| Title | : | Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0375871055 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780375871054 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 370 |
| Publication | : | First published September 23, 2014 |
| Awards | : | Andre Norton Award (2014) |
Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.
Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.
Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy, #3) Reviews
-
So, how perfect was it that I had The Civil Wars - "Talking In Your Sleep" playing on repeat the entire time I read this? Sigh. Swoon.
SRB did it again.
And I regret nothing.
I waited a year for this book. Clearly, I had high expectations.
This book did not exceed my expectations, but met them. Thoroughly.
Again, I regret nothing.
My emotions are all warped and messy, but I’ll *try* to make this review clean, short, and to the point.
The epic conclusion to Kami and Jared’s explosive, tumultuous, smoldering love was well played. Their drama did drag, but it had to. I eagerly welcomed that familiar slow burn of ‘almost-but-not-quite’ fiery-passionate, love/tension/banter/chemistry between the two. Their “end-game” or shall I say, “fresh start” was predictable, but right. It couldn’t have ended any other way.
The humor was spot-on. I think that’s the hardest part of writing. Not everyone has the same sense of humor, and it’s hard throwing in the not-so-subtle jokes around in every other paragraph or two. But, SRB did it with such finesse! Awesomely played, and maddeningly hilarious. Like, who does that? In the midst of serious life-and-death issues – and even when there was an unfortunate and utterly heartbreaking death of a beloved character (a favorite of mine), I (guilty) gave in to the treacherous laughter that overcame me with Kami’s quick witted one-liners. Of course, I wanted there to be a bit more mourning on that beloved characters’ behalf, but whatever. Minor issue. My point being: the 'humor' didn't cheapen the overall story for me. It enhanced it.
On the other hand, while Ash was somewhat of a disappointment in UNTOLD, and though he didn’t fully redeem himself, I didn’t mind. He was always meant to play that secondary role, but he did it well. This time around, he shone in his role.
I loved the familial relationships in this story – everyone came together throughout it all. So maybe I missed a really epic battle. Maybe I thought the Big Fight would’ve been dragged out a bit more, and the ending a bit more explosive and just harder overall.
Maybe I didn’t think everyone would make it out alive – so safe – with all their limbs attached. Some didn’t, but I can admit that there wasn’t much of a clash. Not much of a battle. But there was a fight. Each character in their own way, fought to overcome their weaknesses. Again, if you want to take it all literally and only determine the scale of the 'war' in a purely physical or magical matter, it was somewhat anticlimactic, but again, the familial relationships, friendships, and secondary romances made up for all that. Not to mention, the internal battles they each faced. With tremendous bravery.
The first two books were incredibly dark and I loved that. This book was much fluffier in comparison, but I didn't mind. Often times, you see characters starting off all care-free and happy and innocent, and then the book shifts with danger and heartbreak and everything else threatening to take that away. This series kind of went in "reverse" and it felt right.
I think... I wanted more angst, drama, heartbreak, revenge, blood and more development overall for Rob's character and his relationship to both Ash and Jared. On that note, I really felt a bit shafted. But I guess the story was never really about those relationships anyway. And, what's the point of cultivating those relationships only to burn them down?
All in all, despite the aforementioned underwhelming portions of the story – I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“You always thought Holly was great.”
“She is great,” said Jared.
“And beautiful. She’s like a star to me, something bright and lovely seen from another world. She’s someone else’s sun. That’s how all other girls are to me. You’re my sun.”
It was a nice recovery.
“Your courtship method of arrogance, self-loathing, and then telling me how beautiful other girls are is pretty unique,” said Kami. “I like it..."
5 shiny stars, all the way. #TEAMJARED4EVER
-
So Ms Brennan, you end on THAT note for
Unspoken and we had to wait an excruciating year for
Untold. And when we finally get our hands on Untold, you decide to end on THAT note for Untold and now we have to wait ANOTHER year for Unbroken.
I loved you and then I hated you. So much.
But now, I've decided to beg..
No? Alright then.
-
What?! I mean WHAT?! THIRD BOOK?! AM I DREAMING?!
2014?!?!?!?! IS THIS A CRUEL JOKE?!
I swear one day this is going to be me...
-
Almost five o'clock in the morning...so I am not sure...3 stars?
2 stars?
________________
And this is how you wreck a perfectly amazing series.
How to wreck an amazing series: A recipe for Disaster
Leave a love triangle simmering in a tasteless broth. When it looks as if the thing may not have a single reason to exist, turn the power up all over again!
Insert about 20% cringe worthy jokes so that it may help downplay all the emotional drama happening.
Add close to none character development, so that the characters don't have to...I don't know?
Grow up?
Kill characters at discretion...you will determine when enough is enough _apparently never :/ _ by the cries of former devoted readers...
Angst, angst, and more angst....when in doubt add more.
Let the characters behave as idiots as much as possible, without no regard for logical reasoning...
Kill one of your favourite , FAVOURITE, character, in a move completely illogical (according to his personality) and very faith oriented...
Leave the readers _who are reading fantasy _ upset with the somewhat preachy tone of the thing...
"There were marks of pain on his face, but no anger and no fear. He looked a little sad."
