2.5 stars.
This book is simply too long, has too many characters and tries to do too much and therefore nothing quite *sticks.* I had heard such good things about Frances Hardinge so was excited to pick up this with a dark magical market where emotions and magic are bartered for, bought and sold but instead I felt like I had been turned around and round until I was dizzy and didn't know which direction I was heading much like the cast of characters in this.
HOWEVER, I'm not put off reading from Frances again, the backlist seems very well loved so I will try again

I very much enjoyed this intricate tale. The characters were flawed but likeable and I found myself rooting for them from very early on - for me a sign of good storytelling to have me invested so early. There were lots of different threads to keep the reader interested too.

Clara's review of Unraveller already covers most of what makes this book so great: Frances Hardinge always brings intriguing magic and thoughtful moral complexity to her particular brand of YA, and her latest is no exception. Set in a world where humans live alongside the otherworldy denizens of the Wilds, Unraveller focuses on Kellan, a boy from a community of weavers who has been cast out after gaining the uncontrollable ability to unravel both fabric and curses, and Nettle, a formerly cursed girl, as they travel the country of Raddith unravelling the various curses that its inhabitants have placed on each other - ranging from mildly inconvenient to the truly horrible. The curses themselves are gifted by the Little Brothers, spider-like fae inhabitants of Raddith who also take a keen interest in ensuring its technology doesn't develop too extensively. When someone is given a "curse egg", they have the ability to lay a curse on someone they feel has wronged them, but the punishment for even having a curse egg - let alone using it - is extremely steep, even before the emotional cost and stigmatisation for the curser is taken into account.

We follow Kellan and Nettle as they try to discover the source of a curse on Kellan, which appears to be making his abilities stronger and more unpredictable. Along the way, Hardinge sketches out the various impacts that living with this particular brand of otherworldly justice has had on Raddith's society, and what, if anything, can be repaired after a curse has come to pass. As tales of fae morality being imposed on humans go, this is a seriously good one, and Kellan and Nettle's mildly prickly friendship forms a wonderful core around which the rest of the narrative unfolds. If you haven't read any Hardinge before, this is a great place to start.

This was such an unusual book, it's definitely not a story line that I have seen anything like before, but I absolutely loved it.

I admit, some of the ideas in this were slightly terrifying - the idea that someone who you wronged could curse you and you would be unable to reverse it without help is just crazy. However it was a beautifully written book and definitely one I would read again.

Frances Hardinge has quickly become one of my all-time favourite writers and I enthusiastically devour every book she releases, and Unraveller is another absolute spellbinder of a book.

The plot, world and characters were so immersive and well-constructed that I felt like I was living the story in among with them and was physically unable to stop reading until I turned the last page.

This is a world where magic spiders can ‘gift’ a curse egg to those who are angry which, when fed with their hatred and misery, grows until the curse flies free with some hauntingly horrifying consequences. Images of people cursed into boats, clouds, birds and monsters are going to stay with me for a looooong, long time, so don’t say I have warned you… this is a darkly mesmerising fairy tale!

Part mystery, part horror, part fantasy, this author’s books are officially classed as Young Adult fiction but as an adult reader (fat TOO adult these days, in my opinion!) I utterly adore them. I love all of the characters – main and side; good, bad and grey – and simply didn’t want the book to ever end.

I’ve already bought this in hardback format for my ‘keep’ shelf, where it will sit proudly with Deeplight, displaying their beautiful covers, while their mesmerising contents will sit permanently in my imagination.

I really enjoyed this book despite it being a fair bit longer than my usual reads. I appreciated the description of the settings and felt the characters were well written and likeable. The idea of how curses are formed and why was intriguing and all of the "monsters" from The Wilds were easy to imagine. Another great story from the mind of Frances Hardinge!

Another superb story from Frances Hardinge.
A magical, web spinning, web unravelling tale with dark undertones.

Frances Hardringe is one of my favourite authors in the fantasy field and Unraveller is a key example of why. Hardringe has a fantastical mind with an infinite imagination, the worlds created are so new, so visual, it’s always a beautiful experience and she is a reason why I love books so much because truly anything feels possible. Many authors would be happy with one concept in this book, one curse and it’s origin and resolution and the characters involved, one creature created, and yet Hardringe sprinkles them so freely throughout the story, confident in that infinite imagination to create more.

Kellen is an unraveller, through an interaction with a ‘little brother’, a spider like creature that can gift curses in hateful people to those that wronged them, he has the ability to untangle these curses. He now travels with Nettle, a girl he helped with this gift, to find others in need and arrest those with the hate eggs inside them, whether they have cursed or not. That’s until they meet Gall, the dangerous marsh rider, who informs them that the people Kellen has helped capture are now after him.

