Review Detail

4.7 2

Unlocked

Young Adult Fiction 265

Unlocked by Margo Kelly

October 11, 2016

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

N/A

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Although I did like the premise of the book and the general story lines, I do think there were a few things that I struggled with. The pacing of the story was somewhat off for me. Toward the middle of the novel, if felt like the incidents Hannah was experiencing were just repeated over and over. I was also confused by the story part of the time. I couldn’t figure out which parts were real and which parts were products of Hanna’s imagination ( I know this was the author’s intention but left me confused to what was happening). The characters of Manny and Manny’s mother were also a little flat and, I felt, a little unrealistic. For example, Manny’s mother kept calling Hannah child seemed strange. Manny and his mother also had personalities that varied from scene to scene.

My Final Take

‘Unlocked’ is a complex paranormal young adult thriller. It mixes the paranormal, hypnosis, and romance. This is a great book for anyone looking for a YA book with a unique twist. This is a good fit for paranormal lovers.

Good Points

What I Loved

Unlocked is an interesting take on YA paranormal. Throughout the story, Hannah, is convinced she is going crazy. She sees dark shadows, hallucinations, and apparitions.

Though Hannah was once popular, she begins to lose friends, not care about appearance, and do poorly in school. This all lends to an air of mystery and suspense throughout the novel. The element of hypnosis added a bit of nuance to the story. The author was not afraid to make the scenes gritting and scary.

I did love the character of plug, I think he was complex and interesting. His character grew and changed throughout the book. I also liked the character of Kyla. Her personality was sweet and friendly while her appearance is described as avant-garde (with shocking hair colors). I loved to hate, Chelsea. She was the typical high school mean girl.

The subplot of Hannah dealing with her father and friend’s deaths added depth to the story and made Hannah’s character more realistic for me.

Finally, the cover is amazing. Retro and mysteries at the same time.