Undone

Feb 11, 2013 Skyla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pre-ordered, brit-lit, cool-author, suicide, lgbt, best-buddies, depressed-very-depressed, need-lots-of-tissues, why-can-t-i-stop-crying, has-a-place-in-my-heart

HOLY SHIT SHE WROTE ANOTHER BOOK! I will read anything by her, anything.

I expect I will have my heart shattered again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This review and more can be found at my blog: http://happygolucky-skyla.blogspot.ca/

So it is official...I can't read anything by Cat Clarke and give it less than 5 stars...you know what it deserves more than 5 stars...it deserves all the stars.

Cat has the uncanny ability to somehow write a book that shatters...more

12 likes · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: uk-author, review-books, favourites

Undone is the third offering from author Cat Clarke and it is just brilliant. I don't think I have the words to do justice to how good this book was but I'll give it a go.

Undone is the story of Jem. Jem is in a bad place. She has been in love with her best friend Kai for as long as she can remember even though he was gay. She was able to live with it but when he's outed in a video on the Internet and he can't deal with it and kills himself and suddenly Jem's whole world falls apart. Jem is prac...more Undone is the third offering from author Cat Clarke and it is just brilliant. I don't think I have the words to do justice to how good this book was but I'll give it a go.

Undone is the story of Jem. Jem is in a bad place. She has been in love with her best friend Kai for as long as she can remember even though he was gay. She was able to live with it but when he's outed in a video on the Internet and he can't deal with it and kills himself and suddenly Jem's whole world falls apart. Jem is practically at the point of being completely catatonic when she is visited by Jem's sister who gives her a series of letters from Kai, one of each month of the next year which gives her a reason to live again and the opportunity to get even with the group of popular kids she holds responsible for Kai's suicide.

Jem decides the best way to get back at those responsible for the death of Kai is to infiltrate the popular group and take them down from within. She changes the way she looks and dresses, makes friends with the enemy and starts to date the most popular boy in school. For me it was fascinating to see the transition Jem has to make to get in with the popular crowd. It said a lot about how fragile the system of popularity within a high school system actually is. The book also really highlights the devastating way in which discriminatory bullying can affect the life of a young person and how easily someone can ruin the life of another with a few choice words or put downs. Another way in which this book really hit me was the way which you really get under the skin of Jem. You really get the sense as a reader of how emotionally raw she feels as it oozes off the page and hits you full in the face. I just found myself wanting to pick her up and do whatever possible to make everything ok again.

The ending of the book is really poignant and is guaranteed to leave you a emotional wreck. Perfect and heart breaking at the same time. I pity the book I read next because there is no way it will compare to undone. A brilliant read which I cannot recommend highly enough.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, paperback-arc, coming-of-age, controversial, contemporary, drama, friendship, female-pov, modern-day, point-to-make, realistic-fiction, tear-jerker, stand-alone, ya, reviewcopies

For your chance to win an ARC of this title (UK only) or a paperback of your choice (INT) visit my blog

It has taken me a long time to write this review because I have struggled to figure out what I want to say. Put simply I found this book gut wrenching, it was emotional, shocking and heart-breaking.

Undone tackles a whole host of series subjects such as suicide and bullying and does so with great respect. Cat Clarke is an amazing storyteller and a brilliant writer. I truly commend her for takin...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2013 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporary-romance, for-review, from-publishers, arc

3.5 stars!

This was my first book by British author Cat Clarke and she has definitely lived up to my expectations as an author. I've heard how good she is at writing stories that deal with hard situations, and well, as you can see, she certainly hasn't disappointed me. Undone is a well written and heart-wrenching story - one that is raw and intense and I’m glad I’ve finally read something by this talented author.

Undone follows the life of Jem - a teenage girl who is in love with her gay best fri...more 3.5 stars!

This was my first book by British author Cat Clarke and she has definitely lived up to my expectations as an author. I've heard how good she is at writing stories that deal with hard situations, and well, as you can see, she certainly hasn't disappointed me. Undone is a well written and heart-wrenching story - one that is raw and intense and I’m glad I’ve finally read something by this talented author.

Undone follows the life of Jem - a teenage girl who is in love with her gay best friend; Kai. Not to many people that Kai is gay, however when a video of him is posted online, Kai can't deal with the situation so he kills himself, leaving Jem shattered. How is Jem suppose to go on without her best friend? She can't, and now she's determined to kill herself too, but not before she finds out who posted the video online and gets her revenge.

What an emotional rollercoaster this story was. I felt so many different emotions while reading it that it was hard to try and put everything I was feeling into words. It's gripping, compelling and it felt so very real that I was literally a crying like baby during many parts of the story.

I really enjoyed both Jem & Kai as characters. They had such a strong bond - even in death, that was so very touching to read. Kai dies pretty early in the story, but Cat Clarke lets us gets to know him just as much as she did with Jem. He's present in Jem's memories but not only that, Kai leaves Jem twelve letters; one for each month for a whole year, and it's very heart-breaking to read as we discover how Kai feels about everything. He's letter's are upbeat and fun to start with but at times, you can see he starts to crack and you feel the emotions poor out of him through the pages. I felt Jem had a lot to deal with but did Kai's letters help her? In a way yes, but in another way, I believe they only made her that much worse which lead to her revenge. She was blinded by it and ended up hurting more people along the way. I wished she would have opened up a bit more to the people around her but if she had then this story would be completely different.

