What do you think?
Rate this book
The Barrier Lands #1
The Unwilling
"Fantasy at its most sublime!"--Erin Morgenstern, New York Times bestselling author of THE NIGHT CIRCUS
"Suspenseful, magical, wonderfully written… An essential addition to all epic-fantasy collections." — Booklist , STARRED review
A penetrating tale of magic, faith and pride…
Judah is an orphaned girl with a secret gift, born at the gates of Highfall castle. Raised alongside Gavin, heir to Lord Elban's empire, the two share an extrasensory bond—one that is key to Judah's survival and her possible undoing.
Elban—as mighty as he is cruel—plans to use Judah as a pawn to amass greater control. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
But beyond the castle walls, a magus, a healer with his own powerful force, has arrived from the provinces. He, too, has designs on the realm, and at the heart of his plans lies Judah… The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon discover her own strength. Intriguingly, she does not have to be given she can just take it.
"Suspenseful, magical, wonderfully written… An essential addition to all epic-fantasy collections." — Booklist , STARRED review
A penetrating tale of magic, faith and pride…
Judah is an orphaned girl with a secret gift, born at the gates of Highfall castle. Raised alongside Gavin, heir to Lord Elban's empire, the two share an extrasensory bond—one that is key to Judah's survival and her possible undoing.
Elban—as mighty as he is cruel—plans to use Judah as a pawn to amass greater control. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
But beyond the castle walls, a magus, a healer with his own powerful force, has arrived from the provinces. He, too, has designs on the realm, and at the heart of his plans lies Judah… The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon discover her own strength. Intriguingly, she does not have to be given she can just take it.
603 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2020
416 people are currently reading
9040 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Braffet
13 books788 followersKelly Braffet writes stories about unhappy people making bad decisions, occasionally with magic. She is the author of The Unwilling (available 2/20 from Mira Books), Save Yourself, and Last Seen Leaving; her first novel, Josie and Jack, has been made into a feature film starring Olivia DeJonge, Alex Neustaedter, and William Fitchner, and directed by Sarah Lancaster. Her writing has been published in the Fairy Tale Review, Post Road, and in several anthologies, as well as on Salon.com. She is a graduate of Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College.
She is married to the tall and immensely talented writer Owen King. He's dreamy. For more, see www.kellybraffet.com.
She is married to the tall and immensely talented writer Owen King. He's dreamy. For more, see www.kellybraffet.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 425 reviews
January 8, 2023
Where do I start? After 572 pages of wandering storyline, unlikable characters, child abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, plotlines that don’t make sense, a prolonged death scene involving a deer and some hunting dogs, the murder of a pregnant woman by same hunting dogs, an abortion performed on an unconscious and nonconsenting woman, a caning, and an ending that threatens the probability of a sequel, I threw this book down and simply said, “No”. I had no other words.
From the beginning we know that the adopted Judah, hated by everyone in Lord Elban’s castle and the upper nobility because she looks different and therefore is probably a witch, has a magical twin-like connection to the Lord’s heir, Gavin. Judah also has some sort of power, unknown to her or the reader, that an entire tribe has worked five generations to do…I have no idea what. Gavin is narcissistic, selfish and a total jerk. Elban is a cruel and manipulating creature that is written as psychotic to nth degree. Gavin’s brother, Theron, is a minor, very minor, character that builds things and hides from his father and is eventually used as a sympathetic tool with a couple of deus ex machina moments. Gavin’s betrothed, Elly, is probably the only character I liked but not until the last painful third of the book.
While the first part is filled with overly long and drawn out palace intrigue in which no one has a spine or the guts to just stab Elban in the face, the reader is constantly reminded Judah is special. A magus with secrets that aren’t really secret is very interested in Judah because she is special but we still don’t know why.
Part Two starts out with some teeth but quickly devolves into a what-the-hell-is-this kind of revolution nonsense that made me roll my eyes so far into the back of my head I injured myself. And after over 400 pages we finally learn why Judah is special but at that point I didn’t even care because I was in skim mode powering through to the end. I don’t think I ever learned how Gavin and Judah were magically connected; maybe I skipped over it.
Now, I am not a squeamish reader when it comes to dark fiction and violence but this book made me flip through the five revolting pages the author wasted on a pack of dogs destroying a deer. The caning was completely unnecessary and not germane to the plot. The abortion was just another uncalled for way to remind us the book takes place in a male-dominated culture-WE ALREADY KNOW because it has been drilled into our heads over and over. There was probable incest abuse that was hinted at then dropped. Lord Elban’s cruelty was written so over the top I didn’t hate him, I hated the writer. And DO NOT tell me the long drawn-out descriptions of the child abuse Judah suffered through made her that much stronger. DO NOT.
The Unwilling is depressing and angering and loaded with triggers. And if the author wants to write a book with violent scenes then she should study the works of Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, those authors are truly grimdark but also include a wicked sense of humor that gives the reader some respite. This book had absolutely no sense of humor. If there was an editor involved, at all, they dropped the ball on this one; over 200 pages could have been sliced from this thing along with several storylines that were useless filler. I hate slamming an author’s work but The Unwilling well and truly deserves a single star rating.
From the beginning we know that the adopted Judah, hated by everyone in Lord Elban’s castle and the upper nobility because she looks different and therefore is probably a witch, has a magical twin-like connection to the Lord’s heir, Gavin. Judah also has some sort of power, unknown to her or the reader, that an entire tribe has worked five generations to do…I have no idea what. Gavin is narcissistic, selfish and a total jerk. Elban is a cruel and manipulating creature that is written as psychotic to nth degree. Gavin’s brother, Theron, is a minor, very minor, character that builds things and hides from his father and is eventually used as a sympathetic tool with a couple of deus ex machina moments. Gavin’s betrothed, Elly, is probably the only character I liked but not until the last painful third of the book.
While the first part is filled with overly long and drawn out palace intrigue in which no one has a spine or the guts to just stab Elban in the face, the reader is constantly reminded Judah is special. A magus with secrets that aren’t really secret is very interested in Judah because she is special but we still don’t know why.
Part Two starts out with some teeth but quickly devolves into a what-the-hell-is-this kind of revolution nonsense that made me roll my eyes so far into the back of my head I injured myself. And after over 400 pages we finally learn why Judah is special but at that point I didn’t even care because I was in skim mode powering through to the end. I don’t think I ever learned how Gavin and Judah were magically connected; maybe I skipped over it.
Now, I am not a squeamish reader when it comes to dark fiction and violence but this book made me flip through the five revolting pages the author wasted on a pack of dogs destroying a deer. The caning was completely unnecessary and not germane to the plot. The abortion was just another uncalled for way to remind us the book takes place in a male-dominated culture-WE ALREADY KNOW because it has been drilled into our heads over and over. There was probable incest abuse that was hinted at then dropped. Lord Elban’s cruelty was written so over the top I didn’t hate him, I hated the writer. And DO NOT tell me the long drawn-out descriptions of the child abuse Judah suffered through made her that much stronger. DO NOT.
The Unwilling is depressing and angering and loaded with triggers. And if the author wants to write a book with violent scenes then she should study the works of Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, those authors are truly grimdark but also include a wicked sense of humor that gives the reader some respite. This book had absolutely no sense of humor. If there was an editor involved, at all, they dropped the ball on this one; over 200 pages could have been sliced from this thing along with several storylines that were useless filler. I hate slamming an author’s work but The Unwilling well and truly deserves a single star rating.
February 11, 2020
The entire time I was reading this overly long book, I would think, "Just get on with it already!" It just slogs on & on & on. Nearly all of the characters are horrible people. The whole time, all you want to know is what is it exactly that makes the main character Judah so special? When will we finally know? When will Judah finally know? So on & on I read. It's a lovely tale of constant abuse & torture. Physical abuse. Mental abuse. Tyranny. Surely Judah must be the hope to stop all of this misery that will not end. Surely there is something happy in all of this? Right? Right?
All the way until the bitter end I had this at a, "Meh" 3 star book. The end though. Oh my. The end. For that the book gets 1 star. I'm sorry I spent 10 days reading this #*!@#% book for that total crock of an ending. 572 pages leading up & leading you on, for that! WTF?
I hate this book. I well & truly hate it. I have no intention of reading a book by this author again.
All the way until the bitter end I had this at a, "Meh" 3 star book. The end though. Oh my. The end. For that the book gets 1 star. I'm sorry I spent 10 days reading this #*!@#% book for that total crock of an ending. 572 pages leading up & leading you on, for that! WTF?
I hate this book. I well & truly hate it. I have no intention of reading a book by this author again.
May 31, 2021
Wow this was an amazing dark and sweeping epic read about corruption, power, greed and magic. This was an amazing fantasy read that was told with amazing rich and vivid detail of the world of Highfall with a cast of characters I enjoyed reading about.
Though this is a long novel, I felt that Braffet needed it for the superb world building to create the story’s foundation and characters’ back stories. This was an enjoyable read and highly recommend to fans of magic, fantasy reads with thrilling twists and turns in this very creative story.
Braffet is definitely an author to watch for future fantasy genres.
Though this is a long novel, I felt that Braffet needed it for the superb world building to create the story’s foundation and characters’ back stories. This was an enjoyable read and highly recommend to fans of magic, fantasy reads with thrilling twists and turns in this very creative story.
Braffet is definitely an author to watch for future fantasy genres.
February 13, 2020
I've been a Kelly Braffett fan since her first novel, Josie and Jack, so I was super excited about this...and it did not disappoint! The Unwilling is amazing--it's complex and compelling, with characters who aren't afraid of darkness. If you like books that are thought-provoking and beautifully written, then The Unwilling will rock. your. world. Very highly recommended.
September 15, 2023
It's hard to know where to even begin with this doorstopper: the absurdly over the top violence? (Woman in labor eaten alive by dogs and her child cut out of her womb as she breathes her last? The methodical torture of children, described in great detail? Actual torture of protagonists "on screen", frequently? Constant references to rape, sexual abuse, and incestuous child abuse? I guess this is the kind of thing that make a fantasy novel "serious" and "adult" but it was honestly hard for me to imagine how anyone not a teenager would take it seriously, and not just roll their eyes.)
The plot, then? It's both interminable, and interminably slow: a decades-long magical breeding program, an evil lord, a foundling who is special (oh boy is she ever: she has purple-black hair, and the author never lets you forget it), a revolution, something something the binding and unbinding of magic in the world.
I think Braffet was trying to write a novel about individual agency when those individuals have little power. And so all of her main characters are brutally tortured and treated as tools by the older, more powerful people around them, from Judah (the special foundling raised with the lord's son Gavin when it turns out she and he have a mysterious bond that makes each experience any physical state the other does), to Gavin himself (trying to be a decent human being, but how can a young man raised to be at the apex of a brutal patriarchal society?), to Gavin's betrothed Elly (a model of the "traditionally feminine but with a quiet will of steel" character type) to Nathaniel (sent by the same people who arranged for Judah to be where she is, to carry out the end of a multi-generational plan in which they are both tools). And -- in theory -- this is the novel about how these characters achieve some sort of agency for themselves by refusing (hence the title).
