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Crewel
(Crewel World #1)
by
Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.
Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, an ...more
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.
Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, an ...more
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Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
October 16th 2012
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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Start your review of Crewel (Crewel World, #1)

It’s been so long since I actively disliked a book that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. The more I tried to separate my dislike for the characters and storytelling and try to analyze it impartially, the more I found myself saying, “Bugger this! Drink anyone?” to the empty air around me.
Crewel is a post-apocalyptic dystopian world in which women are oppressed and tightly controlled. It is a world where matter and people can be weaved and stitched through special looms that Spinsters u ...more
Crewel is a post-apocalyptic dystopian world in which women are oppressed and tightly controlled. It is a world where matter and people can be weaved and stitched through special looms that Spinsters u ...more

Initial reaction:
Holy mother of giraffe balls!!!
Official review:
What. Did. I. Just. Read?
*blinks*
Ok, wow. Creative does not even begin to describe this formidable world that Gennifer Albin has built. Bringing in some sci-fi elements into it, the explanations of the weaving and how the whole process works simply blew me away. When it starts off it creates a lot of questions and wonderment, but as the world building progresses, we're brought into an extremely complex, incredibly well described fu ...more
Holy mother of giraffe balls!!!
Official review:
What. Did. I. Just. Read?
*blinks*
Ok, wow. Creative does not even begin to describe this formidable world that Gennifer Albin has built. Bringing in some sci-fi elements into it, the explanations of the weaving and how the whole process works simply blew me away. When it starts off it creates a lot of questions and wonderment, but as the world building progresses, we're brought into an extremely complex, incredibly well described fu ...more

Without a doubt Crewel is the most creative novel I've read so far this year. When I first read the blurb I thought, "A dystopian society where people are weaving time?! YES! Gimme! Tell me more!" The dystopian genre has really taken off lately and sometimes it can be hard to find a novel that separates itself from the pack. Crewel does just that and does it well. It completely stands out with its complex concept, feisty heroine and a plot that kept me guessing over and over. Whoa. Can I pull ou ...more

Well, this is going to be a difficult review to write. Trust me, if I could, my entire review would comprise of a bunch of gifs depicting happy dances, like so:



And no, I don't know what that last gif is exactly. Sure, it might be irrelevant, but what I do know is that it's a woman in a crab costume and it's staying.
Now, where was I? Oh yeah, how if I could my entire review would be of gifs, but apparently, that's not a "proper" review, because it doesn't have to do with the contents of the boo ...more



And no, I don't know what that last gif is exactly. Sure, it might be irrelevant, but what I do know is that it's a woman in a crab costume and it's staying.
Now, where was I? Oh yeah, how if I could my entire review would be of gifs, but apparently, that's not a "proper" review, because it doesn't have to do with the contents of the boo ...more

This review is also available over at my blog.
_________________________
Actual rating might be 2.5 or 2.75. Or just 2 stars, I honestly don't even know.
After seeing the positive reviews of this book on Goodreads start pouring in, I can't deny that my excitement grew, so I crossed my fingers and requested this title. I was giddy when I was approved, and couldn't wait to start. Besides the number of positive reviews, the concept also intrigued me a lot. A dystopian world that has a lot of time-weav ...more
_________________________
Actual rating might be 2.5 or 2.75. Or just 2 stars, I honestly don't even know.
After seeing the positive reviews of this book on Goodreads start pouring in, I can't deny that my excitement grew, so I crossed my fingers and requested this title. I was giddy when I was approved, and couldn't wait to start. Besides the number of positive reviews, the concept also intrigued me a lot. A dystopian world that has a lot of time-weav ...more

Rating: 2.5 Stars
I think we’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not you, it’s me!” and while I would love to claim that my disappointed feelings concerning this book stem from me, and not the book itself, I honestly don’t think I can. Yes, my unusually prolific knowledge on dystopian and science-fiction novels definitely played a role in my lack of amazement at the so-called creativity of this novel and that same understanding enabled me to predict the ending of this novel far before the hal ...more
I think we’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not you, it’s me!” and while I would love to claim that my disappointed feelings concerning this book stem from me, and not the book itself, I honestly don’t think I can. Yes, my unusually prolific knowledge on dystopian and science-fiction novels definitely played a role in my lack of amazement at the so-called creativity of this novel and that same understanding enabled me to predict the ending of this novel far before the hal ...more

