Book Review-Unravel by Amelia Loken

Unravel

Amelia Loken

YA Fantasy

2021

I met author Amelia Loken at a recent book writing conference presented by the Society of Children’s Books Writer's and Illustrators. She was presenting a seminar on non-verbal language, and I found it very stimulating. In the talk she touched on the vast range of silent communication from body language, tells, psychology of touch, places of import, to semaphores and more direct signed language. I was brimming with ideas on how to incorporate some of these tools into my story telling, then she tossed out a term I’d never heard before when talking about her book Unravel: embroidery magic. I had to know more.

At lunch I asked the author to explain a bit about the magic system in Unravel and she said it was akin to the magic in the wands of Harry Potter, “But you can’t just whip it around. You have to work hard to harness it.” And boy does this gal harness her skeinwitch prowess. Skeinwitch – another great term in this work. This book is surprising in so many ways. A deaf witch is not enough; we must add princess with a kingdom in peril to the list! And you’ll be glad she has her skeinwitch powers with which to protect it, or at least try. This book is as ambitious as it is rife with romance and the systems of magic are helpful in keeping us grounded to limits. Yet, as we know, the often-changing timber of youthful hearts can bely greater knowing.

Essentially the plot revolves around a teenage princess who is deaf (but she can hear with the semi-magical combs she wears in her hair that work as hearing aids) as she attempts to thwart her evil uncle as he tries to usurp the throne. She has numerous obstacles in her path, not least of which are her powers of magic (which must remain hidden-disguised unbeknownst to her). The skein hits the fan when her grandfather, the King, dies and there is a scramble for the crown. There is gallantry a plenty as the action kicks into gear and the protagonist is sincere in her attempts to protect her mountainous home.

Though Valonia is a fictious land the feeling is horseback & knights with a very French flair, as if the War of Roses unfurled across France. There are many moving parts in both politics and novels, and Ms. Loken delivers with aplomb. There is a great sense of adventure throughout the narrative and I was left clueless how the heroin would survive. Thanks to robust worldbuilding there is a lovely crew of characters used in various forms: fleeing, hiding, secret bases, friends to enemies, and enemies to lovers. Lots to love about the ever evolving, yet straight forward guise of the love interest, a competing kingdom’s prince who happens to possess rope magic and is as lithe an acrobat as exists in Circe du Soliel.

Amelia Loken weaves an impressive story fraught with adventure, original ideas and memorable players. The magic is frugal and calculated, one my favorite rules of the magic system in this tale are that using for ill comes with serious consequences. In other words, if you kill someone with magic you lose your magical powers. The rules are strict, and accidents get no special recourse. I think its serves as a great lesson to ponder as we evolve alongside our technology.

If you like horse and rider, knights and witches, palace intrigue, sign language and deaf-witch-princesses, there is plenty in Unravel to keep you tied up.