It doesn't quite work out that way, though. Judah, the protagonist, has little personality besides "angst" -- understandable, given her history, but a little tedious, especially when everyone else constantly remarks on how remarkable she is. Some of the depictions of Judah's depression and listlessness are quite good, as are some of the presentations of Gavin's petulance and the relationship that develops between them when events outside of their control strip away both the terrors but also the stability of the world they have always known. These chapters are where Braffet's career as a writer of non-sff really shines. She's able to conjure real emotions, and real emotional pain, and show us messy, complicated personalities that are neither wholly sympathetic nor wholly able to be dismissed. Unfortunately, this comes about about three quarters of the way through a book that has up to that point mostly used graphic scenes of torture in the place of actually depicting and developing character. It also rather annoyed me that as the plot finally creaks toward its promised climax Coward move, Braffet.
The less said about the worldbuilding, the better (industrial revolution in full swing? But no sign of where the wealth came from that jump-started it or what the resulting mass-production of steel is being used for?) Although I just note that this novel employs that same tired trope of "actually, the Revolution made things worse..." managing to have her revolutionaries go from zero to Stalinism in about a month of in-universe time. (Is this a record for this trope? Not sure.)
Finally, this book has no proper end. It isn't advertised as "first in a trilogy" or whatever, but the action simply peters out. Not, I should note, in a way that is satisfyingly open-ended. Nothing has been accomplished (either personally or politically), no one even knows what has happened to anyone else, and most characters are not even at a "resting place" as much as in the middle of the action of whatever their arcs are going to be. But, frankly, I'm probably not going to read the sequels if they do come to exist.
The plot, then? It's both interminable, and interminably slow: a decades-long magical breeding program, an evil lord, a foundling who is special (oh boy is she ever: she has purple-black hair, and the author never lets you forget it), a revolution, something something the binding and unbinding of magic in the world.
I think Braffet was trying to write a novel about individual agency when those individuals have little power. And so all of her main characters are brutally tortured and treated as tools by the older, more powerful people around them, from Judah (the special foundling raised with the lord's son Gavin when it turns out she and he have a mysterious bond that makes each experience any physical state the other does), to Gavin himself (trying to be a decent human being, but how can a young man raised to be at the apex of a brutal patriarchal society?), to Gavin's betrothed Elly (a model of the "traditionally feminine but with a quiet will of steel" character type) to Nathaniel (sent by the same people who arranged for Judah to be where she is, to carry out the end of a multi-generational plan in which they are both tools). And -- in theory -- this is the novel about how these characters achieve some sort of agency for themselves by refusing (hence the title).
It doesn't quite work out that way, though. Judah, the protagonist, has little personality besides "angst" -- understandable, given her history, but a little tedious, especially when everyone else constantly remarks on how remarkable she is. Some of the depictions of Judah's depression and listlessness are quite good, as are some of the presentations of Gavin's petulance and the relationship that develops between them when events outside of their control strip away both the terrors but also the stability of the world they have always known. These chapters are where Braffet's career as a writer of non-sff really shines. She's able to conjure real emotions, and real emotional pain, and show us messy, complicated personalities that are neither wholly sympathetic nor wholly able to be dismissed. Unfortunately, this comes about about three quarters of the way through a book that has up to that point mostly used graphic scenes of torture in the place of actually depicting and developing character. It also rather annoyed me that as the plot finally creaks toward its promised climax Coward move, Braffet.
The less said about the worldbuilding, the better (industrial revolution in full swing? But no sign of where the wealth came from that jump-started it or what the resulting mass-production of steel is being used for?) Although I just note that this novel employs that same tired trope of "actually, the Revolution made things worse..." managing to have her revolutionaries go from zero to Stalinism in about a month of in-universe time. (Is this a record for this trope? Not sure.)
Finally, this book has no proper end. It isn't advertised as "first in a trilogy" or whatever, but the action simply peters out. Not, I should note, in a way that is satisfyingly open-ended. Nothing has been accomplished (either personally or politically), no one even knows what has happened to anyone else, and most characters are not even at a "resting place" as much as in the middle of the action of whatever their arcs are going to be. But, frankly, I'm probably not going to read the sequels if they do come to exist.
November 25, 2019
If you enjoy a book that drags on for hundreds of pages with virtually no development, contains totally unlikeable characters, and is full of graphically sadistic people and events, then this book is for you.
I, however, was completely put off by the story. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy and have rarely come across a book that was so bad as to make we want to scream. It also made me resent the time I spent reading it. And no, graphic violence does not bother me. I am a fan of grimdark; therefore, I am not squeamish. But the absolutely unrelenting sadism throughout the book was overdone, and it got outright boring. If an author has to use repetitive extreme sadism to impart the vileness of the characters, then she or he is not a good author.
I will not be reading any more from this author. I have wasted enough time.
I, however, was completely put off by the story. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy and have rarely come across a book that was so bad as to make we want to scream. It also made me resent the time I spent reading it. And no, graphic violence does not bother me. I am a fan of grimdark; therefore, I am not squeamish. But the absolutely unrelenting sadism throughout the book was overdone, and it got outright boring. If an author has to use repetitive extreme sadism to impart the vileness of the characters, then she or he is not a good author.
I will not be reading any more from this author. I have wasted enough time.
January 5, 2020
Winner, winner chicken dinner! I started off the new year by winning this book in a giveaway. Technically, It came in the mail the last week of December. I was so excited when I received the winner notification e-mail. The excitement was quickly replaced with nerves. I realized two things. The first was that it was written by one of my favorite authors. The second was that it was a completely new genre for her. I started to feel the pressure of having to review a book I wasn't guaranteed to like.
So, I got the book and saw that it was enormous. This is going to make me sound lazy but I avoid books over 350 pages a lot nowadays. I'm getting pickier and lazier in my 40's. I knew it was going to be a hefty undertaking!
The good news! I liked it. At first the wording was a little confusing. I stopped and told myself to keep reading and the world would become more familiar. It did! But, the best part of the book was the characters. I really loved the main character Judah. Which is a girl, despite the name. She is tortured and wounded and all things that make you root for someone and love them. The book is about magic and power. But, at its core it's about love and free will.
Judah was used from the moment she was born. She was actually born to be used by others either for their own selfish means or for a supposed greater good. I always rooted for her and wanted her to prevail. But, I shifted back and forth about what the best outcome for her would be. I will say it was not an ending I had chosen or predicted. I'm not mad at it but I'm also not jumping for joy.
So, was the book too long for my taste? Yes! Was I confused at times by a made up universe and the wording? Yes. Did I get completely wrapped up in the story and forget both of those things? Hell yes!!! If you like magic, darkness and a heroine you can stand up for then this is your jam!
So, I got the book and saw that it was enormous. This is going to make me sound lazy but I avoid books over 350 pages a lot nowadays. I'm getting pickier and lazier in my 40's. I knew it was going to be a hefty undertaking!
The good news! I liked it. At first the wording was a little confusing. I stopped and told myself to keep reading and the world would become more familiar. It did! But, the best part of the book was the characters. I really loved the main character Judah. Which is a girl, despite the name. She is tortured and wounded and all things that make you root for someone and love them. The book is about magic and power. But, at its core it's about love and free will.
Judah was used from the moment she was born. She was actually born to be used by others either for their own selfish means or for a supposed greater good. I always rooted for her and wanted her to prevail. But, I shifted back and forth about what the best outcome for her would be. I will say it was not an ending I had chosen or predicted. I'm not mad at it but I'm also not jumping for joy.
So, was the book too long for my taste? Yes! Was I confused at times by a made up universe and the wording? Yes. Did I get completely wrapped up in the story and forget both of those things? Hell yes!!! If you like magic, darkness and a heroine you can stand up for then this is your jam!
February 19, 2020
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Author Kelly Braffet fascinating debut fantasy THE UNWILLING, is a haunting, brutal breathtaking novel that pulled me completely into its engaging pages.
Incredible imagery and captivating characters with crisp dialogue, made this one of my all time favorites.
A sweeping, slightly horrors filled epic fantasy, A gripping read, with complex characters and stunning tension, along engaging political drama. This brilliantly executed novel, with its fleshed out complex characters and seamless writing is one you should not miss.
Judah a young woman, who is a foundling raised in the castle alongside the prince and future heir, as his foster-sister. She scorned by the courtiers and detested by the king, but much loved by the monarchy princes and the heir's betrothed.
A young man named Nate, an undercover member of a nomadic magic using tribe that discretely manipulated newborn Judah's placement into the Royal nursery next to the newborn prince. Nate returns and knows something about the mysterious magic bond between Judah and Prince Gavin, the bond is such that they feel each other's emotions and bear each other's injuries .....on flesh.
Every detail has been put into place for a reason. It adds to the haunting richly atmospheric elements. Kelly Braffet, brutal novel, will capture your attention with its character driven plot line. A dark thought provoking magical tale, that I found very alluring. A faced paced storyline with its dangerous courtly intrigues and drama will keep you on your toes with its unpredictable reviving twist.
This was a nonstop read for me, it flowed perfectly and never dragged. Riveting storyline that I inhaled in a day in half. Exceptional world building with stunning ending, wow…... I was totally blown away!
This book is on the top of my all time reads, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading epic fantasy books with descriptive details and depth.
I was so excited when @mirabooks sent me this ARC of The Unwilling by @kelly.braffet!
Released on February 11, 2020.
Cover Design: @alcainoillustration
Art Direction: @lau.gigi.lau
#theunwilling #harlequinbooks #kellybraffet #bookstagram #booknerdigans #bionicbookbabes #bibliophile #creativebookstagram #ireadya #bookstagrammer #fandom #bookdragon #yabookstagram #totalbooknerd #ilovereading #epicfantasy #gwendalyn_books #bookblogger #bookblog #idratherbereading #bookdisplay #bookstagrammersunite #bookishallure #readersofinsta #bookquote
Author Kelly Braffet fascinating debut fantasy THE UNWILLING, is a haunting, brutal breathtaking novel that pulled me completely into its engaging pages.
Incredible imagery and captivating characters with crisp dialogue, made this one of my all time favorites.
A sweeping, slightly horrors filled epic fantasy, A gripping read, with complex characters and stunning tension, along engaging political drama. This brilliantly executed novel, with its fleshed out complex characters and seamless writing is one you should not miss.
Judah a young woman, who is a foundling raised in the castle alongside the prince and future heir, as his foster-sister. She scorned by the courtiers and detested by the king, but much loved by the monarchy princes and the heir's betrothed.
A young man named Nate, an undercover member of a nomadic magic using tribe that discretely manipulated newborn Judah's placement into the Royal nursery next to the newborn prince. Nate returns and knows something about the mysterious magic bond between Judah and Prince Gavin, the bond is such that they feel each other's emotions and bear each other's injuries .....on flesh.
Every detail has been put into place for a reason. It adds to the haunting richly atmospheric elements. Kelly Braffet, brutal novel, will capture your attention with its character driven plot line. A dark thought provoking magical tale, that I found very alluring. A faced paced storyline with its dangerous courtly intrigues and drama will keep you on your toes with its unpredictable reviving twist.
