Thank you to Netgalley, HQ and Polly Crosby for this ARC in return for my honest review. A breathtakingly beautiful book. I read it all over a rainy weekend. The atmosphere of the island is chillingly surreal and yet there is such warmth to be found amidst the book's pages. I genuinely loved this book and have already purchased Polly's debut The Illustrated Child. This book deserves to be a huge success.

Marianne is crotchety solitary figure, who is bound to her home in both physical and an emotional way. The memories, experiences and relationships that lack the right kind of closure, which will allow her some peace, are destined to remain grains of under her skin. Irritations that can be dismissed, but never quite forgotten.

She has hired yet another young girl as an assistant to aid her in the accumulation of a variation of species, mainly butterflies, in order to examine and prove a theory she is working on. Tarteline finds herself a little shell-shocked by her new residence and employer. Apparently living without the common comforts of a 21st century home and a wee bit like society over a century ago, is quite the norm on this peculiar and yet beautiful island.

A story told over the span of Marianne’s lifetime, we encounter her as the curious child eager to be the apple of her father’s eye, the young woman coping with mistakes borne out of hurt pride, and the older woman filled with dreams and regrets. Can young Tarteline, who is still grieving her own loss, begin to understand her remarkable and demanding employer.

I absolutely adored this book. Crosby is an amazing writer with an innate ability to create literary and storytelling magic, as she navigates emotions, nature, memories, trauma and the fragility of human relationships. I can only hope this book is recognised as the gem it is going forward. It will definitely be going on my best reads of ’22 list. I can’t wait to read whatever she comes up with next.

The synopsis intrigued me as soon as I read it, and I’m pleased to say that this book kept me guessing all the way through, full of mysteries and secrets, slowly being revealed one at a time.

Tartelin and Marianne share their stories with the reader, as they start to share a house. Tartelin is looking for a new start after recently losing her adoptive mother and Marianne has returned to the home she lived in before the Army asked everyone to leave. As Tartelin starts to work for Marianne, capturing butterflies (I must admit I found this bit difficult to read), she starts to reflect on her own past and to try to find out more about Marianne’s past. Can they help each other find answers and peace?

This is a beautifully written, dark, heartbreaking read I’m happy to recommend. I haven’t read Polly’s debut novel yet (The Illustrated Child is sat waiting to be read on my kindle) and I definitely need to move it up my reading list.

Plot

Tartelin has been employed by Marianne Stourbridge to hunt for butterflies, but she quickly uncovers something far more intriguing. The island and Marianne share a remarkable past, and what happened all those years ago has left its scars.

The island has a strange effect on Tartelin, too, finally allowing her to confront her own, painful, memories. As she does, Marianne’s story begins to unravel around her, revealing an extraordinary tale of two girls, an obsession with pearls, and a truth beyond imagination.

Review

This book grew on me.

As a long time lover of all thing water related, the setting was what screamed out to me and it didn’t disappoint. With a hint of gothic and fantasy, the island definitely draws you in.

I took a while to warm to Marianne and her ways but when you eventually realise why she is like she is, you just get it. Tartelin is interesting and complex by again when the island starts working it’s magic, you find yourself on her journey with her.

There are some strong triggering themes in this book, the main thread being grief, by there also disfigurement, mental health issues very briefly mentioned and others that you may not be comfortable with so I think it’s important to mention them.

It’s a slow burn book with a wonderfully twisty, heartfelt ending.


Rating

4/5


Recommend

I would but look out for the themes that may trigger.

Thank you to HQ for the advance copy as part of a blog tour.

What an atmospheric book this is. Set on a fictional island, Dohhalund, the narrative is so vivid, I could have been there myself. The island itself has a past and has a subtle dreamlike or otherworldly quality about it. There are some gorgeous descriptions of the weird and wonderful creatures that call Dohhalund home. But even after everything that has happened there, it feels restorative; like nature will survive no matter what.

