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The Unfortunates
When seventeen-year-old senator's son Grant Tavish is involved in a fatal accident, all he wants to do is face the consequences of what he's done, but the consequences never come, even if headlines of "affluenza" do. The truth soon becomes clear: Due to his father's connections, not only will Grant not be held accountable for his actions, he's going to get away with murder.
When a long Tavish tradition approaches, a cave excursion on the Appalachian trail, Grant seizes the opportunity to take justice into his own hands by staging an accident and never coming back. But before he has a chance to enact his plans, the cave system collapses, trapping him miles beneath the surface with four other teens from much less fortunate circumstances. As they struggle to survive, they share their innermost secrets and fears, and just when it seems they might be on track to finding a way out, they realize there's something else down there.
And it's hunting them.
When a long Tavish tradition approaches, a cave excursion on the Appalachian trail, Grant seizes the opportunity to take justice into his own hands by staging an accident and never coming back. But before he has a chance to enact his plans, the cave system collapses, trapping him miles beneath the surface with four other teens from much less fortunate circumstances. As they struggle to survive, they share their innermost secrets and fears, and just when it seems they might be on track to finding a way out, they realize there's something else down there.
And it's hunting them.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2003
51 people are currently reading
2868 people want to read
About the author
Kim Liggett
7 books3,059 followersKim Liggett, originally from the rural midwest, moved to New York City to pursue a career in the arts. She's the author of Blood and Salt, Heart of Ash, The Last Harvest (Bram Stoker Award Winner), The Unfortunates, and The Grace Year. Kim spends her free time studying tarot and scouring Manhattan for rare vials of perfume and the perfect egg white cocktail.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
October 10, 2020
Overall Rating B+
"The biggest enemy down here isn't the cold or starvation or even the dangers of the cave. The real enemy is the dark....They call it The Rapture."
What would you do if you didn't have to face the consequences of your actions? Could you live with yourself? Would you?
Grant has first hand experience with that question and decides he cannot. When his plan to take matters into his own hands goes awry, he and four other teens must find away out of a deep cave, along with being hunted by something that doesn't want them to get out alive.
This short 200 page book really focuses on grief, trauma, and guilt so fierce it blocks even the most necessary of memories, and visual queues. And also, learning that sometimes, you must face what you've done head on to finally achieve the clarity you need to gain some sense of peace.
Don't let the name or cover of this book turn you away, this is a good book to read!
"The biggest enemy down here isn't the cold or starvation or even the dangers of the cave. The real enemy is the dark....They call it The Rapture."
What would you do if you didn't have to face the consequences of your actions? Could you live with yourself? Would you?
Grant has first hand experience with that question and decides he cannot. When his plan to take matters into his own hands goes awry, he and four other teens must find away out of a deep cave, along with being hunted by something that doesn't want them to get out alive.
This short 200 page book really focuses on grief, trauma, and guilt so fierce it blocks even the most necessary of memories, and visual queues. And also, learning that sometimes, you must face what you've done head on to finally achieve the clarity you need to gain some sense of peace.
Don't let the name or cover of this book turn you away, this is a good book to read!
September 9, 2018
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/09/08/...
The Unfortunates is the second novel I’ve read by Kim Liggett, which I was excited to read after how much I enjoyed The Last Harvest even though on the surface it didn’t appear to have as much of a horror bent. The story follows Grant Franklin Tavish V, the son of a wealthy and prominent US senator. As a result, Grant never wanted for anything growing up, and his future was secure. He would go to the right schools, make the right connections, marry the right girl, and perhaps one day follow in his father’s footsteps.
But when the book opens, we see that nothing is going the way as planned for Grant. That’s because he did a terrible thing. Now his parents are scrambling to fix the problem, mobilizing lawyers and pulling strings in an attempt to make it all go away and put their son’s life back on the right track. But Grant’s not even sure that’s what he wants anymore. The guilt that has been eating away at him since that terrible night has taken over, and he’s ready to face what he thinks he deserves. Carefully, he starts putting together a plan. It’s a long-standing tradition for male children in the Tavish family to do a caving excursion on the Appalachian Trail as a rite of passage, braving the elements for four days and four nights. In the week before his scheduled court date, Grant begins preparing for his trip, but secretly, he is also putting all his affairs in order because he isn’t anticipating on coming back.
Soon after he begins his descent into the caves though, an incident causes a collapse, ruining all his carefully laid plans. Grant is trapped underground with four other teens from a school group who were unable to make their way back to the surface, and together they must share their resources and knowledge and fight to survive.
I have to say, I felt torn after finishing this one. Did I like it? Yes. But something tells me I would have enjoyed it even more had I not been able to predict the entire story after a mere sixty pages in. And that’s where reviewing this book gets difficult. It was obvious this was meant to be an emotional and poignant journey, one that should be filled with meaningful epiphanies and lessons. However, much of this was predicated on the ending, which if you saw it coming miles away would take away a lot of the intended impact. And that’s where I find myself now, unsure of how to feel about this novel. I suppose I can appreciate the story, along with its ideas and its goal, on a somewhat superficial “Well, that was sort of nice” level, but sadly it doesn’t go much deeper than that.