This was a nonstop read for me, it flowed perfectly and never dragged. Riveting storyline that I inhaled in a day in half. Exceptional world building with stunning ending, wow…... I was totally blown away!
This book is on the top of my all time reads, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading epic fantasy books with descriptive details and depth.
I was so excited when @mirabooks sent me this ARC of The Unwilling by @kelly.braffet!
Released on February 11, 2020.
Cover Design: @alcainoillustration
Art Direction: @lau.gigi.lau
#theunwilling #harlequinbooks #kellybraffet #bookstagram #booknerdigans #bionicbookbabes #bibliophile #creativebookstagram #ireadya #bookstagrammer #fandom #bookdragon #yabookstagram #totalbooknerd #ilovereading #epicfantasy #gwendalyn_books #bookblogger #bookblog #idratherbereading #bookdisplay #bookstagrammersunite #bookishallure #readersofinsta #bookquote
February 11, 2020
*RATING 3.5*
**I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
THE UNWILLING by Kelly Braffet is a dark and twisted tale of abuse, power, and treachery set in a magical world.
Judah and Gavin were born on the same night and have a connection that cannot be explained but they live very different lives. Lord Elban, Gavin's father, is a deeply cruel and vicious man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and Judah is the perfect pawn. Outside the castle walls, there is someone searching for Judah and the power that she does not know she has, as she is the centre of everything and could bring about change like no other.
THE UNWILLING by Kelly Braffet was a lot darker and emotionally disturbing then I expected it to be and for that reason may not suit all readers as there are a lot of graphic moments throughout. It is a long book but that didn't bother me at all as I enjoyed getting to know most of the characters and getting a feel for the setting. There is a wonderful bond between some of the characters that felt real and pure and I enjoyed those moments that shone a light over the hardships that Judah and others endured regularly, and the ending was definitely unexpected. Overall, not what I expected but gripping in it's own way.
**I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
THE UNWILLING by Kelly Braffet is a dark and twisted tale of abuse, power, and treachery set in a magical world.
Judah and Gavin were born on the same night and have a connection that cannot be explained but they live very different lives. Lord Elban, Gavin's father, is a deeply cruel and vicious man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and Judah is the perfect pawn. Outside the castle walls, there is someone searching for Judah and the power that she does not know she has, as she is the centre of everything and could bring about change like no other.
THE UNWILLING by Kelly Braffet was a lot darker and emotionally disturbing then I expected it to be and for that reason may not suit all readers as there are a lot of graphic moments throughout. It is a long book but that didn't bother me at all as I enjoyed getting to know most of the characters and getting a feel for the setting. There is a wonderful bond between some of the characters that felt real and pure and I enjoyed those moments that shone a light over the hardships that Judah and others endured regularly, and the ending was definitely unexpected. Overall, not what I expected but gripping in it's own way.
December 4, 2019
I read an ARC of this book.
This was a very dark, depressing book with hardly any redeeming qualities. Four children are forced to grow up together in a fortress in an oppressive totalitarian state, and are neglected at the best of times and horribly abused at the worst (and that abuse is often depicted graphically). If some relief or respite from the horrific mistreatment of these characters occurred, then perhaps the book might have been better. But it seemed that no matter what, life would never get better for them. Outside of these 4 characters, the other people depicted in the book also led dismal hopeless lives. I kept waiting for something to happen to make things even a little bit better, but when that seemingly might happen, nothing really changed.
The unlikable characters, graphic depictions of physical and mental abuse, and--sorry for the spoiler--detailed description of a pregnant woman being mauled, killed, and eaten by dogs, really made this story hard to trudge through. And at the end, there was no real resolution. I really feel that I wasted a great deal of time reading a book with no real point or purpose. I would not recommend this book to anyone, and I will not be reading any subsequent books in what I can only hope will be a series (because even though I really don't care what happens to these characters, I will feel less like I wasted my time reading this book if I can believe that at some point at least a couple of them might end up, if not happy, then maybe better off than they were at any point in Book 1).
This was a very dark, depressing book with hardly any redeeming qualities. Four children are forced to grow up together in a fortress in an oppressive totalitarian state, and are neglected at the best of times and horribly abused at the worst (and that abuse is often depicted graphically). If some relief or respite from the horrific mistreatment of these characters occurred, then perhaps the book might have been better. But it seemed that no matter what, life would never get better for them. Outside of these 4 characters, the other people depicted in the book also led dismal hopeless lives. I kept waiting for something to happen to make things even a little bit better, but when that seemingly might happen, nothing really changed.
The unlikable characters, graphic depictions of physical and mental abuse, and--sorry for the spoiler--detailed description of a pregnant woman being mauled, killed, and eaten by dogs, really made this story hard to trudge through. And at the end, there was no real resolution. I really feel that I wasted a great deal of time reading a book with no real point or purpose. I would not recommend this book to anyone, and I will not be reading any subsequent books in what I can only hope will be a series (because even though I really don't care what happens to these characters, I will feel less like I wasted my time reading this book if I can believe that at some point at least a couple of them might end up, if not happy, then maybe better off than they were at any point in Book 1).
April 20, 2020
This was dark.
I enjoyed the ambivalence of it -- many times you weren't sure who the protagonists/allies were, who the antagonist(s) were, what the goals were, what the outcome was going to be. That's not something you really see done much in fantasy, the ambiguity of it all.
In a lot of ways, this was a very small book; the majority of it takes place inside the castle walls. In other ways, it was immense, bordering on 600 pages. I felt like it read quickly, in that when I'd stick my bookmark in at the next chapter thirty or forty pages away, I'd be there without thinking about it.
In no way is this book YA. In no way is it not full of triggers. There are people in this book who are absolutely horrible. That doesn't make it bad.
Wondering if there'll be a second book to this, though. Curious to find out.
I enjoyed the ambivalence of it -- many times you weren't sure who the protagonists/allies were, who the antagonist(s) were, what the goals were, what the outcome was going to be. That's not something you really see done much in fantasy, the ambiguity of it all.
In a lot of ways, this was a very small book; the majority of it takes place inside the castle walls. In other ways, it was immense, bordering on 600 pages. I felt like it read quickly, in that when I'd stick my bookmark in at the next chapter thirty or forty pages away, I'd be there without thinking about it.
In no way is this book YA. In no way is it not full of triggers. There are people in this book who are absolutely horrible. That doesn't make it bad.
Wondering if there'll be a second book to this, though. Curious to find out.
March 22, 2022
When I was going through my list of books to find on hoopla, I wasn't really sure why I put this book on that list. I think may have gotten it confused with that night carnival one or whatever. Anyways, reading some brief reviews is actually what made me want to try this; all of the reviews were either 1-2 stars or 4-5 stars, so you know it's going to be a wild ride. And it was :D But not really in a good way :( Most of the low ratings were complaining that the book had little to no plot, it was way too long, moved too slowly, had way too much abuse and trauma, it was too dark, and that you don't really get anything out of this book. It kinda just takes you from point C to point L and drops you off there without much ceremony. The good reviews, on the other hand, all pointed to the characters and their relationships and the fact that it was dark and spooky and blah blah blah. I mostly agree with the negative stuff people were saying, though. I didn't find it to be too long (it is a bit long, but I was invested the entire time), and I didn't really think the book was slow until I knew how it ended. Oh by the way this should've been a 2.5 stars but you can't do that apparently so 2 it is since it's not good enough to be 3.
Hello future me. In retrospect, maybe skip to past the plot summary. It's long. And not that interesting. Unless it's enough to save you from rereading this book someday. In that case, please read and weep.
Ok plot time???????????? I feel like this is gonna get suuuuper messy but we shall see. Evil Man rules the kingdom and is... oh he is evil! I almost forgot phew! Ok so he's evil. And in case you forgot, we hate him and he's evil, ok? Very evil. But his wife? Well we know nothing about her but she's apparently very pretty so we love her. Anyways, Evil Man and Pretty Lady need to have heirs so that Evil Man can keep his evil dynasty going. So after a few children who died, they have another one, Gavin (such a bland name but ok). Perfect. Evil Man has his heir, ez = pz. Meanwhile, in the magical traveling circus, the Bene Gesserit breeding program has finally produced the Kwisatz Haderach (Judah is basically Paul if he spent his entire life doing nothing until he tasted the spice lol). Well shoot. Now I need to explain more backstory. So Gavin's 5x great grandfather (of all the random details to remember, I'm so glad it was the 5x great grandfather thing) was this crazy dude named Mad Martin the Lockmaker (ooooo spooooky). We know he likes locks. A lot. He made a lot of them. But towards the end of the book, we realize that he made a magic lock, too! Ol' Martin was scared that the wizards would grow too powerful for him to control, so he had his best wizards lock up all the magic in the world inside this tower in his castle. Now wizards can only use spirit magic or something, and it can't affect the real world (I think?). Ok. The Bene Gesserit have been breeding a super wizard, and Babeh Judah is strong enough to eventually break the seal on magic and rerelease it into the world. Problem is, Judah needs to grow up inside the castle because.... um... I... uh... ah... mmm.... uhhhhhh.... hmmmmm... yeah I dunno. She just has to, ok? So Judah's parents sneak inside the castle but get caught and fed to the Evil Man's Evil Doggies. But the Evil Doggies are good fishermen, and they decide to allow the unborn Babeh Judah to swim away so that she can grow up and be a bigger meal for them later. How nice. She gets saved by a stableboy and the midwife who happens to be there to deliver Evil Man's heir into the world. Midwife grabs Judah then goes to Pretty Lady and brings Gavin into the world, and Pretty Lady decides to keep Judah as her own daughter because she's sad about all the other babies she has lost. How nice. Now SOMEHOW the Bene Gesserit wizards manage to make this magic bond between Judah and Gavin. How? No idea. The bond makes it so that Judah and Gavin can feel each other's emotions, and if one of them is hurt, the other one gets hurt, too. Eventually Evil Man and the Seneschal (his 2nd in command who literally doesn't have a name other than his title) realize that this bond exists, so they experiment with it by causing the two lots of pain. Evil Man thinks the bond has ruined his heir, so they have another kiddo to try and replace Gavin. But Big Brain Boi is born and revealed to be kind of a klutz and too shy to be the heir. Evil Man is mad and he wants to kill Judah (and thus kill Gavin because of the bond), but Seneschal says "uh maybe don't kill your kids plz." SOOOOO after all that, nothing happens as the kids grow up. Gavin, Pau- I mean Judah, Big Brain, and Gavin's future wife (who is sold to Evil Man), Elly, grow up whatever. All of them have some role or trait except Judah who just kind of does nothing all day. For her whole life. She likes horsies though. Evil Man wants Gavin to be Evil Son, but he's not yet. So he tries to make Gavin kill Big Brain, and Evil Man threatens to marry Elly if he doesn't (yeah I don't get it either). Gavin tries, but can't follow through. Then Judah, to save Elly from marriage, tells Evil Man she will use her bond with Gavin to help the army communicate faster if he lets Gavin and Elly marry. He agrees, then goes off to war because... uh... um... I don't know why. But he doesn't take Gavin and Judah with him because... aw man not again... uh... er... yeah I don't know why. A few weeks later, Evil Man (who is really, truly, honestly, quite evil by the way) comes back with a massive concussion and dies. LOL. THAT'S IT. HE'S DEAD. With the absence of Evil Man, the Seneschal decides now would be a great time to start a coup! So he does. And locks the kiddos inside their room for a long time. Meanwhile, the Bene Gesserit sent some doctor dude who is by far the best character to work his way into being the royal doctor or something. He does that, gaining access to Paul- uh Judah. They spend some time together as Dr. Dude binds Judah to the magic tower that stores all the magic in the world. He kills Big Brain then tries to get her to kill Gavin (since all the power is bound into his bloodline), but she doesn't want to and decides to commit suicide. The End. I'M NOT JOKING THAT'S ACTUALLY HOW IT ENDS (ok not really, there's another chapter or whatever where the Seneschal is upset that Judah disappeared and Dr. Dude just says that she's somewhere and nowhere since she basically pulled an Obi Wan and turned into a Force ghost). WOW that was long. I did not know that this was a series, but I will not be reading the rest. Apparently book 2 is pretty bad. Nothing happens and all of the kiddos just get abused some more.