Tartelin, our protagonist, moves to the island after accepting the job of hunting butterflies for reclusive Marianne Stourbridge. Marianne is full of secrets, which inquisitive Tartelin slowly unravels piece by piece. I loved Tartelin as a character and her character development. From chrysalis to butterfly!

I enjoyed the mystery and the intrigue, and how something was just slightly ‘off’ the whole time, it felt quite unsettling.

The Unravelling is an eerie, deeply emotional, and ultimately uplifting tale. I really really enjoyed it.

The Unravelling by Polly Crosby is a beautifully written novel of the story of two women suffering from grief generations apart. Marianne has returned to Dohhalund, a small island isolated for over 60 years, her childhood home, she has unfinished business. To help her she employs Tartelin a young women who has just lost her mother and feeling lost in the world.

As Marianne is confined to a wheelchair she teaches Tartelin the art of lepidoptery, catching and setting butterflies, to hunt the insects around the island. Tartelin sets off to explore the island, her grief and the mysterious history of the island.

I really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were well described and I felt for them both. There are lots of difficult themes very thoughtfully dealt with. The island feels magical with fantastic wildlife and a glorious history setting a beautiful backdrop to an interesting plot.

I would recommend this beautiful read to all 5*. Thanks to HQ and netgalley for the ARC.

“The Unravelling” is such a unique book. While part of the story is told in the modern day, it feels so mystical and the characters and location take on a fantastical sense.

The story centres around Tartelin Brown who, following the death of her mother, takes a job on a small island with a mysterious history. She becomes assistant to Marianne Stourbridge whose life is intertwined with the history of the island and who has her own secrets and pains to reveal.

If I were to say much more, it would give away too much of the story - I felt genuine shock at some of the revelations. But the real joy of this book is the way the stories of the characters are told and how they are revealed. I have seen other reviews that use the terms “haunting,” “captivating” and “atmospheric” - I couldn’t agree more. While at the beginning I didn’t think the book would have much of an impact on me, much like the island, it has seeped into me and I’ll be thinking about it for some time to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to @hqstories via @netgalley for my ebook of The Unravelling by Polly Crosby. This was an intriguing read 😊

Synopsis: Tartelin, a young lady who is griefing the death of her mother, accepts employment on the island of Dohhalund, a fictional island off the coast of Norfolk. She works for the elderly Marianne who used to live on the island in the 1920s but was sent away in 1955, deciding now to return. The pinning of butterflies and the silk and pearl industry help to make the island a lucrative place for industry in the 1920s but Marianne is now finding out how the island has been effected by something unacknowledged in 1955. Can Tartelin discover the secret of the island and the apparently cold Marianne?

Review: I enjoyed this atmospheric novel set on a mysterious island with limited inhabitants. As secrets unravel, we read the POVs of both Tartelin and the younger Marianne which I really enjoyed. You can see the lure of island life for both the characters and the beauty of the butterflies, trapped, killed and pinned was disturbingly eerie. Unfortunately I don't think the characters of Tartelin or Marianne were interesting enough to stay fully invested in the plot but it was a good solid four star read from me. See the trigger warning below if needed, it is a *spoiler alert*...
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TW: traumatic birth and infant illness

When Tartelin Brown accepts a job as an assistant to the eccentric and reclusive Marianne Stourbridge on the strange island of Dohhalund off the Suffolk coast, she has no concept of how this will change the direction of her life. Neither the island, nor her new employer, are quite what she expected, and she is unsure if she is up to the task of catching butterflies for the lepidopterist Miss Stourbridge to study - a task she can no longer perform herself now she spends her days confined to a wheelchair in the dusty rooms on the first floor of her crumbling, cliff-top Gothic home, Dogger Bank House.

As Tartelin immerses herself in the mysterious island that is now her home, she comes to realise that this is no ordinary place. There is something strange about Dohhalund, the wildlife that inhabits its landscape, and the enigmatic study that Marianne Stourbridge is undertaking. This is a place with many secrets, closely tied to the history of Marianne and her family - a history that Marianne is reluctant to share.

For Tartelin to get to the truth about Dohhalund, she must help Marianne to come to terms with her past... but first, she must look deep within herself and confront the grief that lies within her own heart...

