Reviews

The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis

donnalisa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lkf's review against another edition

emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

allthaterricka's review against another edition

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. 

schray32's review against another edition

2.0

I could not get into this. I tried but so much trauma.

nordstina's review against another edition

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 against another edition

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

i_have_a_book_problem's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.0

thotdemon's review against another edition

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.

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.

berkls2's review against another edition

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