So yeah. It was kind of a mess. And I didn't even mention all the torture and abuse and stuff that Evil Man does and the thousands of insignificant plot lines that don't matter at all. Time for random thoughts. Judah is mad at Gavin for ignoring her, so, being the absolute CHAD that she is, she stabs herself through the hand with a knife. I appreciate the effort the author puts into covering her bases, like with Darid knowing how to be a healer since he has horsey medicine and the staff have no real healer. Elly tells Judah she thinks Dr. Dude likes her because he won't look at her. NOBODY LOOKS AT HER THOUGH SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SHUNNED???? Judah actually feels like a very real person sometimes. Why is Judah so shocked to learn that she has a mother? Did she think she just popped into existence? She repeats like 400 times "I have a mother." Chica, of course you do. Everyone does. Evil Man's death was so abrupt and so unsatisfying. He's just gone, after all the plot lines set him up as the big bad villain, he just disappears for a while and randomly dies. Why did Evil Man even go to war there, anyways? With Judah's plan, it makes no sense. Why did the Bene Gesserit just hope that Clorin would adopt Judah? They put all their eggs into their breeding program basket, and they just sit there and hope that some miracle happens to keep Judah alive?
Okaaaay on a more positive note, the Seneschal is an interesting villain. Because he's not really evil. He's just a robot who is very calculating. He's not really that cruel, other than doing what Evil Man makes him do, and his offers to the kiddos are actually quite good. He treats them well enough that I don't hate him. Which makes the second part of the book feel a bit weird because you feel like the kiddos are just being dumb and there isn't a real bad guy anymore.
Also, since Dr. Dude's name is Nathaniel, I will take that as a sign to read the Bartimaeus series again :D
Hello future me. In retrospect, maybe skip to past the plot summary. It's long. And not that interesting. Unless it's enough to save you from rereading this book someday. In that case, please read and weep.
Ok plot time???????????? I feel like this is gonna get suuuuper messy but we shall see. Evil Man rules the kingdom and is... oh he is evil! I almost forgot phew! Ok so he's evil. And in case you forgot, we hate him and he's evil, ok? Very evil. But his wife? Well we know nothing about her but she's apparently very pretty so we love her. Anyways, Evil Man and Pretty Lady need to have heirs so that Evil Man can keep his evil dynasty going. So after a few children who died, they have another one, Gavin (such a bland name but ok). Perfect. Evil Man has his heir, ez = pz. Meanwhile, in the magical traveling circus, the Bene Gesserit breeding program has finally produced the Kwisatz Haderach (Judah is basically Paul if he spent his entire life doing nothing until he tasted the spice lol). Well shoot. Now I need to explain more backstory. So Gavin's 5x great grandfather (of all the random details to remember, I'm so glad it was the 5x great grandfather thing) was this crazy dude named Mad Martin the Lockmaker (ooooo spooooky). We know he likes locks. A lot. He made a lot of them. But towards the end of the book, we realize that he made a magic lock, too! Ol' Martin was scared that the wizards would grow too powerful for him to control, so he had his best wizards lock up all the magic in the world inside this tower in his castle. Now wizards can only use spirit magic or something, and it can't affect the real world (I think?). Ok. The Bene Gesserit have been breeding a super wizard, and Babeh Judah is strong enough to eventually break the seal on magic and rerelease it into the world. Problem is, Judah needs to grow up inside the castle because.... um... I... uh... ah... mmm.... uhhhhhh.... hmmmmm... yeah I dunno. She just has to, ok? So Judah's parents sneak inside the castle but get caught and fed to the Evil Man's Evil Doggies. But the Evil Doggies are good fishermen, and they decide to allow the unborn Babeh Judah to swim away so that she can grow up and be a bigger meal for them later. How nice. She gets saved by a stableboy and the midwife who happens to be there to deliver Evil Man's heir into the world. Midwife grabs Judah then goes to Pretty Lady and brings Gavin into the world, and Pretty Lady decides to keep Judah as her own daughter because she's sad about all the other babies she has lost. How nice. Now SOMEHOW the Bene Gesserit wizards manage to make this magic bond between Judah and Gavin. How? No idea. The bond makes it so that Judah and Gavin can feel each other's emotions, and if one of them is hurt, the other one gets hurt, too. Eventually Evil Man and the Seneschal (his 2nd in command who literally doesn't have a name other than his title) realize that this bond exists, so they experiment with it by causing the two lots of pain. Evil Man thinks the bond has ruined his heir, so they have another kiddo to try and replace Gavin. But Big Brain Boi is born and revealed to be kind of a klutz and too shy to be the heir. Evil Man is mad and he wants to kill Judah (and thus kill Gavin because of the bond), but Seneschal says "uh maybe don't kill your kids plz." SOOOOO after all that, nothing happens as the kids grow up. Gavin, Pau- I mean Judah, Big Brain, and Gavin's future wife (who is sold to Evil Man), Elly, grow up whatever. All of them have some role or trait except Judah who just kind of does nothing all day. For her whole life. She likes horsies though. Evil Man wants Gavin to be Evil Son, but he's not yet. So he tries to make Gavin kill Big Brain, and Evil Man threatens to marry Elly if he doesn't (yeah I don't get it either). Gavin tries, but can't follow through. Then Judah, to save Elly from marriage, tells Evil Man she will use her bond with Gavin to help the army communicate faster if he lets Gavin and Elly marry. He agrees, then goes off to war because... uh... um... I don't know why. But he doesn't take Gavin and Judah with him because... aw man not again... uh... er... yeah I don't know why. A few weeks later, Evil Man (who is really, truly, honestly, quite evil by the way) comes back with a massive concussion and dies. LOL. THAT'S IT. HE'S DEAD. With the absence of Evil Man, the Seneschal decides now would be a great time to start a coup! So he does. And locks the kiddos inside their room for a long time. Meanwhile, the Bene Gesserit sent some doctor dude who is by far the best character to work his way into being the royal doctor or something. He does that, gaining access to Paul- uh Judah. They spend some time together as Dr. Dude binds Judah to the magic tower that stores all the magic in the world. He kills Big Brain then tries to get her to kill Gavin (since all the power is bound into his bloodline), but she doesn't want to and decides to commit suicide. The End. I'M NOT JOKING THAT'S ACTUALLY HOW IT ENDS (ok not really, there's another chapter or whatever where the Seneschal is upset that Judah disappeared and Dr. Dude just says that she's somewhere and nowhere since she basically pulled an Obi Wan and turned into a Force ghost). WOW that was long. I did not know that this was a series, but I will not be reading the rest. Apparently book 2 is pretty bad. Nothing happens and all of the kiddos just get abused some more.
So yeah. It was kind of a mess. And I didn't even mention all the torture and abuse and stuff that Evil Man does and the thousands of insignificant plot lines that don't matter at all. Time for random thoughts. Judah is mad at Gavin for ignoring her, so, being the absolute CHAD that she is, she stabs herself through the hand with a knife. I appreciate the effort the author puts into covering her bases, like with Darid knowing how to be a healer since he has horsey medicine and the staff have no real healer. Elly tells Judah she thinks Dr. Dude likes her because he won't look at her. NOBODY LOOKS AT HER THOUGH SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SHUNNED???? Judah actually feels like a very real person sometimes. Why is Judah so shocked to learn that she has a mother? Did she think she just popped into existence? She repeats like 400 times "I have a mother." Chica, of course you do. Everyone does. Evil Man's death was so abrupt and so unsatisfying. He's just gone, after all the plot lines set him up as the big bad villain, he just disappears for a while and randomly dies. Why did Evil Man even go to war there, anyways? With Judah's plan, it makes no sense. Why did the Bene Gesserit just hope that Clorin would adopt Judah? They put all their eggs into their breeding program basket, and they just sit there and hope that some miracle happens to keep Judah alive?
Okaaaay on a more positive note, the Seneschal is an interesting villain. Because he's not really evil. He's just a robot who is very calculating. He's not really that cruel, other than doing what Evil Man makes him do, and his offers to the kiddos are actually quite good. He treats them well enough that I don't hate him. Which makes the second part of the book feel a bit weird because you feel like the kiddos are just being dumb and there isn't a real bad guy anymore.
Also, since Dr. Dude's name is Nathaniel, I will take that as a sign to read the Bartimaeus series again :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2020
Title: The Unwilling
Author: Kelly Braffet
Release date: February 11, 2020
Cliffhanger: Yes
Genre: YA fantasy
I need to start this review by saying if you're a reader who's sensitive about reading abuse and violence on the page, this is not the book for you. This is just about the darkest and most depressing YA fantasy I've ever read and that's saying something. There were quite a few reasons why I struggled to finish this. I kept hoping that eventually it would hook me and everything would turn around but sadly that wasn't the case.
The Unwilling was excruciatingly slow. I would read for 3 hours and only move forward 5-10%. The page count is lengthy, and every bit of it is felt. I felt as if I was dragging myself through quicksand for the majority of the book, trying to reach freedom with no lifeline to be found. Just painfully sinking...sinking...sinking. The fact that the reader is left in the dark about a lot of things doesn't help matters.
The plot centers around the Slonimi people who have carefully honed the vestiges of magic remaining after the world was "bound." Through generations, they've plotted and planned to do whatever is necessary to return the world to its rightful order. No sacrifice is too great, no life more valuable than the cause. We are vaguely told about the doing "Work" which is what they call this magic that they wield. We see glimpses of it at most, but never an explanation of what the mechanics of it are, or why it's so important until the end. Who is Mad Martin, and why did he bind the world's power? How will the chosen one restore the world? This is all left on the back burner as we watch everyone tear each other to shreds.
