UNWILLING - UNWILLING (1 DVD)

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This gritty pragmatic book will sink its tentacles into you as you descend deeper into the harsh reality that faced this family and so many others who returned from war, broken, in need, and facing a world that seemed to banish them. Mr Hart has probed deeply into family, its role, its place in the life of children who are left unknowing and bereft in the face of loss. Perhaps this book is a difficult one to read, to assimilate in times such as this, but it is a testament to the ties that bind, the roles we play and the relationships we build with parents and our siblings. Truly this is a book worth reading. I thought that what < The Unwilling was trying to say about power and corruption was probably quite profound, but ultimately a little muddy. Okay, so the current political system is shit. So is the one that rises from the ashes. But so is the one that was formed in a different culture. So then... well, what is The Unwilling trying to say? It's all hopeless? Or maybe that power has to be harnessed by the individual? I really don't know, and I wish this book made a stronger case for something actionable. This book was much better than “The Hush”. He is becoming one of my go to authors. It was a thriller and I returned to it nightly until I finished in a week or so. John Hart presents us with characters so tarnished and so broken by the actions of a life that rejects them. Characters sent adrift by their own deeds and by the deeds and faulty decisions of others. There is something about a Hart novel that allows you to sink deeply below the surface. Hart guarantees that the storyline is not a simple one or that the individuals here are swirled in storms that seem relentless. It's what he does best and it's what he does here in The Unwilling......raw, dark, aching people who only wish for validation. I felt as though as I was constantly waiting for the reveal and more plot development but eh, I still enjoyed it. I am still not sure about the ending and the final lead up to it takes so long it got slightly frustrating but...I did expect something else.

It's hard to know where to even begin with this doorstopper: the absurdly over the top violence? (Woman in labor eaten alive by dogs and her child cut out of her womb as she breathes her last? The methodical torture of children, described in great detail? Actual torture of protagonists "on screen", frequently? Constant references to rape, sexual abuse, and incestuous child abuse? I guess this is the kind of thing that make a fantasy novel "serious" and "adult" but it was honestly hard for me to imagine how anyone not a teenager would take it seriously, and not just roll their eyes.) The Unwilling is epic fantasy in its purest form. Kelly Braffet’s worldbuilding is striking - switching from the vivid to the austere effortlessly. But it’s her characters, particularly the female ones, that shine the brightest. This book is on the top of my all time reads, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading epic fantasy books with descriptive details and depth.

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Given his violent history, suspicion turns first to Jason; but when the second woman is kidnapped, the police suspect Gibby, too. Determined to prove Jason innocent, Gibby must avoid the cops and dive deep into his brother's hidden life, a dark world of heroin, guns and outlaw motorcycle gangs. Well, based off of my rant you can see I have a lot of feelings for this book. And based off of that ending I hope that I can have more of this story to have feelings for (second book please?). In the meantime I guess I’ll just have to gorge myself on Braffet’s other works. Jason wants to spend one more day with Gibby before his little brother graduates and Jason moves on with his life full of bad things. But something very bad happens and it's blamed on Jason, dragging Gibby into the horrific mess. Jacob and Gibby's father is caught in all of it, being a murder cop, but also having to make decisions that mean choosing between the good son and the bad son. The thing is, Gibby's parents had always thought he was like Richard, the good twin, but now Gibby's father can see just how much he's resembling, Jason, the bad twin. Gibby is growing up and becoming his own man, choosing his own way of dealing with the impossible choices of life. Detective French took the call at a phone on his partner’s desk. “French,” he said, and listened. “That seems unlikely.” He listened some more, then thanked the caller and hung up. The nonsense revolution in the second half is ridiculous and melodramatic to high heaven and weirdly political and does nothing.

The remainder of my review for The Unwilling will be spent discussing my ascent to its peak and the various aspects of this climb that made it worth it…but not overly noteworthy. Judah a young woman, who is a foundling raised in the castle alongside the prince and future heir, as his foster-sister. She scorned by the courtiers and detested by the king, but much loved by the monarchy princes and the heir's betrothed. The Unwilling is the story of Judah, a foundling born with a special gift and raised inside Highfall castle along with Gavin, the son and heir to Lord Elban's vast empire. Judah and Gavin share an unnatural bond that is both the key to her survival... and possibly her undoing.

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The novel is set during the time of the Vietnam war, when young men were being drafted into the Army unless they had a deferment. The family of Detective French has been through a lot. Their oldest son, Robert, was killed in the war previously. The second son, Jason served three years in the war and then a prison sentence. He has been released and their youngest son, Gibby spots him at the local quarry where many high school seniors are enjoying a “senior skip day”, swimming, drinking and socializing. Jason wants to connect with his younger brother and offers a day of adventure and getting to know each other. When Gibby decides to go along with his brother the plot begins it’s twist into some very dark secrets and will include kidnapping, torture and murder. Listen — The Unwilling isn't bad, but it's also not something to write home about. I was so enthralled by the premise and by the admittedly beautiful writing that at first, I was willing to put aside what I thought was simply a slow pace (as it stands, I have 52 tabs to recall some truly beautiful turns of phrase).