Published February 15th 2014 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Six months ago, I was happy. I was simply Naomi Carradine.
One month ago, I was admitted into a psych ward.
Yesterday, Lachlan visited me. Kissed me. And told me that I’m starting to lose my mind.
Hours later, Max haunted my thoughts, reminding me I’m not crazy and that he needs my help.
A few minutes ago, I drifted further from reality, trying to unravel the past.
And now...everyone thinks I’m insane. But, I know he's real, and I know he needs me.
Do you believe me?
Arlene's Thoughts
This one will haunt me for a while.
“God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please – you can never have both.”
I kept reading this quote before I picked up Unravel, and I also came across it more than half way through the book. I thought I knew what it was telling me, but the impact of that one statement did not hit me full force until I finished Naomi’s story. No words sum up this novel better than those two sentences. Any review I come up with would not do this story justice, and I would probably end up spoiling the outcome, so I’ll keep this one brief and to the point.
Naomi Carradine is involuntarily committed to a mental institution after a sever breakdown that leaves her broken and afraid. As she walks the halls of Fairfax Mental Health Institute, she knows she doesn’t belong there, but the only way she can earn her freedom is by accepting the help of the doctors at the hospital. When Dr. Rutledge convinces Naomi to trust her and share her story to better diagnose her condition, she begins to unfold the pages of her life that led her to being committed.
“Tomorrow, I’ll accept that in order to unravel my story, I’ll be destroyed first. Like the frozen water drop, it’s inevitable that I break. Going, going… gone.”
Naomi Carradine is involuntarily committed to a mental institution after a sever breakdown that leaves her broken and afraid. As she walks the halls of Fairfax Mental Health Institute, she knows she doesn’t belong there, but the only way she can earn her freedom is by accepting the help of the doctors at the hospital. When Dr. Rutledge convinces Naomi to trust her and share her story to better diagnose her condition, she begins to unfold the pages of her life that led her to being committed.
“Tomorrow, I’ll accept that in order to unravel my story, I’ll be destroyed first. Like the frozen water drop, it’s inevitable that I break. Going, going… gone.”
She’s reluctant about giving Dr. Rutledge the details of her life, but as she reveals her story, we meet four characters, two realities, one truth.
"Fuck the truth. It was the heart that was my worst enemy. It was the one that was going to cut me. Bleed me. It would be the one to kill me."
"Fuck the truth. It was the heart that was my worst enemy. It was the one that was going to cut me. Bleed me. It would be the one to kill me."
Naomi’s story is heartbreaking and difficult to absorb. It's definitely not for the faint of heart. However, there were many times, I began to doubt the truth of her reality. I feel that's fair considering we're getting a version of reality from someone who is clearly trying to hang on to sanity in the only way she knows how.
“But reality would always catch up to me and I would be reminded that everything in my life was a mess, slowing unraveling before my eyes.”
“But reality would always catch up to me and I would be reminded that everything in my life was a mess, slowing unraveling before my eyes.”
When the full impact of what occurred is completely unfolded, I was absolutely floored and partly destroyed. I have only myself to blame, because there was a small clue I came across not too far into the story (view spoiler) that kept playing in my brain and begging to be considered. But for some reason, I wasn’t ready to journey down that path. To tell yourself "I told you so!" is rather hindsight and slightly comical in a not so funny way. However, I sum it up to not being ready to go there...
Overall, Naomi, Lachlan, Max and Lana converge in such a way that when I turned the final pages, I wanted to start from page one again to gain that alternate perspective. This story is amazing, it’s different, and it’s simply phenomenal. To read this and not be moved is simply impossible. Great storytelling that pushes the boundaries in more ways than one. Well done!
Overall, Naomi, Lachlan, Max and Lana converge in such a way that when I turned the final pages, I wanted to start from page one again to gain that alternate perspective. This story is amazing, it’s different, and it’s simply phenomenal. To read this and not be moved is simply impossible. Great storytelling that pushes the boundaries in more ways than one. Well done!
5 Suns
Before picking up this book, I had been going through a reading rut. Nothing was wowing me lately and I needed something really gripping – something that I wouldn’t want to put down. I saw some really good reviews on this book and decided it sounded different enough to maybe pull me out of the rut.
And I was not disappointed! This book was surprising in so many ways. There was suspense, romance, erotica, not to mention it was a serious mind f***. I was clinging to my Kindle because I couldn’t put it down. I was completely entranced by the story and this author’s writing.
Naomi is involuntarily committed to a mental hospital because she has had a huge breakdown. She doesn’t think she belongs there, but she has to be able to tell her story to the doctors in order to be diagnosed and released. Her new Dr. convinces Naomi that she can be trusted and Naomi finally gives in and starts telling her story.
Her story is heartbreaking and gut-wrenching at times. It will not be for everyone because it deals with a very horrible subject matter that the faint of heart may not be able to handle.
The story takes you back in time to when Naomi was a child and then to just 6 months before she was committed to the hospital. You get to meet Naomi’s best friend Lana, the guy she’s crushed on since she was a kid - Lachlan, and her latest love – Max, and how they are all connected. It is all building you up to a shocking reveal at the end.
I had my own doubts about Naomi and her story and there were times I thought I had her figured out – but in the end I was completely surprised by the outcome. This story blew me away with the spectacular writing and the author’s ability to get into my head. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
And I was not disappointed! This book was surprising in so many ways. There was suspense, romance, erotica, not to mention it was a serious mind f***. I was clinging to my Kindle because I couldn’t put it down. I was completely entranced by the story and this author’s writing.
Naomi is involuntarily committed to a mental hospital because she has had a huge breakdown. She doesn’t think she belongs there, but she has to be able to tell her story to the doctors in order to be diagnosed and released. Her new Dr. convinces Naomi that she can be trusted and Naomi finally gives in and starts telling her story.
Her story is heartbreaking and gut-wrenching at times. It will not be for everyone because it deals with a very horrible subject matter that the faint of heart may not be able to handle.
The story takes you back in time to when Naomi was a child and then to just 6 months before she was committed to the hospital. You get to meet Naomi’s best friend Lana, the guy she’s crushed on since she was a kid - Lachlan, and her latest love – Max, and how they are all connected. It is all building you up to a shocking reveal at the end.
I had my own doubts about Naomi and her story and there were times I thought I had her figured out – but in the end I was completely surprised by the outcome. This story blew me away with the spectacular writing and the author’s ability to get into my head. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
5 Suns
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