Nate is introduced in the prologue as a young boy in the Slonimi caravan who is taken in by Derie as a kind of apprentice. She's a nasty, abusive woman who physically abuses Nate and Charles as she trains them to be "useful" to the cause. She is the first of many to abuse, maim, play mind games, and use people as if they were chess pieces on a board rather than human beings. It was so hard to find a single redeeming quality with anyone in this story. Even the unwilling victims are hard to root for as they were forced to make vicious choices to stay one step ahead of those toying with them. For a while, I thought Nate was a decent guy, but the more the book wore on, the more he seemed to fit right in with the most deranged and immoral.
Nate finagles his way inside Highfall in order to step in the shoes of the current Magus (healer). Arkady is just as vile and corrupt as everyone else in this godforsaken place. He has an array of sins such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, abuse of power, and heartlessness towards the poor workers who support the rich. In this social system, the poor are forced to work as long as 96 hours straight with barely any food or rest. Their money goes to support rich courtiers as their family members are brutally used and murdered of on a whim without a second thought. They are less than disposable, and treated inhumanely during their sad lives.
Then we have "The Children." Gavin is the heir to Highfall. His father Elban is the depraved ruler who takes great delight in torturing those around him both mentally and physically. I think sadist is a great descriptor for him. If you were to make a list of the most horrifying ways to harm a human, he's done every single thing and then schemed to come up with more. I can't tell you how long I was impatiently waiting for someone to take this evil waste of space out of existence. But I digress. The rest of the children are Theron, Elly, and Judah. Theron is the second born son, Elly is Gavin's chosen bride, and Judah is the foundling who was raised in the palace with them all. Admittedly, these four do seem to genuinely care for one another and they do try to make the best out of the cesspool they're trying to survive in. It's hard to retain values, morals, and honesty when you're constantly abused and put in life altering situations.
Gavin and Judah have a mysterious bond that ties them physically to one another. When one is hurt, the other feels it. They also share heightened emotions and pleasure, as well as drunkenness. This bond is the only thing protecting Judah's life. At the same time, it's also used against her in many various ways over the years, and used as a tool to harm Gavin when Elban felt the need. It was all about pushing the boundary between pain and death to manipulate and control. This was the one thing about the story that I found intriguing, and quite original. I liked the way they could communicate with one another in secret by scratching on their own wrist. It was like ASL in scratches, and they could check on each other or call for help from a distance.
Overall, there were so many graphically violent scenes that it began to overrun any sense of a solid, linear plot. We're just flung from one grotesque or devastating moment to another as the characters tried to stay one step ahead of getting disfigured or killed. Someone built up to be an invincible antagonist is abruptly disposed of and another steps in. In the end, things are not left in a good place and I just can't fathom slogging through fresh hundreds of pages to see where this all resolves. I can say with certainty that this wasn't the right book for me, but hopefully others will have a much different experience than I did.
FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:
March 17, 2020
So. That was a little disappointing.
After The Unwilling recieved rampant praise from authors I've read and loved, I was so excited that I actually preordered it (and it should be said that I almost never preorder). There was no way that this book could be anything less than spectacular — not after Actual Creator of the Universe and Goddess of the Written Word Erin f*cking Morgenstern blurbed it. Something something, "Fantasy at its most sublime," something something. I was SOLD.
And then, well... meh.
Listen — The Unwilling isn't bad, but it's also not something to write home about. I was so enthralled by the premise and by the admittedly beautiful writing that at first, I was willing to put aside what I thought was simply a slow pace (as it stands, I have 52 tabs to recall some truly beautiful turns of phrase).
But it wasn't a matter of slow pace, in the end: it was a matter of no pace.
The Unwilling knows what it wants to be, but Braffet struggles to get there. This book falls to the same fate as The Binding by Bridget Collins — namely, that nothing happens. Let's walk through it.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The Unwilling follows a foundling named Judah, who shares a supernatural bond with Gavin, son of and future Lord of the City. Whenever Gavin gets injured, Judah feels it. Whenever Judah bleeds, Gavin bleeds too. When Lord Elban, current Lord of the City and general Giant Asshole, tries to get Gavin to kill his younger brother (reasons still unclear), Judah will do anything to protect the only family she's ever known. She tells Elban how she and Gavin have developed a mode of communication through pain (which, how did this guy not figure?). Her idea is to essentially trade this info for Theron's safety. Elban proposes that he'll use this information (and Judah & Gavin) as communication tools in the next war campaign.
It's worth noting that until this point, we're stuck with Judah while she's trapped in the same castle. This is like halfway through. And if you were looking for anything to change, you'll be disappointed, because the rest of the book (at least what's told from Judah's POV) doesn't change. Without spoiling too much, something that should be huge happens, but it doesn't change... well, anything.
Listen, I get that this book is largely theme-driven, but you gotta give us a little something.
I thought that what <The Unwilling was trying to say about power and corruption was probably quite profound, but ultimately a little muddy. Okay, so the current political system is shit. So is the one that rises from the ashes. But so is the one that was formed in a different culture. So then... well, what is The Unwilling trying to say? It's all hopeless? Or maybe that power has to be harnessed by the individual? I really don't know, and I wish this book made a stronger case for something actionable.
Let's talk about some things I liked:
- The gender politics: I thought that Braffet's discussion of what being a woman in the world looks like was incredibly nuanced. Judah didn't read as a NLOG character, and the ultimate reason for Elly's diligence with the rushes touched that part of me that is always reminded of my own vulnerabilities as a woman and how we often search for covert instances of power.
- The brutality: I know this one's going to be controversial, and let it be known that there should be a big, giant f*cking trigger warning for physical abuse, but I thought it was very purposeful, served the theme, and didn't think it was excessive or pointless like many readers seem to have read it as. I think that this shock and anger largely comes from the strange idea that's developed that The Unwilling is... Young Adult? Which, by the way, it absolutely is not. But we can talk about how we code most fantasy written by women authors as YA another time. (Nope, actually, I'm gonna talk about it now — most of the main characters in this book are over 20 or far, far older. I can't imagine that if this were written by a man or featured a male protagonist, we would somehow be confusing it for YA. Why are we so quick to assume that women-written or -led fantasy is for a younger audience less able to grapple the particular nuances or themes of general fantasy? F*ck off with that shit.)
- The premise: So, so much could have been done with Gavin and Judah's bond, and I do love how they communicated through it (though I think more could have been done).
- (Some) of the characters: The Unwilling isn't perfect in this regard, but damn, did Braffet get complicated relationships right — particularly in regards to Judah and Gavin. Gavin was a perfectly drawn shitty person, whose flaws are plenty and often irredeemable, but who we might find that we love regardless, if for no other reason except that was always have. His unwillingness (pun) to ever apologize but his attempt to fix his mistakes only to double-down on them was so achingly human, infuriating, and often sickening. But human nonetheless. Great job, Braffet.
But let's get back to the issue at hand: the pace. Nothing at all happens in this book, and I really do mean it. Our big threat gets eliminated, followed by another lukewarm threat, with a third lukewarm threat waiting in the wings. Through all this, Judah just chills. (I forgot to mention Nate, but frankly, he was so boring I really couldn't bother). To be fair, emotionally, a ton happens, but that isn't enough to carry high fantasy for me. I'm sure someone could come here and talk about how the feeling of confinement was part of the story, and I think that's a fair assessment, but I think I was looking for something a little... more?
I don't know. I hope this all makes sense. This book might be just the thing for someone else, so I can't bring myself to give it less than 3/5 stars, because I really do see some good in it. To me, however, The Unwilling was just, well, unwilling to commit to it's potential.
After The Unwilling recieved rampant praise from authors I've read and loved, I was so excited that I actually preordered it (and it should be said that I almost never preorder). There was no way that this book could be anything less than spectacular — not after Actual Creator of the Universe and Goddess of the Written Word Erin f*cking Morgenstern blurbed it. Something something, "Fantasy at its most sublime," something something. I was SOLD.
And then, well... meh.
Listen — The Unwilling isn't bad, but it's also not something to write home about. I was so enthralled by the premise and by the admittedly beautiful writing that at first, I was willing to put aside what I thought was simply a slow pace (as it stands, I have 52 tabs to recall some truly beautiful turns of phrase).
But it wasn't a matter of slow pace, in the end: it was a matter of no pace.
The Unwilling knows what it wants to be, but Braffet struggles to get there. This book falls to the same fate as The Binding by Bridget Collins — namely, that nothing happens. Let's walk through it.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The Unwilling follows a foundling named Judah, who shares a supernatural bond with Gavin, son of and future Lord of the City. Whenever Gavin gets injured, Judah feels it. Whenever Judah bleeds, Gavin bleeds too. When Lord Elban, current Lord of the City and general Giant Asshole, tries to get Gavin to kill his younger brother (reasons still unclear), Judah will do anything to protect the only family she's ever known. She tells Elban how she and Gavin have developed a mode of communication through pain (which, how did this guy not figure?). Her idea is to essentially trade this info for Theron's safety. Elban proposes that he'll use this information (and Judah & Gavin) as communication tools in the next war campaign.
It's worth noting that until this point, we're stuck with Judah while she's trapped in the same castle. This is like halfway through. And if you were looking for anything to change, you'll be disappointed, because the rest of the book (at least what's told from Judah's POV) doesn't change. Without spoiling too much, something that should be huge happens, but it doesn't change... well, anything.
Listen, I get that this book is largely theme-driven, but you gotta give us a little something.
I thought that what <The Unwilling was trying to say about power and corruption was probably quite profound, but ultimately a little muddy. Okay, so the current political system is shit. So is the one that rises from the ashes. But so is the one that was formed in a different culture. So then... well, what is The Unwilling trying to say? It's all hopeless? Or maybe that power has to be harnessed by the individual? I really don't know, and I wish this book made a stronger case for something actionable.
Let's talk about some things I liked:
- The gender politics: I thought that Braffet's discussion of what being a woman in the world looks like was incredibly nuanced. Judah didn't read as a NLOG character, and the ultimate reason for Elly's diligence with the rushes touched that part of me that is always reminded of my own vulnerabilities as a woman and how we often search for covert instances of power.
- The brutality: I know this one's going to be controversial, and let it be known that there should be a big, giant f*cking trigger warning for physical abuse, but I thought it was very purposeful, served the theme, and didn't think it was excessive or pointless like many readers seem to have read it as. I think that this shock and anger largely comes from the strange idea that's developed that The Unwilling is... Young Adult? Which, by the way, it absolutely is not. But we can talk about how we code most fantasy written by women authors as YA another time. (Nope, actually, I'm gonna talk about it now — most of the main characters in this book are over 20 or far, far older. I can't imagine that if this were written by a man or featured a male protagonist, we would somehow be confusing it for YA. Why are we so quick to assume that women-written or -led fantasy is for a younger audience less able to grapple the particular nuances or themes of general fantasy? F*ck off with that shit.)
- The premise: So, so much could have been done with Gavin and Judah's bond, and I do love how they communicated through it (though I think more could have been done).