"The sea is made up of unspeakable sadness..."

Crosby has an uncanny ability to merge reality and the other-worldly, immersing you in a story-scape that blends the lines between magical realism and the harsh truths of the human experience - almost lulling you into a false sense of security before you realise exactly what she is trying to tell you though her lyrical prose. 

This time around rather than exploring the apparently idyllic, fairy-tale world of a princess in a castle as in The Illustrated Child, she delves into the mythical realms of the deep to achieve her end - blurring the lines between the substantial and insubstantial in a whole new way. For it is to the eerie island of Dohhalund, off the Suffolk coast, that we must travel in The Unravelling. This is a place that sits uneasily between the land and the sea, not quite part of one or the other, but incorporating essential elements of both, and this makes it the perfect setting for a haunting tale, rich in underlying maritime folklore - here there be monsters, but it will take some time to discover who, or what, they are... or if they are really monsters at all.

Told in what is essentially two-and-a-half timelines, Crosby gradually unfolds the present and the past of Dohhalund through Marianne's painful family history in 1928; 2018 when Tartelin arrives on the island to work with her; and the pivotal events of 1955 that marked the fate of Marianne and this mysterious place. These timelines weave together beautifully, taking you on a emotional journey that incorporates so many themes around the power of nature; the beauty and cruelty of the natural and man-made worlds; and how tragedy can precipitate change through transformation... oh, and secrets... many secrets...

As Tartelin comes to understand what Marianne is searching for, the relationship blossoms between them beautifully, and they both find a way to deal with the legacy of their secret sorrows and move forward - Tartelin becoming able to open up her heart to love, and Marianne becoming able to forgive.

You will have to discover those secrets for yourself, and I promise that you really, really want to... but I can tell you that this is ultimately a tale about survival, and I love how Crosby works this theme through the story - whether that be in terms of the human and non-human characters, or Dohhalund itself. There is so much to delve into here in terms of fascinating social history around the fishing, pearl harvesting and silk industries of the early twentieth century; of complex family dynamics and the way they cut to the bone of heart-rending human frailty; of how the folly of man leads to tragedy; and of evolution through metamorphosis on a number of levels, which makes this story uniquely compelling - not to mention the way Crosby weaves in the whisper of folklore connected to the sea in the most captivating way imaginable throughout. You feel the insistent pull of the sea in so many facets of this story, which I adored, and the way she uses the motifs of butterflies, birds and spiders to enhance the tale is delicious.

This is a novel that gives you an emotional pummelling, as I knew it would at the hands of Crosby, but it also asks some intriguing questions that prickle the intellectual senses in a very thought provoking way, leaving you with a lot to think about in the way she examines evolution and the significance of mutation. Intriguing indeed.

This is a truly beautiful book that will fill you up and make you ponder. This time Crosby broke me into little pieces, but also remade me in the process, which seems very fitting for a book about transformation, and I loved each and every second I spent on the mysterious isle of Dohhalund. I can already tell that this will be one of my books of 2022.

I loved The Unravelling, Polly's beautiful storytelling had me hooked after chapter one..
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧.
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The main character, Tartelin, is hired by Marianne Stourbridge to catch butterflies on her island of Dohhalund. It certainly seems like a timely appointment for Tartelin, who has recently lost her mother, and is struggling with her own grief.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫. 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞-𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐭. 𝐀 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.
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Marianne is a fab character. Her story of her past are slowly revealed to Tartelin, and the reader, as Tartelin processes her own grief during her time on the Island.
Marianne's timeline moves back and forth, between her past as a young girl and grown woman, to her present as a slightly annoying old woman, who is searching for something that Tartelin has to coax out of her.

What unfolds in her life though is more than anyone could deal with.
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𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 ... 𝐈’𝐦 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐬, 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝐌𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 . 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧.

The island so rich and beautifully described - I was there...