I also want to say that The Unfortunates is the kind of book where the less you know going in the better, but quite honestly, I think many will still predict the story early. That’s because the author made things a little too obvious. Without going into too much detail in case of spoilers, there is a distinct difference between how the first half of the book is told versus the second half, and anytime something unusual happens to make the reader question what’s going on is another opportunity for them to figure it out.
I suspect this is why The Unfortunates was such a short book. Liggett probably knew that the longer you spent with the story, the more likely you would work out her purposes, so she deliberately made sparse with the details and practically raced through the final act, glossing over everything that led up to the big reveal. Ironically, had she actually slowed down to take the time to develop the plot and characters, this might have resulted in a deeper and more satisfying read. As it is, Grant and the new friends he meets down in the caves—Shy, Kit, Maria, and Darryl—all felt rather flat and generic. The story also felt very scripted, with every action taken by the characters being choreographed, but to be fair, that might have been the result of knowing what was coming.
Final thoughts? The Unfortunates wasn’t a bad book, but personally I thought it was much too predictable to be a genuinely satisfying read. Since that predictability was the key factor affecting my opinion of this book though, if that’s not something that typically bothers you, it still might be worth giving it a shot. I do like Kim Liggett’s writing, and despite this novel being less than I expected, I still look forward to seeing what she’ll write next.
The Unfortunates is the second novel I’ve read by Kim Liggett, which I was excited to read after how much I enjoyed The Last Harvest even though on the surface it didn’t appear to have as much of a horror bent. The story follows Grant Franklin Tavish V, the son of a wealthy and prominent US senator. As a result, Grant never wanted for anything growing up, and his future was secure. He would go to the right schools, make the right connections, marry the right girl, and perhaps one day follow in his father’s footsteps.
But when the book opens, we see that nothing is going the way as planned for Grant. That’s because he did a terrible thing. Now his parents are scrambling to fix the problem, mobilizing lawyers and pulling strings in an attempt to make it all go away and put their son’s life back on the right track. But Grant’s not even sure that’s what he wants anymore. The guilt that has been eating away at him since that terrible night has taken over, and he’s ready to face what he thinks he deserves. Carefully, he starts putting together a plan. It’s a long-standing tradition for male children in the Tavish family to do a caving excursion on the Appalachian Trail as a rite of passage, braving the elements for four days and four nights. In the week before his scheduled court date, Grant begins preparing for his trip, but secretly, he is also putting all his affairs in order because he isn’t anticipating on coming back.
Soon after he begins his descent into the caves though, an incident causes a collapse, ruining all his carefully laid plans. Grant is trapped underground with four other teens from a school group who were unable to make their way back to the surface, and together they must share their resources and knowledge and fight to survive.
I have to say, I felt torn after finishing this one. Did I like it? Yes. But something tells me I would have enjoyed it even more had I not been able to predict the entire story after a mere sixty pages in. And that’s where reviewing this book gets difficult. It was obvious this was meant to be an emotional and poignant journey, one that should be filled with meaningful epiphanies and lessons. However, much of this was predicated on the ending, which if you saw it coming miles away would take away a lot of the intended impact. And that’s where I find myself now, unsure of how to feel about this novel. I suppose I can appreciate the story, along with its ideas and its goal, on a somewhat superficial “Well, that was sort of nice” level, but sadly it doesn’t go much deeper than that.
I also want to say that The Unfortunates is the kind of book where the less you know going in the better, but quite honestly, I think many will still predict the story early. That’s because the author made things a little too obvious. Without going into too much detail in case of spoilers, there is a distinct difference between how the first half of the book is told versus the second half, and anytime something unusual happens to make the reader question what’s going on is another opportunity for them to figure it out.
I suspect this is why The Unfortunates was such a short book. Liggett probably knew that the longer you spent with the story, the more likely you would work out her purposes, so she deliberately made sparse with the details and practically raced through the final act, glossing over everything that led up to the big reveal. Ironically, had she actually slowed down to take the time to develop the plot and characters, this might have resulted in a deeper and more satisfying read. As it is, Grant and the new friends he meets down in the caves—Shy, Kit, Maria, and Darryl—all felt rather flat and generic. The story also felt very scripted, with every action taken by the characters being choreographed, but to be fair, that might have been the result of knowing what was coming.
Final thoughts? The Unfortunates wasn’t a bad book, but personally I thought it was much too predictable to be a genuinely satisfying read. Since that predictability was the key factor affecting my opinion of this book though, if that’s not something that typically bothers you, it still might be worth giving it a shot. I do like Kim Liggett’s writing, and despite this novel being less than I expected, I still look forward to seeing what she’ll write next.
December 1, 2019
MY RATING⇢ 4.5 STARS | GRADE A-
FEATURING⇢
⬥Chilling Horror Elements
⬥Suspense Thriller
⬥Caving
⬥YA (High School Seniors)
⬥Atonement
⬥A Short Read That Packs A Punch
MY THOUGHTS⇢
Once, I got a third of the way through this, I couldn't put it down. The caving elements are so very compelling. And Freaky. Being trapped in a cave with no light in small claustrophobic-like spots...worse-nightmare-ever kind of stuff.
