Unraveller

Product Information

With solid Discworld vibes, a complex, emotional friendship that doesn't become a romance and a series of chaotic events, I think this may be the best work Frances has ever produced. While most of her previous books felt more in the Middle Grade category, I think this story could easily appeal to adult fantasy readers. I’m happy to say that Unraveller did indeed have all the magic I expected! Reading this aloud with my kids, I was again swept up in a story full of wonder and joy. But it also discussed the power of pain and anger and forgiveness, the consequences of keeping your anger and resentment close until it turns into something you’re unable to control.

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. Our main protagonist, Kellen, has a talent for unravelling curses. One day he meets Nettle and unravels her curse and they become close friends. But then Kellen discovers he’s become cursed. As Kellen and Nettle investigate his curse, they go on a journey where they discover secrets and lies and the truth about their friendship.In short and without giving anything away, what takes place is a captivating tale, set deep within a beautifully crafted world that as a reader, we slowly get to explore. The many mysteries in need of untangling, and the numerous twists and turns, make the story all the more enjoyable. My only complaint would be that I found it a *bit* to long - however, there was no way I wasn't finishing! Hardinge's writing is always good; it seems a bit less adorned in Unraveller but remains full of evocative similes ("her mind clenched like a fist, and her personality hissed out of its grip like grains of sand between tight fingers") and atmosphere:

I loooved this world where hatred could make certain people develop a form of magic that could curse other people. The way the magic worked, what was done to them (or not), the firm the curses usually took ... it was rather wonderful (in a very dark and twisted way). Especially since it gave a unique perspective on greed, desire, revenge and the twisted forms love can take. 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. Written in 2 POVs: Kellen and Nettle, they live in The Wilds… where anyone can create a “Life Destroying Curse” people can turn into animal, grow strange things on their bodies, even turn into things. Kellen has the ability to “unravel” curse… he can cure the cursed people tho not everyone happy about it and some even want to capture him because of this special ability. Unraveller features Kellen, an unraveller of curses and Nettle, a former cursed one whom Kellen has unravelled along with her siblings. The two pair together and travel unravelling people's curses, but find themselves imprisoned in the first few chapters. They're offered a release through the form of a contract with a one-eyed Horseman (Gall) who is the messenger for someone higher up but that's not revealed until later and there are no spoilers here! Kellen, Nettle and Gall and his horse visit the Red Hospital where cursers are kept and discover an escapee and the rest of the book follows their journey to find the fugitive so they can unravel a curse. On the way, they travel through Mizzleport, the Highlands, Shallow Wilds, Deep Wilds and more meeting a variety of characters: the cursed, cursers and everyone in between whilst unravelling a deeper conspiracy involving the government of Chancery itself.

I can't really shake the feeling that all the people raving about all the "layers" in this book must not read awfully complicated books often, because I found the "layers" utterly underwhelming. 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. I loved the relationship and connection between Kellen and Nettle, I think this is the closest I've seen to a Queerplatonic relationship in any book, friendship isn't quite enough to describe the way they're bonded, but they're definitely not a romantic couple either. But I will be thinking about this story for a long time. It had so many unique and endearing characters, the setting of the Wilds was exceptionally magical and I loved Nettle and Kellen’s growth throughout the novel.

Like so many Hardinge characters, Kellen and Nettle are primarily focused on survival; it’s the arrival of Gale, with his marsh horse and mysterious employer, that sets them on a different kind of adventure—one that asks very Hardinge-y questions about freedom and justice and wisdom and rage. Kellen is the title character, but Nettle is his equal, and Hardinge is very clear in how both their skillsets are valued, both their flaws painful and real. He acts and she observes, until a time comes that Nettle, too, has to act—because she’s learned so very much by watching, and by beginning to understand her human self again. Once again Frances Hardinge has delivered a story that's a little bit different and creepily atmospheric. Set in a world full of disagreeable magic and malicious curses, the plot is complex, multilayered and full of rich imaginings. It introduces us to a whole host of questionable characters. Those who curse, those who are cursed and anything and everything in between - think inventive supernatural creatures. Another creative well-written young adult fantasy from the master of the atmosphere and whimsy. Even though this felt so unlike all the other books I’ve read penned by her. If you’ve been following Hardinge’s career so far, you know she’s into whimsical, often surreal stories written in ornate language. This was different. This was .. overstuffed, crowded.I think anger’s alright, actually. Lots of you have been treated badly, and most of you never asked for any of this. But… hate’s different. It eats you up and makes everything worse. You’ve all suffered enough already, haven’t you?” Così la trama prosegue su due filoni: le indagini dei ragazzi per sciogliere le maledizioni locali che incontrano, e la ricerca, più generale, per capire chi sono i veri nemici e i membri di Salvezza. It's not the fault of the setting. Hardinge is an audacious worldbuilder, and this one is set in a swampy world full of spiders that bestow the ability (or maybe inevitability) to curse upon people who have enough hatred in them, allowing even the poor and downtrodden to have power over those they hate. Main characters Nettle and Kellen have both been touched by curses: Nettle and her siblings were turned into birds by their stepmother's curse, and Nettle watched as her hawk-brother killed her dove-sister. Kellen was bitten by a spider and given the exceedingly rare gift of being able to unravel curses, including Nettle's. It sounds very critical and don’t get me wrong, there’s so much creativity and enjoyment here. But it just never came together and I never cared about any of the characters. And then that overcomplicated ending just happened and I was already losing patience by that point. I doubt I’ll remember much of this story in a few months. Regrettably, this one joins the other forgettable books, like Skinful of Shadows, Verdigris deep and Deeplight.