Monday, March 17, 2014

Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Publish date: 2012
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pages
"Incapable. Awkward. Artless. That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because tonight, they’ll come for her.
" (Goodreads)

I really thought I would love Crewel. It's been in my classroom library for a while, the subject seemed really interesting, and the cover is pretty. It all added up to what I thought would be a win for me, but I didn't end up loving it as much as I wanted to.

Gennifer Albin has created a really interesting world here with Crewel, but I spent a majority of the book confused about what was happening. The idea of weaving time with matter is really interesting, but I didn't think the concept was explained enough. I also wish there was more background with Adelice's family at the beginning of the book. Apparently I needed more explanation about everything!

That all said, I don't think Crewel was a bad book by any means, just not my thing. I have many students who absolutely loved it and we even considered it for a book club pick last year. I was intrigued by the very end though; will I like Altered more than Crewel? Feel free to advise in the comments!

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