(..)
He stayed like a shadow in every corner of our home, stayed a stain on our hearts. I felt it. I can’t believe that good will leave us when evil remains. I will not. I do not.”
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
Some people will probably say:
"Oh, she's mad because ______ _______ was killed, so she's taking it out on the author and on the story."
I am not.
And I am not mad...reading this, left me somewhat empty of emotions. .. I may think about it once in awhile, and question what possessed me to read this volume _ the fact that I loved the previous two volumes may have had something to do with it _ but I don't feel angry enough to be...screaming or ranting :/
I am just sad.
The beginning was good, and I was looking forward in seeing Jared being rescued.
Unfortunately after that, things went into a carousel of ya "love triangle mess" angst fest that was just _as other reviewers have mentioned it before _ prone to a lot of headesking.
The angst!
The idiocy!
The absence of a rational dialogue!
Yes, we all know that Jared is a special flower with whom we need to have a lot of patience dealing with, but c'mon!
No one's that stupid! And clueless!
And Ash?
Ash?
Who cares about Ash?
Between the number of things that I just couldn't understand are:
Jared is being held prisoner at Aurimere. His aunt who is a sorceress can cross the "magical" fire, and blend into the shadows...
SO WHY DIDN'T SHE TRIED TO FIND THE POOR GUY??
Also, you're caught in a town controlled by raging lunatics.
People are being killed as flies.
You have no power with which to fight the bad guy..what do you do?
A) Try to leave the city as soon as possible
B) Make up another crazy plan that will probably end up with another person being killed..
Yes, Kami went with option B, which is only natural, because the story takes place in Sorry in The Vale.
BUT, I really think that the option A should at least have been mentioned as a possibility: maybe they were magically locked in there. Fine.
But at some point people, logical, sensible people, like I don't know...Rusty? Should have mentioned it....and at least tried to do something about it.
The statue scene...I found it too..."Disneylike" especially after what had happened with you know whom...
There where characters who were brought into the story apparently for only sacrificial purposes...
Kids who were being constantly kidnapped...
People kept crossing magical fires that no one should be able to cross..
Rescue attempts were done involving a great, great number of people: It was like seeing a bunch of tourists in a place where they shouldn't be.
Stealth, people!
The last part of the story, and all that happens _and not only that "specific killing" _ didn't work out for me.
The battle was....meh..
The relationship between Angela and Holly that was placed on hold for what felt like forever...and then dealt in a time and place, in which most readers probably didn't care about anything else at all.
And the last pages were really too lame to talk about.
A sad, and bloodthirsty story... yes.
Creepy and romantic, not really. Unless you're considering the definition of new adult's romance.
Best characters in the book?
Jon, Lillian ( I KNOW!!)...and Rusty.
-
Ehhhh it was okay. I never really got into it.
-
UPDATE AFTER READING:
The ending was a little weird, but overall a solid ending to the trilogy!!
~
Ms. Brennan...
I am not happy with that ending of UNTOLD.
You can't just end a book like that and expect us to wait a year. I swear, this series will be the death of me.
So, can you give us a happy ending? Please? That's all I ask.
-
Spoilers
This was a bit of a mixed bag, I did enjoy it overall but there were a lot of things that I wasn't impressed with - mainly the MC (Kami), her love life, the poor pacing and the rushed ending.
-What's what: Evil Rob and his evil sorcerers have taken over Sorry-in-the-Vale. Naturally, Kami and the Scooby gang try to stop him. Also angst, teen romance, and more angst.
-Kami was such a judgemental, holier than thou, hypocrite. The way she looked down at the people who fought with the bad guys or the people who weren't fighting on any side because they were too afraid was beyond irritating. She had no compassion or understanding for them being scared or being unable to stand up for themselves, not everyone has the ability, powers or support to act all heroic.
It was also ridiculous how she judged Amber for hurting Jared yet it was perfectly okay for her to threaten, torture, and gang up on her. Amber had little choice in the matter, but that didn't matter, it was one rule for Kami and her friends and another for everyone else. The cow.
-Jared was his usual prick self, he treated Kami like rubbish and was constantly hot and cold with her. After everything they went through I thought he would finally stop acting like a bratty child, but no he was just as bad as before. I guess, Kami and Jared were meant to be, they were both as bad as each other.
-I loved Angela, Rusty, Martha, and Kami's family. They made the story so much more fun and interesting, they were the ones I rooted for and was invested in. I really hate that Rusty died though, he was the best and most worthy character, he should have been the last person to die. I would have much preferred Ash or Jared being killed off.
-Angela's smackdown of Kami was great, Rusty's death was her fault, if she hadn't been such an interfering bossy cow he wouldn't have died. I hated that Angela forgave Kami, she didn't deserve it.
-The friendship/family bonds between the various characters was one of the best elements, there definitely should have been more focus on that instead of the wishy-washy romantic relationships.
-I didn't like Holly in the second book, she was such a cow. But in this one she was so much more tolerable and she made more sense as a character, I really liked how sweet and supportive she was to her friends. And her relationship with Angela was cute too, I still think Angela deserved better than her but I guess she'll do for now.
