Unraveller

The queen of creepy fantasy RETURNS!!!! Unraveller is an unapologetically classic Frances Hardinge story full of twisty mysteries, darkness, and wonderfully unusual characters, and of course I LOVED it.

Unraveller's plot and the world itself are both chock-full of creative and clever ideas. Deep wilds full of frightening and eerie supernatural creatures? Bizarre inventions and unexpected betrayals? Cities and towns and people that are never all as they seem?? Check, check, check!

The characters are uniquely unusual, loveable and flawed, as always with Hardinge novels. Our leading duo consists of Kellen, a boy with the power to unravel curses, and Nettle, a girl once cursed herself, and they are accompanied by a stony and untrustworthy man named Gall... who is possibly no longer fully human. They are thrown together into a conspiracy that Cursers are gathering in secret to strike at Kellen and the government itself, and the trio must set about unravelling the mystery.

I genuinely think Hardinge is one of the best fantasy authors I've read when it comes to giving her characters (and honestly, entire worlds) realistic flaws and acknowledging and working through them, and Unraveller is no exception. Both characters are so well-developed, and I loved following them throughout the story, especially Nettle! She's so lovely and so strong, and I adore her with my whole heart.

As I already mentioned, mystery is a big aspect of Unraveller, and whilst Cuckoo Song, A Face Like Glass & Gullstruck Island remain my favourite Hardinge books this one was still very creative and enthralling with its twists. The Cursers and curses were so fun to read about and unravel alongside Kellen and Nettle. ALSO, the overarching more serious flaws of the world itself were really well tackled (as always), and I always find it so clever how Hardinge threads much darker themes into her work.

In conclusion: GO PREORDER UNRAVELLER BY FRANCES HARDINGE RIGHT NOW

My new favourite book by the unrivalled Frances Hardinge.

Unraveller is spun from the rich detail and deep worldbuilding that we have learned to expect and admire in Hardinge’s writing but it has an emotional maturity, depth and warmth that I was equally delighted by. The relationships between main characters Nettle and Kellen, between Nettle and her gull brother and between even the minor characters in the book are nuanced and difficult at times, as all deep relationships are, and yet they offer light throughout what is at times a dark and twisted tale of anger and pain.

Hardinge’s sentences are beautifully crafted. Her vast cast of characters both human and ‘wild’ are vividly brought to life. It is a stunning book and I have immediately started to read it again which is something that I never do.

The plot moves from a series of engrossing mini-mysteries towards a breath-taking climax in a setting so surreal and otherworldly that I felt that part of my own brain had unravelled as I read it! The Unraveller unravelled me. A superb book from a writer at the height of her powers.