Kelly Braffet’s The Unwilling is a gripping fantasy that will leave you with more questions than answers

Kelly Braffet’s The Unwilling is a fantasy story readers won’t be able to put down — though it may not satisfy when it comes to tying up loose ends.

Fans of grimdark fantasy looking for a book they won’t be able to put down should consider picking up Kelly Braffet’s The Unwilling. Released earlier this month, The Unwilling offers readers the perfect combination of complex characters, political scheming, and magic — though if you’re looking for a story with a satisfying ending, you may not find it here.

The Unwilling centers on Judah, a young woman whose upbringing hasn’t been a particularly pleasant one. Raised inside Highfall Castle alongside the heirs to the throne, Judah has always been an outcast, even if her foster siblings have more or less become her unofficial family. In fact, the only reason she’s been allowed to remain by their side for so long is because of her strange connection to Lord Elban’s son, Gavin.

Inexplicably, Judah and Gavin have been linked since they were infants. Despite being born to two different mothers, they share physical sensations with one another. When Gavin bleeds, Judah bleeds. When Judah falls unconscious, so does Gavin. It’s a bond that’s saved Judah’s life ten times over, as no one is willing to risk Gavin’s.

That said, the bond hasn’t stopped Lord Elban and his followers from making Judah’s life miserable. Torture and abuse are all too common events for her, and Braffet doesn’t shy away from how violent and amoral Judah’s world is — so if those things are deal breakers, some readers may want to dive into this with caution.

Of course, the bond between Judah and Gavin also makes her valuable to certain parties — and everyone from the Seneschal to the city’s magus to Lord Elban himself is interested in using their connection as a means to their own ends.

Through Judah’s powers and the political scheming to take advantage of them, Braffet sets up a fascinating and suspenseful story, but unfortunately, whatever’s she’s building to falls flat. The author raises more questions than she answers by the book’s end, and The Unwilling‘s climax isn’t anything readers would expect. Although Braffet has an impressive way of twisting the plot and taking it to unpredictable places, one would hope she’d eventually explain what the characters are doing here.

Instead, the novel ends without much insight into what the Work is, without explaining why the Solemni want Judah to partake in an “Unbinding” ritual in the first place, and without rectifying anything to do with Judah and Gavin’s bond. It seems inevitable this book will get a sequel (because otherwise, the lack of answers would be truly disappointing), but even with a follow-up on the way, a well-rounded novel that’s more than 500 pages long should wrap up some of its major storylines.

The most impressive aspect of The Unwilling is its characters, none of whom are all that likable, but all of whom are painted as complex, selfish figures, giving the story a realistic feeling driven by understandable — if not relatable — motivations. Those who enjoy character-driven narratives paired with a cast of morally questionable figures will find themselves glued to this book — but they’ll also be demanding a sequel with actual answers when they’re finished with it.

The Unwilling is currently available to purchase online and in bookstores.