Book Review #9 The Unwilding by Marina Kemp 4/5

Fiction. TW for abuse, gaslighting and suicide

“When fledgling writer Zoe arrives at the Sicilian holiday home of famed novelist Don Travers, she feels that she has made it. And yet as the week unfolds it is not Don but his children and unknowable wife, Lydia, who come to intrigue Zoe most. On the fringes, Don’s youngest, Nemony, watches as her older siblings begin to navigate the treacherous waters of the adult world. When her adored oldest sister makes a terrible mistake, the holiday ends suddenly, shattering the fragile balance of their parents’ marriage and the siblings’ lives.

Many years later and in the wake of loss, the events of that summer continue to haunt. Nemony, now a lonely new mother herself, strikes up a chance friendship with Zoe. With her support, Nemony attempts to grapple with the casual damage enacted by her father. But as their relationship deepens, she is soon forced to question the true extent of Zoe’s fascination with the Travers family.

Tracing their lives through Sicily, London and the old mining towns of Appalachia, Nemony must uncover the stories untold – about her implacable father, her troubled mother, and the siblings she might still do anything for.”

As the book blurb clearly indicates, The Unwilding is family drama exploring themes of familial roles, intergenerational trauma and how childhood memories are often incomplete, shaped by a younger and therefore limited understanding of how complicated life can be.

It also reminds us that just because someone doesn’t speak about what’s happened to them, it doesn’t mean they are unaffected- in fact there are many occasions where Silence speaks volumes.

In my experience, novels that tackle these subjects tend to focus on character development with minimal plot. We are often in the character’s minds whilst they evolve- and if done correctly, that’s more enough. What I liked about this particular book is that there is a plot behind the journey and it has a hint of intrigue and mystery woven into the narrative which keeps you going. So if you prefer a bit of story with your character’s turmoil, then you’re in luck. It’s also partly set in Sicily so I had the White Lotus sound track ringing in my brain which set the right tone. I’m sure this will be picked up for a film adaptation. Wealthy complicated characters, controlling men, buried secrets set against the backdrop of Sicily, London and contrasting Virginia… I can see Reese Witherspoon ALL OVER IT.

So with that context, let’s get into it…

The Story

We begin in Sicily, where the Travers family, led by the charismatic and narcissistic patriarch Don Travers, spends their summers. Don, a renowned novelist, brings his family and a rotating cast of guests, often up-and-coming writers, to this idyllic setting. I’ve seen this set up a fair amount in books. Rich creative types inviting all sorts of guests to their summer homes with disastrous consequences… I’m sure it happens in real life but I honestly find it so weird. Why would you invite randoms on your family holiday? It must be the practice of those who regularly summer on the Continent in gorgeous sun soaked villas with fresh and colourful lunch spreads and a budget to match…

Truth be told, if I were in my early 20s and received a getaway invitation with free sunny accommodation, I’d possibly do it and consider the awkward interactions as compensation for my free ride. As someone in my latter thirties however, I cannot relate- I do everything humanly possible to avoid all forms of awkward interaction (in fact sometimes regular interaction too)!

Anyway I digress… back to the review!

The story is primarily told from the perspective of Nemony, the youngest child, who idolizes her two older siblings, Malachi and Tree. Malachi and Tree are in their late teens and think they are far more grown up than they actually are- like all teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. There is a “middle child”, Etta who is closer to Nemony’s  age and whilst she doesn’t get much page time, she plays a very specific role within the story.

The summer central to the plot introduces a young writer, Zoe, who joins the Travers family and struggles to find her place among this elite, upper-middle-class bunch. She’s not sure what she is doing there but who would refuse an invitation from the Famous Don Travers? She’s partly aware of the manipulation but her career is just beginning to form and being in Don’s orbit is better than being out of it.

Tensions rise when Don’s blatant affair with another guest start to disturb the family, particularly affecting the children, who begin to see their mother Lydia as more than just the quiet, passive figure she appears to be. Of course the anger is directed at the “other woman” instead of their father and the eldest daughter, Tree, commits an unforgivable act that rocks the family, with consequences that reverberate into their adulthood.

