"My dad used to say the evil we enact on each other is worse than anything spirits and demons can do to us." (Jared Lockhart)
If I had read Unbreakable 2-3 years ago when I was going through my urban fantasy, paranormal and supernatural phase, I would have definitely enjoyed it. 2-3 years later, my reading taste has changed and I found Unbreakable to be unoriginal and cliche. I kept on looking for something that was nuanced, layered, different... something more!
Unbreakable is about Kennedy Waters, a girl whose mother dies mysteriously on the same night that she saw a ghost. A few days later, she is saved by two guys from paranormal death and they introduce her to the world of the Legion.
I have neutral feelings towards Kennedy. I wasn't cheering her nor did she bring out any of my violent tendencies (which is always a plus in my book). She's believable, scared, doubtful, unsure of herself and also somewhat relatable. However, she keeps on denying that she's a member of Legion, but does things that prove otherwise and ignores all the hints and clues that are standing right in front of her.
"How much pain could I withstand before I finally broke?" (Kennedy Waters)
The two guys who save Kennedy's life: twin brothers with serious issues. There is Lucas, the happy-go-lucky nice twin and then there's Jared, the brooding, emotionally walled off with a hidden vulnerable side twin. Naturally, a romantic relationship develops between Kennedy and Jared. The romance occurs a little too early for my tastes and there's no chemistry between Kennedy and Jared. This series also seems to be heading towards a love triangle between Kennedy, Jared and Lucas (like that triangle hasn't been done before) and it feels like a cheap dramatic plot device. It's obvious who Kennedy would pick between the two. But thankfully, the romance doesn't take center stage.
I enjoy the sibling dynamics in Unbreakable and I wish that I could see more of Lucas and Jared's relationship. Their relationship is filled with tension, disagreements, fights and hate, but when they are in seriously crappy situations, they protect and defend one another. I would have loved to see the extent of their sibling rivalry and how it progresses. It would have been much more fascinating to read solely about that then to read the events in Unbreakable.
The Legion group also includes characters such as Priest and Alara and I enjoyed seeing the manner in which they, Lucas and Jared interact with each other. It's like a little family! Even although Lucas, Jared, Alara, Priest and Kennedy are stereotypical characters and have stereotypical personalities (even Kennedy puts The Legion members into little personality boxes), I found their interactions to be unstereotypical for the most part. When Alara is introduced, I thought that she was going to be a mean girl who has a crush on either Lucas and Jared and gives Kennedy hell, but, I was way off! Even although she has her reservations about Kennedy, she grows to trust her and forms a friendship with her. Priest and Alara are definitely my favorite Unbreakable characters.
The plot of Unbreakable has been done before. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I read or seen a plot that Unbreakable showcases somewhere else. However, I do commend Kami Garcia for the creepy atmosphere that jumps out through her writing. It's been such a long time since I've read a book that has made me look over my shoulders or has made me hesitant to walk in the dark. A day after reading this book, I saw a murder of crows (about 5 of them) perching on one of the roofs in my neighborhood and I freaked out!
"I imagined the dome from Lady Day lowering itself over me.
But instead of glass, mine was made of steel.
Unbreakable."
(Kennedy Waters)
This book gets an A+ for its supernatural and creepy atmosphere. I also enjoyed the family and friendship dynamics and feel that they could be expanded upon and developed. However, the plot and additional aspects of Unbreakable made it an unoriginal read.