This is my second Kim Liggett book, the first being The Grace Year, which is one of my favs of 2019. Her writing ensnares you. She takes these implausible ideas and makes them imaginable, tangible even. I totally recommend this for a quick, freaky-scary kind of read.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 4.3/5
Characters⇢ 5/5
The Feels⇢ 4.5/5
Pacing⇢ 4.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4.3/5
Originality⇢ 4.5/5
Ending⇢ 4.5/5
_____
Book Cover⇢ It's bloody fantastic. Others have said that it doesn't go with the story...but I think it actually does.
Setting⇢ Crystal Falls Caves Near Richmond
Source⇢ Kindle eBook (Library)
eBook Length⇢ 224 Pages
FEATURING⇢
⬥Chilling Horror Elements
⬥Suspense Thriller
⬥Caving
⬥YA (High School Seniors)
⬥Atonement
⬥A Short Read That Packs A Punch
MY THOUGHTS⇢
Once, I got a third of the way through this, I couldn't put it down. The caving elements are so very compelling. And Freaky. Being trapped in a cave with no light in small claustrophobic-like spots...worse-nightmare-ever kind of stuff.
This is my second Kim Liggett book, the first being The Grace Year, which is one of my favs of 2019. Her writing ensnares you. She takes these implausible ideas and makes them imaginable, tangible even. I totally recommend this for a quick, freaky-scary kind of read.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 4.3/5
Characters⇢ 5/5
The Feels⇢ 4.5/5
Pacing⇢ 4.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4.3/5
Originality⇢ 4.5/5
Ending⇢ 4.5/5
_____
Book Cover⇢ It's bloody fantastic. Others have said that it doesn't go with the story...but I think it actually does.
Setting⇢ Crystal Falls Caves Near Richmond
Source⇢ Kindle eBook (Library)
eBook Length⇢ 224 Pages
July 2, 2018
This was not exactly what I though it would be but it was a quick read.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I am a reader that can be (and usually is) drawn to a book by the cover alone. Just take this book for example: it screams something deadly happened and there has to be a delicious story behind it. Well, sadly, the cover does not match the story between the covers.
Short recap: Grant Tavish the Fifth has never wanted for anything. The son of a popular politician and that also means he is constantly in the spotlight. Something terrible happened at the hands of Grant that cost the lives of innocent people but Grant is getting off with merely a slap on the wrist. This is driving Grant crazy as he feels he should be held responsible for what happened. Grant has decided that during his upcoming “right of passage” solo survival camping trip, he is going to end his life and end the burden he has put on his family. Once finally on his trip, nothing goes the way it should. Events take place that force Grant to take a deep, hard look at himself and what he wants out of life. Will Grant find his will to live and do what is right or will he give into his depression?
I want to first state that this is a short read. The book itself is just over 200 pages and I was able to finish very quickly. Why do I point out that it’s a quick read? Because it didn’t feel like enough time to properly develop characters or a solid plot. It was a page turner, no doubt about that, but I found myself going through the motion of page turning because I felt I already knew what was going to happen. Maybe that’s just my experienced reader side kicking in. It takes a lot to make me clutch my pearls nowadays and sadly this book did not do that for me. I predicted the ending very early on. Now, please don’t think that is me telling you not to read this book. That isn’t the case at all! I can see and do see how a lot of readers will devour this book and love the story. Remember how I always say that not ever book is for ever reader? This is what I mean. I did enjoy it, yes, but it did not blow my hair back the way I had hoped.
That being said, I mentioned character development. Grant’s character arc felt rather rushed, but that could be because of the shortness of the book. Plus Grant gets stuck in a cave and he (nor the reader) have any idea how much time has passed. It makes it difficult to get a good gauge on his actual arc. Regardless, I found myself feeling bad for Grant. He did ask to be born into a life that had rules, regulations, and responsibilities but he was trying to figure it out the best way he could. His home life was FUBAR in the worst way possible. Those people needed professional help. It felt like there were so many topics that could have been explored but were brushed over. Personally, I wanted to know more about that baby room. EEK. (Read the book and you’ll know EXACTLY what I am talking about. I wanted more about that!)
Overall I did enjoy this story but knew the ending almost from the start. The title alone gives me pause because it really does not fit the book, nor does the cover. In a metaphorical way I can see why the cover would fit but I had to dig deep to put those two together. No matter what, I think a lot of people would enjoy this and I hope everyone gives it a shot.
--------
Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I am a reader that can be (and usually is) drawn to a book by the cover alone. Just take this book for example: it screams something deadly happened and there has to be a delicious story behind it. Well, sadly, the cover does not match the story between the covers.
Short recap: Grant Tavish the Fifth has never wanted for anything. The son of a popular politician and that also means he is constantly in the spotlight. Something terrible happened at the hands of Grant that cost the lives of innocent people but Grant is getting off with merely a slap on the wrist. This is driving Grant crazy as he feels he should be held responsible for what happened. Grant has decided that during his upcoming “right of passage” solo survival camping trip, he is going to end his life and end the burden he has put on his family. Once finally on his trip, nothing goes the way it should. Events take place that force Grant to take a deep, hard look at himself and what he wants out of life. Will Grant find his will to live and do what is right or will he give into his depression?