"I'm here because it's the last place they'll look."
"Look for what?" I ask, unsure if I want to know the answer.
"Revolution."
THIS BOOK FRIED MY BRAIN.
I'll award Crewel a happily confuzzled 3.5 stars.Of course, it wouldn't be nice if I let you know just who said the above quote. I'll leave you with the element of mystery, as if this book wouldn't do that to you on its own.
Am I the only person who had a few moments of brain trauma while trying to figure out this world

2.5 stars
In a word, I found Crewel inconsistent.
The good? The concept. I thought the central idea behind Crewel, returning to the roots of the word “spinster” and the mythology of weaving, was interesting and strong. Albin’s spinsters have the ability to manipulate and repair the weave of their world (the “weave” being the individual strands making up the physical world and the people in it, entwined with the constant flow of time). Weaving is a highly specialised skill requiring particular fin ...more
In a word, I found Crewel inconsistent.
The good? The concept. I thought the central idea behind Crewel, returning to the roots of the word “spinster” and the mythology of weaving, was interesting and strong. Albin’s spinsters have the ability to manipulate and repair the weave of their world (the “weave” being the individual strands making up the physical world and the people in it, entwined with the constant flow of time). Weaving is a highly specialised skill requiring particular fin ...more

Mar 25, 2012
oliviasbooks
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
readers craving a girly Matrix story that serves love-triangles instead of solid world-building
'The tech is safer now ... It can change how a person acts and thinks.' I tell him about what Cormac said about isolating problem areas in the strand and splicing new material into an individual's thread.
I vividly remember the awe I felt when I was watching 'The Matrix' for the first time. Although it puzzled my mind with questions like 'How can virtual procreatic activity result in a real baby? Do the machines manufacture an embryo when a couple living in the Matrix stops using condoms?' or 'Ho ...more
I vividly remember the awe I felt when I was watching 'The Matrix' for the first time. Although it puzzled my mind with questions like 'How can virtual procreatic activity result in a real baby? Do the machines manufacture an embryo when a couple living in the Matrix stops using condoms?' or 'Ho ...more

Jul 05, 2012
MeMe Belikova First lady Ivashkov
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
arc-2012-best-books-ever
This book was EPIC! I LOVED everything about it! The story itself was unique and intriguing that I just could not put it down! Crewel being her debut novel, I have to say Gennifer Albin is an author to be reckoned with. Leave it to Gennifer to create an AMAZING and believable world where you can manipulate and weave time with matter.This whole concept is INCREDIBLE and I can't get enough of it, If this is what the future is like then count me in! This world she has built it so complex but in a G
...more

1.5
Nothing is clear about this book.
- The characters are off, their intentions and motivations and reactions are off.
- I don't understand the weaving of time and matter...how can you see a bird's-eye view of a street from threads?
- Why do Spinsters have to be dressed up and made to look beautiful? Why are cosmetics and fashion such a big deal!! I do not get!!
- If Spinsters had control of such power, why didn't they just change the government?
I quit after a hundred pages so yeah, I have no rig ...more
Nothing is clear about this book.
- The characters are off, their intentions and motivations and reactions are off.
- I don't understand the weaving of time and matter...how can you see a bird's-eye view of a street from threads?
- Why do Spinsters have to be dressed up and made to look beautiful? Why are cosmetics and fashion such a big deal!! I do not get!!
- If Spinsters had control of such power, why didn't they just change the government?
I quit after a hundred pages so yeah, I have no rig ...more