It's interesting that Crosby wrote this story during the covid-19 pandemic, as the story is mostly confined to the island of Dohhalund and Marianne's home (Dogger Bank House).
It does feel like a very insular story in some ways, confined as it is to the narrow scope of the island, but surrounded on all sides by the great vastness of the sea.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐈 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐮𝐬.
𝐀𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐝-𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐚𝐭, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲-𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡.
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Exploring themes of, change, time and grief, The Unravelling is a beautiful story, wonderfully told and imagined by Crosby.
I loved this book and will be purchasing a copy to keep!

The Unravelling is a dual timeline that follows the story of Marianne Stourbridge, a reclusive lepidopterist living on the island of Dohhalund, and Tartelin Brown, a young woman looking to escape her grief who applies for a job as Marianne’s assistant. Tasked with hunting butterflies, Tartelin begins to realise that there is more to discover on the island, beginning with the mysterious past of her employer. For Marianne had secrets of her own that unravel as the story unfolds.

The unique storyline grabbed me almost instantly. I don’t think I have ever read a book involving a lepidopterist and was immediately intrigued as to how the story would play out. Also the remote setting, the promise of intrigue and air of mystery were all major factors of interest when looking to read this book.

I really loved how Crosby managed to articulate island life and her descriptions of the coastal landscape. As someone who grew up on the coast I can fully appreciate the author’s beautiful descriptive writing and fully related to the freedom and clarity that the landscape gives to Tartelin whilst she is dealing with her grief. This book deals with the themes of grief very well in different ways, showing the different human reactions and how everyone deals with grief in their own ways.

It also has a fairly sinister undertone and you can sense the mystery and intrigue that is laced within the book. At times the book leaves you with feelings of horror and shock at the events that have unfolded. However there were also moments of simple joy and happiness.

There were a few key points within the overall storyline that I felt were not fully realised and needed further explanation and elaboration. I still had questions that needed answering. However I feel that this was perhaps a personal preference and in no way ruined the book for me. If anything it is a testament to the story that I wanted to know more.

I would definitely recommend this book for nature lovers and those who enjoy historical fiction.

Following the recent death of her mother, Tartelin applies for a position as assistant to Marianne Stourbridge on the remote island of Dohhalund in the North Sea. Marianne is intimidating, esconced in her crumbling mansion on the edge of a crumbling cliff, with her collection of dead butterflies. Part of Tartelin's job is to catch and kill butterflies for Marianne. But the island is dangerous, Marianne warns her. Feral dogs roam, there's an abandoned military base, the cliffs are eroding, there's no electricity.

Unexpectedly, Tartelin finds other people living in the island - the young man Jacob and his dog, and an old woman who perhaps was once a 'mermaid' - a herring girl - when the island was a bustling business managed by Marianne's father.

But there are things not quite right on the island. A white swallow, a white peacock, a long-dead silk moth, a black-headed creature dipping in and out of the waves that might be a seal or might not.

I loved this atmospheric and absorbing book, which is part mystery, part character study. The characters leap off the page and the island is beautifully described. There's a subtle sense of underlying menace that kept me gripped even though, on the surface, the plot unfolds relatively slowly. And perhaps that's the theme, what lies beneath the surface, the swirling currents we cannot see, or choose not to.

I have a copy of Polly Crosby's first novel, The Illustrated Child, in my 'to be read' pile and after reading The Unravelling, will be moving it much closer to the top.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

After reading 'The Illustrated Child' by Crosby at the start of this year, and enjoying it, I was excited to read and listen to this one. The Illustrated Child was unique to say the least, so I knew what I may be getting into here.
Firstly, the cover is stunning. Secondly, the writing is beautiful. But the actual plot was a really slow burn, and too much in my opinion.
I have a short attention span (hence why I read a few books at a time in different formats and genres) and this one started great- I was so intrigued by the protagonist's background and the reason to take up her new job, as well as her employer's behaviour. But then I lost my way a little and struggled to regain it.
The research on butterflies was excellent, and Crosby has a huge talent for making the reader fall in love with the surroundings, but I really needed more substance to the plot.
The narrator did a solid job, and a lot of my enjoyment was enhanced by her effort.