Overall, Undone is a story that will stick with me for a long time because of how emotional and intense it was and I can't wait to try some more of Cat Clarke's stories. It really is such shame that this something like this happened in real life because it saddens me that people can be so cruel and hopefully Cat's story can bring awareness to people and make them think twice before they bully.
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 18, 2013 Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://wandering-world.skyrock.com/31...

6/5

Je viens de finir UNDONE.
Toute ma famille m'a vu pleurer.
Et mes mains n'arrêtent pas de trembler.
Et je peux déjà ajouter ce roman à la liste de mes coups de cœurs.
Et... Et...
Je craque.

Merci, Cat Clarke. ♥

-----------------------------------------------------------

Elle a réussi. Une fois de plus, elle a réussi. Alors qu'à un certain moment je n'y croyais plus trop, Cat Clarke a réussi. Elle a réussi à me faire pleurer devant toute ma famille. Elle a réuss...more

1 like · like · see review

May 20, 2013 Ralala rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: revenge, romance, school, adolescent, humour, mature, mystery, realistic, relationship, tragedy, young-teen, homosexuality, bullying, suicide

Wow undone is truly one of the most amazing books I've ever read.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Based on the female protagonist, Jem she is in love with her gay childhood friend, Kai. She can be considered an outcast but everything is fine with her lively outgoing friend who isn't ashamed about his sexuality. She learns to live with it but one day after a party, Kai's sexuality is outed online by a video recording of one of his affairs....more

like · see review

May 11, 2013 Maddie Cobb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wow-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Marcia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, english, romance, suicide, young-adult

I really loved the idea of this book. Jem is in love with her gay best friend Kai. But when a video outed him online he commits suicide. Jem is feeling suicidal as well and a month after his death she decides she's going to top herself. But, just that day she receives an envelop with twelve letters from Kai. One letter for every month of the next year.

Undone began great. The prologue was wonderfull and I also liked the writing style from Cat Clarke a lot. But the further I came in the book, the...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Caro rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars.

This book had a lot of potential. It wasn't the most unique premise- the whole bring 'em down from the inside had been done before in both books and films (Mean Girls, anyone?). What made Undone distinctive was the reason for revenge and the letters interspersed throughout the book.

Therein my first problem lies. I just didn’t believe the letters. They were at times quite flippant and not nearly dark enough for someone at the very end of their tether, written mere hours before death. T...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 17, 2013 LH Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: tearjerker, young-adult

I first came across Cat Clarke with her very spectacular book Torn. She's a writer who has a very pure simplicity in her work, able to go straight to the heart of the matter and deliver an almost physical emotional impact when she is there.

Undone is about pain, the ravaging pain and loneliness of grief and of how much it hurts when you lose the one you love. Jem's in love with her gay best friend Kai. But Kai's dead. Outed online, he killed himself and now Jem has decided to avenge him. She's g...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2013 Susan Harris rated it 5 of 5 stars

if there is one author that i can trust to drag emotions from me it's cat clarke. now i normally don't read this genre but ever since i first read entangled i knew every book she wrote i would read. in undone we ride along with jem as she struggles to cope with her best friends kai's suicide. even as she plans her own suicide she learns kai left her letters that she must open once a month for a year. at parts in the book i just had to put it away because i could not read it from the tears. deali...more

like · see review

Jan 31, 2013 Sya rated it 5 of 5 stars

While Undone is undoubtedly an accomplished story, what sets it apart from contemporary contempories is the level of writing. Cat Clarke has a preternatural ability to create authentic teenage voices to the point that one might suspect some sort of voodoo channeling shenanigans at her writing desk. Jem’s raw, ravenous grief pours of the page, the black selfishness of all consuming loss palpable and, at times, incredibly difficult to read. The many scenes set at school will speak loudly to anyone...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 20, 2013 Valeria rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all I didn't make notes while reading. I just kept turning pages.

I would say yes - I'm pretty amazed by this book. It kept me very tense for the whole time. I saw the main twist coming (I'm quite a demanding reader and there were hints), but I wasn't at all sure how things would turn out. I don't know the author, what she's capable of.
The book appealed to me, because of the amount of psycology involved. I was trying to figure out every single character and understand how the protagonist...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Charlotte Postings rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was brilliant. From the very start to the very end I loved it. To be honest, when I read the blurb I knew I would absolutely love this book...and I did! Cat Clarke has done a superb job with this novel, I shall definitely be recommending it to lots of people.

Jem Halliday lived her life in the shadows, not talking to anyone at school, not going out, the usual "emo" stereotype. Expect, she wasn't actually alone. She had her bestfriend Kai. Jem and Kai have been unseperable since the day they...more This was brilliant. From the very start to the very end I loved it. To be honest, when I read the blurb I knew I would absolutely love this book...and I did! Cat Clarke has done a superb job with this novel, I shall definitely be recommending it to lots of people.