-The showdown at the end was a little underwhelming but the whole community feel of it was pretty good.
All in all, this was a fairly entertaining read. I did get tired of Kami/Jared's up and down relationship, there were also parts that really dragged, and the ending was a tad anti-climactic but I enjoyed most of the side characters, the setting and certain friendships/relationships. -
Reviewers who insist on criticizing Ms. Brennan's work for containing 'too many dumb jokes': I'm sorry, WHAT?
Internet, you and I have not always seen eye to eye, but THIS! To criticize the final novel in a Brennan trilogy as being too laden with silly jokes is like criticizing van Gogh for not having enough ears. You may not like that artist's choice, you might be all like, "G-dawg, put down the razor dude, because first off antibiotics aren't going to even be a thing for like another fifty years and also, seriously, dude, you, like, BARELY have enough ears as it is." And van Gogh might be like, "I respect your concern, and also, shut your face, because ART." And you would have to be all like, "OK, Imma go get the towels then, and YOU are the one doing the mopping, mister. Also, nice star painting."
My point here is, Internet, that artists with a signature style are going to create work in that style. That is kind of the point. And while you can choose not to read a book that is written in a style not to your taste, it is probably not logical of you to condemn the artist for writing consistently in that style.
Also, and this is the question that really stumps me, dudes, if you didn't like dumb jokes, why did you read 3 novels full of dumb jokes in the first place? Life is too short, guys.
In all fairness, though, Vincent, seriously, prostitutes do not like it when you give them ears. Just saying. -
I had high expectations for the final instalment of Brennan’s Lynburn Legacy trilogy after devouring the first two books last autumn. The Lynburn Legacy started out strong with witty, proactive characters, a unique genre mashup, and a wonderfully complicated romantic side-plot. But unfortunately, while I still enjoyed reading Unmade, I was disappointed by the series’ conclusion.
Despite the sleepy English village setting, the Lynburn Legacy series has always felt a little Americanised. I’m usually not fussy when it comes to Americanisms in Brit lit, and I didn’t have a problem with it in the first two books of the series. But several times in Unmade, Brennan’s characters use American words and phrases in contexts that English teenagers just wouldn’t use them (e.g. Kami uses the word college to mean university, not sixth form). It was jarringly out of character, and I can’t believe it wasn’t picked up on by Brennan’s British publishers.
Brennan’s characters still shine, but their actions are limited thanks to the (confusingly vague) laws of Brennan’s magic. Our previously proactive heroes spend the majority of the book sitting around, counting down the days until the villain makes a move. Kami, introduced in Unspoken as a fiercely loyal friend with a finely-tuned sense of justice, makes several decisions I found inconsistent with her character. I couldn’t accept that the same girl who staunchly refused to bow down to Rob Lynburn would willingly put a friend’s life on the line when told that it was her only option.
The relationship between Kami and Jared hits yet more roadblocks in this instalment, and I found their development (or lack of development) frustrating. The progress Kami and Jared made in Untold is all but forgotten in an attempt to drag their tension-filled on-again-off-again romance out until the very last page. As a result, none of the actual problems of their relationship are dealt with - rather than hash out their unhealthy co-dependence or their communication issues, Kami and Jared spend the majority of the book refusing to acknowledge the other’s feelings.
Despite my criticisms, I did like parts of the book - particularly any moment involving Angela Montgomery or Kami’s father, Jon Glass. I’m still a casual fan of this series, and I absolutely recommend Unspoken, although I don’t think I’ll be re-reading Unmade any time soon.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: 2 stars | ★★✰✰✰
Review cross-posted to
Paperback'd -
Not going to lie: Unmade had quiteeee a few bumps along the road. In fact, when it comes to the romantic angst in this installment alone, I
sortofkindofmaybedefinitely wanted to hit my head against a wall. Still, despite the minor hiccups I experienced with this novel, I found it to be an extremely satisfying conclusion to this trilogy. Not nearly as good as Unspoken, a whole lot better than Untold; I really can't complain. Brennan begins this finale with a breakneck pace that she never lets up, tying together relationships seamlessly and bringing everything to a satisfactory close. -
So. Finishes Untold.....cries for about 10 minutes...goes on goodreads to check when the next book will come out...cried for 15 minutes. Why, Sarah Rees Brennan, why?!
*Edit, now have read the book.
This was an emotional rollercoaster of epic proportions. I was sobbing one page, then laughing so hard I (actually) fell off my chair the next. A fantastic conclusion to a fantastic series. Adored this. -
Disappointed. Pissed. Underwhelmed. What was that ending?!
What is up with all these horrible end-of-trilogy books this year? It's just one after the other and they all suck, frankly. Sad, so very sad.
It started out a bit exciting and somewhat funny. Got a few chuckles and little smiles out of me. Then it started getting the rolling eyes and frustrated sighs, and can we PLEASE JUST MOVE ON FROM THE JOKES. Yes, I get that it's a very depressing and horrible time in your lives but the jokes are killing the mood and my enthusiasm.