- (Some) of the characters: The Unwilling isn't perfect in this regard, but damn, did Braffet get complicated relationships right — particularly in regards to Judah and Gavin. Gavin was a perfectly drawn shitty person, whose flaws are plenty and often irredeemable, but who we might find that we love regardless, if for no other reason except that was always have. His unwillingness (pun) to ever apologize but his attempt to fix his mistakes only to double-down on them was so achingly human, infuriating, and often sickening. But human nonetheless. Great job, Braffet.
But let's get back to the issue at hand: the pace. Nothing at all happens in this book, and I really do mean it. Our big threat gets eliminated, followed by another lukewarm threat, with a third lukewarm threat waiting in the wings. Through all this, Judah just chills. (I forgot to mention Nate, but frankly, he was so boring I really couldn't bother). To be fair, emotionally, a ton happens, but that isn't enough to carry high fantasy for me. I'm sure someone could come here and talk about how the feeling of confinement was part of the story, and I think that's a fair assessment, but I think I was looking for something a little... more?
I don't know. I hope this all makes sense. This book might be just the thing for someone else, so I can't bring myself to give it less than 3/5 stars, because I really do see some good in it. To me, however, The Unwilling was just, well, unwilling to commit to it's potential.
March 15, 2020
As the multiple one-star reviews will attest, this book is not for everyone. To be clear, this is not YA fantasy; it's definitely for adults. It's brutal and dark, but it's also gorgeous and, I thought, un-put-downable.
July 7, 2021
Plot 2
Action 3
Characters 4
Writing 4
World Building 4
Spoiler free reviews!
A dark, high-fantasy horror-esque tale of greed and ambition, cruelty and love.
Read this if you like: Stephen King – but fantasy–character driven, intense and ruthless.
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: Judah is a foundling with a special gift raised together with and sharing an unnatural bond with Gavin - the heir to Highfell Castle, her gift could be her key to survival or her undoing.
HERE IS WHY I LIKE IT
This won’t be for everyone; there are trigger warnings for violence, trauma and abuse. I felt a sense of relief almost to take a break from the normal YA troupes and predictable plots I’ve been reading lately.
The story really is about the four children growing up in Highfell, especially Judah as she finds her place and purpose through everything she has had to endure.
Kelly is a magnificent writer – she really captures the brutal atmosphere and complexity of the characters personalities and relationships. I enjoyed reading about court life, the courtiers, and politics and how Judah and the other three managed to survive it. The magic was interesting and I loved the unsettling relationship between Judah and Gavin as they explored there unnatural bond.
It was gripping in its own way and dark and depressing but I couldn’t put it down?
WHAT ARE YOUR ISSUES
The first 100 pages are extremely slow (overall the book is slow) – majority of the book takes place at the castle alone. Don’t expect lavish plot twists and loads of action – it’s not that kind of book.
I felt as though as I was constantly waiting for the reveal and more plot development but eh, I still enjoyed it. I am still not sure about the ending and the final lead up to it takes so long it got slightly frustrating but...I did expect something else.
Overall all if you are looking for a horror like Stephen King and the writing talent of Leigh Bardugo, this book is for you.
Quietly powerful, brutal and beautifully written.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Standalone
Publish Date: August 20th 2020
Cover Rating: 7/10
Adult / Fantasy/Magic/Horror
March 30, 2020
I wish...you wouldn't read this. By rights, I should give this two stars, as I don't virulently hate it or anything like that. But I do feel empty and sad, and while I was enjoying it at the start, by the end I was just so drowned in apathy and sorrow and disgust that I really cannot bring myself to click the two star option.
To start, the things I liked initially were beautiful. Braffet does have wonderful landscape building. This world feels very real, for all the little remarks about people and how they try to survive. There's a solid understanding of her universe here, of all the lines and histories and cultures and stories, and a sense that there's something bigger beyond the pages. Not all books have that. I adored the details of the castle and the hierarchy within it, and the world beyond that, in the castle town. Things beyond that were hazy, but further stories in the universe are probably going to expand them.
Also, the scenes themselves can be quite intense emotionally and can build to something breathtaking if you let them (tho you have to reaaally let yourself go into the book to do that, and that's...a bleak prospect to say mildly).
And yet. And yet and yet and yet.
I love hurt/comfort stories. Perhaps to a very ridiculous degree. Punch a character til he's down, and then surround him with soft friends and family and rebuild him back up into something stronger for all that support, where he finds an inner strength because of those around him. Those are the best fanfics, and the best stories.
THIS DOES NOT HAVE COMFORT.
THIS IS NOTHING BUT HURT.
And it's utterly exhausting to read. Look, I'm distracted because of Current Impending Virus o Doom, but it still shouldn't have taken me this long to read this book. And yet, this book is the most meandering, slow, nothing happens except more mental and physical abuse, molasses I've read in such a long time that I had to struggle with it for no more than an hour at a time. I should have stopped, but it had a Morgenstern line of praise on the front and I can't disregard that.
Apparently I should have disregarded it.
It should have been edited in half. It did not need 570 pages to tell its story. Its story, had half of the graphic descriptions of abuse and murder been withdrawn, could have happened in maybe 350 and been stronger for it. And it STILL ends on a cliffhanger, as though expecting us to come back and suffer another 570 pages.
The unkindness of everyone is astonishing. There's not a single ray of pleasantness in this text. Any character that has the potential to be sweet is abused out of their own brain, QUITE LITERALLY. Brains are rearranged like so much trash, turning one soft man into little more than an automaton, and the other into basically a shell of himself, because Magic. It's relentlessly exhausting to watch these characters cut themselves to create their magic, and then be beat down again and again and again for the slightest perceived transgressions. And that's fine, as long as you have the comfort to restore it. But this book feels so unbalanced, so unpleasant, and so boring all at once.
The nonsense revolution in the second half is ridiculous and melodramatic to high heaven and weirdly political and does nothing.
Look, I get it. Stories about trauma, and how they shape us, are important. We're currently experiencing a dramatically traumatic event in real life ourselves, hiding from viruses. But at the same time, even as we ourselves are experiencing this trauma in real life, we still have hope. This book, this achingly slow abusive book, has no hope, no relief, nothing to encourage its readers through its meandering subplots, many of which go nowhere (Firo has no payoff, for example, and much of the revolution stuff in the town feels like page filler rather than actually meaning much). Were it half the length, I would cautiously recommend it to people capable of exploring trauma and how it builds us and changes us, even if it's lacking a resolution in both sense of a proper ending (I hate cliffhangers) and in the recovery from said trauma, but as it stands, it's too long and meandering by far, and too hateful, and too dark.
It has every trigger warning under the sun, including very graphic descriptions of animals being torn apart and people cutting themselves or tormenting others. I would frankly skip over the scene in the torture cells if I were you, if you insist on reading anyway. The descriptions are absolutely mind-melting and I still...mmmf. No.
To start, the things I liked initially were beautiful. Braffet does have wonderful landscape building. This world feels very real, for all the little remarks about people and how they try to survive. There's a solid understanding of her universe here, of all the lines and histories and cultures and stories, and a sense that there's something bigger beyond the pages. Not all books have that. I adored the details of the castle and the hierarchy within it, and the world beyond that, in the castle town. Things beyond that were hazy, but further stories in the universe are probably going to expand them.
Also, the scenes themselves can be quite intense emotionally and can build to something breathtaking if you let them (tho you have to reaaally let yourself go into the book to do that, and that's...a bleak prospect to say mildly).
And yet. And yet and yet and yet.
I love hurt/comfort stories. Perhaps to a very ridiculous degree. Punch a character til he's down, and then surround him with soft friends and family and rebuild him back up into something stronger for all that support, where he finds an inner strength because of those around him. Those are the best fanfics, and the best stories.
THIS DOES NOT HAVE COMFORT.
THIS IS NOTHING BUT HURT.
And it's utterly exhausting to read. Look, I'm distracted because of Current Impending Virus o Doom, but it still shouldn't have taken me this long to read this book. And yet, this book is the most meandering, slow, nothing happens except more mental and physical abuse, molasses I've read in such a long time that I had to struggle with it for no more than an hour at a time. I should have stopped, but it had a Morgenstern line of praise on the front and I can't disregard that.
Apparently I should have disregarded it.
It should have been edited in half. It did not need 570 pages to tell its story. Its story, had half of the graphic descriptions of abuse and murder been withdrawn, could have happened in maybe 350 and been stronger for it. And it STILL ends on a cliffhanger, as though expecting us to come back and suffer another 570 pages.
The unkindness of everyone is astonishing. There's not a single ray of pleasantness in this text. Any character that has the potential to be sweet is abused out of their own brain, QUITE LITERALLY. Brains are rearranged like so much trash, turning one soft man into little more than an automaton, and the other into basically a shell of himself, because Magic. It's relentlessly exhausting to watch these characters cut themselves to create their magic, and then be beat down again and again and again for the slightest perceived transgressions. And that's fine, as long as you have the comfort to restore it. But this book feels so unbalanced, so unpleasant, and so boring all at once.
The nonsense revolution in the second half is ridiculous and melodramatic to high heaven and weirdly political and does nothing.
Look, I get it. Stories about trauma, and how they shape us, are important. We're currently experiencing a dramatically traumatic event in real life ourselves, hiding from viruses. But at the same time, even as we ourselves are experiencing this trauma in real life, we still have hope. This book, this achingly slow abusive book, has no hope, no relief, nothing to encourage its readers through its meandering subplots, many of which go nowhere (Firo has no payoff, for example, and much of the revolution stuff in the town feels like page filler rather than actually meaning much). Were it half the length, I would cautiously recommend it to people capable of exploring trauma and how it builds us and changes us, even if it's lacking a resolution in both sense of a proper ending (I hate cliffhangers) and in the recovery from said trauma, but as it stands, it's too long and meandering by far, and too hateful, and too dark.
It has every trigger warning under the sun, including very graphic descriptions of animals being torn apart and people cutting themselves or tormenting others. I would frankly skip over the scene in the torture cells if I were you, if you insist on reading anyway. The descriptions are absolutely mind-melting and I still...mmmf. No.
January 31, 2020
It takes a special gift, I think, to bring a genre alive to someone who usually doesn't find it exciting. Author Kelly Braffet accomplishes exactly that, in her fascinating debut fantasy THE UNWILLING. Sn adorable, richly imagined, lyrically imaged story, THE UNWILLING riveted me from the very beginning and maintained my attention throughout an admittedly long novel. I especially admired her use of multiple strong female characters.
December 17, 2020
Started off really strong was really excited for this while readying and then things started to get Shakey , the one thing that could have ultimately made this book good was if it had an ending.
February 11, 2020
Judah could never be mistaken for ordinary. The courtiers of Highfall are either fascinated by her dark beauty or gossip quietly about how she came to be the precious foster sister to Lord Elban’s sons.
They all knew that she was the witchbred foundling adopted by the grieving Lady Clorin on the same night that she gave birth to Gavin. But only a chosen few knew of the strange bond that existed between them.
If Judah felt something, so did Gavin. If Gavin was injured, Judah experienced the pain right along with him. They communicated wordlessly through scratches on their arms and to them, it was as normal as breathing. And Lord Elban would do anything in his power to destroy it.