Jem Halliday lived her life in the shadows, not talking to anyone at school, not going out, the usual "emo" stereotype. Expect, she wasn't actually alone. She had her bestfriend Kai. Jem and Kai have been unseperable since the day they met, they do everything together. The only problem is, Jem is inlove with Kai and Kai is gay. This part sort of reminded me of Kiss by Jacqueline Wilson, as it's sort of the same problem. Although, in this, Kai kills himself due to bullying, and Jem sets out to hurt the ones who hurt her bestfriend.

This book is about love and betrayal and all the things that teenagers feel. Jem just wanted to get revenge on the people who hurt Kai, but she ends up hurting the wrong people. And, to her suprise, she actually loves all those people. But, she keeps telling herself she doesn't and they mean nothing to her. The thing is, this story shows that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Until you really get to know people, you don't know them at all.

Sasha really does become her bestfriend and she really does fall for Lucas. But, it all happens at completely the wrong time. To everyone else, it's right time. Jem is getting back on track with her life, she's got a whole new look, lots of lovely friends and she's actually doing something with her life. But to Jem, she's just counting down the days to her death.

Jem choose life to late. I actually cried at the end of this book. So bloody much! I realised at the end that, it wasn't Jem telling a story of the past, it was Jems every thoughts as the story went on. She never read Kai's last letter and she never got to make things right with Lucas. I really thought that she'd change her mind about the revenge thing. That she'd realise how great her life is now. That'd she accept that she loves Lucas. But she didn't, she told them the truth and hurt them all. & what for? Nothing.

Seriously do read this book, it's heartbreaking and sad and it's the story of a girl who loved her dead bestfriend too much to face reality alone.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Luna rated it 4 of 5 stars

At the beginning I really felt for Jem, it’s a month since Kai killed himself and she doesn’t want to go on. The reader gets a really good insight into their friendship and it’s easy to understand where Jem’s coming from. After Kai’s younger sister delivers a package containing letters (one per month for the next year) Jem has something to focus on. Living until Kai’s next letter.

Kai’s letters are a mix of encouragement for Jem to carry on, memories of their time together and an insight into his...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Courtney Summers

All you have to do is add the words 'Cat Clarke' to a book then I will read it because Cat is swiftly becoming one of the best UK YA authors. I loved her first two novels, Entangled and Torn, so when Undone came out I had to buy it instantly.

The book follows the story of Jem who has recently lost her best friend in the whole world, Kai. After being outed online by a video taken at a drunken party Kai commits suicide, leaving Jem without her best friend.

My opinions on this book changed all the t...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Annabelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh I really didn't realise how much this book would hook me. It literally sucked me up and I read it in just over a day and this was a rather long proof at just over 500 pages. Undone is a very mesmerising novel about some dark subjects. There's sex, suicide, alcohol, bullying and discrimination towards gay people. There was a lot going on in this book but it was dealt with very well as Cat seems to be a master at writing realistic YA fiction.

Undone follows Jem Halliday whose gay best friend co...more Oh I really didn't realise how much this book would hook me. It literally sucked me up and I read it in just over a day and this was a rather long proof at just over 500 pages. Undone is a very mesmerising novel about some dark subjects. There's sex, suicide, alcohol, bullying and discrimination towards gay people. There was a lot going on in this book but it was dealt with very well as Cat seems to be a master at writing realistic YA fiction.

Undone follows Jem Halliday whose gay best friend commits suicide due to him being bullied because of his sexuality. The first few chapters we get to know Jem and Kai's background and how they know each other. Then the inevitable happens Kai commits suicide due to a tape of him circulating online that immediately outs him. Kai was not ready to come out of the closet and can't cope with the large amount of hate mail he is getting so he finds a solution to the problem. Suicide. Kai's death sends Jem's own life spiralling downward, they were inseparable and now he's gone. Jem doesn't want to live without him, she loved him after all. She knows she must commit suicide too or the grief will never go away. Jem is counting out some pills when some letters from Jem appear, each one dated each month of the upcoming year. Jem is so startled she momentarily forgets about the pills and focuses on the letters. Kai wrote the letters in the last hours of his life and Jem will live another year so she can do that one last thing for him. In the mean time she seeks revenge on those who did this to Kai and she won't stop until she finds the culprit.

Jem was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. I expected this sweet quiet girl, what there was, was an grumpy, Gothic, angry girl, who would just as soon punch you instead of apologise. She was so different to what I was expecting, it sent me off the rails a bit. Alas in her revenge she knows she has to change to fit in with certain people and I liked the new Jem. She smiled and enjoyed herself, she let her hair down and didn't dwell on the death of her best friend. In a way she was moving on but it was all an act. It's what she should have done but she was so hell bent on revenge that this was just an act, a facade. I felt so sorry for some of the secondary characters at the end because she was a huge bitch to them. Yes I knew she suspected a few of them but she argued with them all, I wanted to hug the others instead of her. I know this was all the pent up anger from Kai's death but I think she should have realised that things weren't so bad in this new group of friends. There was a future there waiting for her but she blew it all away with false accusations. I don't think I've felt so strongly about one character in a long while, my views and emotions were changing so rapidly even I was getting slightly confused. For a detailed character you couldn't ask for better.

The popular group in the novel were very interesting, they weren't stuck up bitches and jocks that we're used to seeing on the TV. We have Lucas who is the popular boy who oozes self confidence but he was also so sweet, he wasn't cocky like I expected, there was a gentlemen under there somewhere. Sasha was a lovely kind girl who took Jem under her wing and what happened to her broke my heart. That was the last thing I was expecting. There are more characters who played important roles but I shall let you discover them.

