Thursday, December 27, 2012

Apocalypsies Love! Book Review: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris


Apocalypsies Love is all about me telling you what I loved about a 2012 debut book written by one of the amazing Apocalypsies. I also chat with the author to gain insight into their very favorite parts of their creation.

I hope you've enjoyed this feature over the past year - I've spotlighted nearly 50 Apoc books this way, and now we come to the very last one. Though I'm sure I'll read more Apoc books, it's time to retire this particular feature.

Today I am talking about UNRAVELING, a sci-fi YA about a girl who is brought back to life after a car accident and the boy who saved her who has a big secret. Oh, and there's a countdown to the world ending.



UNRAVELING starts out with a bang - Janelle's death and resurrection - and then carefully sets up all the pieces and players in the first half as well as some pretty massive stakes.  The second half is where it gets really exciting. The revelations come fast and furious as Janelle, her friends and the law enforcement agencies attempt to stop the end of the world.

The ending - whoa! Can't wait to read the next installment.  Definitely a must for fans of FRINGE.

And now let's chat with Elizabeth!

What is your favorite scene in the book?
My favorite scene in Unraveling is the end. It was actually the first scene that I wrote. I knew right from the beginning, where Janelle and Ben's story was going to end up. When I finished the first draft, and I got to the ending, I was rewriting some of it and I got really emotional. I feel like that's always a good sign.

What is your favorite line in the book?
One of my favorite lines in the book got edited out, because Janelle was awfully sarcastic in the first draft and my editor wisely helped me cut some lines to make her more sympathetic. (I've always had a thing for unlikable characters I guess). But my favorite line in the finished version is: "Life is a fragile thing. I guess the whole world is too."

What setting was most fun to write?
San Diego was such a great setting to write. When I was writing Unraveling, I had just moved to New York. Writing a story set in San Diego was how I dealt with missing it. I got to write about places that had been important to me.

Who is your favorite supporting character - one you could see getting a spin-off book - and why?
My favorite supporting character in Unraveling is definitely Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay. He doesn't necessarily get a spin off book, but he gets a bigger role in the sequel, Unbreakable. I like him because he's different. He's a little older than Janelle and has had so many different experiences than what she's had, and yet they still have certain things in common. I think he's a character that has a lot of great backstory that makes him unique.

What has been your favorite part of your publishing journey so far?
I do have to say that one of my favorite things about having my book published is seeing what lines other people really like. My best memory was the first time I read a quote from Unraveling on tumblr. I had a moment where I started reading the quote and thought, "That sounds so familiar..." and then I realized. It was because I'd written those words, and they meant something to someone else. There's just nothing better than that.

Thanks Elizabeth!

UNRAVELING is available now.

FTC disclosure: ARC from the publisher

1 comment:

Shelley said...

That "tumblr" moment does sound once-in-a-lifetime.