Customer Reviews

Unravelled

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Loved this author's first book so my sister and I bought copies of this new one Unravelled for a Mexico trip. Such a fun read. Neither of us are into knitting and weren't sure what we were getting into but the book was more about the people and the relationships - with some knitting humor in there too. We both laughed throughout and really didn't want it to end (the book or the vacation!).

Great premise, great promise all unfulfilled by the story. The shallow self-centeredness of the narrator never ceases to disappoint. "I'm not an alcoholic" she declaims and proceeds to get drunk relatively consistently. "I'm not a nymphomanic" and she jumps into bed with the ex-boyfriend, the new boyfriend, and so forth. It's not that she's hopeless, just no redeeming qualities.

I was looking for a light piece of chick lit but this is so predictable. Having read half the book, I'm not sure I have the stomach to continue with this time-waster. Although the blurb says it written by a woman with 2 kids and a husband, it reads more like a man trying to make a quick buck in chick lit. If you like Bridget Jones or ShopAholic or Devil Wears Prada or Nanny Diaries, this is definitely NOT for you.

Although her social life is at ground zero, freelance writer Beth Caruthers knows she did the right thing when she rid herself of her boyfriend, as he rejected any meaningful commitment beyond the bed. However, needing some outside activity and especially wanting to avoid her roommate's plight of having a pet as her best and only friend, Beth joins a knitting circle, a hobby she quickly enjoys.

Beth appreciates the company of her new knitting friends and even begins dating again. However, her new boyfriend's secrets end their relationship but also as a consequence leave Beth a pariah amidst her knitting friends. As she muses introspectively, Beth finds herself lacking and with renewed courage rejects a proposal and tries to atone for her transgressions with her friend.

Although the theme of a coming of age adult learning that relationships need more than a vacuous I do, fans will enjoy this brisk often humorous tale. When Beth's concept of the perfect life UNRAVELED, she could have hidden inside herself, but instead confronts what her actions cost her especially with her knitting circle friends. Her growth makes for an engaging contemporary drama.

Harriet Klausner

I am an inveterate reader. I am an inveterate knitter. Book about knitting? Sign me up! Except for one thing. This is terrible. In my experience, well-written characters create strong feelings. An evil villain, wonderfully written, inspires us to root for the hero(ine). Ebeneezer Scrooge is a good example. A genial hero(ine) can keep you turning the pages and make you feel as though you are spending time with a good friend. Father Tim Kavanaugh is a good example. Beth Carruthers, however, only created a feeling of annoyance. She is vapid, self-serving, contradictory, and not very interesting. While I have several beloved relatives who are married in May-December relationships, this one struck me as distasteful from the beginning. I can only recommend one thing about the book: knitting is worth your time and you can make wonderful friends through your yarn connections. I would encourage you to follow Beth and try it. And keep reading. But as for this, don't waste your time.

I love knitting & I enjoy well-written knitting fiction. This plot is so predictable; the language is crass & vulgar; and the main character is so lame. I picked this up from my local library so did not waste any money on it.