Helpful Score: 1
I have to admit, I did not take to this book. Excellent writing clashes with unsympathetic characters and a snail-like plot to make ALL UNQUIET THINGS a difficult read for me.
There is no question that Jarzab's writing is great. Like Curtis Sittenfeld, Jarzab meticulously analyzes nearly every facet of Neily, Audrey, and Carly, making them feel as if they could be your flawed classmates. However, also like Sittenfeld's characters in Prep, Neily, Audrey, and Carly simply aren't very likable, sympathetic, or appealing. We know their history and their thought processes as if they were our therapy patientsâan overly intimate and annoying form of relationship that I, as a reader, found disturbing and unenjoyable.
I don't really mind psychoanalysisâat least not when the person has some ultimately redeemable qualities. However, the three main characters in ALL UNQUIET THINGS are just so unlikable. Neily spends most of his time sulking and remembering the past, his relationship with Carly, while Audrey bullies Neily into helping her uncover the mystery behind the identity of Carly's murderer.
I also found an unsettling disjuncture between how Audrey and Neily are in the present time, and who they were in their flashbacks. I think this is a result of all the telling-not-showing that went on in the narration. I don't want Neily to tell us that he hates Carly's new friends, then be shown a passing moment in which they snap off, like, two biting remarks to one another; I'd rather see the tension between the characters, the strain of the past versus the present, of what they think of one another versus who they truly are. As a result, I couldn't connect to the main characters as real people, so much like untouchable character sketches they were.
I mentioned earlier that Anna Jarzab is a great writer, and I'm not contradicting myself by saying so: if you enjoy ultra-complete character analyses, you'll find this a great book, a wonderful achievement by a debut author. However, I felt that her writing skills were unfortunately used in the wrong wayâtoo much in the telling and flashbacks, and not enough in the playing out of a genuinely interesting story arcâwhich led to my lack of connection with the book.
There is no question that Jarzab's writing is great. Like Curtis Sittenfeld, Jarzab meticulously analyzes nearly every facet of Neily, Audrey, and Carly, making them feel as if they could be your flawed classmates. However, also like Sittenfeld's characters in Prep, Neily, Audrey, and Carly simply aren't very likable, sympathetic, or appealing. We know their history and their thought processes as if they were our therapy patientsâan overly intimate and annoying form of relationship that I, as a reader, found disturbing and unenjoyable.
I don't really mind psychoanalysisâat least not when the person has some ultimately redeemable qualities. However, the three main characters in ALL UNQUIET THINGS are just so unlikable. Neily spends most of his time sulking and remembering the past, his relationship with Carly, while Audrey bullies Neily into helping her uncover the mystery behind the identity of Carly's murderer.
I also found an unsettling disjuncture between how Audrey and Neily are in the present time, and who they were in their flashbacks. I think this is a result of all the telling-not-showing that went on in the narration. I don't want Neily to tell us that he hates Carly's new friends, then be shown a passing moment in which they snap off, like, two biting remarks to one another; I'd rather see the tension between the characters, the strain of the past versus the present, of what they think of one another versus who they truly are. As a result, I couldn't connect to the main characters as real people, so much like untouchable character sketches they were.
I mentioned earlier that Anna Jarzab is a great writer, and I'm not contradicting myself by saying so: if you enjoy ultra-complete character analyses, you'll find this a great book, a wonderful achievement by a debut author. However, I felt that her writing skills were unfortunately used in the wrong wayâtoo much in the telling and flashbacks, and not enough in the playing out of a genuinely interesting story arcâwhich led to my lack of connection with the book.
My Thoughts: We meet Neily who used to be Carly's boyfriend before she dumped him for someone else. He isn't like everyone else, he's kind of a loner and is just "there." We meet Audrey who was Carly's cousin and her dad is the one who was convicted of Carly's murder. We are introduced to Carly in memories of Neily's and Audrey's. We meet all the side characters such as the classmates and Carly's recent boyfriend. Honestly, I didn't like this one as much as I wanted too. I had high expectations. Yes, it was good, but it just wasn't what I expected. There also was not much romance in it. It is clearly a murder mystery as you can tell from the description. Its worth a read and is long and I just felt like I couldn't connect to the characters as much as I would have liked. The ending was the best part, where we found out the person who actually killed Carly. I didn't really see that coming. It was still a good book, just not up to my 5 cupcake rating. It it still worth a read, especially if your more into mystery books than anything else.
Overall: I liked it. I liked Neily a lot more than Carly and Audrey or the side characters.
Cover: Like the cover. It fits the book.
Overall: I liked it. I liked Neily a lot more than Carly and Audrey or the side characters.
Cover: Like the cover. It fits the book.
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Carly Ribelli was the first person Neiland " Neily" Monroe met at Brighton Day School and was his first love. But now Carly is dead. Carly's uncle, Enzo Ribelli, was convicted of her murder and is currently serving his sentence. Neily is still struggling with her death and thinking he could've helped her. Carly called him the night she died, but Neily ignored her calls at first. By the time he called her back, it was already too late.
It's the start of senior year, a year after Carly's murder, and Enzo's daughter, Audrey, has returned to Brighton Day. Audrey and Carly were as close as sisters. After Carly's murder, Audrey was tutored to avoid the media and gossip at school. Neily blames Audrey for Carly's involvement with the wild crowd. After all, it was Audrey who introduced Carly to Adam Murray. Carly dumped Neily for Adam.
But now Audrey approaches Neily. She asks him to help her figure out Carly's murder. She's positive her father is not responsible, and deep down, Neily has always believed Enzo was innocent, as well. The two form a tentative bond and begin to delve into the darker side of Brighton Day. The pair become convinced that Carly discovered secrets that someone at the school did not want revealed.