After the 30% mark the plot stood at a standstill. We, the readers, along with the characters had to wait till a certain date for them to make their move. Too bad the waiting took 50% of the book and with it it's bad jokes and mood killing.
We get to DDay and WOW, JUST WOW. Can not believe THAT happened. I cried. Actual tears slid down my eyes. (I can count in one hand how many times a book has made me cry). After THAT happened, I was just numb through the rest of the finale and even if I wasn't it was a shitty finale.
The Finale? This is what I got from it:
Kami did some of this:
Then some of this:
And then finally some of this:
And that was it.
The End.
Thanks for reading guys!
P.S: Did I mention I didn't like this? -
But why?!? The No. 1 reason for my rating? The unnecessary use of bad jokes - or rather, the overdoing of it. Now I've known Kami, Rusty and pretty much all of the characters at one time or another to crack a line here or there to lighten the mood or awkward moment. But geez, I felt the whole book was littered with bad jokes on every page. What's worse is that Brennan KNEW, and she would have a character acknowledge it in the text. No, if you're going to do it, go with the whole "Scary Movie" parody type of narrative and just run with it. Don't do it and make excuses along the way. It was very hard for me to take the book seriously, and I was irritated beyond my mind. I felt a good third or half of this book was wasted on bad jokes when all I wanted to do was get to the meat of the story.
Having said that, it's a shame that I didn't like this book because the first book was quite enjoyable, even though I could never stand Kami. (See past reviews for no love lost.) Even without the constant use of bad jokes, I just don't think this book did justice to the start of the series.
First thing's first, the romance. I'm not stupid. I know there's going to be more Jared-Kami drama before everyone lives happily ever after, that is if they all make it. I expected it. However, this book still had the constant back and forth, and after a while, I stopped caring whether or not they're going to end up together or not. And the pet names? Ewww! And she did with the bad jokes, Brennan had Kami acknowledge it. But did it stop her? Nope, and the pet names got more ridiculous along the way (oh, yes, Kami says this herself in the book). Brennan did explain later, at least in Jared's point of view, why she wrote it that way, but it wasn't a good reason. Leave it out.
As for the story, it was okay. You have your relationship drama (couple ones yes, but also family and friendships), digging into the past, problem solving to see why Rob is doing this and what he's after, a few action scenes and the big climax near the end. Parts were exciting enough and others were meh.
And let me tell you I am devastated with the fate of my favorite character. That person was basically the only character I really liked and had always liked.
I did feel that Elinor's story was really interesting. And it correlated enough to our trio, but I was unsatisfied that Brennan hadn't taken more advantage of the correlation. What I meant to say is I was just unsatisfied with what happened at the end. I felt the hero(one) of the story should have been someone else. Even though it's still somewhat cryptic, DO NOT CLICK UNTIL YOU'VE READ THIS BOOK. .
And like I said, I have no love lost for Kami. There are plenty of no-nonsense, strong-minded, get-yourself-into-trouble-all-the-time characters that I admire while reading a book. Kami, I've just never been a fan of because of her annoying, self-righteous attitude. And I just felt throughout the series, there was just too much that revolved around her, when at the end of the day, she was just a source. Never understood it, but hey, that's just me.
I'm sure a lot of other Lynburn Legacy fans would enjoy this book very much. For me, it was really, really, really hard to get past all the bad jokes because all I wanted to do was read the damn book, and another line was thrown at me. Honestly, if it weren't for them, I probably would have given this book 3 stars. Still, at the end of the day, I still haven't figured out what the "shocking end" part of the book was. -
not worth wasting time on this. unnecessary drama.
-
I wanted to love this book, considering my investment in this series, but something was just off the whole way through. I was willing to be kind and give it 3 stars, but then the ending bumped it down another star -- I was tempted to almost go down as far as 1, but you have to really, really mess up to earn my withering scorn like that. Instead, I'm just left with the hefty power of my disappointment. Which also leaves me going: What's wrong with me? Was I just not in the mood for this book? But I've been reading other YA fantasy with witches and things! I've been rolling around in shippy feelings over various books and movies! What is wrong with me, or with this book?
I loved Unspoken, you guys. So much. It was all feels and dark Gothic and a lurking mystery; plucky Nancy Drew heroines, two mysterious boys; the toxicity of a telepathic relationship. Then the sequel was mired with structural issues and the fact that nothing much happened at all. Now this. Maybe a 2+ year break was way too long for me to wait between books, but my structural problems from the second are still present here: time passes in a really vague, unclear manner, and there's still so much waiting. Plus, characters just randomly saunter right into the Evil Lair of Evil Sorcerers, and then the evil sorcerers saunter up to and attack their homes too, until I just don't understand why the heroes aren't dead yet.
ALSO, Rob goes from an interestingly ambiguous character in the early books... to scenery-chomping, moustache-twirling, unrepentantly ~*evil*~, which is awful and tiresome. I like my villains more nuanced than this.
