter and much of the beginning of the book is about their life in that shelter and how they try and make do there. Partway through, Ava becomes re-entangled with her son's biological father and their lives are upended by his whims, and they join a cult-like home that he establishes. I just found myself frustrated on what this book wanted to be.
cheyennechemease's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thotdemon's review
4.0
this was so incredibly devastating at every turn. had to keep taking little breaks from reading because it was very Heavy. i don’t think i’ve read anything quite like this before and it’s definitely going to stay with me.
very aptly titled; everyone in this book was unsettled and i am unsettled after finishing it. all i want to do is give toussaint a hug.
very aptly titled; everyone in this book was unsettled and i am unsettled after finishing it. all i want to do is give toussaint a hug.
rebeshelton's review against another edition
3.0
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5 Stars)
"The Unsettled" throws us into the tough life of Ava Carson and her son, Toussaint, in a run-down Philly shelter in 1985. It's not just a story about struggling to get by; it’s about Ava's messy past with her mom, Dutchess, down in Alabama, and how that past keeps pulling her back.
Ava's trying her best to give Toussaint a better life, but things get complicated when Cass, Toussaint’s dad, shows up with big ideas about changing the world. The book really gets into how tough choices can be when you're stuck in a hard place. Sometimes, you have to believe in something, even when it’s not perfect, just to keep going.
The book's got its ups and downs. It can drag a bit and gets twisty in parts, making you re-read some pages to keep up. And the ending? It’s a mixed bag. Not everyone’s going to love it, but it definitely makes you think about how people deal with tough situations.
"The Unsettled" is more than just a story. It’s like a mirror to real life, showing how messy and complicated things can get, especially when you're fighting against big issues like racism and injustice. Ava and Toussaint’s journey isn’t just theirs; it feels like it could be anyone’s who’s ever been in a tough spot and had to make hard choices.
"The Unsettled" throws us into the tough life of Ava Carson and her son, Toussaint, in a run-down Philly shelter in 1985. It's not just a story about struggling to get by; it’s about Ava's messy past with her mom, Dutchess, down in Alabama, and how that past keeps pulling her back.
Ava's trying her best to give Toussaint a better life, but things get complicated when Cass, Toussaint’s dad, shows up with big ideas about changing the world. The book really gets into how tough choices can be when you're stuck in a hard place. Sometimes, you have to believe in something, even when it’s not perfect, just to keep going.
The book's got its ups and downs. It can drag a bit and gets twisty in parts, making you re-read some pages to keep up. And the ending? It’s a mixed bag. Not everyone’s going to love it, but it definitely makes you think about how people deal with tough situations.
"The Unsettled" is more than just a story. It’s like a mirror to real life, showing how messy and complicated things can get, especially when you're fighting against big issues like racism and injustice. Ava and Toussaint’s journey isn’t just theirs; it feels like it could be anyone’s who’s ever been in a tough spot and had to make hard choices.
berkls2's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
katiez0314's review
DNF but not because I don’t think it’s a good book, it’s just not the right time for me to read it.
I can tell this is a heavy story, and I can’t give it the attention it probably deserves. I’m also in the middle of another heavy book, so one had to give.
I can tell this is a heavy story, and I can’t give it the attention it probably deserves. I’m also in the middle of another heavy book, so one had to give.
megobrien81's review
2.0
I really wanted to love this book, but just don’t. I almost stopped reading a few times, but really wanted to see it through. There are some beautiful moments and some incredible lines written into the story. But the format and some of the ways the story feels disjointed was hard for me. I’ve read a few reviews from folks who felt the disjointed writing style enhanced how Ava is navigating life through her mental illness and some of the circumstances thrown at her…but it didn’t land that way for me. This is not an easy story, there is a lot of trauma the characters experience and then have to life with. The story wasn’t what bothered me, I think it was more the structure. There are long passages of description where not much action happens.
Not my favorite read. Not even close.
Not my favorite read. Not even close.