Mo Daoust
First of all, a word of caution: if you have not read the first two books in the excellent Perfected series, you will be terribly lost. I have read and loved the two previous instalments, and while I remembered the gist of it, it took me a few chapters to get my bearings back. This said, obviously Ms. Jarvik Birch does not waste time needlessly recapping, we’re thrown right into the action, where an early plot twist made me gasp! Ella, our narrator and former pet, and her boyfriend Penn, as well as her friends Markus and Ian, Jane and Dave – founded the Liberationists, dedicated to the freedom of pets. Their mission was to rescue Missy first – Ella’s pet friend – and things go terribly wrong. It will be difficult to review UNRAVELED without giving away any spoilers, and so much happens, it’s unbelievable! Ms. Jarvik Birch’s descriptive voice shines as we are made to feel so elation, despair, love and friendship, and hopelessness faced with very difficult moral choices. I loved that each character is so unique, how superbly complex they are, how they grow and evolve, not always as we thought; Markus and Elise immediately come to mind. The first half of the book is terrific, but the second half blew me away! If you can, try to read the second half uninterrupted, because wow! I loved reading Ella’s POV, how she thinks, how her thought process has evolved in spite of the limitations that were imposed upon her. Kate Jarvik Birch’s writing is exceptional: she very skilfully conveys every nuance of the human experience with clarity, and at times the author’s writing is so lyrical that she effectively brings startling images to mind. I’m still unsure if I agree with Ella’s final decision, but things were wrapped up nicely and overall to my satisfaction. Unless …