I didn't know much about this book when I opened it to start reading, but I was entertained and impressed by the end. The start of the book isn't the strongest I've every read, and I wasn't sure about the role of the main characters magic being based around embroidery. But I read on and found an engaging story that at times tugged at my heart strings in response to the characters trials and successes. The story winds its way through Royal duty, duplicitous brothers, acrobatic majesty, debts paid forward, friendship and strong women characters and so much more.. Amelia Loken has spent many years bringing this story to the public arena, and I'm glad she did. Well worth picking this book up.
I was sent this book as an ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review; all thoughts expressed here are my own.

The premise is fairly standard for the genre: a pseudo-European style world ruled by a kind monarch whose throne is coveted by an evil relative that gets rid of the legitimate heir to usurp it, heir that then flees with the help of a wily commoner, lives hidden to train and prepare for a while, then returns and retakes the throne. The end. Fairly easy and straightforward, no surprises or innovations.

So what set "Unravel" apart was the protagonist, Princess Marguerite de Perdrix, being deaf. This alone was what attracted me to the book, a character with a consequential disability that, by its very nature, is going to affect all aspects of her life. Unfortunately, this is also what made the story fail for me.

This isn't the first time I've read a book with a deaf character, and I happen to have interacted with deaf as well as blind people all my life, both verbal and non-verbal, cochlear implantees and those that use hearing aids and some that don't, so I may have different expectations for how realistic I judge a portrayal to be, and this isn't it. Marguerite has magical hearing aids here, so she already has a huge advantage by that alone, because in a pre-Industrial world like Valonia, having these is like having the most top-notch hearing aids or even a cochlear implant in a Medieval-like world, and that alone makes act and feel like she's a hearing girl. She thinks and acts like a hearing girl whilst complaining about how society in her world makes life hard for deaf people, discriminate them, shun them, etc. But it's all talk, we never see anyone in this world making it difficult for her. Nobody but her evil uncle Reichard hates deaf people, and he only does because he's the baddie and she's the heir after her father the Crown Prince.

That's a problem for me, because this book uses a deaf character whilst erasing the myriad problems they run into in their daily life. In a deaf person's life, they run into issues like other people not knowing Sign Language, but in this book everyone does even across different countries (when in reality, there's several sign languages and not all are mutually understandable. If I know ASL (American Sign Language), then I can't expect it to be like British Sign Language just because the base tongue is English. But in this world, there's no such barrier. And it's strange how unrealistically it is written given that the author claims to be a Sign Language-English interpreter. Then there's the fact that Marguerite is verbal, but there's no indication that her verbality shows signs of deafness, another strange omission. Deaf people who are verbal have speech quirks, their enunciation isn't quite perfect, they often mispronounce or say things distinctly, have volume/stress control weaknesses, miss emphasis and tonality, and so on; all the speech minutiae that depend on hearing. Have you ever heard a deaf verbal person talking? If you have, you'll get what I mean. Nothing of that sort is shown in Marguerite, she has the speech pattern of a perfectly hearing person with correct diction.

I do know the deaf population is diverse, there are huge differences from one deaf person to another, and some have a better development out in society than others depending on education and training, but all of them do encounter obstacles one way or another. That's what having a disability means (yes, I know there's deaf people who don't consider it a disability but that's beside the point, they still have limitations due to how society works), and that should've been reflected on this book. Instead, everything is made easy for Marguerite to the point her deafness doesn't read like the life-defining attribute she claims it is but like a token for diversity's sake. And it's written by a hearing person, too, so I'm not sure the representation goal has been achieved.

I have seen deaf people having trouble communicating, being frustrated when all they know is sign language, being frustrated when others treat them differently, being frustrated when they have to ask for things to be written down because they can't hear, etc. There are so many minor and major obstacles. Marguerite should've not had it so easy and had her way paved for her by plot armour. She goes about talking with people like she can hear, people treat her like she can hear despite the claims to the contrary, she absolutely doesn't suffer for her deafness, and if she ever has trouble, she solves it quickly with her magic combs that allow her to hear. Frankly, that's overpowering her and adapting her to society instead of society having to deal with her different capacity. The message here is disheartening to a deaf person. It would've been much fairer and realistic to make her deal with the challenges of being born deaf and force her kingdom to deal with her deafness realistically.

I don't have much to say about the world itself, because honestly it was an unimaginative French/Dutch mishmash of countries with a dash of Americanisms, and there's little to get out of it. Even the names are blatantly lacking in imagination, such as Iferia (Iberia), Haps-Burd (the Hapsburg empire), Valonia (Wallonia), and the like. I don't always mind when the worldbuilding is nothing but thinly-veiled Europe, but when it's this level of obviousness, it's disappointing as it shows there wasn't much effort put into creativity. And I don't always mind it much when the villain is so one-dimensional, either, because sometimes they are fun precisely for how irredeemably evil they are; so it isn't the black and white characterisation either. Ultimately, it was the main character's handling what didn't work for me.