As Judah navigates a complicated world full of deception, she must discover who she really is and how to wield the tremendous power that she carries within.
“You need a friend,” he said. “I’d like to submit myself for the position.”
That surprised her so much that she stopped and stared at him. “You want to be my friend?”
“I do.” The violent colors of his clothes were muted in the dappled shadows under the arbor.
“Why?”
“In my language, I would say that I treasure your unique perspective, that I am entranced by your rapier wit.” His eyes flickered upward. “The stormy scarlet radiance of your hair, perhaps.”
“Storms aren’t radiant.” She felt her cheeks burn nonetheless.
His kohled eyes crinkled. “Yes, well. I’ve realized recently that most of the compliments in my arsenal are sun-based. Comes from living in a country where everyone has golden hair, I suppose. You pose some interesting poetic challenges.” Whatever those challenges were, he brushed them away with one well-manicured hand. “Anyway, mere convention. The words wouldn’t matter. If you’d been raised in the court you’d already know the meaning behind them.”
“Which would be?”
“You have power.”
She laughed. “You’ve taken too many drops from your vial. Your brain is addled.”
“This is why you need a friend,” he said. “You’re one of the most powerful people in the House, and you don’t even realize it.”
The Unwilling is epic fantasy in its purest form. Kelly Braffet’s worldbuilding is striking - switching from the vivid to the austere effortlessly. But it’s her characters, particularly the female ones, that shine the brightest.
Judah is mysterious, compassionate, and wickedly intelligent. Elly is practical, real, and determined. Both are placed in situations beyond their control, but they never cower and never surrender. They are the reason that the story resonated so much with me.
Yes, the book is lengthy but Kelly’s prose is lush and not a word is wasted. And I hope that there will be so much more from this mystical universe in the very near future…
Wake up every day and figure out how to survive it.
They all knew that she was the witchbred foundling adopted by the grieving Lady Clorin on the same night that she gave birth to Gavin. But only a chosen few knew of the strange bond that existed between them.
If Judah felt something, so did Gavin. If Gavin was injured, Judah experienced the pain right along with him. They communicated wordlessly through scratches on their arms and to them, it was as normal as breathing. And Lord Elban would do anything in his power to destroy it.
As Judah navigates a complicated world full of deception, she must discover who she really is and how to wield the tremendous power that she carries within.
“You need a friend,” he said. “I’d like to submit myself for the position.”
That surprised her so much that she stopped and stared at him. “You want to be my friend?”
“I do.” The violent colors of his clothes were muted in the dappled shadows under the arbor.
“Why?”
“In my language, I would say that I treasure your unique perspective, that I am entranced by your rapier wit.” His eyes flickered upward. “The stormy scarlet radiance of your hair, perhaps.”
“Storms aren’t radiant.” She felt her cheeks burn nonetheless.
His kohled eyes crinkled. “Yes, well. I’ve realized recently that most of the compliments in my arsenal are sun-based. Comes from living in a country where everyone has golden hair, I suppose. You pose some interesting poetic challenges.” Whatever those challenges were, he brushed them away with one well-manicured hand. “Anyway, mere convention. The words wouldn’t matter. If you’d been raised in the court you’d already know the meaning behind them.”
“Which would be?”
“You have power.”
She laughed. “You’ve taken too many drops from your vial. Your brain is addled.”
“This is why you need a friend,” he said. “You’re one of the most powerful people in the House, and you don’t even realize it.”
The Unwilling is epic fantasy in its purest form. Kelly Braffet’s worldbuilding is striking - switching from the vivid to the austere effortlessly. But it’s her characters, particularly the female ones, that shine the brightest.
Judah is mysterious, compassionate, and wickedly intelligent. Elly is practical, real, and determined. Both are placed in situations beyond their control, but they never cower and never surrender. They are the reason that the story resonated so much with me.
Yes, the book is lengthy but Kelly’s prose is lush and not a word is wasted. And I hope that there will be so much more from this mystical universe in the very near future…
Wake up every day and figure out how to survive it.
August 26, 2020
This is a dark epic fantasy that moves along at a steady, albeit unhurried pace. The storyline is complex, has a huge cast of characters and there are plenty of twists and turns to hold the readers interest. The author takes the time to build up the world and the characters are complex and explored in depth and detail. I particularly liked the strong female characters, as well as the relationship Gavin and Judah had with each other, their strange connection and the unique wrist ‘scratching’ system they devised to communicate with each other.
The author creates a very atmospheric world which is so easy to immerse yourself in and I found it to be a compelling and enjoyable reading. Some of the themes addressed are quite dark and there are one or two brutal scenes which have troubled some readers, fortunately I am not easily upset by these themes, but bear this in mind if you are.
The ending was slightly disappointing, it requires further closure and explanation by way of a sequel. This is definitely not a fast-paced and plot driven book, however there is plenty in it to keep you occupied. I do hope there is a sequel….
Thank you to Ed Public Relations and the publisher for my beautiful advanced copy of this book.
The author creates a very atmospheric world which is so easy to immerse yourself in and I found it to be a compelling and enjoyable reading. Some of the themes addressed are quite dark and there are one or two brutal scenes which have troubled some readers, fortunately I am not easily upset by these themes, but bear this in mind if you are.
The ending was slightly disappointing, it requires further closure and explanation by way of a sequel. This is definitely not a fast-paced and plot driven book, however there is plenty in it to keep you occupied. I do hope there is a sequel….
Thank you to Ed Public Relations and the publisher for my beautiful advanced copy of this book.
February 17, 2020
This is unlike anything I've ever read. The writing left me breathless and I truly felt like I was living in this world. But it's not for everyone. If you need a lot of resolution in your life, this won't provide any. However, it's an excellent twist on that nameless special girl genre that seems to be everywhere right now. It made that storyline feel new and alive again. I'm sad to be leaving this.
December 23, 2019
Big thanks to the team over at MIRA Books (HarperCollins) for the advanced review copy of this book! It will be published on February 11, 2020.
The book is about Judah, who was adopted by the city’s royalty. The midwife called to deliver Gavin (the heir of the city) had just delivered Judah, and the Lady of the City couldn’t bear to let the parentless girl go. But shortly thereafter, it was clear that Gavin and Judah had an unnatural bond — the emotions and physical sensations one person feels, the other person feels as well. Most notably, if one is injured, so is the other. If one were to die, so would the other. And as she grew up Judah couldn’t be simply cast aside — she becomes a protected, but hated, member of the household.
The other main point of view character is Nate, a healer and Worker (magician, sort of) who’s been planted in Highfall by his people, after generations of planning, with a mission of getting closer to Judah and helping her fulfill the destiny she was literally bred and born for.
In her Twitter bio, author Kelly Braffet describes this book (her first foray into the fantasy genre) as “more unhappy people making bad decisions, but this time with magic.” That … is extremely accurate. And her bio on the back of the book says she wrote this as a lifelong reader of speculative fiction. So The Unwilling is not what many readers will be used to in the fantasy genre. It’s much more character-driven than plot-driven, and either there’s going to be a sequel that hasn’t been announced or the ending is meant to make you think more than to give you a sense of closure.
People who read predominantly fantasy novels may not like this as much, but I, as a person who also loves to read literary fiction — those slow-burning, character-driven stories with abstract endings — didn’t mind all these things. It was new and interesting to read a literary, speculative book, but “this time with magic.”
I took a fiction writing class recently, and the teacher spoke a lot about “debits and credits” in writing. A lot of stories are about suffering, yes, but you also have to give your readers something to grab on to, something that makes all that suffering worth it. You have to balance the debits you take from them with credits you give to them. The Unwilling was indeed about “unhappy people making bad decisions” — but without quite enough moments of happiness or light to make the story feel balanced.
That being said, Braffet still managed to pull me through this 600-page slow burn quickly and eagerly. She knocked me off balance at the end but in a way that made me think (and also hope for a sequel). And she did something different in the fantasy genre that I had never quite seen before.
The book is about Judah, who was adopted by the city’s royalty. The midwife called to deliver Gavin (the heir of the city) had just delivered Judah, and the Lady of the City couldn’t bear to let the parentless girl go. But shortly thereafter, it was clear that Gavin and Judah had an unnatural bond — the emotions and physical sensations one person feels, the other person feels as well. Most notably, if one is injured, so is the other. If one were to die, so would the other. And as she grew up Judah couldn’t be simply cast aside — she becomes a protected, but hated, member of the household.
The other main point of view character is Nate, a healer and Worker (magician, sort of) who’s been planted in Highfall by his people, after generations of planning, with a mission of getting closer to Judah and helping her fulfill the destiny she was literally bred and born for.
In her Twitter bio, author Kelly Braffet describes this book (her first foray into the fantasy genre) as “more unhappy people making bad decisions, but this time with magic.” That … is extremely accurate. And her bio on the back of the book says she wrote this as a lifelong reader of speculative fiction. So The Unwilling is not what many readers will be used to in the fantasy genre. It’s much more character-driven than plot-driven, and either there’s going to be a sequel that hasn’t been announced or the ending is meant to make you think more than to give you a sense of closure.
People who read predominantly fantasy novels may not like this as much, but I, as a person who also loves to read literary fiction — those slow-burning, character-driven stories with abstract endings — didn’t mind all these things. It was new and interesting to read a literary, speculative book, but “this time with magic.”
I took a fiction writing class recently, and the teacher spoke a lot about “debits and credits” in writing. A lot of stories are about suffering, yes, but you also have to give your readers something to grab on to, something that makes all that suffering worth it. You have to balance the debits you take from them with credits you give to them. The Unwilling was indeed about “unhappy people making bad decisions” — but without quite enough moments of happiness or light to make the story feel balanced.
That being said, Braffet still managed to pull me through this 600-page slow burn quickly and eagerly. She knocked me off balance at the end but in a way that made me think (and also hope for a sequel). And she did something different in the fantasy genre that I had never quite seen before.
January 9, 2021
“The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon uncover more to her story than ever imagined.” 3.5 stars.
It took me a while to pick The Unwilling up as I felt quite intimidated by it (it’s a chonker). I also typically read young adult and new adult fantasies, so I was uncertain how I’d get on with an adult fantasy. Being honest, it took me a while to become invested in the story and to comprehend the significance of the initial scenes (you are thrown straight into the plot and world building). However, after the 100 page mark, I was hooked!
The Unwilling is a tale of pain, suffering, politics and power and is primarily driven by compelling, cruel and complex characters. It’s evident that Braffet took time and care crafting their individual personalities and their flaws. Given the heavy themes of sadism and torture, I appreciated the few flickers of dark humour that emerged in places, but I would’ve liked to have seen this more consistently throughout to break up the dark and heavy scenes. The magical bond that Judah and Gavin shared was intriguing and I liked that romance was not central to the plot. Elly was definitely my favourite character and the least flawed of them all. I wish there had been more chapters from her perspective.
