Unseelie
Ratings7
Average rating3
15
Ratings7
Average rating3
The start of a swoony, high-energy duology that Emily Lloyd-Jones, author of The Bone Houses, calls “reminiscent of classic fairytales yet brimming with a charm all its own.” “A world of glimmering fae that sparkles with mystery, adventure, and enchantment.” —Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Hell Followed with Us Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde…but as an autistic changeling left in the human world by the fae as an infant, she has always known she is different. Seelie’s unpredictable magic makes it hard for her to fit in—and draws her and Isolde into the hunt for a fabled treasure. In a heist gone wrong, the sisters make some unexpected allies and find themselves unraveling a mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike. Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister and herself? “Housman’s stunning debut is the sort of love letter only an autistic author could write. Fae canon has been waiting for this one.” —H.E. Edgmon, author of The Witch King
Featured Series
1 primary bookThe Unseelie Duology is a 1-book series first released in 2023 with contributions by Ivelisse Housman. The next book is scheduled for release on 7/15/2025.
Reviews with the most likes.
I finished it, I'd give it 4.5 stars! I like that it didn't have romance and that it was really fun and a good autistic rep. I'd say both Seelie and Isolde are autistic because after all didn't the author say they're both changelings? Unless both being different kinds of changelings makes them different kinds of neurodivergents, like Seelie is obviously autistic and Isolde is ADHD and part of her being fae is her physical durability! I dunno
A heroine who's Autistic? That caught my attention! I'm so glad it did.
Unseelie tells us the story of Iselia (Seelie) Graygrove and her identical twin sister, Isolde. Seelie is a changeling (at first I wasn't sure how a changeling could have an identical twin and both be living in the human world, but that's explained as the story unfolds). She and Isolde have fled their home and live by their wits and Isolde's skills as a thief. They look alike, but they are very different in abilities and personalities.
When they go after a legendary treasure at the home of a powerful family, they run afoul of not only the family, but also others looking to steal the same treasure. They flee, and along the way, find that the other thieves have interests in common with them, and they all fall in together. In the middle of pursuit and combat, Seelie is trying to master her unpredictable, unreliable, often dangerous magic that she has spent a lifetime squashing down.
Seelie is a fascinating character! The fact that she is autistic is part of who she is, and it plays a role in her interactions with people and things around her. But it isn't ALL she is. She's also a teenage girl who desperately wishes she could return home, who's afraid of the magic she carries but doesn't understand. She's a sister, a daughter, a friend.
The other characters weren't quite as well fleshed out as Seelie, but were still enjoyable. Raze has potential as a love interest, and the banter/sniping between him and Seelie was entertaining. I also really liked the tension in Olani, between her ability to be a ruthless combatant in a fight and then to gently heal people's injuries.
It was almost painful to see Seelie realizing that, even though she and Isolde are twins, they won't always share the same goals and ideas. I'm interested to read the second book in what is to be a duology to see how they handle that conflict. Seelie hasn't thought much beyond her desperate longing for home. Isolde, now that she's seen a world of adventure, wants more than just returning to what was.
And this is a young adult fantasy. The characters act like teenagers and young adults, not adults full-grown and mature. Sometimes they make stupid decisions. Sometimes their emotional upheaval is a little bit grating. But they learn from their choices, and they grow as characters. That's how this thing is supposed to work, right?
The characters are engaging, the storyline intriguing, and Housman's writing style is positively lyrical. All these elements combine to make this a solid four-star read for me, and to make Housman an author I'll read more from.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
