Crewel by Gennifer Albin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Crewel was one of the best books I’ve read this year without a doubt.
Adelice Lewys is sixteen… she’s the age that she starts to be tested to see if she has the ability to weave time with matter. Is she a spinster? She has spent her life hiding her abilities and trying to fail, but she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for and she has bigger abilities than even they can imagine.
From the very start of this book I was hooked, the world building is done wonderfully and it’s so creative and different. Although admittedly I kept seeing the word ‘Spinsters’ and thinking… old, single women? What? But that’s not what Ms. Albin means when she says spinster. A spinster in Arras is someone who can weave the very essence of time and matter together and control the lives of everyone around them.
The life of a Spinster is one of luxury, and privilege – having food to eat and never worrying about anything… but the price paid is also high. A Spinster must give up her life and dedicate herself to the Guild.
I have to tell you that I adored Adelice. She was feisty and smart and everything I love in a heroine. She has tried to hide her abilities for as long as she can remember, but one small mistake reveals herself to the Guild and in a blink her life changes in ways she could only imagine. I can honestly say that I would put her up in the top 10 of my favorite heroines she’s that awesome.
‘You have no more reason to trust me than they do.’
‘No, I don’t,’ he says, ‘but unlike them, I can have you killed.’
‘And I thought we were finally becoming friends.’
Cormac laughs a deep, barking cackle. ‘You are delightful. I do hope I don’t have to kill you.’
‘Finally, something we can agree on.’
I think some of my favorite parts of this book were Adelice’s scenes with Cormac. He’s so deliciously evil it was fun seeing the banter between them. Adelice isn’t completely afraid of him and that made me love her more. She knows her value to him and so she toes the line of what others would find acceptable, and Cormac kinda loves it I think.
I truly loved all of the characters in this book – there are too many that impact the story to get into, but each one was layered and interesting and so well written.
There does appear to be a love triangle going on here, both Jost and Eric vie for the attention of Adelice but it wasn’t incredibly irritating. It almost seems as though Adelice has made her choice at one point. Enter some swoony, romantic moments…
But before I can peel off the laugh mounting in my throat, Jost’s hand catches my face and brings it to him own. He traces my jaw lightly with his nose and his warm breath tickles along my neck, sending ripples of anticipation through every bit of me. I realise I’ve stopped breathing and I part my lips slightly to gasp for air. Jost respons by trailing his mouth up my neck, my jaw, and my chin until his lips are over mine.
But even with the swoon, the romance doesn’t overtake the actual story, which I’m so incredibly happy about.
There are so many twists and turns and that I can’t possibly even get into everything, but Albin has created an incredible world that I can’t wait to dive into again. Fans of dystopian books will definitely find this one irresistible. If you’re looking for a fast paced, unique, intense and fantastic read this book is definitely for you.
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