The important things that are dealt with in the novel then. We have the subject of sexuality touched upon with Kai. He was gay but he wasn't ready to reveal that to the rest of the world just yet so when it was thrust upon him, he crumbled. Then all the hate mail arrived. It really shows how other peoples actions can ruin a persons life. You must think before you act because every single person has feelings and one simply slip of yours can change their life. Oh and there's nothing wrong with being gay, you should never judge someone who is. If you suspect someone is don't shout it to the world, it's their decision if they reveal it and after all you could be wrong. You don't know what's going on in that persons mind so don't make these life changing decisions for them. There's sex too, more than I actually expected but it worked well in the story and I had no problems with it being there. There's alcohol but hey it's teenagers and parties what more can you really expect? Suicide is another key part and again you should know that if you feel that down there will always be someone to talk to and help you. You are never alone, you should always remember that. There are many important subjects in the novel and all are dealt with well. There's a lot of wisdom in this book and you can learn a lot from it.

Undone is a heartbreaking novel. When you think that's the end and your heart has split in two, wait until the very end and then your heart will crumble. It will be so numb and shocking that there's nothing to sum up all the feelings that come to you. It is just so heartbreaking, if you're an emotional reader, do bring tissues, you're going to need a packet or two. Undone is a spectacular novel about some harsh subjects and a plot that will keep you on the edge until the end. Then you will then and truly fall over that edge and be left on the floor in a ball crying your eyes out.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't often read a book and then think "I NEED to read other books by this author" but for this one, I did. So that's great.

I first gave this book 5 stars and then put it down to 4 because I'm honestly annoyed that the plot was predictable from within the first 100 pages. I was hoping for a twist, to be wrong, but no, none. Upsetting.

There were a few surprises, though. But they were only small. Still, it was well written and a lot of it kept me reading, even though I knew who committed the bet...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, favorites

When I first read the description of this book I just had to get it as soon as it was out and when I went into the shop and seen it, I picked it up without hesitation. This book was amazing. I cried. I wish Kai never died but then again, that's what this book was about so without him dying there would be no book to read. I'm trying so hard not to put any spoilers in this, I always include spoilers in my "reviews"... I love Sasha and I just wish that she could have always been friends with her. I...more

like · see review

Jan 04, 2013 Lucy (ChooseYA) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-2013, received-for-review, chooseya-s-recommendations, authors-whose-writing-inspires-me, made-my-heart-hurt

Jem Halliday has been in love with her best friend, Kai, for years. The only thing is, he's gay, which doesn't help matters but she's got used to this. However after he is cruelly outed online, and not just outed but exposed in an intimate position, he kills himself. Jem is devastated and wants to join him, however then she receives the letters. One for every month of the first year without Kai. Her plan changes and she decides to delay her demise so she can exact revenge on those responsible.

Wh...more Jem Halliday has been in love with her best friend, Kai, for years. The only thing is, he's gay, which doesn't help matters but she's got used to this. However after he is cruelly outed online, and not just outed but exposed in an intimate position, he kills himself. Jem is devastated and wants to join him, however then she receives the letters. One for every month of the first year without Kai. Her plan changes and she decides to delay her demise so she can exact revenge on those responsible.

What follows is an intriguing and disturbing novel. Jem is utterly obsessed both with Kai and revenge and her behaviour throughout the novel was very self-destructive to me, however Clarke brings her vulnerabilities and humanity out as well and incredibly effectively. Clarke creates human, multi-dimensional characters well and her narrators are flawed, imperfect and in Jem's case unlikeable, but at the same time vulnerable and relatable.

Early on in the novel, Jem says something that for is unforgivable. I won't spoilt it, but it's a lie I don't think that can ever be justified, even in revenge. In all honesty at this point I wondered if I could finish the book as I was so furious at Jem, but I love Cat Clarke's writing so persevered and was glad I did. This lie just proves how much of a spiral Jem is in and how obsessed she has become with revenge.

Parts of this novel like Jem's attempts to blend into the popular group's circle were really interesting to read and reminded me a little of Mean Girls. Clarke effectively exposed the superficial coatings of appearance and we group people by clothing, makeup, etc. The revenge plots start off fairly tame but become more and more sinister as the novel progresses.

Clarke was directly influenced for Undone after reading an article about a teenager who was outed and killed himself. Undone is set before It Gets Better and the moment where Kai wishes he wasn't gay on the eve of his suicide is one of the most painful scenes and heartbreaking moments I have read. Kai's letters in general were incredibly poignant and the whirlwind of emotions he goes through as he writes all twelve on the eve of his suicide is a horrifically effective device and also constantly reminds the reader of just what Jem has lost.

The ending in particular of this book is one that left me torn between throwing the book against the wall (don't worry, I'd never hurt a book) and crying. Days later, I was still haunted by Undone which is just a testament to how brilliantly written and provocative Undone actually is.

Unflinching and uncomfortable, Undone may be Cat Clarke's best novel, and certainly one of the most important in terms of topic, yet.