Certain curse stories are incredibly dark, including death, grief, domestic violence … however I don’t believe it’s done so gratuitously. The concept itself, about hate literally living inside people like an egg that can then be unleashed on someone else, is an interesting and powerful one that Hardringe explores well. The hate we keep inside ourselves festers and manifests unless properly dealt with and ‘unravelled’.
Nettle is my favourite character, she’s been hurt, she herself has been cursed by someone’s hate and it leaves a mark on her, she was turned into a bird as her curse and witnessed her sister die by the hands of her brother. Nettle has mostly lost her voice, she submits to Kellen’s whims and impulsiveness and she still struggles with finding her place. Kellen is the opposite to Nettle, he’s rash, loud, he leads with his mouth and often gets himself in trouble. As the book progresses, Nettle finds her worth beyond Kellen’s shadow, she finds her strength to stand up to people and stand up for herself while Kellen learns to find his softness.

Hardringe is a masterful writer, expertly exploring the complex, multilayered themes of anger and resentment, forgiveness and healing and the 2 sides to any story. It’s about learning to forgive and let go of hate for your own health and healing, because you deserve it even if they don’t. There’s no forced romance behind self love, just extraordinary world building, imagery and themes to unpick and explore.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review

Frances Hardinge writes amazing books and she has a way of weaving stories in amongst a world that no one can match and Unraveller does not disappoint

Oh, I love Francis Hardinge. Her worldbuilding really is unparalleled and she brings an originality to these worlds that is often missing in fantasy, especially when aimed at young adults. In Unraveller we meet Kellen and Nettle who live in Raddith a world where anyone can lay a curse on another, a power deriving from the Little Brothers. Mistake them for normal spiders at your peril! Raddith is a dark world where terrible curses can afflict anyone and those who cast them have no choice. Kellen is a curse-breaker, Nettle a girl once cursed with the form of a heron. Kellen unravels things, curses and cloth, but is starting to lose control of the ability which could destroy everything. He a Nettle embark on a quest to understand where this ability comes from and why it is getting worse.

It's a gripping story, full of Hardinge's trademark darkness and moral quandries. She doesn't underestimate or condescend to her audience but challenges them with complex situations and moral puzzles. Her ability to pepper the narrative with history, mythology and zoology means that it is effortless to sink into her multilayered world. The plot is fast-paced and ably supported with excellent characterisation of her young MCs and the supporting characters.

Frances Hardinge has another smash hit on her hands. It took me a while to get into this book but once I was into the flow it was twisty, exciting and the strands cleverly woven together. I was lucky enough to get offered the audiobook and I did find myself listening more often than reading as it is quite a long book. I have purchased this book for my library and will be encouraging our students to read. It will definitely be added to our reading lists as a special book and definitely one to help students learn new vocabulary. I can always rely on Hardinge to provide more challenging reads for our students when so many children's books are easy reads.

Never give your Name away lightly in the Deep Wilds. Names have power.

I find myself not really wanting to say anything about Frances Hardinge’s Unraveller except ‘Read It, Everyone Should Read It’

This is because Hardinge is a sorcerer. She creates new, coherent, fantastical worlds which are, somewhat like our own, in that there are concepts, people, stories which we can recognise, but yet are completely different, an absolutely new world, totally itself.

And for the most intense pleasure, I think a new reader should know nothing about the world they are about to enter, and find it through the juxtaposition of their own imagination and Hardinge’s

Her audience is children and young adults – including the child within the body of a world weary and sophisticated adult. She is a writer like Philip Pullman whose writer is multi-layered, and can be read in many ways.

To be honest, I think it is purely the age of her protagonists which says ‘a book for young teenagers

Her writing, as always, is sumptuous, inventive, fresh – but not self-indulgent. Her characters are believable and complex, her plots intricate but know where they are heading.

So…enter the world of Kellen, a raggedy boy who can unravel curses, his friend Nettle with her own hidden secrets, and Gall, a strange man who must accompany the children, though it is not quite clear whether he is friend or foe to them.

I emerged from this like someone who has spent time away in faerie, and finds the world returned to, dull by comparison

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.

[Actual rating: 3.75/5, rounded up]

In the end, I really enjoyed this but I came close to DNFing it in the first quarter because it was difficult to get a toe hold. I couldn't help comparing it to Skinful of Shadows and finding it a bit lacklustre and shallow. However, that was only initially. It's actually a very nuanced and multi-layered book that looks at the idea 'hurt people hurt people' but also poses the question 'where does it all start?' Is revenge or retribution ever warranted? Do people do bad things to each other because they've been wronged or because they have developed issues with another person that are theirs alone to fix, in which case doing harm is never okay? It's an interesting conundrum, at which point Hardinge adds a magical element whereby everyone in this world is capable of exacting a terrible curse on someone who has hurt them. Of course, not everyone who feels wronged, actually is, so what happens is that people who harbour private resentments and hatreds end up doing terrible harm, sometimes deliberately and sometimes by accident.



