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YA Review: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

3/26/2012

26 Comments

 
Unraveling cover
Unraveling
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Publication Date: 4/24/12
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Blurb (GR):
Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

Review:


When I look back at Unraveling, the first word that comes to mind is "calculated."

I read a fair number of commercial genre fiction and I am quite used to certain themes, plots and character archetypes being recycled over and over and over and over. It does not bother me, in general. But Unraveling was the first book that made me think, while reading it, that it had been written off of a checklist of what is currently "in" and sells well in YA market. I do not even have energy (nor a desire) to harp on how much of this novel is tediously familiar. Just a few notes:
  1. Opening: the hero saves the heroine from dying.
  2. Romance: 50% instalove (see #1)/ 50% I-have-loved-you-forever. Escalates to I-can't-leave-without-you in a matter of 2-3 weeks.
  3. The heroine is "strong" - smart, good student, knows how stand up for herself, family caretaker, family problems, dark traumatic incident in her past of sexual nature.
  4. The hero is "good" - sensitive, caring, saves the heroine on multiple occasions, with floppy hair he is constantly running his hands through, crooked smile, with dark secret, fixes motorcycles, hides his smarts under a stoner persona.
  5. School: a class that is conveniently designed for the hero and the heroine to banter on a very intimate level, encouraged by the teacher.
  6. Other stock characters: stoners, slutty mean girls, stupid jocks, the heroine's best male friend (possibly gay? unclear).
  7. Sleeping chastely in the same bed? Yes.
          etc., etc,...

Is it really that hard for writers to break away from the same old, same old? Or is this what publishers are deliberately and actively seeking out? Something that fits the mold?

There are a few saving graces, however, that barely keep Unraveling from the 1-star abyss, in my case, and, apparently, elevate this book to the level of a favorite, for other readers.

First, it appears the author of the novel went out of her way to make sure to put all positive qualities into her characters and situations. There is no promoting of unhealthy relationships, abusive behavior, doormatedness and so on. The main characters even give small lectures along the way on the matters of dating, dangers of motorcycle riding, drunk driving, honorable way of hacking into the school records, etc.

Second, while I was not at any point enamored with the characters, I still thought the book was a very brisk read. The writing has a sense of urgency to it. The chapters are very short and represent a countdown to a very important, possibly life-threatening event. So you just tear through these pages, like there is no tomorrow.

Third, this novel starts out as a paranormal (after all, the hero magically brings the heroine back from death), but eventually turns into a science fiction story (SF is on the rise, people!, that is why it is in this book, I am betting). Several very positive reviews of Unraveling I have read call this SF bend unique, and readers seem to like it a lot.

But I beg to differ here. Maybe because I do read a lot of SF and I have very recently read another (much better) YA SF with the same ideas (I will not name it so that I do not spoil the surprise), but I cannot seriously call Unraveling a good SF novel. There is hardly any science in Unraveling, the SF "hook" goes generally undeveloped. As for how much science there is actually in this book, I would say close to zero. You can expect nothing more, if the characters in this novel say: "I've spent hours going over it in my head. I was wrong when I told A. no one else knows the science. Both B. and C. know the science..." (identities concealed to avoid spoilers). So that is the extent of scientific knowledge in Unraveling. There are no specifics, just that elusive "science" that characters "know" and "do."

Readers less jaded and less demanding are likely to enjoy Unraveling more. The book's pace is snappy and the story itself packs all the "right" elements. But there is just no originality in it, no life in its characters, no true inspiration behind it. An aggregate of bluntly "popular" pieces carefully put together.

2.5/5 stars

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26 Comments
papalbina link
3/25/2012 11:37:25 pm

yeah, it was a big meeh for me too. it started interesting, but after the first part it goes down and down. especially when this agency comes out of nowhere, you know what i mean? fO.o

i want to know that other book you said it's better. how do we do it? xDD

Reply
Nicola link
3/26/2012 12:13:48 am

That's a shame. I've read some glowing reviews for this one but none of them pointed out the things you've pointed out here. Now I'm not so sure I'd like it. :( I might still give it a try. Thanks for the helpful review!

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 12:16:52 am

Nicola, you should go by the reviews of people whose tastes are closer to yours. I am at peace with the fact that what is a turn-off for me is a turn-on for another reader. It's always just a matter of taste.

