A review by the_joyful_book_club
The Unwedding by Ally Condie

adventurous mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book might easily be one of the best of 2024. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Christine Lakin. I enjoyed her take on the story, and I appreciated that while the characters are in various frantic positions, she still made Ellery feel and sound exactly like I would expect. 

Ellery is in her mid-40's and newly divorced. She was supposed to go on a 20th wedding anniversary trip with her husband, Luke, but then he abruptly announces he wants a divorce. Ellery continues onto the trip by herself, but her emotions are still raw, and she keeps hoping that Luke will realize he's made a mistake. 

On her first night at Broken Point, Ellery meets Ravi and Nina. A gentle, cautious friendship starts to blossom but Ellery is still quite fragile. Part of the enjoyment of this story was seeing Ellery start to believe in herself again, make friendships and relationships on her own that are independent of her identity associated with her husband and kids, and just come into her own. There's a part in the story where someone tells Ellery that some people are butterflies, and some people are moths: attracted to the light that others give off. And that Ellery is a moth. Ellery thinks they're right, but as the story goes on, we see that change. 

The mystery starts when Ellery finds the groom, Ben, dead, floating in the pool on Sunday morning. Then, the guests and staff find out that with all the rain and storms that have blown through, there are mudslides everywhere, and the bridge has been blocked off as well. No one can get to the resort or leave. 

Shortly after, another member of the wedding party is dead at the bottom of the cliffs. 

Soon, the lights start flickering and the backup generator is failing. Soon, more people are missing. 

One of the main aspects I enjoyed in this book was the mystery itself. It was suspenseful, and follows the vein of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", but it's certainly not a carbon copy of it. I also appreciate that the story wasn't overdone. There are a lot of twists at the end, but they aren't all relating to the deaths. Some are more casual, like finding out the truth behind some of the guests and their motives. I thought it was a clever way to give a reader a lot of surprises, without wringing the suspense to the point of unbelievable. In giving us the background of the characters, more of the mystery makes sense. It's definitely one where the ending helps you see the story in a new light. 

If you enjoy locked room mysteries, vacation getaways, and your weddings with a side of murder, this will be the book for you!