Review - The Dark Unwinding

by Sharon Cameron
publisher: Scholastic
date of publication: September 1, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 318
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance.

Sometimes, one finds oneself in a state of stasis when it comes to hobbies and interests.  When it comes to reading, very few of the books you pick up will capture your interest enough to perk up your curiosity and imagination.  I have been in such a state lately and have definitely needed some truly engaging and wonderful books to pick me up.  One of those books is the mysterious and dream-like The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron.  Upon meeting Katharine and learning of her purpose, I was intrigued and just had to know what would happen next.  A book that picks you up out of reading doldrums is a book that must be absorbed and appreciated.

Katharine Tulman is a prime example of the ways in which first looks can be deceiving.  At first, she gives the air of being a no-nonsense young girl born into privileged society.  However, you find out very quickly that though she is born of high society, she is a lonely, misused young woman who desperately wishes to carve a place in the world for herself.  It is her time spent at Stranwyne Keep and her actions there that fully sheds the light on who Katherine Tulman really is.  Her relationship with Tully, her eccentric, sweet, erratic, and genius uncle, is a lovely thing to see bloom.  Her contentions with Tully's assistant, Lane, add a different spark to the mix, which adds another layer to the story.  All in all, the character development in The Dark Unwinding is superb.  They take on a life of their own within the pages of Ms. Cameron's work.

The settings for The Dark Unwinding hold both steampunk and Gothic elements that give the story a wonderfully eerie feeling, all the while catching you up in the spirit of innovation.  Stranwyne Keep is the perfect backdrop for Katharine's examination of the working of her own mind, while Tully's workshop is a whimsical world where anything is possible.  As a reader, I wanted to take a stroll about the grounds of Stranwyne Keep and examine the amazing clockwork creations of Mr. Tully.  As a novice writer, I hope that I can inject that much life into my settings someday.  It was all very wonderfully enthralling.

I am very grateful to have had the chance to read The Dark Unwinding, for it came at a time that I was in need of a beautifully wrought book that I could escape into.  You can, indeed, escape into The Dark Unwinding, where you will wander alongside Katharine and experience the mystery and foreboding she experiences, as well as the discoveries and joys she finds.  If you love historical fiction with fantastic settings and well-developed characters, The Dark Unwinding should definitely be on the top of your list.

Buy The Dark Unwinding at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This book was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.