“Unravel”

There are so many things to love about “Unravel”, not the least of which is the entire premise: D/deaf or HoH princess is the heroine and main character of this book. Marguerite is young, strong, fierce, and… a witch who, in her own land, is endangered by the very gifts she has. She is also half of a star-crossed couple as she is in love with a sworn enemy. Her power-starved uncle, who sadly is the spitting image of her father, is doing all he can to subdue her so that he inherits the throne. It is a tale as old as time. Can Marguerite save herself and the land she loves?

My opinion? I loved this so much. You never see a book where the protagonist is a D/deaf, HoH magical princess who somehow learns three languages all the while fighting for her kingdom, the safety of her loved ones, and of course for her very own life. I not only highly recommend this book, but I’ve already recommended it to my own mother. As a side note, this book has also caused me to want to resume needlework. It’s been a while.

This is a fairly rudimentary hero's journey/.save the cat story that hits every beat. It'a fairly standard plot of an evil uncle vying for power and a handsome boy come to rescue a disadvantaged girl. It leans into that old dichotomy of man vs woman, these two groups having different roles in society and different forms of magic. At one point the protagonist, who is in line to be queen, is suprised that a woman in power isn't "mannish".

The setting is Europe. That's it. If it wasn't obvious from the French and Dutch being dropped in, the names of the countries sure give it away. Haps-Burdia was particularly funny. Do the Habsburgs exists in this world? In universe, what is the origin of that country's name? This is being marketed as YA, so maybe teenagers won't pick up how the map looks like a kind of warped map of Europe, or get the references. Like, Iferia? Really?

The main character is 16, but talks like she's in her 40s. It's weird, because while she talks like she's an older woman, she acts helpless. She's shuffled around between people who have control over her, with little say, or inclination to say, what actually happens. Things happen to her, she doesn't make them happen. That is a critical problem with a protagonist.

This was written in first person, which I think was a mistake. It sounds like it was written by a writer, not a 16-year-old princess who likes embroidery, and to mask that there is a severe lack of descriptions. It's like being on a train, everything you look at races past in a blur. Even her embroidery and the clothes she made are described very tersely. Her in-story storytelling doesn't match the book's writing.

The protagonist, whose name I cannot remember at this time, is Deaf/HOH. It doesn't matter, it's not consequential at all. She has magic hearing aids, which I think was the most creative part of the book. She learns sign language, one that is conveniently used in every country, very quickly. She, and her boyfriend, are fluent in a matter of weeks. So many people know sign language, and she's verbal which is a big help. The only people who have a problem with her being Deaf are her uncle and some lady later on. No one else cares. There are no barriers to communication, she's never snuck up on or scared, it's all good. I like diversity for the sake of diversity, stories where the point of a marginalized character isn't to extract their pain for entertainment. But, this is just not realistic to me. The protagonist acts like being Deaf is a big deal in society, but it never is in this story. Like, if you stuck a hearing girl in her spot it would be exactly the same. Maybe that's the point, but I don't think so.

The magic...I don't know what to say about it. It's not an original idea, crafting-as-magic. Tamora Pierce wrote an entire series about it (this is the first that came to mind because I love the fiber magic in that book, it's so neat). It's not clear how the skeinmagic works. Like, do different stitches do different things? Does the embroiderer just wish super hard to make something magic and it happens? That's how it seems to work, no training required.

Stuff just kind of happens. Like, as the protagonist is being shipped to more competent people, there are these bizarre filler scenes. Ice skating, tightrope walking, a puppet show, some twelve days of Christmas thing. None of it matters. When serious stuff happens the protagonist seems to be more put out by it than deeply emotionally invested. Near the halfpoint she is put into a rather harrowing position for a long period of time, but gets out with no ill effects. No trauma, no lasting injury, perfectly fine.

It reads like a first book. There are plenty of basic tropes, cheesy dialogue, and unsurprising twists.

Thanks Netgalley and Publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
I loved the book and the narrative style! The main character is unique. She's deaf and just that comes with its own set of prejudice. But that doesn't stop her to make her own story and form her own strength while also being denied, but destined to rule! The world-building is fantastic and very rich. I loved all the supporting cast as well, even if I wanted some characters to shine a bit more. I truly loved the novel and can't wait to see what comes next from the author!

This book was a wild trip. There's a lot of moving parts, enough to make your head spin, but they all come together to create a complex and enrapturing read.

Our main character is a 16 year old deaf princess who hides her magical powers because her zealot of an uncle is on a mission to purge the land of witchcraft. Things happen, and she must learn to embrace and expand her powers in order to save her kingdom from ruin.

At its core this is a pretty straightforward plot, but the author weaves in fascinating details, embellishes the story, and manages to create a wholly fascinating tale. I've never read about a magic system such as this one: there are witches who can weave spells into textiles, manipulate metals to hold enchantments, or knot spells into rope, and others blessed with Sight who can see the Otherlight, a glow of magic that emanates from magic wielders. The author even threw in a detail explaining why there aren't as many men blessed with magic: magic is lost or suppressed when an individual kills, considering the fact that men are tasked with duties such as hunting or battle, killing in some shape or form is inevitable resulting in losing their magical abilities. Isn't that so neat?!