Whilst I primarily enjoyed the story, I found the long chapters (30+ pages) to drag and this unfortunately affected the overall pacing and momentum of the story. I do think certain scenes and descriptions could have been condensed down and/or completely omitted. The final act lacked substance and the end scenes were a little disappointing too. Given the way the story ended, I suspect there will be a follow up, and therefore it makes sense that this book felt like a set up for the next instalment. That being said, I’m not sure where this story could feasibly go next. Please note that this book contains scenes and detailed descriptions of graphic violence, abuse (child, animal, physical, psychological) and gore, so please do proceed with caution.
Overall, I rated The Unwilling 3.5 stars. If you like brutal adult fantasies containing compelling magic, politics and complex characters, then I’d recommend picking up The Unwilling (please do research triggers beforehand, this is not YA). The hardback edition is already available and the paperback will be publishing on the 21st January 2021. Thank you very much to the lovely team at Welbeck Publishing for my gifted copy of The Unwilling in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to pick The Unwilling up as I felt quite intimidated by it (it’s a chonker). I also typically read young adult and new adult fantasies, so I was uncertain how I’d get on with an adult fantasy. Being honest, it took me a while to become invested in the story and to comprehend the significance of the initial scenes (you are thrown straight into the plot and world building). However, after the 100 page mark, I was hooked!
The Unwilling is a tale of pain, suffering, politics and power and is primarily driven by compelling, cruel and complex characters. It’s evident that Braffet took time and care crafting their individual personalities and their flaws. Given the heavy themes of sadism and torture, I appreciated the few flickers of dark humour that emerged in places, but I would’ve liked to have seen this more consistently throughout to break up the dark and heavy scenes. The magical bond that Judah and Gavin shared was intriguing and I liked that romance was not central to the plot. Elly was definitely my favourite character and the least flawed of them all. I wish there had been more chapters from her perspective.
Whilst I primarily enjoyed the story, I found the long chapters (30+ pages) to drag and this unfortunately affected the overall pacing and momentum of the story. I do think certain scenes and descriptions could have been condensed down and/or completely omitted. The final act lacked substance and the end scenes were a little disappointing too. Given the way the story ended, I suspect there will be a follow up, and therefore it makes sense that this book felt like a set up for the next instalment. That being said, I’m not sure where this story could feasibly go next. Please note that this book contains scenes and detailed descriptions of graphic violence, abuse (child, animal, physical, psychological) and gore, so please do proceed with caution.
Overall, I rated The Unwilling 3.5 stars. If you like brutal adult fantasies containing compelling magic, politics and complex characters, then I’d recommend picking up The Unwilling (please do research triggers beforehand, this is not YA). The hardback edition is already available and the paperback will be publishing on the 21st January 2021. Thank you very much to the lovely team at Welbeck Publishing for my gifted copy of The Unwilling in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2020
Gavin and Judah and born on the same day in very different circumstances. Gavin, high born and an heir while Judah is an orphan and taken in by the elite out of duty. The bond between Gavin and Judah grows intense day by day and they have a strange connection and both feel each other's emotions and sensations. Gavin's father, Lord Elban has plans for all of them while his healer Nate has been planted in the family to represent his people and keep the pair alive since if one is gravely injured, the other will die as well. So Judah is both treasured and a pariah.
This book seemed longer than it should be and I found myself trying to hurry through some of the more descriptive parts. It depicts a dreadful life with people making dreadful decisions and you wonder if anyone can possibly be happy. Judah is the bright spot of this book as she discovers her own power, both magical and as a person. This book is a very dense epic in the vein of The Game of Thrones. If you like sweeping epics and lots of minor characters, you will love this story.
This book seemed longer than it should be and I found myself trying to hurry through some of the more descriptive parts. It depicts a dreadful life with people making dreadful decisions and you wonder if anyone can possibly be happy. Judah is the bright spot of this book as she discovers her own power, both magical and as a person. This book is a very dense epic in the vein of The Game of Thrones. If you like sweeping epics and lots of minor characters, you will love this story.
April 27, 2021
The book title comes from a brief mention of the tribe's name for those unwillingly abducted and forced to participate in their magical eugenics breeding program. Too much abuse of all kinds and too little plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
January 9, 2020- "perfect for fans of Game of Thrones
- the author's father-in-law is Stephen King and that really amuses me
- medieval & high fantasy
- tale of magic, faith and pride
- the author's father-in-law is Stephen King and that really amuses me
- medieval & high fantasy
- tale of magic, faith and pride
Read
December 6, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Graphic emotional & physical child abuse
Self-harm
Drug use
Murder
Torture
Graphic emotional & physical child abuse
Self-harm
Drug use
Murder
Torture
February 11, 2020
I took a deep breath when I first sat down with this book. 576 pages is a commitment, right? Within my first couple hours of reading, I was delightedly surprised. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish.
It was definitely an intriguing fantasy plot intertwined with a medieval world. The Slonimi people - a traveling, gypsy-style clan - had worked for generations to breed their strongest Workers (Work being a sort of cross between magic and creation), to create an individual strong enough to work against some dudes who tried to eliminate the Work (I think? The original crime was a little murky for me). Much of this isn't explained til near the end.
Much of the book follows the kingdom of Highfall, including its evil Lord Elban, his assistant, the Seschenal, and the four children. The children are all in their late teens and slightly beyond by the time we meet them. Gavin is Elban's firstborn son, and the next Lord. Theron is Gavin's younger brother, who is supposed to lead the army, but would rather be solving mental puzzles. Eleanor is Gavin's betrothed, bought from another village before she was even ten years old and groomed within Highfall ever since. Judah is the foundling, brought to the Lady of Highfall (Gavin's mother) on the same day Gavin was born. Judah and Gavin have been raised together and somehow feel what happens to each other physically. Especially because of this, Lord Elban hates her, but can't get rid of her as he wants her safe only so Gavin isn't hurt. Following so far?
That is seriously just the basics, folks. I found the characters to be engaging, and had a degree of sympathy for almost all of them (okay, Lord Elban really was just a sadistic asshole). One of the most important things for me with any fantasy book is the ability to actually imagine the world the author has set up. While I'm not entirely confident in saying I sort of get what the Work was, I think that was also part of the point. The Work was a mystery, and could never be fully explained even if it was real, if that makes any sense.
As I said initially, this is a big book. I would recommend it to a big fantasy fan. If fantasy isn't one of your favorite genres, this may be too much of a mental stretch and commitment for you. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars and may check out some of the author's other books.
It was definitely an intriguing fantasy plot intertwined with a medieval world. The Slonimi people - a traveling, gypsy-style clan - had worked for generations to breed their strongest Workers (Work being a sort of cross between magic and creation), to create an individual strong enough to work against some dudes who tried to eliminate the Work (I think? The original crime was a little murky for me). Much of this isn't explained til near the end.
Much of the book follows the kingdom of Highfall, including its evil Lord Elban, his assistant, the Seschenal, and the four children. The children are all in their late teens and slightly beyond by the time we meet them. Gavin is Elban's firstborn son, and the next Lord. Theron is Gavin's younger brother, who is supposed to lead the army, but would rather be solving mental puzzles. Eleanor is Gavin's betrothed, bought from another village before she was even ten years old and groomed within Highfall ever since. Judah is the foundling, brought to the Lady of Highfall (Gavin's mother) on the same day Gavin was born. Judah and Gavin have been raised together and somehow feel what happens to each other physically. Especially because of this, Lord Elban hates her, but can't get rid of her as he wants her safe only so Gavin isn't hurt. Following so far?
That is seriously just the basics, folks. I found the characters to be engaging, and had a degree of sympathy for almost all of them (okay, Lord Elban really was just a sadistic asshole). One of the most important things for me with any fantasy book is the ability to actually imagine the world the author has set up. While I'm not entirely confident in saying I sort of get what the Work was, I think that was also part of the point. The Work was a mystery, and could never be fully explained even if it was real, if that makes any sense.
As I said initially, this is a big book. I would recommend it to a big fantasy fan. If fantasy isn't one of your favorite genres, this may be too much of a mental stretch and commitment for you. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars and may check out some of the author's other books.
Read
February 18, 2020This book is haunting. There’s no better way to put it. I read it slowly and thoroughly and even when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it. And this is a big volume of the book, so I mean it when I said I took my time. It’s almost a feat for me that I didn’t binge a book for once. But this isn’t something you can binge. It’s dark. It’s a lot. And it’s difficult. But, I mean that in all the best ways!
As I was reading this I was distinctly reminded of another favorite author: Stephen King. And then once I finally realized that Braffet is his daughter in law (I should really get better at reading the full blurb and/or the author profile) it all made sense. Much like when I read King I found myself taking my time reading this (as I’ve mentioned). But also, much like with King, there are scenes that are brutal and difficult to get through. Scenes that are extremely graphic and gruesome.
So, as you can probably tell by my review so far: this isn’t a happy book. The characters are all on the verge of being unlikeable. The plot is dark and full of sadists. You’re going to be uncomfortable while reading it. And all of this is why I love this book. This is going to be a very polarizing story and going into it blind will not be a good idea for everyone. Not everyone will appreciate the dark nuances and snail pace of the story. But for me they all worked together. Once I reached 200 pages I found myself saying, “I feel like nothing has happened.” Yet at the same time so much happened and I was so enamored with the story. I know this sounds weird, but this book is such an atmospheric read. It hovers on the line of multiple types of fantasy while also not seeming fantasy at all. And the heft of the book just added more. As you were reading you could literally feel how much of the story was left.
Well, based off of my rant you can see I have a lot of feelings for this book. And based off of that ending I hope that I can have more of this story to have feelings for (second book please?). In the meantime I guess I’ll just have to gorge myself on Braffet’s other works.
You can view my full review and giveaway on my blog! I also post a lot of similar books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
As I was reading this I was distinctly reminded of another favorite author: Stephen King. And then once I finally realized that Braffet is his daughter in law (I should really get better at reading the full blurb and/or the author profile) it all made sense. Much like when I read King I found myself taking my time reading this (as I’ve mentioned). But also, much like with King, there are scenes that are brutal and difficult to get through. Scenes that are extremely graphic and gruesome.
So, as you can probably tell by my review so far: this isn’t a happy book. The characters are all on the verge of being unlikeable. The plot is dark and full of sadists. You’re going to be uncomfortable while reading it. And all of this is why I love this book. This is going to be a very polarizing story and going into it blind will not be a good idea for everyone. Not everyone will appreciate the dark nuances and snail pace of the story. But for me they all worked together. Once I reached 200 pages I found myself saying, “I feel like nothing has happened.” Yet at the same time so much happened and I was so enamored with the story. I know this sounds weird, but this book is such an atmospheric read. It hovers on the line of multiple types of fantasy while also not seeming fantasy at all. And the heft of the book just added more. As you were reading you could literally feel how much of the story was left.
Well, based off of my rant you can see I have a lot of feelings for this book. And based off of that ending I hope that I can have more of this story to have feelings for (second book please?). In the meantime I guess I’ll just have to gorge myself on Braffet’s other works.
You can view my full review and giveaway on my blog! I also post a lot of similar books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
Displaying 1 - 30 of 425 reviews