I feel like Brennan had a good idea for a first book, a quiet lil mystery in a sleepily menacing Gothic town, with intense focus on interpersonal relationships -- but trying to expand it into a wide-spanning ~sorcerer's war~ just makes the narrative collapse under its own weight. What does it mean, to "rule" the town or to "destroy" it? Why doesn't anyone talk about just leaving? Why haven't the bad guys just outright killed our heroes already, considering they've repeatedly proven that they can reach them at any time? Why don't the bad guys beef up their security measures more???? ("Rob Lynburn has always underestimated sources" is a thin, flimsy excuse.)
Rescuing Jared felt easy; breaking in to steal Elinor's last clue felt easy; even going into the Crying Pools felt easy. The final conflict/climax is resolved within literally 1 page, which is the point where I went "Oh, hell no" and mentally docked one more star. Plus, as another reviewer has pointed out, I so heartily wish Ash or Jared had fought in the climax instead -- it was their family, and either or both of them deserved the shot to stand up to their own personal bogeyman.
And I'm tired of three books seesawing with "will-they-won't-they" and introducing silly misunderstandings in order to keep Jared/Kami apart (if they would just communicate!!!). I think the YA ships that I'm more into are the ones where they do just go ahead and get together like reasonable people but then have to tackle real big shattering problems together; or they can't get together because there's a [war/dystopian revolution] to settle first, a la The Hunger Games. The whole 'WE'RE TOGETHER no wait we're not WE'RE TOGETHER wait no we can't be' drives me fucking crazy. It was drawn out until .
That said. The minor characters are fantastic, yet sadly underutilised: I wanted so much more of Angela/Holly, poor is fridged, and is fridged.
Also, man how much do I love Lillian the beautiful pristine robot. I almost wonder if she's autistic/has Aspergers, with her level of brilliance but inability to understand people's social norms.
Looking at all of my favourite quotes below, I mostly loved the sassy quips, the humour, the found family of the Lynburns. Lillian and her boys were pretty much my favourite thing: Ash, the unfavourite, so desperate to be loved and needed; Jared, like an abused dog, slowly working his way back to trusting people and being okay with physical touch again. The book/series is wonderful for its depictions of recovery from abuse. The importance of community and family. The romance and sexiness of consent. Kami's issues being half-Japanese in a small, predominantly white town.
But then it goes and has Ash be gross and overbearing and sexually pushy at Kami, when he is telepathically tied to her, so I really, truly can't believe that he would have behaved that way.
Jared/Kami was a ship that used to make my heart do somersaults in the first book, but now I was just sick of them. Their melodrama is tired; they just don't communicate, are constantly misunderstanding each other and lashing out at each other, and it just does not feel like they make a healthy couple anymore. I don't like the 'inevitability' of their getting together because it smacks of their not having a choice. At the end,
I love love love Ash and Rusty so much, though. I do like that the book addressed the what-if's of both these boys as romantic options -- but I am also a little tired of books where literally three different boys are head-over-heels for the protagonist.
Blergh. I don't know. I didn't hate it (hence 2 stars -- 'it was okay'), but my love for the first book and its potential means I just feel overwhelmingly irritated by how that potential has been squandered. If anyone has fix-it fic recommendations, I will take them. I think I'd like to see something where . Pretty much literally anything but this ending, tbh.
In a nutshell: Too much love triangle drama, messy plotting wrt the overarching conflict, too-neat resolutions, and a main ship that started off toxic in the first book and so I was fascinated to see how they rebuilt themselves, only to be annoyed that they never actually did.
If you're going to start on this series: Read Unspoken, and then stop there.
--
Fave quotes: -
This review can also be found on my blog:
A Match Made in Heaven
This series is one of my absolute favourites. 5-stars across the board. Its just so unique. I really cant get over how unusual it was. Its so dark. And by dark I mean dark. The bad guys in this story are true evil. There is so much blood and death and destruction and pure greed and evil. Yet, at the same time, Kami is simply one of the best, smartest, funniest, and wittiest YA heroines I have ever read. She provides a balance that you need in order to handle all the darkness. This is one of those books where, when you try to list your favourites quotes, you find that you want to quote the whole book.
Another thing I loved about this book was all the love. Kami and Jared's love is epic, but it wasn't the only focus. Everyone loved each other and were willing to sacrifice so much for each other. Kami loved Jared, but she also loved Ash and Rusty, in a different way. She never really gave her love for them a title, but it was probably more brotherly. Then of course she loved Angela and Holly, and her brothers and her parents, and everything she did was for them. If you have read this series, then you know exactly how much Rusty loved Angela and Kami. How much Angela loved Kami, and Rusty, and Holly. How much Jared loved Ash, and Holly, and Lillian. How much Lillian loved Ash and Jared. And how much Ash loved Jared, Lillian, and Kami. They forged such a large family together, through everything that they went through they became stronger.
As much as I love Kami and Jared's oddly epic love story, its really everyone in this series that make me love it so much. All the characters, the way they fight for each other and what is right and what they believe in. The way that they handle the tragedies in their lives. How they never quit, they hang on to what they have and keep going. How they always look for the bright side, and even when they believe that they are all going to die, they still do what needs to be done. Despite the evil of the story, and the heartbreaking deaths, this series was so uplifting and inspiring because of the courage of Kami and her friends and family. I will never forget it. -
First up, let me warn you that it’s impossible to talk about Sarah Rees Brennan’s Unmade without revealing some of what went down in the two previous books of The Lynburn Legacy. Consider yourself warned for spoilers of
Unspoken and
Untold.