ALL UNQUIET THINGS is an intricately woven murder mystery. Ms. Jarzab slowly builds the plot by interspersing the past with the present. The author gives the back-story where necessary, without giving too much away at one time. Though Neily and Audrey insist that they're not friends whenever asked, as the story evolves, the reader notices the small nuances that indicate that, indeed, they have become what they insist they are not.
As I was reading ALL UNQUIET THINGS, I kept comparing the style to that of John Green. Carly had faint hints of the free-spiritedness of Alaska. And the search for answers brought to mind Quentin's quest to find Margo. If you like the style of John Green, then Ms. Jarzab is an author not to be missed. I know I'm already looking forward to whatever she releases next.
Carly Ribelli was the first person Neiland " Neily" Monroe met at Brighton Day School and was his first love. But now Carly is dead. Carly's uncle, Enzo Ribelli, was convicted of her murder and is currently serving his sentence. Neily is still struggling with her death and thinking he could've helped her. Carly called him the night she died, but Neily ignored her calls at first. By the time he called her back, it was already too late.
It's the start of senior year, a year after Carly's murder, and Enzo's daughter, Audrey, has returned to Brighton Day. Audrey and Carly were as close as sisters. After Carly's murder, Audrey was tutored to avoid the media and gossip at school. Neily blames Audrey for Carly's involvement with the wild crowd. After all, it was Audrey who introduced Carly to Adam Murray. Carly dumped Neily for Adam.
But now Audrey approaches Neily. She asks him to help her figure out Carly's murder. She's positive her father is not responsible, and deep down, Neily has always believed Enzo was innocent, as well. The two form a tentative bond and begin to delve into the darker side of Brighton Day. The pair become convinced that Carly discovered secrets that someone at the school did not want revealed.
ALL UNQUIET THINGS is an intricately woven murder mystery. Ms. Jarzab slowly builds the plot by interspersing the past with the present. The author gives the back-story where necessary, without giving too much away at one time. Though Neily and Audrey insist that they're not friends whenever asked, as the story evolves, the reader notices the small nuances that indicate that, indeed, they have become what they insist they are not.
As I was reading ALL UNQUIET THINGS, I kept comparing the style to that of John Green. Carly had faint hints of the free-spiritedness of Alaska. And the search for answers brought to mind Quentin's quest to find Margo. If you like the style of John Green, then Ms. Jarzab is an author not to be missed. I know I'm already looking forward to whatever she releases next.
Carly was a sweet girl with a wonderful personality. She was pretty and popular; vivacious and funny. She was as smart as a whip and knew everything about the privileged student body of the Brighton Day School. As much as he still loves her, it's disturbing for Neily to see how much his girlfriend has changed: she has begun running with a much faster crowd, and become extremely self-destructive.
When she suddenly dumps him for a notorious bad boy, Neily is devastated. Bewildered and angered by Carly's strange behavior, he steadfastly doesn't answer the phone whenever she calls. However, what initially seems like a typical teenage reaction to a difficult breakup, becomes tinged with sadness and regret after Carly is murdered. Neily is ultimately wracked with grief and guilt for his own stubbornness.
If he had answered the call she had made before she died, he may have been able to help her. Now, he can't get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind. Desperately hoping to assuage some of the guilt he feels about her death, Neily reluctantly teams up with Carly's cousin Audrey to find her killer. After all, it is the last thing they can do to honor her memory.
Audrey is dealing with her own regrets over her cousin's death. She was the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton's fast crowd in the first place, and she will have to live with the consequences of that decision on her conscience for the rest of her life. Because Audrey is convinced of two things about Carly's death: someone at Brighton is obviously a murderer, and the police have put the wrong person in jail. So, she turns to Neily for help in finding Carly's killer.
As Neily and Audrey begin to investigate their shared history with Carly, her dealings with Brighton's seedier elements come to light. For the amateur sleuths, these are shocking revelations that lead them to wonder if Carly actually knew something that could have gotten her killed. However, figuring out how Carly and her killer fit together into the twisted drama of Brighton's secretive world will force the reluctant allies to face some harsh truths about themselves and the girl they couldn't save.
To be perfectly honest, I found some of the pettiness between the characters to be slightly annoying. Having said that, I still enjoyed reading the book. I would give this book a definite A!
When she suddenly dumps him for a notorious bad boy, Neily is devastated. Bewildered and angered by Carly's strange behavior, he steadfastly doesn't answer the phone whenever she calls. However, what initially seems like a typical teenage reaction to a difficult breakup, becomes tinged with sadness and regret after Carly is murdered. Neily is ultimately wracked with grief and guilt for his own stubbornness.
If he had answered the call she had made before she died, he may have been able to help her. Now, he can't get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind. Desperately hoping to assuage some of the guilt he feels about her death, Neily reluctantly teams up with Carly's cousin Audrey to find her killer. After all, it is the last thing they can do to honor her memory.
Audrey is dealing with her own regrets over her cousin's death. She was the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton's fast crowd in the first place, and she will have to live with the consequences of that decision on her conscience for the rest of her life. Because Audrey is convinced of two things about Carly's death: someone at Brighton is obviously a murderer, and the police have put the wrong person in jail. So, she turns to Neily for help in finding Carly's killer.
As Neily and Audrey begin to investigate their shared history with Carly, her dealings with Brighton's seedier elements come to light. For the amateur sleuths, these are shocking revelations that lead them to wonder if Carly actually knew something that could have gotten her killed. However, figuring out how Carly and her killer fit together into the twisted drama of Brighton's secretive world will force the reluctant allies to face some harsh truths about themselves and the girl they couldn't save.
To be perfectly honest, I found some of the pettiness between the characters to be slightly annoying. Having said that, I still enjoyed reading the book. I would give this book a definite A!
