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A review by stuckinafictionaluniverse
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
3.0
(This will be the last time in a while where I talk about action movies in my reviews, I promise).
Reading Unraveling was like watching an action movie.
Not one as thrilling, humorous and heartwrenching as The amazing Spider-man 2 or as boring, dull and slow as Taken, more like Mission Impossible; a solid film with its few golden moments.
It's an action with a sci-fi twist.
The book relies on its many surprises and the fast pacing, and would be nothing without the two.
The plot is very unbelivable and extreme, one of those where you wonder what the heck is going on, especially near the end.
It does read like something you'd see on screen - a film that's easy to digest and won't get anywhere near your list of favorites, but a good one nonetheless.
Just like with [b:Obsidian|12578077|Obsidian (Lux, #1)|Jennifer L. Armentrout|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328275091s/12578077.jpg|17588854], my rating of the book is mainly based on its entertainment value. And yet the flaws cannot be looked past, so therefore it's a 3-star rating.
It was enjoyable and not a book I regret reading, but one I'd never re-read.
If there's one thing I really liked about the book, it would be how self-aware it is. It calls itself out on clichés, particularly from the movies of the same genre, and makes fun of them.
"The world might end tomorrow."
"Alex, this isn't some lame-ass action movie. No good-bye monologues necessary."
"Is it wrong I'm hoping we'll get at least one diabolical monologue from a bad guy?"
One of the many examples of Janelle and Alex's funny conversations. They reminded of my own friendships, especially with a particular boy who thinks me not having seen Star Wars or Lord of the rings is a deadly sin.
I was worried that the connection between the two friends would develop into a romantic one, and we'd be tossed into another of those darn love triangles. I'm so glad the author decided not to go there, since it's one of my least favorite plot tools. They just create unnecessary drama in my opinion.
Janelle isn't a very memorable narrator. She's smart, almost too smart, and too perfect. I would've liked to her see more vulnerable and flawed. Her voice was close to robotic at times.
Unraveling has heart, though.
We see a family that is slightly involved in the story and almost manage to balance out the surreal aspects of it.
Things are rather troubled at the Tenner resident. With her father's demanding job, Janelle has to take care of both her younger sibling Jared as well as a bipolar mother.
I was happy to see this, since it made her into a more sympathetic and less stiff character.
The mental illness is well portrayed and isn't just a label sloppily placed on the mom to give her a role in the family.
The twist in the middle of the book makes Janelle open up even more, and it's interesting to see how it affects the rest of the characters as well.
Naturally the main character is involved in a romance, but it may not be with who you expected. Ben is part of the school's 'stoner gang' and Janelle has never laid eyes on him before the beginning of the book.
Soon enough they're caught in a bad romance. It's cheesy and felt unnecessary. Ben lacks personality and I don't know what Janelle sees in him. He's a guy who's just there in the corner, shows up when it's convient for the story, and the person I ended up caring the least for.
Ben is one of the more important side characters, and I wish I would've loved him. The hero is the one I always hope to like and swoon over, and just one good and bright personality can improve the entire book. Sorry, Ben, you failed the test.
The last small con is regarding the lack of female characters. I counted four, including the MC. And there are.. what, around seven or eight males? This just bugs me because I love to see a good cast of diverse side characters and wondered where all the girls were. One of the main settings is a highschool after all.
To my surprise there is a sequel to Unraveling.
Not sure if I'll read it, as I think things ended nicely in this one and can't think of anything else that would necessarily add to Janelle and Ben's story.
Final verdict:
A solid but not very memorable book. It kept me interested the whole time but was mediocre at its best.
Recommended for readers looking for a quick, entertaining read that incorporates mystery, action and science fiction.
Reading Unraveling was like watching an action movie.
Not one as thrilling, humorous and heartwrenching as The amazing Spider-man 2 or as boring, dull and slow as Taken, more like Mission Impossible; a solid film with its few golden moments.
It's an action with a sci-fi twist.
The book relies on its many surprises and the fast pacing, and would be nothing without the two.
The plot is very unbelivable and extreme, one of those where you wonder what the heck is going on, especially near the end.
It does read like something you'd see on screen - a film that's easy to digest and won't get anywhere near your list of favorites, but a good one nonetheless.
Just like with [b:Obsidian|12578077|Obsidian (Lux, #1)|Jennifer L. Armentrout|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328275091s/12578077.jpg|17588854], my rating of the book is mainly based on its entertainment value. And yet the flaws cannot be looked past, so therefore it's a 3-star rating.
It was enjoyable and not a book I regret reading, but one I'd never re-read.
If there's one thing I really liked about the book, it would be how self-aware it is. It calls itself out on clichés, particularly from the movies of the same genre, and makes fun of them.
"The world might end tomorrow."
"Alex, this isn't some lame-ass action movie. No good-bye monologues necessary."
"Is it wrong I'm hoping we'll get at least one diabolical monologue from a bad guy?"
One of the many examples of Janelle and Alex's funny conversations. They reminded of my own friendships, especially with a particular boy who thinks me not having seen Star Wars or Lord of the rings is a deadly sin.
I was worried that the connection between the two friends would develop into a romantic one, and we'd be tossed into another of those darn love triangles. I'm so glad the author decided not to go there, since it's one of my least favorite plot tools. They just create unnecessary drama in my opinion.
Janelle isn't a very memorable narrator. She's smart, almost too smart, and too perfect. I would've liked to her see more vulnerable and flawed. Her voice was close to robotic at times.
Unraveling has heart, though.
We see a family that is slightly involved in the story and almost manage to balance out the surreal aspects of it.
Things are rather troubled at the Tenner resident. With her father's demanding job, Janelle has to take care of both her younger sibling Jared as well as a bipolar mother.
I was happy to see this, since it made her into a more sympathetic and less stiff character.
The mental illness is well portrayed and isn't just a label sloppily placed on the mom to give her a role in the family.
The twist in the middle of the book makes Janelle open up even more, and it's interesting to see how it affects the rest of the characters as well.
Naturally the main character is involved in a romance, but it may not be with who you expected. Ben is part of the school's 'stoner gang' and Janelle has never laid eyes on him before the beginning of the book.
Soon enough they're caught in a bad romance. It's cheesy and felt unnecessary. Ben lacks personality and I don't know what Janelle sees in him. He's a guy who's just there in the corner, shows up when it's convient for the story, and the person I ended up caring the least for.
Ben is one of the more important side characters, and I wish I would've loved him. The hero is the one I always hope to like and swoon over, and just one good and bright personality can improve the entire book. Sorry, Ben, you failed the test.
The last small con is regarding the lack of female characters. I counted four, including the MC. And there are.. what, around seven or eight males? This just bugs me because I love to see a good cast of diverse side characters and wondered where all the girls were. One of the main settings is a highschool after all.
To my surprise there is a sequel to Unraveling.
Not sure if I'll read it, as I think things ended nicely in this one and can't think of anything else that would necessarily add to Janelle and Ben's story.
Final verdict:
A solid but not very memorable book. It kept me interested the whole time but was mediocre at its best.
Recommended for readers looking for a quick, entertaining read that incorporates mystery, action and science fiction.