We zoom in on Sorry-in-the-Vale after the cliffhanger of Untold with Jared buried alive in his priest hole and everyone but Kami convinced he’s dead. Repeated forays to the Lynburn evil layer result in rescues, deadly plans, ritual sacrifice, and of course some great quips. Kami and the gang have a modicum of time available to save their town, or to convince the town to save themselves, before Rob Lynburn’s nefarious plotting can be put into action. Can they do it before their hormones take control?
Unmade is rife with broken hearts, broken homes, and a few broken bones, and Sarah Rees Brennan delivers fist pumping moments of awesomeness in a series ending that’ll keep readers glued to the page.
Sarah Rees Brennan strikes a wonderful balance between some dark paranormal activity, real world emotional fallout, and a laugh out loud humor. While the levity strikes down a bit of Unmade’s impact and memorability, it also makes it a much more enjoyable read overall. The villains are basically painted as a clan of sorcerous Lannisters—We are creatures of red and gold, We do not forgive, We do not need hearts, Our family motto is ‘Hot blond death’—which seems funny until you think about all of the torture, murder, and inbreeding involved. We see Kami repeatedly horrified by the actions of Rob Lynburn and co., though at the same time she is willing to do some seriously dark magic in defense of what she’s labeled as good.
The strong presence of family—an aspect of SRB’s storytelling that I loved in Unspoken—remains, but in a sadly realistic reflection of families snapping under strain. Kami’s family, along with Ash and Jared’s, and Holly’s, are all greatly impacted in Unmade, making Rusty and Angela’s parental absenteeism seem a pleasant emotional alternative. I love that Unmade shines light upon the unconditional love of children for their parents. It’s so realistic about the damage that can be done and doesn’t pretend that everything can be alright once the danger has passed. Despite Kami’s acknowledgement that tragic orphans have life a lot easier when it comes to having adventures, it’s quite refreshing to read a YA novel where siblings and parents are so present and important.
Kami remains as headstrong as always, a perpetual thorn in the side of the adults who both love and hate her. The antithesis of a damsel in distress, Kami insists on doing the rescuing in these pages and is unarguably the hero of her own story. She’s brave, hilarious, full of heart, and sports a great wardrobe—what’s a reader not to love? It’s a bit of a shame that Kami’s most obvious flaw of a lack of self confidence (you know, besides consistently flying headlong into danger without consulting her allies or even her own common sense) is completely negated by every eligible boy in Sorry-in-the-Vale panting after her.
I love that Kami is different than the traditional beauty of either Holly the blonde bombshell or Angela the dark and sultry. She represents some diversity in her Japanese heritage and is very aware of her ‘differentness’, but the unending parade of love confessions nearly forces her into the cliché ‘exotic’ camp, despite my being certain SRB intentionally avoided such labeling. I’m sure the love-fest has more to do with her intrepid spirit and witty commentary, but it induces more than a few eye rolls by the end of Unmade.
Despite the contorted love geometry, SRB’s portrayal of teenage romance in The Lynburn Legacy is laudable and diverse. She takes the time to form each character as a unique individual rather than half of a couple, highlighting the fact that we don’t have to be defined by those we love. The Lynburn Legacy is LGBT friendly with the potential between Angela and Holly, a hard-edged girl who hates showing emotion, and the girl who is brave enough to try even when she’s certain of failure. SRB allows them to struggle with their emotions in the same way that we see from Kami and Jared, and Rusty and Ash show us how love can manifest in alternate forms.
Yes, Kami and Jared are partners in one of the most mind-bogglingly messed up relationships in YA history, but it does work for them. We get small glimpses of Jared’s point of view in Unmade, and despite his selfishness potentially outweighing his actual care for Kami, we see he ultimately has her best interests at heart. Sure, their relationship is miles from healthy, but it’s what they’ve always known and ‘normal’ would probably be impossible for either of them. As long as Kami retains her sense of self—which she needs the separation from Jared to do, I’m cool with it.
She had not only worried that he did not love her the way she wanted to. She had not only loved and longed. She had spent so much time worrying that accepting love, becoming part of all the love stories, would trap her in some way, change her into someone weak, someone she did not want to be. But she realized now that she had been narrow-minded, considering a love story as a lesser story, a story that might make her lesser to be part of. She had always thought she needed to be in control, but now she found she did not want to put any limits on herself at all. She wanted to be the person she was, and not the person anyone, including herself, had ever thought she should be. She had thought a lot lately about making all the love stories her own, of telling them her own way.
Unmade had definite flaws, such as the inclusion of characters purely as cannon fodder, but overall it was a very solid ending to The Lynburn Legacy. Kami is a stand up role model for the YA crowd—she pushes others to think for themselves, puts what’s right over what’s safe, and invests in the ideal of the greater good over personal desires. I’m pretty sure Dumbledore would take a shine to her if she were a witch rather than a Source (Kami would take no crap from Snape, I’ll tell you that). Ultimately, Unmade is a series conclusion that will leave readers satisfied. No, it doesn’t stand up to Unspoken, but I dare anyone out there to read book one of The Lynburn Legacy without needing to read the rest. Brava, Sarah Rees Brennan, I hope our tears were delicious.