I want to first state that this is a short read. The book itself is just over 200 pages and I was able to finish very quickly. Why do I point out that it’s a quick read? Because it didn’t feel like enough time to properly develop characters or a solid plot. It was a page turner, no doubt about that, but I found myself going through the motion of page turning because I felt I already knew what was going to happen. Maybe that’s just my experienced reader side kicking in. It takes a lot to make me clutch my pearls nowadays and sadly this book did not do that for me. I predicted the ending very early on. Now, please don’t think that is me telling you not to read this book. That isn’t the case at all! I can see and do see how a lot of readers will devour this book and love the story. Remember how I always say that not ever book is for ever reader? This is what I mean. I did enjoy it, yes, but it did not blow my hair back the way I had hoped.
That being said, I mentioned character development. Grant’s character arc felt rather rushed, but that could be because of the shortness of the book. Plus Grant gets stuck in a cave and he (nor the reader) have any idea how much time has passed. It makes it difficult to get a good gauge on his actual arc. Regardless, I found myself feeling bad for Grant. He did ask to be born into a life that had rules, regulations, and responsibilities but he was trying to figure it out the best way he could. His home life was FUBAR in the worst way possible. Those people needed professional help. It felt like there were so many topics that could have been explored but were brushed over. Personally, I wanted to know more about that baby room. EEK. (Read the book and you’ll know EXACTLY what I am talking about. I wanted more about that!)
Overall I did enjoy this story but knew the ending almost from the start. The title alone gives me pause because it really does not fit the book, nor does the cover. In a metaphorical way I can see why the cover would fit but I had to dig deep to put those two together. No matter what, I think a lot of people would enjoy this and I hope everyone gives it a shot.
October 9, 2019
Grant Tavish is guilty of manslaughter after a tragic accident, but as the son of an important senator, he’s managed to escape most consequences. Unable to live with himself or with disgracing his family by coming clean, he’s arranged for an accident to happen on a solo caving expedition. But when the cave-in happens for real, Grant finds himself trapped with four other teenagers. As the only one with any knowledge of caving, it’s Grant’s responsibility to get them out. When one of them goes missing, they realize they may not be alone down there. Something may be hunting them. Trigger warnings: death, suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, violence, gore, decapitation, dismemberment, blood, mental illness, PTSD, self-loathing, claustrophobia.
This is a fine concept novel, but the problem with most concept novels is that they’re one-shots. It’s entertaining enough, but once you’ve read it, there’s no reason to return to it because the concept is all it has going for it. The characters are likable but not overwhelming, and Grant is the only one with any significant development (which is fine; he is the main character). I have mixed feelings about cave horror stories. For some reason, they seem difficult to pull off, but Liggett does a nice job on the dark corners and the creeping claustrophobia of the setting. In terms of monster or creature novels, it’s much less satisfying. Caves don’t need monsters to be terrifying, and as long as the location is more frightening than the creature, then it’s not a very good creature.
The writing isn’t bad, but Grant’s perspective is wearying over time. He claims that all he wants is to accept responsibility for his actions, but his self-pity as at an all-time high for most of the book. Though it’s very much a novel about guilt, I found it difficult to sympathize with him. The other characters have a good group dynamic, but this is a horror novel, so there’s no point in getting too attached to anyone. For readers who like a strong twist at the end, The Unfortunates is your book. Most of my complaints have solid explanations, but… return to my thesis about the concept novel. For readers who prefer better development, this probably isn’t it.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
This is a fine concept novel, but the problem with most concept novels is that they’re one-shots. It’s entertaining enough, but once you’ve read it, there’s no reason to return to it because the concept is all it has going for it. The characters are likable but not overwhelming, and Grant is the only one with any significant development (which is fine; he is the main character). I have mixed feelings about cave horror stories. For some reason, they seem difficult to pull off, but Liggett does a nice job on the dark corners and the creeping claustrophobia of the setting. In terms of monster or creature novels, it’s much less satisfying. Caves don’t need monsters to be terrifying, and as long as the location is more frightening than the creature, then it’s not a very good creature.
The writing isn’t bad, but Grant’s perspective is wearying over time. He claims that all he wants is to accept responsibility for his actions, but his self-pity as at an all-time high for most of the book. Though it’s very much a novel about guilt, I found it difficult to sympathize with him. The other characters have a good group dynamic, but this is a horror novel, so there’s no point in getting too attached to anyone. For readers who like a strong twist at the end, The Unfortunates is your book. Most of my complaints have solid explanations, but… return to my thesis about the concept novel. For readers who prefer better development, this probably isn’t it.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
July 6, 2018
I am not a fan of nature and I'm very claustrophobic. I'm also not huge on heights and being in the dark in unfamiliar places. I mention that to say that The Unfortunates is basically every nightmare I have in one 220 page piece of absolute Kelly-hell.
Obviously I loved it.
(When I wasn't completely freaking out and being terrified for Grant and the four teens he's stuck in the cave with. Because guys, I didn't know what was happening but I knew that I wanted no part of it and that I wanted all of them to survive.)
If every horror novel could be as intense as this one, I'd be a really happy Kelly. Highly recommended.
Obviously I loved it.