I did feel like I was scrambling to get a foothold when numerous landmarks and religious terms were first introduced. But overall I think the story pacing was good, it didn't feel like the author spent too much or too little time on any specific parts of the plot. I absolutely adore the love interest, Tys, with my whole heart, and thought the romance and dialogue between the two was so so sweet. I wish there was an epilogue or the story continued for a few more chapters so we could see how the kingdom adjusts under its new ruler, or where the romantic relationship goes, or to tie up some loose ends because it did feel like a very abrupt ending.

3.5 rounded up to 4 out of 5 stars.

I didn't know what to expect from this book and being totally honest the front cover and the fact there is a deaf protagonist hooked me, as I have never read a book with a deaf protagonist before. The result was so much better than I expected.
This book was well written with a beautiful narrative, well developed and likeable characters and a good storyline. I loved that the pricess wasnt just another princess, she was a with also and i loved the magical elements of the book.
I found myself gripped by the story and drawn into the world that Margeurite inhabits, I couldnt put it down. An enjoyable read.

Fast paced and well paced. I never
Found myself bored. This book is exciting and so many moments I felt anxious about what would happen next. The authors twists on familiar witchcraft tropes was completely new and fresh. Marguerite is interesting and complex and strong.. from late one I knew I was going to love this book. So many strong female characters. Each new character introduced was thoroughly developed and dialogue flows nicely. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

I truly enjoyed Unravel’s Deaf protagonist, Marguerite, and the fact that she is both a princess and a witch who uses sewing as a form of magic. It was a wholly unique story and I though it brought something entirely new and creative to the genre of YA fantasy. The worldbuilding was fascinating and the characters were interesting, flaws and all. The only part of the story that disinterested me was the political intrigue, although I did feel like it was a necessary aspect of the story, though it seemed to drag on.
Special Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

WOW. This book is enchanting! Witches burned at the stake. A little boy saved from death…TWICE. A deaf princess with magical powers. An enemy who is more ally than foe (Or is he?). A power-hungry man after the throne. All my favorite things stitched into one! The way this author weaves together a story that contains common tropes but makes it fresh and unique. To put is simply: bewitching. The details and thought put into this debut novel are nothing short of magical. When it came to the main character, Marguerite, I was worried it would fall flat. I was proven wrong in the best way possible! The author captured what it is like for the deaf and hard of hearing and how to communicate. It was written beautifully and respectfully done. I look forward to reading more work by Amelia Loken. Thank you to NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for the digital copy.

I did not finish this book.

I requested this title because I do not see enough books with D/HH rep. Unfortunately, the representation in this book is not done well. There are so many inconsistencies in what / when the MC can hear and she is never shown really struggling because of her disability (at least in what I read). It read too easy, entirely inaccurate, and quite honestly, like token rep.

I tried to continue reading regardless, but while the premise had definite potential, the pacing is off. I actually had to check to see if this was a later book in the series because so much information is just glossed over instead of really being developed.

I really liked this book! It was fast pace and I love the characters and the magic . The character of the princess was written very well. I can’t wait to see what else this author writes . This book was very enjoyable!

I enjoyed this story much more than I originally anticipated.
Loken did a fantastic job with her debut novel.
Her writing is done so well and beautifully executed.
Who wouldn't love a story about a strong deaf princess witch?
And I'm here to say the book didn't disappoint.
The magic, the world, these characters I was blown away by it all.
The adventure and action keeps the readers glued to the pages with a want for more.
I couldn't get enough. I'm so thrilled I was able the chance to read an eARC of this title.
I sure hope Amelia Loken writes more because I need it!

Sword and Silk,
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.
I will post and tag my review to my blog and platforms close to pub date!

This is the first time I've ever read a novel from the pov of a Deaf protagonist, and also the first time I've read anything from a Kickstarted publisher. Sword & Silk publishing's mission is to publish feminist works, and while I had never heard of them before this, I like that Unravel takes the usual patriarchal trope of girls slogging through an endless tedium of handwork and turns it on its head. This book is largely fast-moving action-adventure with an action-plot-relevant romantic subplot. I'm not entirely satisfied with the depth of the world-building or character development, but the story itself was satisfying enough that I didn't want to put it down. Also, importantly, I should say that I nearly backed out on the first page when I saw that it was written in first person, present tense, but then I realized that there is a brilliant reason for it and had stopped noticing within the first five pages.

I want to see more Deaf-pov fiction. Not feel-good-inspirational-bullshit, but books like this, where hearing loss is a challenge to work with but not a flaw to erase or something wrongly interpreted as an all-consuming disability that prevents a protagonist from living a rich and vibrant life. I didn't know I wanted this until now, so kudos to Loken for making me crave more.

Also, Celin Chen's cover art is gorgeous.

ARC

A lovely sweet book. Although the premise of forbidden magic is used, the author has found a unique blend of old and new to bring together a different story. The characters are clever too. Perfect for young adults looking for a sweet romantic read that includes magic and adventure. However for me it lacked the depth that could have made it a great read.