This review original appeared at
Tor.com. -
"Which is it going to be sorcerer? Drown or burn?"
The Lynburn Legacy is over.
I was actually a little sad to see this end now that I’ve finished Unmade. The series was by no means perfect and had its faults along the way but they didn’t take away from the story or the sensational characters that carry these books, I really enjoyed them.
The conclusion to this series is filled with action, drama, sacrifices, unrequited love and soo many plot twists. I hated the way Untold ended as usual Brennan provided a killer cliffhanger so I was delighted that Unmade made quick work of rectifying this, YAY JARED!
So Rob Lynburn has proven time and time again that he is the most crazy and power-hungry Lynburn that has ever existed, I didn’t think he could get worse but I was so so wrong. He wants revenge against the town members who will not submit to his rule and he attacks and destroys what they treasure most. In order to stop Rob’s plans in Untold, Kami become Ash’s source and now in Unmade they have to plan to save the town and cope with their intimate magical bond.
I have mainly rated these books on the characters and this remains for Unmade. I was so glad we got to see more of Lillian Lynburn and Jon Glass and if I’m honest I thought it was going somewhere between the two but alas this didn’t happen. The loss of one of the most loved characters was heart breaking and the development of romance between Angie & Holly was wonderfully told. I felt the romance between Kami & Jared was a little dragged and was frustrating but nowhere near as frustrating as when Ash was involved.
The final book provides a lot of twists and turns that will keep you interested but I dare say without these the story would have fell a little flat with the slow pace. I wasn’t too happy with the ending but I was happy that we actually found out what happened in the end.. I hate it when books leave you guessing!!!
Overall I have really enjoyed the series so if you want to read a fresh unique series with crazy cliffhangers and loveable characters then this is definitely for you.
Literary-ly Obsessed -
Overall series: ★★★★
Unmade: ★★★ 1/2
Okay, mourning-time is finished. Let’s review this one.
I loved this series and it characters (well, Kami is fantastic, isn’t she?... and her dad and Rusty , too). So when I finally picked up Unmade I had great expectations.
I can’t say I didn’t like it. As the previous instalments, Unmade was a humorous, adventure-packed reading … but… some elements disappointed me a little bit:
- too much angst: angst was the key-word in the relationship between Kami and Jared, but IMO the Author pushed it too far here. All that back and forth game between them annoyed me and at times I wanted to shout: “Jared, it’s so clear that Kami loves you. So, please, put an end to being such a moron and tell her that you love her too!”;
- Rob Lyburn and his evil sorcerers: the antagonists’ wait-and-see policy didn’t entirely convince me. They passed too much time temporize, without seriously dealing with the threat represented by Kami’s gang;
- “The crash”: I knew that I would have suffered, but I wasn’t prepared to such a tragedy. I didn’t complain about that cruel, sadistic underhanded trick in itself. What really made it unbearable was that it was unnecessary to the story. So, Mrs. Breannan, why are you so merciless?
All in all, despite the misgivings my broken heart has pointed out, I can’t help recommending this series. It’s worth reading it.
Just make sure you have enough Kleenex at hand. -
There was an event in this that made me cry - A LOT. But, otherwise it was fairly unremarkable. Not bad, but didn't blow my socks off for the final book in a trilogy.
The love triangle, that wasn't really a love triangle and the constant on again off again relationship off our protagonist through all three books, really put a dampener on things for me.
Still, an overall enjoyable series. -
This is my perfect book - it has everything I could have asked for! Kickass heroine, bad boy with a heart, strong friendships, wicked villain, beautiful writing, reasons to cry, humour and general awesomeness.
The perfect end to an epic series. -
How is brain.
What is this.
When is life.
I no can after this.
All my can is used up.
Gone. -
A great fulfilling ending although it would be nice if my OTP got together but hey it's fine.
-
Actual Rating 3.5
This would have been a 4 star read had it not been the last book in the series. I kind of just wanted more? I feel like even though these characters have been through so much, they haven't really changed all that much. I would have also liked to see some more knots tied but ah well. -
Reread 18/09/17
This series will forever be one of my favourites and I just love it more and more every time I read. Thank you Sarah Rees Brennan for writing such great books. -
Rep: biracial Japanese mc, bi character, lesbian character
-
Upping my rating to 5 because who the fuck am I kidding with a 4-star rating anyway
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'Only those who already had love could afford to dismiss it.'