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Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 12:14:05 am

Yeah, it started out ok for me, until all cliches began piling up one on top of the other. By the middle I was rolling and rolling my eyes...

SPOILER!!!!


The book I mentioned is Ian McDonald's "Planesrunner." It's more of a boy book, IMO, but it works the multiverse angle much better.

Reply
papalbina link
3/26/2012 12:38:56 am

thanks :)

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Heidi link
3/26/2012 03:03:57 am

Ahh so this book has flaws. I was reading all the glowing reviews and wondering, hmm why is this book not being more heavily promoted? Now, I see from your review Tatiana that it isn't without flaws, I am getting a little tired of YA and need a break, especially when they all have a similar formula, I don't know how I will feel if this is full of cliches. Thanks for an honest review.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 03:17:26 am

Heidi, I was wondering myself why Harper hasn't been promoting is heavily, considering that they are running quite a big first print of it - 100K. I guess they themselves don't think it's all that great. It's an OK book that will appeal to some, but it surely is no masterpiece.

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Liana
3/26/2012 03:12:34 am

Huh. Good review. It does look commercial. Even the cover looks like a movie poster! But it sounds like a good CW series

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 03:18:31 am

It's like every crappy book ends up on CW these days:)

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Catie (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 04:12:15 am

I'm so psyched that sci-fi is showing a bit of a resurgence but unfortunately I think that it's only going to encourage a whole wave of sci-fi lite like this book appears to be. (Much like what has happened with the dystopian/apocalyptic trend). Maybe we'll get a few amazing sci-fi novels published in the bargain though. I really enjoyed your review as always. :)

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Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 04:25:45 am

Thank you, Catie.

I also hope a good SF will squeeze in among the rubbish. But like with dystopian, publishers don't seem to be looking for actually good dystopias (or SF for that matter), but for the same romances. As if romances make such books a success!

I will be happy if there is at least one good SF/dystopia for every 20 of nonsense, but even that is too much to ask, it seems.

Reply
Sarah link
3/26/2012 04:37:48 am

Arg! More chaste sleeping in the same bed?! That is on the verge of becoming a dealbreaker for me. I just don't get it! Is that a thing kids are doing these days? I can handle a lot of wtfery, because I have a soft spot for campy stories, but for whatever reason, that drives me nuts (of all things). It's just so... weird.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 04:49:55 am

It's not that I don't believe that two people of opposite sexes can't sleep in the same bed and not do "it." But if an author spends a lot of time describing how much the couple are hot for each other and all kinds of lust-filled scenes, then, logically, sex will happen in that bed. Otherwise, don't push them into it. Because, what is the point of it then? To demonstrate what exactly?

Reply
Sarah link
3/26/2012 11:21:13 am

Exactly. The sequence of events in the chaste sleeping scenario seems to go like this:

1) Couple lusts after each other
2) Major makeout session(s) ensue
3) Couple sleeps in same bed and don't even touch one another at all.

It's incongruous with their previous actions.

Tatiana (The Readventurer link
3/26/2012 09:31:47 pm

The other scenario that annoys me even more than this one is when if the two have sex, then someone is going to die/explode/world is going to end/or they are siblings.

Good grief, you don't want your characters to have sex, don't make them! It's not like every teen is doing it. Just don't write some BS reason for saying "no".

This is a very ranty issue for me.

VeganYANerds link
3/26/2012 07:28:12 am

Great review, Tatiana! This is the first negative review I've read of this and you make some interesting points. I still really want to read it but now I'll be wary of all the typical YA plot-points!

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Amy @ Turn the Page (YA) link
3/26/2012 09:26:13 pm

Great honest review - so many YA books are getting rave review after rave review and then you pick them up and there's nothing new there. I had a similar reaction to Jennifer Armentrout's books, extremely popular but boringly predictable.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
3/26/2012 09:34:21 pm

Oh, I heard that about her books - copies of other populars, like VA and Twi, right?

There is certainly an audience for such books, rehashes of the same stories, it's just not everyone is into them.

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Amy @ Turn the Page (YA) link
3/27/2012 08:05:58 am

Yeah - just very 'teen fantasy'. There's always a romance in these types of books with the kind of guy who, in real life, you would file a restraining order against. Kind of worrying really...

Kelly link
4/12/2012 03:16:26 am

Great review. I was considering reading this one, but if it is just like all the rest... I have a huge list of want-to-read's that I would rather persue.

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