(When I wasn't completely freaking out and being terrified for Grant and the four teens he's stuck in the cave with. Because guys, I didn't know what was happening but I knew that I wanted no part of it and that I wanted all of them to survive.)
If every horror novel could be as intense as this one, I'd be a really happy Kelly. Highly recommended.
September 19, 2021
The grace year was one of the best books I’ve read this year. This book is proof that authors can really grow into their craft. Skip it
July 23, 2025
This book was a wild ride of an adventure from start to finish. It’s full of twists and turns that will leave your jaw dropped at the end of the book. It is a very fun read!
The story follows Grant, the son of a senator who is battling his own demons after a tragic accident he caused. Grant has spent time planning out how he is going to handle his guilt, by getting himself lost on a solo trip cave that all the boys in his family have done in order to transition into men. But no amounts of planning account for a natural disaster when the cave system he’s exploring collapses. And now he’s stuck underground with four other teens with no way out. With Grant being the only one with training or knowledge of the cave systems, he quickly realizes he can’t be selfish about his life in order to help the others.
You follow along as Grant comes to terms that he wants to live, as he deals with the guilt and the truth in his life, and navigates his new friends through a cave system in order to get them to safety. You follow along as they experience encounters with the elements, bugs and bats, and soon the thing that is hunting them down there. It’s full of surprises that you won’t see coming.
It’s a unique book that takes you down many twists and turns with a big ending that just leaves you like holy moly. It’s interesting from start to finish, everything connects back together, and it plays the long game of building up and actually finishing with a bang. I’d recommend this book, it’s definitely worth a read!
The story follows Grant, the son of a senator who is battling his own demons after a tragic accident he caused. Grant has spent time planning out how he is going to handle his guilt, by getting himself lost on a solo trip cave that all the boys in his family have done in order to transition into men. But no amounts of planning account for a natural disaster when the cave system he’s exploring collapses. And now he’s stuck underground with four other teens with no way out. With Grant being the only one with training or knowledge of the cave systems, he quickly realizes he can’t be selfish about his life in order to help the others.
You follow along as Grant comes to terms that he wants to live, as he deals with the guilt and the truth in his life, and navigates his new friends through a cave system in order to get them to safety. You follow along as they experience encounters with the elements, bugs and bats, and soon the thing that is hunting them down there. It’s full of surprises that you won’t see coming.
It’s a unique book that takes you down many twists and turns with a big ending that just leaves you like holy moly. It’s interesting from start to finish, everything connects back together, and it plays the long game of building up and actually finishing with a bang. I’d recommend this book, it’s definitely worth a read!
May 21, 2021
Really great thriller and horror novella. Twists and turns that I never saw coming, and a quick read!
Nice and clean for an in-class read-aloud!
Nice and clean for an in-class read-aloud!
January 30, 2020
Seventeen year old Grant Tavish the fifth is, as the Senator’s son, used to getting what he wants. However, at the stage we meet him he is a mess. Subject to compulsory drug testing after his involvement in a horrific crash, Grant is close to getting away with murder - it’s amazing what money can buy!
While he’s due in court for the final hearing which is likely to acquit him of any charges, Grant has other plans.
Heading off to the Appalachian trail for a traditional Tavish excursion, to survive on his own for days, Grant is preparing to sever his ties with everyone and not return. But then things go horribly wrong.
A rockfall places Grant in a precarious situation. He’s close to giving up and cutting the rope to fall to his death, when he hears the voices of four others also caught in the slide. Grant is resolved not to let anyone else suffer for his sake so determines to do whatever is necessary to get Shay, Kit, Darryl and Maria to safety.
As the teens make their way through the extensive cave system they talk and share experiences. Things are tough but they have each other. Grant, slowly, starts to realise that running away from his problems will help nobody and he has to take responsibility for his behaviours, even if the consequences are bad.
While this is a cathartic experience in some ways, Liggett pulls no punches in describing the experience of being trapped in the cave. The vividness of these moments is pretty scary, and when strange noises take a sinister turn it seems that someone or something else may be down in the caves with them.
We quickly start to realise this is not just a story about a risky moment, but a terrifying life or death experience. The fear felt by the characters is palpable. Grant may not have started as the most likeable character but by the end of the story you can’t help but feel some sympathy for him.
Without giving any spoilers away, this is a deceptive read. It’s a fast-paced, tension-fuelled experience, but only when we get to the end do we see this is a little cleverer than it might first appear.
While he’s due in court for the final hearing which is likely to acquit him of any charges, Grant has other plans.
Heading off to the Appalachian trail for a traditional Tavish excursion, to survive on his own for days, Grant is preparing to sever his ties with everyone and not return. But then things go horribly wrong.
A rockfall places Grant in a precarious situation. He’s close to giving up and cutting the rope to fall to his death, when he hears the voices of four others also caught in the slide. Grant is resolved not to let anyone else suffer for his sake so determines to do whatever is necessary to get Shay, Kit, Darryl and Maria to safety.
As the teens make their way through the extensive cave system they talk and share experiences. Things are tough but they have each other. Grant, slowly, starts to realise that running away from his problems will help nobody and he has to take responsibility for his behaviours, even if the consequences are bad.
While this is a cathartic experience in some ways, Liggett pulls no punches in describing the experience of being trapped in the cave. The vividness of these moments is pretty scary, and when strange noises take a sinister turn it seems that someone or something else may be down in the caves with them.