Into the middle of all this wanders Kellan, the unraveller, cursed by a web sprite to unraveller anything that comes into contact with him - including curses, and Nettle, a girl who was once cursed to be a heron and now battles her own rage. Kellan is hard to warm too but by the end I was invested in his arc, I liked Nettle from the start. Add in a folklore book's worth of strange creatures haunting the Wilds, and you end up with a strange but lovely tale that is nevertheless unflinching in examining its subject matter. Give it at least 30% before deciding whether to continue or not though because it takes at least that long for all the strands to shake themselves out

Sometimes I'll start a book and it won't grab me immediately; it's a slow-burner that pays off in the long run. Other books can be so frustrating, difficult or annoying that they get put down, never to be read again. Unraveller fell into the third category; books that sweep you up from the first sentence and carry you through until the last.
Hardinge has pulled off a rare feat in fantasy writing, walking the tightrope between completing a satisfying narrative arc and descending into cliché. Those tropes Hardinge does borrow, the goblin market, for example, are given new life and made her own.
The story follows Kellen and Nettle as they get swept up in a vast conflict whilst dealing with their own issues and problems along the way. Both main characters feel real, with their strengths and weaknesses clear for all to see.
The writing itself is beautiful. Hardinge uses her words to devastating effect. She painted exquisite pictures in my mind and had clearly honed her manuscript to within an inch of its life; every word has earned its place.
I'd never read anything by Francis Hardinge before. I will certainly be looking out for her books from now on.
I ought to say that I listened to this as an audio book but that I will be buying this as a physical book to re-read.

This is the first of Hardinge's book I have read and I am wondering if it was the best place to start. The story and plot itself I really enjoyed, I just felt that it dragged a bit too much. The first half just seemed to quests with nothing to do with the outcome. I know background is important, but I don't think that much was necessary. I did like the characters though, especially Nettle

Unraveller is set in a world where with enough hate can create a curse to set on another person. However Kellen is the only person who can unravel them. With someone looking to control cursers Kellen become a target for his own curse.

Frances Hardinge has one of the most unique imaginations when it come to stories, I really enjoy exploring her fantasy worlds and this was no exception. There is a mystery as to who is looking to control the curses and why as why as well as fantasy elements.

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Dark, deep, gorgeously woven and written. Frances has such a wonderful way with words that just blows me away!

In a world where anyone can make a life changing curse, only Kellen has the power to unravel them. But should he be allowed to do so? Supernatural power & human morality are explored in this amazing YA novel by Frances Hardinge. #Unraveller #NetGalley
@DHFSUpdate

The first issue to tackle is the fact that this book is labelled a children’s read. Hm. I suppose it can be read by youngsters in that there isn’t any swearing or any overt sex and the protagonists are young. But frankly, as with a number of books in this category, this one is simply too good to leave solely to the kids and I strongly advise you not to discount reading this one simply for that reason alone.

I fell in love with Nettle, who has supposedly recovered from a devastating curse thanks to Kellen’s unique gift. But instead of staggering off to try and pick up the threads of her previous life, she chooses to accompany him on his various jobs where he has to unravel curses and return the victims to their families. Nettle had been turned into a heron and still has periods where she stares into the middle distance and is easily startled. She’s also often quite grumpy at Kellen’s tendency to rush into situations, determined to fix people. And then he’s keen to swiftly move on to the next job, rather than hang around and try to deal with the fallout that often occurs once a curse has been reversed.

However, they make a great team. Nettle, for all her slightly birdlike gestures, is clever and particularly good at finding the weak spots in Kellen’s plans when he wants to rush to the rescue. I thought their exasperation with each other worked particularly well – and their mutually reliant relationship heightened the sense of loss when later on in the book, they have been separated.

As for the plot – it is one of the major strengths of the story. I always love it when I’m in the hands of a master storyteller, whose pacing and plotting continually provides unexpected surprises that never feel forced or contrived. And Hardinge is one such storyteller. I kept trying to slow down, knowing that I was thoroughly enjoying this particular reading experience – but at the same time, desperate to know what happens next. The story provides all sorts of reverses and difficulties for our plucky duo – and Hardinge always weaves a sufficiently convincing air of menace, that I’m not ever totally convinced that her protagonists will prevail. I’m conscious that I’ve made this book sound thrilling, yet a bit bleak – and that isn’t the case. There are lovely touches of dry humour throughout.

If you are looking for an engrossing, well-written fantasy adventure that is also a stand-alone, this one comes very highly recommended. While I obtained an audiobook arc of Unraveller from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10