This review will go live at www.chooseya.com/2013/01/05/review-un... in full on January 5th 9AM, UK time. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Naomi Gacillos Doi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow.. This book was so good! If it wasnt for the fact that I was on vacation while reading this i would've read it in no time! I actually disliked Gem to the fullest, and i wanted her to make the right choice SO BADLY! If only she listened to Kai in the letters.. She was so desperate and drowned in sorrow it made my heart break. And even though Kai was alive in only 2-3 chapters i loved how the author made him stay through the whole book. The last couple of chapters was so full of anticipation i...more

like · see review

Feb 07, 2013 Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

There is something about Cat Clarke’s writing that is so honest and raw that you immediately connect with her characters and dive head first into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Cat had me captivated once again with Undone and had my attention long after I actually finished the book because I couldn’t get this story out of my head.

Undone is a book about grief, revenge and all-consuming rage. Our heroine Jem has been in love with her neighbour and gay best friend Kai for as long as she’s know...more There is something about Cat Clarke’s writing that is so honest and raw that you immediately connect with her characters and dive head first into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Cat had me captivated once again with Undone and had my attention long after I actually finished the book because I couldn’t get this story out of my head.

Undone is a book about grief, revenge and all-consuming rage. Our heroine Jem has been in love with her neighbour and gay best friend Kai for as long as she’s known him. Only Jem and Kai’s family know that Kai’s gay and so when he is outed before he’s ready in the worst imaginable way with a sex tape Kai takes his own life. Jem feels like she can’t go on without him and is ready to follow in his footsteps when she receives a series of letters from Kai one for every month during the first year of his death. This gives Jem a part of Kai to hold on to and a year to find who did this to Kai and seek vengeance before she takes her life.

The characters in this novel are all so broken. When Kai commits suicide Jem is left with nothing but this rage and need for answers to the point where it becomes her only reason to live and even though this makes her not the nicest of characters I was totally with Jem and understood her reasoning for doing the things she does. Although Kai is dead for the majority of the book, we get to know him through his letters to Jem and her memories of him. The chapters where he is outed were so gut wrenching to read as this confident lovely person crumbles into despair.

Undone has several hard hitting subjects it tackles throughout the book including homophobia, bullying, grief and suicide to name a few. What I took away from the book was the importance of letting go and forgiveness, of not letting hate and anger consume us, and the message that it WILL get better.

I was in total awe of Undone and it would have been a perfect read had I not have figured out the “who done it” pretty early on. That being said there were lots of other twists that I didn’t see coming at all and although it was obvious to me who outed Kai and what had happened, overall this book was so good that knowing didn’t really affect my enjoyment of it at all.

The ending of this book literally took my breath away and I found it such a fitting end. Overall Undone is a beautifully crafted novel that I couldn’t put down. If Cat Clarke hasn’t already established herself as one of Britain’s finest YA authors Undone is sure to do it!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 01, 2013 Lucy (Queen of Contemporary) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-books, contemporary, bbc-ukya-2013-read, emotional, favourites

Jem Halliday has been in love with her best friend, Kai, since she can remember. There's just one problem: Kai is gay. When a tape of Kai gets spread around the school, he can't take it any more and takes his own life, despite always having been a happy and cheerful person.

One month on and Jem decides that she can't live without Kai. But then an envelope turns up. Containing twelve envelopes, one to open each month, Jem decides to hang on for a little while and find out who caused Kai to commit...more
Jem Halliday has been in love with her best friend, Kai, since she can remember. There's just one problem: Kai is gay. When a tape of Kai gets spread around the school, he can't take it any more and takes his own life, despite always having been a happy and cheerful person.

One month on and Jem decides that she can't live without Kai. But then an envelope turns up. Containing twelve envelopes, one to open each month, Jem decides to hang on for a little while and find out who caused Kai to commit suicide.

Having not read any of Clarke's novels before, I was looking forward to delving into the author's novels after hearing amazing things about them; I was not disappointed.

The protagonist, Jem, was clearly in a bad state. Who wouldn't be if they were in her situation? I've seen a few reviews where people have said that they didn't like her very much but I must disagree. Some people might say that some of the things she did were stupid but I think they were totally right. Her reactions to certain situations were completely right and I really think you need to insert your brain into the head of a grieving and sad person before picking this book up.

Having recently suffered a loss, I was blown away by how Clarke managed to write about the feelings that I had bottled up for so long. It was as if she had somehow gotten inside my head and I was a little overwhelmed at times. The pure emotion underlying the words is both magical and sometimes a little scary- how is it that one person can make you feel so many things at once? I was only a few pages in when I started to feel emotional.

I loved the way in which Undone was written. The thing that I love the most about UKYA is that I can understand it a lot better than US fiction. This book doesn't proclaim to be written in a fancy way nor does it try and write things simply. Clarke has played with those feelings of darkness and despair in us all and shown us that it isn't wrong to grieve.