We quickly start to realise this is not just a story about a risky moment, but a terrifying life or death experience. The fear felt by the characters is palpable. Grant may not have started as the most likeable character but by the end of the story you can’t help but feel some sympathy for him.
Without giving any spoilers away, this is a deceptive read. It’s a fast-paced, tension-fuelled experience, but only when we get to the end do we see this is a little cleverer than it might first appear.
August 28, 2018
I really enjoyed The Unfortunates by Kim Liggett, when I first started the book I thought that it would be about a boy who is trying to get punished for something wrong that he did. But what this book is really about is a High School kid who is the son of the Senator in Virginia. In this book at the beginning, you find out that Grant Tavish V had just undergone a traumatic experience months ago. All you know is that it is the weekend and he has a court date on Monday, but his family has a rite of passage where the son has to go rock climbing in the wilderness and survive the environment for the weekend by himself. But, it quickly goes bad when the cave collapses and he is stuck down there with a bunch of strangers but there is something else down there too. I liked the book because of all of the action and friendships that were made. I think if you are into action/adventure books with some horror, this book is for you. I really liked this book and is one of my most favorite books and I would definitely read it because of the action.
April 30, 2018
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book! I am a big fan of hers!!!
I really enjoyed this book! Let's start with the cover. How cool is that cover? Of course I was going to read the book because it was by Kim Liggett, but even if it wasn't, the cover would have sold it for me! It was a very quick read, but that was probably because I could not put it down. It kept me guessing and in suspense the entire time. I know the teens at my library are going to devour this book!
I really enjoyed this book! Let's start with the cover. How cool is that cover? Of course I was going to read the book because it was by Kim Liggett, but even if it wasn't, the cover would have sold it for me! It was a very quick read, but that was probably because I could not put it down. It kept me guessing and in suspense the entire time. I know the teens at my library are going to devour this book!
September 27, 2018
Predictable as all hell and a very beat-you-over-the-head anti-affluenza story, this book would be a perfect read for a spoiled brat with no sense of right and wrong and even less of an ability to notice foreshadowing. The cover is cool...so that's something.
January 17, 2020
Several slow, dry blinks. Um, uh, yeah. This was a quick book to read, lots of twists and turns. Fast paced and edge of your seat kind of reading. That ending, wow, after reading it you think, it’s been done but not with this much surprise.
March 15, 2020
Interesting... I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the creepy cave diving sci-fi Netflix movies and wants some suspense, drama, and twists in a fairly short (222 pg) book. Cover is completely deceiving and really should be something relating to a cave though.
March 20, 2020
3.25/5
- Liggett’s definitely come a long way from writing this and then writing one of my favourite reads of 2019, The Grace Year
- This is fine .. but there’s really no comparison to her later work
- The most exciting bits are all in the last third so ... 🤷🏻♀️
- Liggett’s definitely come a long way from writing this and then writing one of my favourite reads of 2019, The Grace Year
- This is fine .. but there’s really no comparison to her later work
- The most exciting bits are all in the last third so ... 🤷🏻♀️
December 19, 2018
I liked this, but I agree with other reviewers. It was pretty predictable.
September 29, 2020
This is the second Kim Liggett book that I have read. This one kept me on the edge of my seat. Twists and turns!
April 1, 2021
Intense, exciting, and full of twists.
March 16, 2022
The Grace Year is one of the best books I have ever read, so going into this book, I thought it would have some similarities. Not at all-it reminds me of a scary story told at sleepovers. It is well done, but not the typical book I would read.
July 3, 2022
I feel like the cover doesn’t match the story! I also figured out the plot twist in first 25% of the book!🙈
March 6, 2023
Lots of teen angst (some justified), and HORROR. The end may have been a bit predictable, but this was worth the ride!
June 3, 2018
So first I want to say, the cover totally did not go with what this book was about.. When it said for fans of Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars, I was expecting something completely different. I was actually really let down by this book. I could have seen this going in a different direction and being a lot better. It also didn't help that I figured out what was going on half way through the story. It was an okay story and a super fast read.
November 3, 2019
Even though I could see where it was going, it was still a very suspenseful page-turner!
September 1, 2018
This was 100% interesting with like...40% too much Telling Me What Was Going On. where are all my 400+ page YA horror novels.
July 9, 2018
Grant Franklin Tavish V got a slap on the wrist for causing a fatal car accident. He goes spelunking intending to die but when he is trapped with four teens from a nearby public school he tries to help them get out but something is after them. It takes awhile for this title to get going. The first several chapters reads more like a realistic fiction title where Grant ruminates about his guilt for the accident he caused. Based on these first few chapters readers would expect a fairly grounded story about guilt and how class affects the type of punishment could receive from the justice system. Even after Grant gets trapped in the cave and meets the other four teens, the book still feels very realistic. It is only a few chapters after they get trapped in the cave does this book starts to feel like something scary is going on. Once the "something is after them" storyline kicks in things get tense. The problem is there are way too few chapters devoted to the horror aspect on the book and that's the strongest aspect of the book. Everything else does not work as well. The characters are stock types and while exploring the aftermath of a fatal car accident from the point of view of the perpetrator is an intriguing premise, it quickly becomes clear that's not what this book is about. Liggett would have been more effective if she got Grant to the cave more quickly. The beginning of the book gives readers the expectation that this would be realistic fiction thus those readers may be disappointed when it takes a turn towards horror. However because of this readers who prefer horror may be disappointed that it takes awhile before getting to the scares. For such a short book it should not take so long for it to get started.