Oh, I am not happy.
Not happy at all.
In fact, I'm downright disappointed.
I was so excited to read this. This book was was on my list of "must reads" of this year. The synopsis is so damn intriguing, right? So when I got this book, I was jumping up and down in excitement. The beginning started off really well - I was really into it. The synopsis I read said how Adelice has only a few hours to enjoy her freedom, because after that - well, I didn't know what to expect. I thought it'd be this really ...more
Not happy at all.
In fact, I'm downright disappointed.
I was so excited to read this. This book was was on my list of "must reads" of this year. The synopsis is so damn intriguing, right? So when I got this book, I was jumping up and down in excitement. The beginning started off really well - I was really into it. The synopsis I read said how Adelice has only a few hours to enjoy her freedom, because after that - well, I didn't know what to expect. I thought it'd be this really ...more

Jul 20, 2013
Rusty's Ghost Engine (also known as.......... Jinky Spring)
rated it
did not like it
Recommends it for:
People who want to be bored shitless
Recommended to Rusty's Ghost Engine by:
Someone whom bored me shitless
Full review and more
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
My my what a struggle!

It took me ten days yes ten fucking days! I had to force myself to finish but I'll start by describing the (few) things I liked.
The concept and storyline was very different indeed. In Adelice's world, Arras, the Guild controls and monitors everything via the Weave (a tapestry of threads made of time and matter). Everything has a thread and the Guild can alter or get rid of threads therefor altering and controllin ...more
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
My my what a struggle!

It took me ten days yes ten fucking days! I had to force myself to finish but I'll start by describing the (few) things I liked.
The concept and storyline was very different indeed. In Adelice's world, Arras, the Guild controls and monitors everything via the Weave (a tapestry of threads made of time and matter). Everything has a thread and the Guild can alter or get rid of threads therefor altering and controllin ...more

DNF at 21%
New year, new reading resolutions: I will no longer force myself to finish disasters... and from all the reviews I've read after I found myself frowning upon what I was reading (view spoiler) , it appears that that was only the beginning for a trainweck.
The girl is just your usual Mary Sue. With her bland Mary Sue voice. Making stupid Mary Sue ...more
New year, new reading resolutions: I will no longer force myself to finish disasters... and from all the reviews I've read after I found myself frowning upon what I was reading (view spoiler) , it appears that that was only the beginning for a trainweck.
The girl is just your usual Mary Sue. With her bland Mary Sue voice. Making stupid Mary Sue ...more

Mar 29, 2012
Rose
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
young-adult,
tbr-challenge,
netgalley,
urban-fantasy,
time-travel,
dystoromance,
pretty-cover,
romance,
paranormal
The first thing that I thought about Gennifer Albin's "Crewel" when doing my overall reflective thoughts about it was that I probably should've never read it in consideration as a dystopian work (in general) right after the rather developed and meticulously constructed thematic of "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline. Granted, they're both dystopian works, but for considerably different audiences, and I took that into consideration as I sat down to think about my reflections on "Crewel" and why it
...more

See more of my reviews at We Live and Breathe Books
How do I even begin to talk about the gloriousness that is Crewel? This book was absolutely incredible and not only exceeded my expectations but blew them up. Seriously.
The concept of Crewel is pretty difficult to explain. Arras is built and controlled by women known as spinsters who weave the reality of the world. Among these spinsters is Adelice Lewys. I could go into more detail about her talent and the world, but this is the kind of thing yo ...more
How do I even begin to talk about the gloriousness that is Crewel? This book was absolutely incredible and not only exceeded my expectations but blew them up. Seriously.
The concept of Crewel is pretty difficult to explain. Arras is built and controlled by women known as spinsters who weave the reality of the world. Among these spinsters is Adelice Lewys. I could go into more detail about her talent and the world, but this is the kind of thing yo ...more

NOOOO. This is bad. I didn't just dislike this book. I hated it so much that it made me angry. I had a look of appalled disbelief on my face as I read more and more, quickly realising that the awesome book I had heard about full of time weaving and Spinsters was actually WORSE than 'The Selection' by Kiera Cass. I'm sorry but I cannot forgive. Hopefully I can forget.
The characters in this book do not act appropriately considering the world that they are in. This world, and its rulers, are suppos ...more
The characters in this book do not act appropriately considering the world that they are in. This world, and its rulers, are suppos ...more