I loved Undone so much and will definitely be reading more by the author. Words cannot describe just how I felt about this book and I have already gone about recommending it to people.
(less)

like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Kirsti rated it 5 of 5 stars

No wonder this book has such high ratings. Wow is all I can say after finishing it. This is a tale of revenge, revenge gone wrong when the people you're meant to hurt become just that- people. I really can't write much of a review for this one, because I don't want to give anything away and spoil it for someone else. Suffice to say that the story is fantastic and unexpected, the characters will stay with you, and the whole thing feels all too real. One of the best books I've read this year, mayb...more

like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, gblt

I have to be honest - I had some major problems with Undone. This novel tells the story of Jemima, Jem for short. Her best friend, Kai, has just committed suicide as a result of anti-gay bullying, and she is left behind. She is at the end of her rope when Kai's sister delivers a package to her. Inside are notes, one for each month of the year, left for her by Kai. As she reads them, she decides to take her revenge on the group of popular kids she believes drove him to his suicide. Her method? To...more I have to be honest - I had some major problems with Undone. This novel tells the story of Jemima, Jem for short. Her best friend, Kai, has just committed suicide as a result of anti-gay bullying, and she is left behind. She is at the end of her rope when Kai's sister delivers a package to her. Inside are notes, one for each month of the year, left for her by Kai. As she reads them, she decides to take her revenge on the group of popular kids she believes drove him to his suicide. Her method? To become one of them, and hurt them from within.

I almost didn't start this book. It seemed like it might be a message book, and I find those are often heavy-handed. But Jem seemed (at first) to be an interesting character, so I stuck with it. The whole revenge plot is basically Mean Girls, not that there can't be another, but I found it distracting.

Kai is, unfortunately, a bit of a Magical Gay Person. He comes across less of a real person than a convenient plot device. Naturally he is an expert on ladies (going so far as to give Jem a makeover from beyond the grave. His letters really bothered me - they didn't feel a bit like someone who was about to tragically end their life. I just didn't think that the character would have spent the time to write out chatty notes in which he gives hair and makeup advice while contemplating his own gruesome death in a few hours. In fact, I had a hard time believing his suicide at all. I know that suicide is an act that doesn't often make sense from the outside, but as someone who actually had a close friend commit suicide for similar reasons (minus the online bullying, obviously, as I am old) it didn't seem real.

I appreciate positive portrayals of gay teens. I think it's very important for gay or questioning young people to be able to read about teens in similar situations. What I don't think is helpful? The number of times the gay characters in these books wind up dead. I would never recommend this book to a gay teen (what would I recommend? Well, I'd start with How to Repair a Mechanical Heart. This book shows teens struggling, but also living. And it's funny. Sometimes I just can't read another tragic book.)

Speaking of that, I hated the ending (ending details behind spoiler tags) (view spoiler)

It's hard to write a negative review of a book that has a message that can't be argued with (anti gay bullying). I must mention that the writing itself was good, and I would certainly read another book by this author. It's really more Jem's story than Kai's, but I was unable to get past his character. I wouldn't recommend it, but I will seek more from the author!

(less)

like · see review

May 24, 2013 Sarah (TotalTeenFiction) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, own, won, on-the-blog

Full review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction.

I really enjoyed Entangled by Cat Clarke which I read a few months ago, so I was super excited when I won a copy of this book! Undone follows Jem Halliday whose best friend Kai has just commited suicide after being outed as gay in a video posted online.

Firstly I have to praise Clarke for writing such instantly recognisable characters. Everyone in this book was so true to life and I think she has British secondary school experiences absolutely sp...more Full review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction.

I really enjoyed Entangled by Cat Clarke which I read a few months ago, so I was super excited when I won a copy of this book! Undone follows Jem Halliday whose best friend Kai has just commited suicide after being outed as gay in a video posted online.

Firstly I have to praise Clarke for writing such instantly recognisable characters. Everyone in this book was so true to life and I think she has British secondary school experiences absolutely spot on. We live in a world where teens sneak out, drink and have sex and Undone doesn't attempt to sugar coat that fact, for which I am so relieved to see.

This book also covers some pretty hardhitting issues and does it with the perfect balance of honesty and sensitivity. What happens to Kai is shocking, but suicide is definitely an issue that needs to be talked about openly. Undone also highlights the battle people like Kai face when faced with being open about their sexuality. It was just heartbreaking read Jem talk about her hopes for a world where sexuality isn't something that people are judged for and bullied because of.

On to the plot itself! I loved the way Undone was written with the story alternating between the present were Kai has died and the past where we see the build up to his death. My favourite part was the letters from Kai which were interspersed throughout the book. It meant that we got to know (and fall in love with!) Kai as a character by hearing his voice and living his story in his own words despite the fact he isn't present in Jem's life anymore. He was such a brilliant character and someone I think everyone would want to have as a friend, which is what makes this book all the more heartbreaking.

The majority of the story revolves around Jem's plot to get revenge for Kai's death and target the people behind it. I was torn at times over what I thought of Jem's actions. I never really managed to connect with her as a character. Whilst I was completely sympathetic to her situation, I sometimes struggled to get inside her head and understand why she thinks the things she does. For example, she talks a lot about hating life (even before Kai's death) and in particular hating her parents and I never quite understood why she felt that way. It made her come across as more stroppy than troubled at times.

Aside from that, I was completely gripped to Jem's story and the twists and turns that accompany it. It was really fascinating seeing her become this completely different person as she works at getting close to the popular kids by choosing to act like them.She develops and changes so much throughout the story and although I didn't always agree with her actions (and there were several uncomfortable moments) it made for an addictive and intense plot.

