Staff Reviews

What did I love about this book? Well, everything. I loved the characters. Maia is the youngest child in her family and a brilliant tailor. She is determined and loyal, and I love her. Maia’s strength was one of my favorite parts of the book. She is “the strong one,” but that strength isn’t individualistic. She’s the strong one who holds her family together. This type of strength felt nuanced and refreshing compared to other YA books I’ve read. I loved her growth over the course of the book and how she became more self-assured. Book two is going to be a ride, and I can’t wait to see how her character develops in it.

Edan, oh my boy, Edan. He’s wonderful. He is sarcastic and witty, very much the loveable rogue that commonly appears in YA novels, and then as the novel progresses, we see different sides to him. Like Maia, he grows over the course of the book, and I can’t wait to see where he goes in UNRAVEL THE DUSK. Individually, they are intelligent and loyal, and together they are communicative and selfless. Their relationship was one I could root for, and their banter made me laugh. The respect and pride they have for each other really stood out to me, and for that I liked them together and how well they communicated. It was refreshing to not have to deal with a miscommunication trope between the romantic leads. I thought they were stronger together which is how you want a reader to feel about a ship.

            So much happens in this book. SPIN THE DAWN is billed as Project Runway and Mulan, and it is very much that, but that description only tells you about the first third of the book. The rest of the story is quest that is just as interesting and entertaining to read as the sewing competition. The pacing felt right as well. For not even being 400 pages, I was astounded by just how much happened in terms of plot and character. I never felt like Maia’s and Edan’s character development was sacrificed for a plot event. They felt balanced, and by the end, I’d felt like I’d gone on a journey with them.

            I was absolutely thrilled to be reading a YA fantasy novel so embedded in Chinese culture. Whenever Chinese food is mentioned in fantasy novels as the norm, I love it. I love seeing the foods I grew up reading in fantasy novels. I love seeing the characters with names like mine and appearances like mine. I love seeing a girl with hair like mine on the cover of the book, and I want other people to read it and love it as much as I do. This is easily one of my favorite books of the year, and I cannot wait to read the UNRAVEL THE DUSK next summer!