Book Review: Unburied

Reviewed by Chika Anene

An action-packed YA Fantasy with a sharp-tongued and fierce protagonist

Faye has been living a regular college life consisting of partying, thoughts about Ike—a crush she just can’t seem to get over—and college classes (for the most part). She can be hostile toward people and doesn’t always let people within her radius. 

But buried beneath her exterior lies a life she is trying her hardest to forget.

As Faye’s attempts at keeping herself busy with things like studying curious symbols and shapes in hopes of escaping her past prove to be in vain, her past soon becomes too loud to ignore. 

Strange things keep happening around her, and she is forced to come face to face with everything she tried to keep buried. 

The only ones who really see past Faye’s exterior are her roommates Ari, Cho, and Nena. With them in tow, she travels back to Arizona to meet her fears and her buried past head-on. 

It takes a while to warm up to Faye because of her sharp tongue. But as time passes and her past is revealed in more detail, it gets easier to understand her actions and her hostility toward others. Her hostility can be a bit off-putting in the beginning though. 

It’s refreshing to see her grow as the story progresses—to see her let her guard down and open up to those closest to her about her past.  

Unburied is quite a fast-paced read, although it doesn’t ramp up right away. But when it does, it really does. Scott makes it easy for us to engage with the plot, and the inclusion of Hannibal—a college guy who saves Faye from an awkward situation at a bar—proves a good one. Faye’s roommates are also quite excellent follows. But I do wonder if we miss out on some necessary character exploration into Ike.

When it comes to the magic system, Unburied thrives. Fantasy objects and items can really elevate a fantasy world, especially with how it pertains to the hero’s goal. Author Patrick Scott has done an excellent job in Faye’s studying of unfamiliar shapes, their origins, and meanings. And her “magical” abilities too.

Unburied shakes the kinks out early and then gets us looking forward to what could be great fiction to come in the next books in the series. YA Fantasy lovers are going to appreciate a lot of this one does, especially the strong blend of action and magic.

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Print Length: 340 pages

ISBN: 978-1639882595

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