Unbroken
Paula Morris - Unbroken: A Ruined Novel
Amber recommends:
A year has passed since the events in Lafayette Cemetery, where the Bowman Curse finally came to an end. Rebecca is back in NY and is cautiously happy when her father floats the idea of going back to New Orleans for spring break, while he works. This time will be different, with her best friend Ling coming with her, Rebecca is excited/trepidatious about returning to her other home again. A definite upside will be seeing Anton Grey….
However while texting the news to Anton, she runs into a boy with striking blue eyes, who saw her walking thru New Orleans the year before with Lisette…the ghost at the heart of the Bowman Curse. And he is asking for her help, to find a missing locket, otherwise he is staring down eternity as a ghost.
If things weren’t complicated enough Toby (one of the families caught up in the curse), who blames Rebecca for what happened the previous year, is back in New Orleans and is looking for revenge. Since Lissette isn’t there to exact vengeance on (and since she was a ghost a bit difficult), Rebecca will just have to do.
This was an interesting follow up to Ruined, a book I read and loved last year. I enjoyed catching up with Rebecca, and enjoyed how the author was able to slide a new ghost into her life.
It is strong follow up to Ruined. The only critique I have is - this installment had much stronger social commentary in it (how gentrification is a double edged sword, or volunteer opportunities and strategies available to people to help their cities), which was not as subtly or as deftly woven into the plot, and I think that detracted from the ultimate focus of the book, the ghost haunting New Orleans and Rebecca.
Having said this, I did enjoy reading the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys atmospheric and slightly gothic ghost stories. I enjoyed the characters and returning to New Orleans with Rebecca. And I cannot say enough great things about Paula’s treatment of ghosts and the conclusion of the story is absolutely fantastic.
You do need to read Ruined first, otherwise the events in Unbroken will seem a bit disjointed and hard to follow. I would recommend this for a female reader (sorry guys, it is told from Rebecca’s point of view exclusively), 10+.