Where this book really blew me away was the ending. I couldn't stop reading the last few hundred pages and after I'd finished I felt like I needed my shattered heart piecing back together! I went on such a rollercoaster ride emotionally reading Undone. I'll definitely be checking out Cat Clarke's future books because this was another phenomenally written story full of powerful messages and fascinating characters that shook me up and broke me down!

Find more books like this at TotalteenFiction!(less)

like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Lydia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: grief, romance, school, teen

Premise: I have read both of Clarke’s previous books and she is usually good at addressing difficult issues, so I was interested to see how this would work out.

Characters: The main character, Jem, is hard to like and hard to understand. She spends most of the book pretending to be somebody she isn’t, so even in the flashbacks we don’t get much of an idea of who she really is. It would be fair to say that she is confused after her best friend’s death, but I still felt like there was a disconnect...more Premise: I have read both of Clarke’s previous books and she is usually good at addressing difficult issues, so I was interested to see how this would work out.

Characters: The main character, Jem, is hard to like and hard to understand. She spends most of the book pretending to be somebody she isn’t, so even in the flashbacks we don’t get much of an idea of who she really is. It would be fair to say that she is confused after her best friend’s death, but I still felt like there was a disconnect between her as a character and the reader, because her reasoning for things is never quite fully explained. As for her best friend Kai, I felt that despite being a driving force in the plot, that was all he was. Despite the few flashbacks and letters, I didn’t think he was given enough time to develop, as if he and his suicide were just there to serve as the springboard for the rest of the story. The radically named ‘Team Popular’ characters are all quite bland, apart from one scene close to the end when head mean girl Sasha gives us a bit of insight into her thoughts, which then felt like it was just thrown out to try to make the reader care more about what happened to her. The only character who was actually intriguing was Kai’s younger sister Louise, who was probably explored the least; it was disappointing that her motives were never properly examined, especially because I thought Clarke would be addressing homophobic attitudes.

Plot: From the blurb we know that Kai is going to kill himself, so really the first few chapters are just waiting for it to happen while Jem tries to build up an idea of their friendship with a few flashbacks. I thought the story started off well, with the idea of Jem planning to stay alive for a year while she got revenge on the people who had driven Kai to commit suicide. The problem was that she didn’t do much detective work, and the evidence she based her entire plan on was so flimsy it was unbelievable that she wouldn’t even try to corroborate it before believing it. The rest of the book reads like a typical American high school movie, despite the fact it’s British – girl has makeover, infiltrates popular kids, tries to take them down from the inside without them knowing. It was far too simplistic, and Jem’s ‘revenge’ was often self-serving and could barely be counted as revenge. From the very beginning of the book it is almost blatantly obvious who was actually involved in the video, so Jem’s blundering attempts at messing with her new friends (TW - including some really messed up lies about being raped) were painful. Maybe this was the point, to emphasize how badly she ruined her own life before the tragic ending. The ending was very unsatisfying in terms of the disordered state everything was left in.

Other comments: I do think Clarke has a strong writing style which is mostly successful in portraying a teenage voice, but in this instance I don’t think it worked as well as her previous books, which I would recommend over this one.(less)

like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Rebecca- Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted here: http://rebecca-books.blogspot.co.uk/2...

I was lucky enough to get a proof copy of Undone through work. I have never read anything else by Cat Clarke but many bloggers and friends I know have continually recommended her books so I thought I was in for a really good read by choosing this.
I have to admit I really thought this was going to be one of those typical teen reads - silly, fun, a little bit frivolous, and you get that impression I think from the blurb. However, this...more Originally posted here: http://rebecca-books.blogspot.co.uk/2...

I was lucky enough to get a proof copy of Undone through work. I have never read anything else by Cat Clarke but many bloggers and friends I know have continually recommended her books so I thought I was in for a really good read by choosing this.
I have to admit I really thought this was going to be one of those typical teen reads - silly, fun, a little bit frivolous, and you get that impression I think from the blurb. However, this was far from frivolous or silly. So FAR. And I was so surprised by the events in the novel, Jem's character, the writing - just everything wretched my heart into pieces. Wow, Cat Clarke sure knows how to write....

Synopsis: Jem is in love with her best friend, Kai. One problem: he's gay. Not exactly ideal but she's learning to go with it.
Until one night at a party. Something dreadful happens to Jem. But something even more horrible happens to Kai - he's outed online over his gayness. A couple days later, Kai is dead.
Jem is left alone and a wreak after her best friend's suicide and knows she cannot bring him back. But after discovering who she thinks is responsible for the video, Jem wants to get back at them. She wants revenge.

Review:
When I started this novel, I knew it would be break my heart into little pieces and scatter them about London. And Undone succeeded in doing so. The remarkable aspect of this novel which I think was done so so well, and not seen in most novels is the ability to make you as a reader think firmly throughout the majority of the novel that the ending will end in a certain way. But then that is turned completely on it's head once you reach the ending. I thought I knew how this was going to end, to me it was obvious. But then the last few chapters happened and I was told something completely wrong , shocking and a moment that stayed with me for quite a while after finishing the book.
The ending is amazing, dramatic and subtle in so many different ways. If you have any faults or criticisms of the novel itself, you cannot fault the ending. I think for those that are lucky enough to read this book, you will totally agree with me.