Years later, Nemony, now a mother herself, is grappling with the legacy of her family’s dysfunction. She is struggling with motherhood and it feels quite isolating. She doesn’t feel she can turn to Etta, who is also a mother but one of those “how does she do it all and have perfect hair” types (which I’d say is fairly common for a young woman growing up in a challenging family situation- perfectionism and self containment are often coping mechanisms).

Instead of confiding in Etta, Nemony strikes up a friendship with former guest Zoe, who is now a successful author. Zoe has a strange fascination with the Travers family and as the reader, you spot this before Nemony and her siblings do. Etta is quite wary of Zoe and worried about her influence over her little sister. She tries to step in but in true younger sibling style, Nemony dismisses her concerns. Of course Etta is right and Nemony eventually discovers Zoe’s agenda. As Nemony confronts Zoe, it forces her to delve deeper into her past and her mother’s life. She uncovers long-buried secrets about her father’s control over the family and the quiet strength of her mother. The novel builds towards Nemony’s realization that her childhood memories have different versions and her mother’s silence held deep, untold stories.

The Writing Style

Contemporary style  with beautifully rendered descriptions of both Sicily and the emotional landscapes of the characters. This brilliant passage on gaslighting really stood out to me and gives you a flavour of what to expect.

Our dictator, and the most insidious type because he doesn’t even suppress opposition forcibly.He does it through the sheer persuasive force of his approval, on the one hand and on the other hand his opprobrium. Those are the strings he controls us with. Us, and maybe everyone in his life.

It’s not overly verbose favouring precise sentences instead of long winded scene setting descriptions. Kemp gives a decent framework to use and your imagination is free to colour in the rest.

Most chapters are written from Nemony’s point of view with a few chapters from the perspective of Tree and Zoe. There is a shift in style when reading the story from Zoe's viewpoint. It’s cool and clinical with reference to “the girl” and “the baby”. Kemp cleverly emphasises the detachment writers sometimes have from their subjects, acting more as observers than participants in life, (which is quite relevant for this book considering Zoe’s plans). I love it when different styles are used to orientate the reader and ensure we understand the distinction between character voices.

The Good Bits

The novel succeeds in balancing rich characters with a clear plot. I appreciated the role of most of the characters- even when they weren’t particularly likable. The setting of Sicily made me long for a summer holiday and it makes for quite an atmospheric read if you happen to pick this up in the Summer. The secrets and  dynamics within the Travers family were compelling and uncovered methodically with a decent enough pace (mostly). If you look for it, there are quite a few themes and symbolism throughout the novel. Nemony’s relationship with her husband is dangerously on course of replicate her parents. It’s subtle and done well.

It’s one of those books that I thought about for quite awhile after reading it. Kemp masterfully portrays how childhood experiences shape adulthood, and how silence can be as powerful (and as harmful) as action in relationships.

Any Negatives?

Like many character-driven novels, it is a bit longer than necessary. Some sections could have been streamlined, particularly scenes like Nemony’s  interaction with a homeless man, which didn’t add much to the overall narrative. Although I enjoyed most of the characters, there were one too many guests at the Sicily house which felt like noise in comparison with the main arc. The resolution of what happened to their Mother also took ages and I definitely had to restrain the urge to skip a few pages. A tighter focus might have made the story even more impactful. Lastly, I think the Zoe storyline could have had a bigger bang. It felt a bit tamer than the blurb anticipated leading to a slightly anti- climatic ending.

For these reasons, I’ve dropped it to 4 stars. That being said, it’s well written and I was very happy to continue reading it.

In Summary…

A thought-provoking novel about family, memory, and the lingering impact of trauma. If you enjoyed Cleopatra and Frankenstein, What a Shame by Abigail Bergstrom, or At the Table, you’ll likely find The Unwilding just as engaging.

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