book cover of The Unwilling
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The Unwilling

(2020)
(The first book in the Barrier Lands series)
A novel by

 
 
Perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Robin Hobb and Sarah J. Maas

She has no name and no history, but she has a power greater than the Empire has ever known.

Thanks to her special gift Judah has enjoyed a privileged life, being raised alongside Gavin, the son and heir to Lord Elban's vast empire. But as they grow Judah comes to realise that while Gavin is being groomed for his future role, she has no true position, and no hope of ever travelling beyond the castle walls. Lord Elban has plans for Judah – for all of them �� but to him, she's nothing but a pawn. And he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

But he's not the only one with plans. Outside the castle wall – in the starving, desperate city – is a healer with his own secret power and his own plans for the empire . . . and Judah.

The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon uncover more to her story than she ever imagined.

An epic tale of greed and ambition, cruelty and love, this deeply immersive novel is about bowing to traditions and burning them down.
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What people are saying about The Unwilling:

'Fantasy at its most sublime'
ERIN MORGENSTERN

'An
epic fantasy novel with ingenious, thrilling twists and turns' KELLY LINK

'
Brilliantly executed. The Unwilling is about sharing joy, and sensing fear and cruelty, and caring beyond ourselves' VANITY FAIR

'Suspenseful: magical, wonderfully written and
never predictable . . . An essential addition to the all epic fantasy collections' BOOKLIST




Genre: Fantasy

Praise for this book

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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


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