Another aspect that made this book, if it's possible, more heartbreaking was the realism that Clarke employs through the pages. I recognised Jem's struggle, her hatred for the elite popular group and the power they hold over everyone else and I think Clarke definitely portrayed this aspect in a way that was scarily real to me. I could relate to Jem a lot with my far share of arguments and isolation from those I considered my friends at the time. I hated the popular group, the way they felt they could do anything, be anything, get anything. There was this one girl who everyone loved in particular that I looked at and knew I didn't like her. The same for a few people at my college now, it's judgemental yes, but I think any teenager can detect who is or isn't popular in the social hierarchy of schools just by looking at them. Linked to this is the power of bullying that every teenager is taught about from an early age yet no-one takes any of the advice. I don't think people realise the power and magic the internet has on bullying and Clarke makes that poignant in Undone with the suicide of Kai.

I didn't mind Jem, she was neither too annoying or too weedy as I think a character in her situation could be considered. I found Jem a little scary at some points at the lengths and transgressions she was willing to go in order to carry out her plan of revenge. She is in a bad place throughout the majority of the novel and it the pure rawness and emotion that Cat Clarke portrays over the page to the reader that I think really makes this novel stick in your mind - there were many times when I felt violently uncomfortable at what was happening. Jem's resolution in revenge, her final act perhaps, is one of these moments that I don't think I expected at all. She is consumed by rage, fear and revenge that this makes this book incredibly intense to read. Do not go for this book for a light read.

As my first dose of Cat Clarke, I was impressed I have to say at Clarke's writing and style that I think any teenager in secondary school/high school would be able to relate to BIG TIME. It's refreshing to see a YA novel that deals with bullying in this way with both being bullied and doing the bullying and I think there needs to be more books such as this on the market.
Cat Clarke's writing is what makes this book so great as she has a mastery by not letting the reader know information until the last moment, I found just a constant stream of suspense throughout the novel that left me guessing and guessing until the end and beyond. This is a jewel of a book that I'm so glad I had a chance to read.

I give it a 4 out of 5
(less)

like · see review

May 21, 2013 Namerah rated it 1 of 5 stars

OH GOD WHY??? why did I read this...this.. i don't even know what to call it! abomination?piece of useless f*cking bullsh*t?
this may be able to capture a fraction of what i'm feeling:

why would Cat Clarke waste her amazingly awesome writing skills on this? i have read her other books and loved them and i thought i'd love this too....i was SO wrong=_______= this book,its just wrong!!it makes zero logic. i really really REALLY hope her next book will not be like this one:/

like · see review

Feb 06, 2013 Sophie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, uk-author, favorites

Cat Clarke always delivers something unexpected and Undone was no exception. I loved it.

Though I’d been looking forward to Undone for months, all I really knew about it was from what Cat read at mini-blogger party in the summer, so it was a complete surprise. I loved that Kai left Jem a letter for each month in the first year after his death – it gave me tear-filled PS I Love You flashbacks. On a related geeky note, I loved the font that Kai’s letters were written in; it’s gorgeous. So was the c...more Cat Clarke always delivers something unexpected and Undone was no exception. I loved it.

Though I’d been looking forward to Undone for months, all I really knew about it was from what Cat read at mini-blogger party in the summer, so it was a complete surprise. I loved that Kai left Jem a letter for each month in the first year after his death – it gave me tear-filled PS I Love You flashbacks. On a related geeky note, I loved the font that Kai’s letters were written in; it’s gorgeous. So was the chapter title font actually! I loved getting such a clear glimpse of Kai through the letters. I know exactly why Jem fell for him. He’s sweet, funny and wordy; pretty awesome to be honest.

Jem was the real star of Undone though. I know it sounds silly to say so, but Jem just felt so realistic. Every part of her narration was authentically teenage; from her internal monologue to the way that she changed how she spoke according to who she was with. The snark and swearing wasn’t toned down and I believed her every word. Spot on. I was also really pleased to see how insecure Jem was in social situations and not because of shyness or being angsty, it seemed like a genuine social anxiety and I related to that. My reaction to Jem didn't even waver when she began to slide in to being a little like the people who she was trying to bring down.

I think that one of the most powerful elements of Jem’s character was that her sexual desire was portrayed. It’s one of those things that can sometimes still be a little taboo and is rarely approached in YA, but Cat didn’t shy away from it which I thought was brilliant. The power of her grief was also vividly portrayed. Her intense desire for revenge and the wide variety of emotions she felt for Kai and for Lucas, Sasha, Bugs, Stu and Nina really demonstrated the idea that a person really isn’t always who they seem to be.

After a shocking turn of events and an even more surprising ending that only resulted in my broken heart and floods of tears, Cat Clarke was cemented in my mind as an author to be reckoned with. Undone had a long way to go to top the awesome of Entangled and Torn, but it was effortlessly done and it’s easily my favourite of the three.

Undone is what contemporary YA should be: gritty, thought-provoking and emotionally involving. Brilliant.(less)

like · see review

title link	preview: Undone
avg rating	preview: Undone Goodreads rating: 4.22 (273 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16036975-undone?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348151640l/16036975.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16036975-undone?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Undone by Cat Clarke[/url]

Undone

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Cat Clarke

Books by Cat Clarke

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Undone

Quotes from Undone