My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Unravelling’ by Polly Crosby in exchange for an honest review.

While titled in the USA as ‘The Women of Pearl Island’, I rather prefer its U.K. title as it suggests the unravelling of mysteries.

Following the death of her mother, Tartelin Brown is seeking a new start. She responds to an advertisement: “PA required to assist lepidopterist. Must be able to start immediately. Must not be squeamish.” While she has no scientific background, Tartelin gains the position and travels to Dohhalund, a tiny island off the coast of East Anglia, to join the reclusive Marianne Stourbridge.

The elderly woman, whose family had owned the island for hundreds of years, is wheelchair bound and has recently returned to the island to study its butterflies and moths seeking an answer to a mystery. However, as she is no longer able to capture specimens, she needs assistance; hence the ‘not squeamish’ requirement.

The narrative unfolds over three timelines: in 2018, the novel’s present,1955, and 1927 where fifteen- year-old Marianne learns uncomfortable truths about her family and the island. I actually found it amazing as given these dates, Marianne was 106 years old!

It is a novel that unfolds (or unravels) slowly and is focused upon the relationships between its characters. In addition to Tartelin and Marianne, there is Jacob, a university lecturer studying arachnids on the island, and Nan, another elderly woman who had been a mermaid (aka herring girl) in 1927. Like Marianne, Nan has recently returned after the army lifted the requisition it had imposed on the island since the mid-1950s. Mystery upon mystery!

While scientific observation is a key theme, there is also a subtle quality linked to the lure of the sea, where traditional lore holds sway. Again, there are mysteries to be unravelled.

In addition, Dohhalund, while fictional, is inspired by Orford Ness, which was under the control of the Ministry of Defence for decades and forbidden to the public.

Overall, I found ‘The Unravelling’ a beautifully written, atmospheric work of literary fiction. It is a novel that may appeal to reading groups that are looking for a novel that is contemplative in its myriad themes, which also includes loss and bereavement, yet remains an accessible read.

Highly recommended.

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in 2 time frames - early 1900s and 2018. . The characters are complicated and developed well throughout the story. The story is full of twists and turns and things are uncovered gradually, with the final chapter bringing it all together. A well written novel - I will look out for this author in the future

I love a book that starts with a map! The tiny island of Dohhalund became a character itelf in this story, the secrets of it's history and strangely mutated animals are all slowly revealed to us along with the "unravelling" of the lives of the women and how they both came to be living on this remote little spit of land. It has a ghostly, supernatural air, the writing was quite poetic and there was romance and mystery. Interesting, different and ethereal, certainly enjoyable.

This is a story that lures you in, making you want to absorb each and every word.

Beautifully haunting.

A tale of not one but two lost souls, bought back to life by one strange island.

There is just something so unique about Polly's storytelling. It entices you in, almost poetic in its delivery, painting a vivid picture before your eyes.

The Unravelling is told from two perspectives.

In the present day we have our main protagonist is Tartelin, who after suffering the loss of her mother, is hired by the main inhabitant of the island of Dohhalund Mrs Stourbridge to essentially catch butterflies and kill them, so they can be pinned and studied. The purpose of this study is secret kept by the old lady of the house.

Going back into the past we have a young Mrs Stourbridge (Marianne). Her timeline is split over the years, seeing her as a young girl and then years later as a grown woman.

Details of both women's lives are slowly revealed. What they have gone through is at times tragic but I think by the end the events almost seemed necessary to make them the women they are today.

There is a moment when their grief I guess you could say collides.

Initially the relationship between these two women comes across as difficult, quite strained. But despite them on first appearances being so different to each other, it is there pure determination to keep going, to keep living that essentially brings them together.

Everything about this tale is atmospheric, mysterious. I felt compelled to read it.

The Island itself is like a character in its own right. Providing not only the perfect backdrop the over all story but also giving each character their own sense of purpose, of belonging. I guess you could see it as being a friend, a faithful companion.

