The Unquiet

 
4.2 (2)
 
0.0 (0)
264 0
theunquiet.jpg
Age Range
13+
Release Date
September 22, 2015
ISBN
006238127X
Buy This Book
      

For most of her life, Lirael has been training to kill—and replace—a duplicate version of herself on a parallel Earth. She is the perfect sleeper-soldier. But she's beginning to suspect she is not a good person. Fans of eerily futuristic and beautifully crafted stories such as Never Let Me Go, Orphan Black, and Fringe will find themselves haunted by this unsettling debut. The two Earths are identical in almost every way. Two copies of every city, every building, even every person. But the people from the second Earth know something their duplicates do not—two versions of the same thing cannot exist. They—and their whole planet—are slowly disappearing. Lira has been trained mercilessly since childhood to learn everything she can about her duplicate, to be a ruthless sleeper-assassin who kills that other Lirael and steps seamlessly into her life. An intricate, literary stand-alone from an astonishing new voice, The Unquiet takes us deep inside the psyche of a strong teenage heroine struggling with what she has been raised to be and who she really is.

For most of her life, Lirael has been training to kill—and replace—a duplicate version of herself on a parallel Earth. She is the perfect sleeper-soldier. But she's beginning to suspect she is not a good person. Fans of eerily futuristic and beautifully crafted stories such as Never Let Me Go, Orphan Black, and Fringe will find themselves haunted by this unsettling debut. The two Earths are identical in almost every way. Two copies of every city, every building, even every person. But the people from the second Earth know something their duplicates do not—two versions of the same thing cannot exist. They—and their whole planet—are slowly disappearing. Lira has been trained mercilessly since childhood to learn everything she can about her duplicate, to be a ruthless sleeper-assassin who kills that other Lirael and steps seamlessly into her life. An intricate, literary stand-alone from an astonishing new voice, The Unquiet takes us deep inside the psyche of a strong teenage heroine struggling with what she has been raised to be and who she really is.

Editor reviews

4 reviews
Overall rating
 
4.2
Plot
 
3.5(2)
Characters
 
4.5(2)
Writing Style
 
4.5(2)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A(0)
A story to slowly sink into
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
N/A
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Lirael was taken as a child to be trained to eventually kill and replace her duplicate on a different Earth. The Sleepers are intent on being the ones not to disappear from the Earths, and she is one of the soldiers in their plan. But when Lira arrives at her new home, she will discover that not everything is what it seems, and sometimes being the perfect solider doesn’t equate to real happiness.

THE UNQUIET has one of the most unique premises and protagonists that I’ve ever read. I love how the author creates the idea of two parallel Earths and the consequences that might happen when you have two of everything. Lira is one of my favorite protagonists, and she has phenomenal development. She’s a dark character, often cold, and there’s a seriousness to her that shows a quiet ferocity. She doesn’t know how to connect with people well because of the environment she was trained in, yet even she can’t help a few people carving a place for themselves in her heart.

Though the romance is a minor part of the story, I couldn’t help falling head over heels for it. It’s slow, sometimes sad, but very powerful and sincere. I hoped for the best for them every step of the way. Their relationship, even before it becomes romantic, is kind of about choosing your own family when you have none of your own or when your family isn’t really a family.

The action can be a little slow at times, but it’s well worth it. Every plot point is intricately built up, laying all the necessary steps before the next big action. By the time readers get to the end, they are sure to have a book hangover they won’t forget.

Mikaela Everett tells a magnificent story of emotion, strength, and internal battles in THE UNQUIET. This is a story to sink into slowly and to leave with a new but not uncomfortable heaviness of having read a really good and deep novel.
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 1 0
Unique Read for Fall
Overall rating
 
3.7
Plot
 
N/A
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
The Unquiet by Mikaela Everett is disturbing and amazing ride. Reminiscent of Orphan Black, The Unquiet deals with tough topics including morality and ethics. As a reader, you are forced to unravel each layer of the book to see what really is hidden underneath. Imagine a world where you never know for sure if the people around you are who they claim to be?

The Unquiet is different from the typical young adult novel. A lot of what happens is character-driven. The focus seems to be more on character development. Mikaela Everett does an amazing job of exploring what it means to love and be loved. Lirael wrestles with her identity. While the main character is unfeeling at times, this lack of emotions leads the reader to focus more on Lira’s motivation. She is a strong female lead and it is interesting to see how she deals with each obstacle. I was completely engrossed. I like how the narration allows the reader to really ponder on the ethics and morals surround each situation.

I would recommend it to readers of speculative fiction and fans of Orphan Black. The Unquiet is thought provoking and stays with you long after the last page.

Good Points
Interesting Premise
Unique
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 1 0

User reviews

There are no user reviews for this listing.
Already have an account? or Create an account