Title: The Unbound
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: 28th January 2014
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 out of 5
Description:
Last
summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from
escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her
junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving
on isn't easy -- not when her dreams are haunted by what happened. She knows
the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her
nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's
really safe. Meanwhile, people are
vanishing without a trace, and the only thing they seem to have in common is
Mackenzie. She's sure the Archive knows more than they are letting on, but
before she can prove it, she becomes the prime suspect. And unless Mac can
track down the real culprit, she'll lose everything, not only her role as
Keeper, but her memories, and even her life. Can Mackenzie untangle the mystery
before she herself unravels? With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of
action, romance, and horror, The Unbound delves into a richly imagined world
where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin.
There is nothing quite like The
Achieved with its haunting setting, dark corners, memorable characters and
beautiful prose. It’s a book that you should read if you haven’t already. Ever
since I finished The Achieved, I have been eagerly waiting for The Unbound to release.
Now I can happily say that The Unbound is even better than its predecessor. It’s
a hauntingly beautiful book filled with raw exposed emotions as Victoria Schwab
unravels Mackenzie’s life and fills it with doubt, trust, love and nightmares.
The Unbound lives up to its namesake as it centres on Mackenzie facing her
nightmares and piecing herself back together. It’s a soulful read, one that takes a peek behind the armour
of Mackenzie Bishop.
More often than not we don’t get
to see a real glimpse of the consequences that can haunt a protagonist. I have
read plenty of books that have the protagonist going through hell and back only
to appear stronger than ever as though nothing can faze them. To me, this never
seems realistic as all actions have lasting consequences that affect people
mentally and/or physically. This
is where The Unbound shines. Not only do we get a story about the secret
library of the dead, we get a beautiful heartbreaking story about a young girl who
has a lot on her plate. Mackenzie has been through a lot with Owen and now has
the shadow of The Archive looming around her. In the Unbound she is pushed to the max and is forced to face
her nightmares, which have been causing her to lose sleep and sanity. The nightmares are now seeping into her
everyday life, putting her on edge.
Mackenzie has to fight not only for her but also for those she loves.
The major themes of this book are
secrets and trust. There is more of a concentration on the weight of secrets
and how lies can wreck havoc. The relationship between Mac and her parents is
pushed to the brink due to Mac’s secret life. Schwab beautifully showcases all
of the fears and doubt Mackenzie carries with her. It lets us see her venerable
side and how it ultimately makes her stronger and willing to protect those
around her and the life she has. Mackenzie’s story really pulls at your
heartstrings.
We get to meet new characters at
Mac’s new school. Each has their own personality and they add to the story in
their own way. Hyde School is really old and it’s atmosphere fits perfectly
into The Unbound. Owen’s presence in the book is palpable. He haunts Mackenzie
like he haunts the pages of this book and he still plays a very big part of
this story. Roland is still as wonderful as ever as Mackenzie’s guardian. We
get more of a glimpse into his life.
Now lets talk about the other
wonderful part of this book, Wesley Ayers. We get a lot more Wesley and all of his eyeliner. Even though we get more Wesley I still
want to know more about him. He is one of my all time favourite characters. If
you need a reason to read this book, don’t look further than Wesley. I love the
romance in this novel but my only complaint is that it wasn’t enough. I want
more Wes and Mac. They have a very special bond forged from the secrets they
keep but their relationship is complicated and Mackenzie struggles to let him
in. It makes you want them to be together even though you know why Mac is
holding him at a distance.
The Unbound is a hauntingly emotional
must read. Go read this now.
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