February 22, 2021
Steer clear of this book. This book has so much potential, which is why it was such a disappointing read.
This book relies on old, tired archetypes and bases every character's personality almost entirely on their respective archetype. Each character's archetype muddles the potential for them to have fleshed-out, unique, original personalities. For example, the poorest character, Kit, his personality is almost entirely based on the fact that he's a ragtag poor kid. Maria is the most default medic character one could conceive of, and she's like a more basic version of Mercy from Overwatch. Shy's character is based entirely upon the exhausted archetype of the snarky spunky female love interest, who secretly has a soft side, but she's reluctant to show it because she's just too cool and mean and closed off (i.e. Meg from Steelheart, Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson). After one or two times of Shy making a dismissive comment about Grant, it was already tiring. And most disappointingly, Darryl's character is the butt of many fat jokes. Essentially, his only personality traits are that he is fat, and that he is a good boyfriend to Maria. Every time the book pointed out his weight or his appetite, it didn't feel like a clever or intellectual joke, it felt as though the book was punching down. Even though I loved Darryl as a character, and I loved his sweet personality, the fat jokes and food-related comments surrounding his character were really distasteful and off-putting. And finally, Carrie (brightbeautifulthings) wrote a 3 star review on Goodreads here and wrapped up Grant much better than I could: "Grant’s perspective is wearying over time. He claims that all he wants is to accept responsibility for his actions, but his self-pity as at an all-time high for most of the book. Though it’s very much a novel about guilt, I found it difficult to sympathize with him." This perfectly reflecting my feelings towards Grant. Especially in the first couple chapters (which in my opinion were a bit too slowly paced), I was honestly okay with the idea of Grant dying in the cave, because I was so tired of feeling Grant's lame remorse. These characters could have been very interesting, and they were moderately likeable (especially Darryl, Kit, and Maria), but because they could all be boiled down to one trait, they felt like unoriginal cookie cutter characters.
This is a more minor critique, but I'd also like to point out, as a member of the LGBTQ community, the insertion of the two gay characters seemed really forced. Let me be clear, I am NOT accusing the author of homophobia. Poorly done but well-meaning representation does NOT make the author homophobic. I just personally felt that Bennet being gay didn't add anything to the story, and mentioning that he was once interested in Grant was completely unnecessary. Kit's sexual orientation was incorporated better into the story, but it didn't add much besides giving a reason why he and Shy are close but have never dated. I'm not saying gay characters need to make their sexuality the focal point of their character, I'm saying their sexuality can be part of their character without having to highlight the otherness/abnormality of their sexuality, as the book did especially with Kit (page 103). A few good examples (from television, I must admit I haven't read much queer literature) of good gay representation include David from Schitt's Creek, Captain Holt and Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn 99, and Clare Devlin from Derry Girls. Overall, I appreciate that the author gave queer representation, but this was a miss.
This book is interesting! I was very engaged throughout the whole book. Besides the ending, the story itself is pretty damn good. If this book had fleshed out these characters more instead of relying too heavily on their archetypes, my school's book club and I would've found this book much more enjoyable. That's what I mean by "potential." Two stars for the story itself and the concepts, but I omit the other three stars for poor execution, plus I found the fat jokes/comments extremely distasteful. This book could've been so beautiful and interesting and original had it not relied too much on old tropes.
(ENDING SPOILERS!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!)
The ending was what got to me the most. Have you ever heard the ending "it was actually all a dream," (Wizard of Oz), "she was actually in a coma the whole time," or "he was actually imagining it the whole time?" That is exactly what this book does.
Throughout the book, there are a few subtle hints to the ending, but they aren't completely subtle. However, they're not too obvious, which I can appreciate to a degree. User "Bee" on Goodreads rated this a one star and encapsulated my exact thoughts in their review: "The ending kills any real enjoyment, because it's so out of left field, that it leaves you with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, and prompted me to write this." Same, Bee. Same. Although yes, it’s a creative ending, it does leave the question how Grant knew anything real about their personalities while he was in the cave with them, or how he accurately knew what they looked like. On page 46, Grant googles himself, but immediately shuts the tab closed after he reads five words of a headline about the incident, so that would suggest that he couldn’t bring himself to do any research on his victims or the accident, so how would he know anything about them? After being rescued, Grant described their identities, personalities and passions to an officer (page 215) and the officer understood that he was talking about each victim of the car crash, so Grant’s descriptions must have been accurate or close to accurate. And Grant accurately knew what they looked like, because upon being rescued he identified them in a newspaper as Darryl, Kit, Maria, and Shy (page 216). How did he know correct information about their lives if he never received any information about their identities prior to hallucinating in the cave?
This was the nail in the coffin for the book club's final verdict of the book: guilty of 2 stars. Overall, this book is full of good ideas and concepts, but unfortunately, the execution did not do justice to those ideas.
