Unfolding
by Jonathan Friesen
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Blink (January 31, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031074833X
ISBN-13: 978-0310748335
Jonah
wishes he could get the girl, but he’s an outcast and she’s the most perfect
girl he knows.
And
their futures seemed destined to fork apart: Jonah’s physical condition is
debilitating, and epileptic seizures fill his life with frustration. Whereas
Stormi is seemingly carefree, and navigates life by sensing things before they
happen. And her most recent premonition is urging her to leave town.
When
Stormi begs Jonah for help, he finds himself swept into a dark mystery his
small town has been keeping for years. And the answers Stormi needs about her
own past could possibly destroy everything Jonah has ever known—including his
growing relationship with Stormi herself.
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The
first thing that really grabbed my attention with Unfolding was the cover.
Those green eyes just reach into your soul and beg you to read this
story. The second thing that garnered my
attention was the brief blurb on the cover - "What she foresees could tear
them apart". Kind of spooky in my
opinion and I had a feeling that this book and me would soon develop a great
relationship. Well, did Unfolding meet
my expectations? Yes and no.
The
story hooked me right from the beginning, but the pacing was slow to me and at
times felt drawn out. I liked most of
the characters, especially Jonah, Stormi and Arthur. The reader will instantly develop feelings
for Jonah as he suffers from scoliosis and epileptic seizures. He is madly in love with Stormi who literally
dropped from the sky early on in her life.
She has this knack for knowing when something bad is coming and that
scares the residents of the small Oklahoma town. And then we have Arthur. Bless his heart. He is super smart, but too honest for his own
good. When Stormi saves a bus load of
teenagers from certain death is when secrets
start to unravel and the truth is known and with this, the plot thickens and
makes Unfolding an interesting and
unique read.
Unfolding by Jonathan Friesen is one of those
books that spans different genres - the reader gets a little bit of mystery, some
paranormal aspects with a small amount of religious undertones mixed in. This book is marketed toward the younger
crowd and I would have to say that this is the perfect fit for this book. The writing is simplistic in nature and the
pacing was just right for younger adult readers. This is a clean read with just enough
intrigue that kept my interest throughout even though the plot was slower than
I would have liked. Mr. Friesen is a
great storyteller and his talent shines in this well-written book. I would definitely recommend this book to
young adults who love good, clean fiction.
3
stars
PRAISE
for UNFOLDING
Jonah wishes he could get the girl, but
he's an outcast and she's the most perfect girl he knows. And their futures
seemed destined to fork apart: Jonah's physical condition is debilitating, and
epileptic seizures fill his life with frustration. Whereas Stormi is seemingly
carefree, and navigates life by sensing things before they happen. And her most
recent premonition is urging her to leave town. When Stormi begs Jonah for
help, he finds himself swept into a dark mystery his small town has been
keeping for years. And the answers Stormi needs about her own past could
possibly destroy everything Jonah has ever known -- including his growing
relationship with Stormi herself. 'Unfolding' by author Jonathan Friesen is a
consistently compelling novel from beginning to end and will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to highschool and community library YA Fiction
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that 'Unfolding' is
also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99). -- Midwest Book Review
An awkward 18-year-old and his enigmatic
crush discover that their town hides a terrible secret. Gullary, Oklahoma, a
former mining town that is now dominated by a maximum security prison and ruled
by a group of vigilantes called the Circle, has always been prone to violent
storms. White narrator Jonah, afflicted with scoliosis and epilepsy (aka
"Old Rickety"), is more preoccupied with Stormi, a "free and
wild" spirit with a healing touch and psychic powers, than storms.
Wandering in and out of occasionally florid flashbacks peppered with fake
Latin, self-deprecating humor, and self-pity, Jonah recounts the awkward
evolution of his friendship with Stormi and his misadventures with Old Rickety
and his twisted spine. When Stormi predicts a tragic accident and comes under
the Circle's suspicion, she and Jonah flee Gullary, learning its dark secret
along the way. Someoneor somethingwants justice, and they're its instruments.
Several plot points pass in a whirlwind of explanations, losing some emotional
impact. Tired tropes, such as epilepsy as a harbinger of evil spirits, abound.
However, when the dust settles, some strong character development remains. The
biblical, ominous atmosphere of Gullary provides a vivid backdrop for Jonah's
and Stormi's feelings of longing and alienation, which are further explored
through occasionally poignant banter and conflicted family relationships. The
almost-romance is engaging. A flawed but darkly atmospheric read. (Fiction.
13-18) -- Kirkus Reviews
Jonathan
Friesen is an author, speaker, and youth writing coach from Mora, Minnesota.
His first young adult novel, Jerk, California, received the ALA Schneider Award.
When he’s not writing, speaking at schools, or teaching, Jonathan loves to
travel and hang out with his wife and three kids.
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