Reviews with content warning for Forced institutionalization - Unraveller

Frances Hardinge is fast becoming one of my go-to children’s authors. This cracking fantasy/mystery doesn’t shy away from adult themes but deals with them sensitively and confidently delivers the reader to a satisfying conclusion that encourages us to think about how we each deal with our own anger. 4* for me as an adult reading a children’s book but easily a 5* for a younger reader.

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betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I think the concept of this was unique and interesting, and I really found the entire concept facsinating. The idea of spiders spreading curses is something I haven't seen in YA fantasy before, and Hardinge has a sort of whimsy about her writing that feels like a fairy tale. Objectively, the book is well written and fans of Hardinge's other books will definitely enjoy this one.

However, I just didn't really connect with the overall story. I don't know if it was the characters or the main conflict or what. It was enjoyable while I was listening to it, but it's likely not a book that I'll visit again.

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ishouldreadthat's review

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adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.

When you pick up a Frances Hardinge book, you're guaranteed a unique reading experience. She's one of the best storytellers in the business, and her books are equal parts whimsical, humorous, and dark.

Unraveller was one of my most anticipated books of the year (I screeched when I realised she had a book out this fall), and absolutely loved it. The worldbuilding and magic are immaculate - I loved the concept of cursing and the way she explores it in this book - and her characters are so lovable and wonderfully written (even when you want to shake them).

If you're looking for a standalone fantasy adventure that's the perfect escape from reality, I cannot recommend Unraveller more highly. It's easily one of the best books of the year!

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bookforthought's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Unraveller was my third Frances Hardinge book, and by now I can safely say I'm looking forward to catching up on all her books! As with the others I read, this book was just dark and creepy enough which made it a perfect November read. The world-building was also spot on, with the main storyline enriched with little nuggets of local lore, customs and magical creatures. I alternated between the e-book and the audio version for this, and I have to say it worked beautifully: the audiobook narrator in particular did a spectacular job bringing all the characters to life!

The plot was very original and definitely highly engaging: in the land of Raddith, anyone who strongly hates another person may curse them and only one boy, Kellen, has the power to unravel curses. Kellen himself is cursed, however, and unless he can learn how to unravel his own curse, he risks destroying everything and everyone around him. The story soon starts to show its multiple layers and, just like a complex tapestry we follow a thread at a time until the whole picture is clear before our eyes. The author does a great job weaving and unweaving the tale and the luscious, atmospheric setting plays a big part in that.

As Kellen and his friend Nettle journey across the land, they engage in a series of quests, unravelling various curses as they go. Pretty soon, it started to feel as though we were deep in a cycle of travel, quest, curse, unravelling and repeat. Although some of the places they visit and the characters they meet were fascinating, it did start to feel a little repetitive at times, and there was an almost endless parade of secondary characters who were introduced and left so fast I struggled to keep up with them. Sadly, this also meant I didn't really grow attached to any of them so that, when a few made a further appearance at a key point later on in the book, I was mostly unfazed.

This was really a shame, as in contrast I liked the main characters very much! Both Kellen and Nettle were unique, complex and deeply flawed and I loved them both so much for it. Their friendship and loyalty to their other friends and family members were an absolute delight to read about, and I really appreciated how they were called out on their mistakes and worked to put them right. There was real character growth here, which made me even sadder that it was limited to the main characters only.

Unraveller is a perfectly creepy read, perfect for readers who are looking for vivid settings and original world-building, despite the story dragging on a bit in the middle.

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natashaleighton_'s review

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Frances Hardinge’s Unraveller is a beautifully written and richly imagined fantasy with a deliciously twisted, dark fairytale-esque aesthetic I couldn’t get enough of!

I loved every single second of this immersive (and utterly addictive) masterpiece. And reading this genuinely felt like one of those vivid dreams that you find soo beautiful you desperately hope never to leave. It’s only on closer inspection do you realise you’ve actually stumbled into a nightmare of the strange and magical—that’s what Unraveller felt like, but in the most glorious way.

I absolutely loved how detailed and lush the world-building was, the spellbindingly strange, sprawling landscape was just exquisite and the inhabitants really added a depth that truly made reading this an immersive experience.

I really liked both main characters we’re introduced to. Kellen is a rash, flawed and complex character who finds himself with a gift to unravel the curses that are inflicted from “cursed eggs”, formed from the build up of people’s long buried hatred and spite. I really enjoyed exploring his concept of justice, but his anger issues (one of his biggest flaws) were also really interesting to watch as his “gift” of unravelling can cause everything in his vicinity (garments, furniture, objects) to unravel when he experiences heightened emotions. Most of the narrative revolves around his impulsive tendencies and the result of his rash decisions—most of which do get him into a spot of trouble on more than one occasion. But his journey does involve some self reflection and I enjoyed seeing him learn the importance of having a little patience.

Nettle, our other protagonist is the complete antithesis to Kellen, she’s methodical and cautious in her approach to most situations but also caring, which I felt definitely helped to balance out some of Kellen’s chaotic, callous and unpredictable tendencies. She internalises a lot of her problems which does make her seem a little colder/ uncaring to begin with however, we do learn why she’s soo guarded and I genuinely felt emotional over what she had to endure (having been cursed by her stepmother.)

The supporting cast of characters were also really well crafted and the uniqueness (and detail) that Hardinge imbues into each one was pretty impressive. Whether unjustly cursed, the person doing the cursing, or even just one of the beings or creatures from the magic infested wilds—I was fascinated by them all. I could easily read a novel based on every single one of them, but I did have a soft spot for Gall and Yannick who I found especially fascinating.

Having given up an eye to control the fiery (and deadly) marsh horse, marsh rider Gall was a character I spent the most time on the fence about —he’s a morally ambiguous character (due in part to his bond with such a wild and dangerous creature) but given the mystery surrounding him I was a little unsure where his loyalties would eventually lie. I did, however, really enjoy what little of his backstory we did unravel which really made me see him in a new light.

Likewise, Yannick really came into his own as character in the second half of the book as we learn a little more about his life beyond being Nettle’s similarly cursed brother. And his interactions with Kellen in the later chapters were soo entertaining.

Overall, a beautifully written and genuinely compelling, fantasy with a unique magic system, plenty of intriguing characters and plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. It wraps up nicely with a pretty satisfying and—more the most part—fairly uplifting ending. If you love your fantasy dark and deliciously twisted then I definitely recommend picking this up.

Also, a huge thank you to Bethan at Macmillan Kids UK for this stunning finished copy.

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swalk's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Such an incredible book, I just loved this! Beautifully written, full of folklore and totally immersive.

The gothic, twisted world building was wonderful and I enjoyed all the different interwoven elements of magic and reality. You really come to empathise with the main characters Kellan and Nettle as they overcome many obstacles throughout their adventure. Just spellbinding.

I hope there will be more in this series, I really didn’t want it to end. (I would say it’s probably good for over 12’s as there were some bits that might be a little scary. Definitely good for adult fantasy fans!)

The narrator was brilliant, she brought the book to life and made it really easy to tell between characters.

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rcsreads's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was like a little mental health parable to teach the children to discuss their emotions before they get out of hand. It's also an excellent fantasy story.

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