Unraveller by Frances Hardinge Review

Title: Unraveller

Author: Frances Hardinge

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Pages: 480

Release Date: 1 September 2022

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Hello fellow book lovers, today I'm sharing my review for Frances Hardinge’s Unraveller—a beautifully written and richly imagined fantasy with a deliciously twisted, dark fairytale-esque aesthetic I couldn’t get enough of!

Synopsis

If you must travel to the country of Raddith, then be prepared. Bring a mosquito net for the lowlands, and a warm coat for the hills or mountains. If you mean to visit the misty marsh-woods known as the Wilds, you will need stout, waterproof boots. (You will also needs wits, courage and luck, but some things cannot be packed.)

You have of course heard that some people in Raddith are able to curse their enemies. It sounded so picturesque when you were reading about it at home, like a fairytale.

Perhaps you will decide that all the stories of the Wilds and the Raddith cursers were invented to entertain tourists. And at night, when you see a many-legged shape scuttle across the ceiling of your bedchamber, you will tell yourself that it is a spider, and only a spider . . .

. . . It is not.

In a world where anyone can create life-destroying curses, only one person has the power to unravel them. Kellen does not fully understand his talent, but uses it to help those who have been cursed, including his ally and closest friend, Nettle. But Kellen himself is cursed, and unless he and Nettle can release him, he is in danger of unravelling everything - and everyone - around him.

Review

 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.

And 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 enjoyed exploring his concept of justice, including his anger issues (one of his biggest flaws) which were interesting to delve into 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.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

About The Author 

Frances Hardinge spent a large part of her childhood in a huge old house that inspired her to write strange stories from an early age. She read English at Oxford University, then got a job at a software company. However, a few years later a persistent friend finally managed to bully Frances into sending a few chapters of Fly By Night, her first children's novel, to a publisher. Macmillan made her an immediate offer.

The book went on to publish to huge critical acclaim and win the Branford Boase First Novel Award. She has since written many highly acclaimed children's novels including, Fly By Night's sequel, Twilight Robbery, as well as the Carnegie shortlisted Cuckoo Song and the Costa Book of the Year winner, The Lie Tree. Unraveller is her tenth book.

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