The Unwilling - (Barrier Lands) by Kelly Braffet (Paperback)

About the Book

"The Unwilling is the story of Judah, a foundling born with a special gift and raised inside Highfall castle along with Gavin, the son and heir to Lord Elban's vast empire. Judah and Gavin share an unnatural bond that is both the key to her survival - and possibly her undoing. As Gavin is groomed for his future role, Judah comes to realize that she has no real position within the kingdom, in fact, no hope at all of ever traveling beyond its castle walls. Elban - a lord as mighty as he is cruel, has his own plans for her, for all of them. She is a mere pawn to him, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. But outside the walls, in the starving, desperate city, a magus, a healer with his own secret power unlike anything Highfall has seen in years, is newly arrived from the provinces. He, too, has plans for the empire, and at the heart of those plans lies Judah... " --Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Fantasy at its most sublime!"--Erin Morgenstern, New York Times bestselling author of THE NIGHT CIRCUS

"Suspenseful, magical, wonderfully written... An essential addition to all epic-fantasy collections." --Booklist, STARRED review

A penetrating tale of magic, faith and pride...

Judah is an orphaned girl with a secret gift, born at the gates of Highfall castle. Raised alongside Gavin, heir to Lord Elban's empire, the two share an extrasensory bond--one that is key to Judah's survival and her possible undoing.

Elban--as mighty as he is cruel--plans to use Judah as a pawn to amass greater control. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

But beyond the castle walls, a magus, a healer with his own powerful force, has arrived from the provinces. He, too, has designs on the realm, and at the heart of his plans lies Judah... The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon discover her own strength. Intriguingly, she does not have to be given power: she can just take it.

Review Quotes

"This idea of two people being able to feel each other's sensations--both physically and emotionally--is brilliantly executed. The Unwilling is about sharing joy, and sensing fear and cruelty, and caring beyond ourselves. Kelly Braffet managed to make an adventure story about empathy."--Vanity Fair

"Kelly Braffet is extraordinary... Familiar yet entirely unique, The Unwilling is the sort of story that seeps under your skin and pulses there, intimate and vibrant and alive. Fantasy at its most sublime."--Erin Morgenstern, NYT bestselling author of The Starless Sea and The Night Circus

"Suspenseful, magical, wonderfully written, and never predictable, Braffet's first foray into speculative fiction is an essential addition to all epic-fantasy collections." -Booklist, STARRED Review

"Drips with atmosphere and intrigue... Braffet's tale is a study in suffering and cruelty but also in determination... Readers who enjoy complex characters will find much to savor here." -Publishers Weekly

"Braffet has a real gift for dialogue, and Judah's quick cleverness is a constant joy... Readers will fall in love with the contemplative pace, brisk dialogue and rebellious heroine of The Unwilling." -Bookpage

"A juggernaut of an epic fantasy novel with ingenious, thrilling twists and turns. Put this on the shelf beside Naomi Novik and George R. R. Martin. Kelly Braffet is a marvel and I'll read anything she writes."--Kelly Link, MacArthur Genius Recipient, award-winning author of Get in Trouble

"Kelly Braffet's The Unwilling is a viscerally powerful book. Full of complex and compelling characters, this is the story of the corruptions of power and the strength it takes to resist. This is an incredible, brilliant story."--Kat Howard, author of Roses and Rot

"Gorgeously told, The Unwilling is at once a sweeping epic and an intimate portrait of being trapped in an oppressive regime. Meet your new favorite fantasy writer."-- Gwenda Bond, NYT bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds

"Wow...The characters, the world, the magic and greed and politics and pain--all of it adds up to something wonderful. I love it." -Ellen Datlow, award-winning editor and anthologist