I won't share any details of Mrs Stourbridge's story, as I feel it is hers to tell but what I will say is that although at times I felt an overwhelming sadness, by the time I'd reached the final chapters, the pages exuded a certain warmth and hope.

Everything eventually unravels (see what I did there) friendships, families and emotions and as secrets are revealed, great changes occur.

When I described Crosby's previous novel, I said it was like reading a fairytale and The Unravelling certainly has the same vibe about it. Talk of the sea, mermaids and pearls, the author has a fantastic way of charming and surprising the reader.

This is a novel that combines fantasy and real life which combined creates an utterly charming tale.

The sea is made up of unspeakable sadness

2018: When Tartelin Brown’s adoptive mother passes away, she finds herself alone in the world and at a loose end. An advert in the paper leading her to the remote island of Dohhalund could change that.

1920s: Marianne Stourbridge grows up on Dohhalund, following her father’s work in the fishing and pearl industries.
Ever keen to diversify he employs Nan, a young silk maker, to teach Marianne to raise silkworms in the hope of creating another source of income as well as a career for his daughter.

2018: Now in her 90s, she’s returned to the wild island that she once called home and which framed her formative years. In an old house with no electricity she returns to finish her life’s work, investigating the changes on the island, particularly focused on butterflies.
Tartelin isn’t sure what her new job as a lepidopterist’s assistant will entail apart from catching butterflies for her brusque new employer, but her mother’s artistic upbringing has given her a deftness of hand that will surely serve her well. She soon becomes intrigued by the exasperatingly stubborn Ms. Stourbridge and is determined to find out more about her life, her past, and why this all but abandoned island is how it is.
As Tartelin uncovers the secrets of the island, she also gets to understand more about herself and where she comes from.

I loved the slow satisfying unravelling 😉 of the story and the secrets tumbled out one by one. With a hint of mythology and fairy tale, this contemporary fiction with a dual timeline ticked all the boxes for me.
I was also touched by the message of nature’s power to adapt to and overcome change, as well as a warning to humanity about our exploitation of the earth’s resources.
The characters - Tartelin, Ms. Stourbridge, Nan - and the island itself - are flawed and endearing, frustrating and very very real. This is an atmospheric read which comes across excellently in audiobook form.

Using two timelines, 'The Unravelling' by Polly Crosby is set on the island Dohhalund. Tartelin, a young ex-art student, grieving for her adoptive mother, arrives on the island to act as the helper for Marianne Stourbridge. One of her roles is to catch and kill butterflies for her employer to study. Another is to survey the island and tell Marianne of all that she witnesses. Set far away from the mainland, and without electricity, the Island and its inhabitants hold many secrets. Tartelin is keen to unravel them.

In both of her protagonists, Crosby has chosen people difficult for the reader to warm to. In old age Marianne is reclusive and brittle, whilst in late adolescence she was often entitled and short sighted. Tartelin, doesnt seem to understand others boundaries, and there are parts of the novel that are uncomfortable, such as when she enters another characters tent and lies down on their bed when they are absent. The island, which is also a lead character in the novel, is similarly difficult, with stray dogs, abandoned military bases and mutated animals. Therefore whilst this is beautifully written, it makes for an uncomfortable read and one that throughout I was unsure how I felt about it - perhaps a bit unnerved!

Set on a remote British island, Tartelin has accepted an isolated job working for the elderly islander, Marianne Stourbridge, to continue her work hunting for butterflies. Tartelin is escaping the recent passing of her mother and seeking solace in the wildness of Dohhalund, and whilst there she helps Marianne by unravelling the secrets of her past and the island.

Having read and loved Polly Crosby’s debut novel, The Illustrated Child, I was so excited to read this. Polly’s skill at creating a real sense of the environment, weather, nature and feel of the surroundings was stunningly written. You feel like you are there; the sea air whipping through your hair, the marshlands squelching between your toes and the wildness of the island making you want to explore.

The storyline has a lots of intrigue, there’s the feeling of unease and mystery while you discover secrets along with Tartelin. The characters are well written as well, although Tartelin’s nosiness would annoy me if I knew her!