This book relies on old, tired archetypes and bases every character's personality almost entirely on their respective archetype. Each character's archetype muddles the potential for them to have fleshed-out, unique, original personalities. For example, the poorest character, Kit, his personality is almost entirely based on the fact that he's a ragtag poor kid. Maria is the most default medic character one could conceive of, and she's like a more basic version of Mercy from Overwatch. Shy's character is based entirely upon the exhausted archetype of the snarky spunky female love interest, who secretly has a soft side, but she's reluctant to show it because she's just too cool and mean and closed off (i.e. Meg from Steelheart, Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson). After one or two times of Shy making a dismissive comment about Grant, it was already tiring. And most disappointingly, Darryl's character is the butt of many fat jokes. Essentially, his only personality traits are that he is fat, and that he is a good boyfriend to Maria. Every time the book pointed out his weight or his appetite, it didn't feel like a clever or intellectual joke, it felt as though the book was punching down. Even though I loved Darryl as a character, and I loved his sweet personality, the fat jokes and food-related comments surrounding his character were really distasteful and off-putting. And finally, Carrie (brightbeautifulthings) wrote a 3 star review on Goodreads here and wrapped up Grant much better than I could: "Grant’s perspective is wearying over time. He claims that all he wants is to accept responsibility for his actions, but his self-pity as at an all-time high for most of the book. Though it’s very much a novel about guilt, I found it difficult to sympathize with him." This perfectly reflecting my feelings towards Grant. Especially in the first couple chapters (which in my opinion were a bit too slowly paced), I was honestly okay with the idea of Grant dying in the cave, because I was so tired of feeling Grant's lame remorse. These characters could have been very interesting, and they were moderately likeable (especially Darryl, Kit, and Maria), but because they could all be boiled down to one trait, they felt like unoriginal cookie cutter characters.
This is a more minor critique, but I'd also like to point out, as a member of the LGBTQ community, the insertion of the two gay characters seemed really forced. Let me be clear, I am NOT accusing the author of homophobia. Poorly done but well-meaning representation does NOT make the author homophobic. I just personally felt that Bennet being gay didn't add anything to the story, and mentioning that he was once interested in Grant was completely unnecessary. Kit's sexual orientation was incorporated better into the story, but it didn't add much besides giving a reason why he and Shy are close but have never dated. I'm not saying gay characters need to make their sexuality the focal point of their character, I'm saying their sexuality can be part of their character without having to highlight the otherness/abnormality of their sexuality, as the book did especially with Kit (page 103). A few good examples (from television, I must admit I haven't read much queer literature) of good gay representation include David from Schitt's Creek, Captain Holt and Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn 99, and Clare Devlin from Derry Girls. Overall, I appreciate that the author gave queer representation, but this was a miss.
This book is interesting! I was very engaged throughout the whole book. Besides the ending, the story itself is pretty damn good. If this book had fleshed out these characters more instead of relying too heavily on their archetypes, my school's book club and I would've found this book much more enjoyable. That's what I mean by "potential." Two stars for the story itself and the concepts, but I omit the other three stars for poor execution, plus I found the fat jokes/comments extremely distasteful. This book could've been so beautiful and interesting and original had it not relied too much on old tropes.
(ENDING SPOILERS!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!)
The ending was what got to me the most. Have you ever heard the ending "it was actually all a dream," (Wizard of Oz), "she was actually in a coma the whole time," or "he was actually imagining it the whole time?" That is exactly what this book does.
Throughout the book, there are a few subtle hints to the ending, but they aren't completely subtle. However, they're not too obvious, which I can appreciate to a degree. User "Bee" on Goodreads rated this a one star and encapsulated my exact thoughts in their review: "The ending kills any real enjoyment, because it's so out of left field, that it leaves you with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, and prompted me to write this." Same, Bee. Same. Although yes, it’s a creative ending, it does leave the question how Grant knew anything real about their personalities while he was in the cave with them, or how he accurately knew what they looked like. On page 46, Grant googles himself, but immediately shuts the tab closed after he reads five words of a headline about the incident, so that would suggest that he couldn’t bring himself to do any research on his victims or the accident, so how would he know anything about them? After being rescued, Grant described their identities, personalities and passions to an officer (page 215) and the officer understood that he was talking about each victim of the car crash, so Grant’s descriptions must have been accurate or close to accurate. And Grant accurately knew what they looked like, because upon being rescued he identified them in a newspaper as Darryl, Kit, Maria, and Shy (page 216). How did he know correct information about their lives if he never received any information about their identities prior to hallucinating in the cave?
This was the nail in the coffin for the book club's final verdict of the book: guilty of 2 stars. Overall, this book is full of good ideas and concepts, but unfortunately, the execution did not do justice to those ideas.
November 18, 2020
Over halfway through and I was set on giving this book a solid 2 star rating. Which I was sad about because The Grace Year & The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett are some of my all time favorite books. Then bam! 💥 about 4 chapters before the ending my entire opinion changed! If you’re reading this book and finding it hard to continue. Just keep going because it is so worth it.
August 18, 2018
obvious plot is obvious
Read
April 11, 2022I did NOT see that plot twist coming. Wow
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