GODDAMMIT BOOK, THAT WAS TOO MUCH
E N T I R E L Y T O O M U C H
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH MY LIFE NOW
Are you ready for another list? Yeah, I'm not but I'll try my best
- 188 highlights, everything is fine
- You know things are really dire when a book doesn't begin with an article written by Kami
- Torture is fascinating and all but never when it's my favorite character, STOPPP
- Kami Glass, please never change
- Jared Lynburn, my forever favorite
- Angela really does need hugs more than ever sobs
- Holly, a true bisexual disaster but also very adorable
- HOLLY/ANGELA BEST WLW, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM
- Holly being in love with Angela's mean streak like 'She was so mean, and it always made Holly smile.' TRUE LOVE
- 'He had found somewhere he did not fit but could belong anyway, and thought perhaps that meant family.' KILL ME NOW
- HELLO, TRUTH BOMB: 'The boys chose who they respected and who they did not, and then condemned the girls for going along with their choices.'
- Lillian Lynburn, best character development
- Jared and Lillian Lynburn are the only Lynburns who matter, this is a fact
- Lillian refusing to get any humor is a big mood throughout Unmade:'Don't waste time blaming yourself when you can spend time planning how to destroy our enemies.'
'Can we get that last thing embroidered on a cushion, Aunt Lillian?' Jared asked.
Aunt Lillian flicked up an eyebrow. 'You can make as many bad jokes as you want, Jared. I really do not care. But stop being so ridiculous about yourself.'
- Jon continuing to call Lillian by names starting with the letter L but never the right one hahaha
- Jon/Lillian really are a forbidden ship LOL
- Also this little gem: 'If I show consideration for others,' Lillian Lynburn said grumpily, 'will you tell me again about how you shot my husband?'
- I still have a conflicted relationship with Claire Glass hmm
- Jon Glass, best dad
- Yeah, still don't care about you, Ash Lynburn
- So
- Rusty Montgomery III, all the emotions
- Rusty the actual inherently good person
- My heart breaks for how all the things Ten was made to suffer and how he changed so drastically because of them which
this proves
- GIVE ME TEN'S TRILOGY, UNIVERSE
- 'You went at a different speed from someone else emotionally. That's not your fault or their fault.' This is so important
- 'She didn't want to say yes just to please him. It wasn't the same as pleasing herself, even if it felt like it was.' This is so important pt. 2
- Jared pulling a Barry Allen and being all 'Your name was the first word for love I ever knew.' I'M FINE
- The fact that
- Lastly, favorite three words to end the book with period
Favorite quotes: 'Power becomes the measure of you, and you always want more.'
'That leaves me to be a monster or let you both be martyrs. I'd be a monster if I could stop you. I’d be glad to be a monster, if you were saved, but I don't have a choice.'
'He has a look about him sometimes, like a stray dog that has been kicked too many times and has gone all the way past snarling and biting until all it does is shiver, waiting for the next kick. They're almost patient about their misery, creatures like that, and they look at you with such eyes, beseeching you to make it all stop but not—not hoping that you will. It’s like they know you won't, that the world isn't going to be kind to them.'
'I'm a free agent. And you're an evil sorceress who participates in murder and torture, so your commentary on my social life is not appreciated or necessary.'
'She wept for love and wept for the new dark strangeness of the world.' -
Unspoken is one of my all time favorite books. I love the characters and the way Sarah Rees Brennan introduces the reader to the Lynburn family. Unspoken is pure perfection and if you haven’t read it yet I suggest you stop reading this (I don’t know why you’d be reading a review for the 3rd book if you haven’t read the first anyway, but you might’ve come here on accident) and get yourself a copy!
I’ll be the first to admit that Untold wasn’t my favorite, but I was still very excited for Unmade. I needed to know what was going to happen to Kami, Jared, Ash, Rusty, and all of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Unmade begins shortly after the events of Untold. The crew is trying to figure out a way to defeat Rob Lynburn, and Kami doesn’t want to believe that Jared could be dead.
My favorite thing about this novel was the characters. Unfortunately, the plot was a little slow, and at times, I thought it was being drawn out. There was a lot of researching and sitting around when I wanted more of Kami’s headstrong running in to danger without thinking. Luckily, the characters saved this novel and I loved all the interactions between Kami, Ash, and Jared and also between Holly and Angie. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that the dialogue between Kami’s Dad and Mrs. Lynburn was hilarious! Sarah Rees Brennan excels are writing funny and relatable dialogue.
Sarah Rees Brennan also excels at writing scenes that tug at my heartstrings. There is one scene involving Rusty that I was not prepared for and I’m still not ready to talk about. Maybe later, maybe someday, but not today.
Overall, I enjoyed this conclusion to the Lynburn Legacy series but I didn’t love it. At times it lagged and I had trouble seeing Rob’s evil motivations. Still, it was a satisfying ending to a series I enjoyed. -
I may write an expanded review later, but the short form is, I really enjoyed this book. It wrapped this story up about as well as could be hoped for, with the blend of high stakes and action plus character insight that seems to be Sarah Rees Brennan's trademark. I think her books have a strong flavor which is certainly not to everyone's taste. So as a reader, you'll either really enjoy the prickly banter between her characters, or hate it, without much in between. I personally think the character depths and revelations hidden in the banter make it all worth it. So I recommend this trilogy as a very unusual paranormal/magic-romance.
One comment -- what is with the cover on this book? It has got less than nothing to do with the story. This book is set in the Cotswolds, not at some beach. I honestly have to wonder what the publishers were thinking.