There has been a famine of originality in mainstream YA for a while now. Paranormal romance has long lost its sheen, the dystopian craze never entirely took off and, as I discussed in my previous Book Lantern post, the assembly line of contemporary romance is on the rise. The glimmers of hope must be accepted with open arms, and, despite not entirely succeeding in its aims, “Crewel” has ambition to spare.
The appeal in “Crewel” lies in its concept – a world where reality is woven by a group of e ...more
The appeal in “Crewel” lies in its concept – a world where reality is woven by a group of e ...more

Wow, what an extraordinary read! This is totally one of those books you will never will be able to put down! Okay, I thought this would be an easy review to write since I loved it so much. Right now thats working against me because all I want to do is gush over Crewel. Crewel= Masterpiece
The characters are memorable and real. Jost, Adelice, Eric, and other characters, I swear, broke into my room last night. They talked to me and I saw them clear as day. (Maybe I am exaggerating a bit.) But, my p ...more
The characters are memorable and real. Jost, Adelice, Eric, and other characters, I swear, broke into my room last night. They talked to me and I saw them clear as day. (Maybe I am exaggerating a bit.) But, my p ...more

It takes a lot for me to like a book that's inspired by THE GIVER, and it also takes a lot for me to like a book inspired by THE HANDMAID'S TALE. In a bizarre twist of fate, CREWEL draws inspiration from both (along with a healthy dose of THE HUNGER GAMES), and I still loved it. The difference between this and a lot of the other current YA dystopian books, in my opinion, is Albin's imagination. The "framework" (pun intended) of weaving is brilliant and innovative, so it didn't bother me that she
...more

Mar 29, 2012
Misty
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
juvenile-ya,
excited-for,
own,
arc-or-galley,
sci_fi-fantasy,
read-in-2012,
debut,
rant,
2012-debuts__apocalypsies,
timeslip
This review has been a hard one for me to sit down and write. Crewel was one of my most anticipated books of this year (I mean, hello, buzzwords!), and I was all ready to be impressed and count it among my favorites. But sadly, it ended up being one of my biggest letdowns.
Crewel lured me in almost immediately - the intro was strong and compelling, Adelice's predicament in trying to hide her talent, and all of the chaos and confusion of the beginning chapters were really effective and interestin ...more
Crewel lured me in almost immediately - the intro was strong and compelling, Adelice's predicament in trying to hide her talent, and all of the chaos and confusion of the beginning chapters were really effective and interestin ...more

CREWEL... Where do I start with CREWEL? Well, I can start almost anywhere, but since it's late, I'm having trouble remembering a lot of what went down, and my bed is calling, I'll make this one quick.
My expectations were high when this came out, and after reviews began to come in, after I heard comparisons and remarks, they slowly fell, and fell some more, and again, until eventually I left this book on the backburner and only returned to it recently when I remembered I bought it on my Kindle mo ...more
My expectations were high when this came out, and after reviews began to come in, after I heard comparisons and remarks, they slowly fell, and fell some more, and again, until eventually I left this book on the backburner and only returned to it recently when I remembered I bought it on my Kindle mo ...more

Hum...where do I start with this one?
In Crewel, Adelice lives in a world completely controlled by a group known as The Guild. The Guild determines everything about their lives, from who they marry to how many children they have, to what people eat. In the midst of this controlling, semi-patriarchal society is a group known as the Spinsters, who possess the strange ability to weave time, and that will allow the Guild the ultimate form of control over its people. It's the dream of every young girl ...more
In Crewel, Adelice lives in a world completely controlled by a group known as The Guild. The Guild determines everything about their lives, from who they marry to how many children they have, to what people eat. In the midst of this controlling, semi-patriarchal society is a group known as the Spinsters, who possess the strange ability to weave time, and that will allow the Guild the ultimate form of control over its people. It's the dream of every young girl ...more

Sep 05, 2012
Marie
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
favorites,
favourite-series,
most-anticipated,
powers,
5-stars,
best-covers,
sounds-good,
intriguing,
original,
cute
Cannot recommend this book highly enough. Thoroughly entertaining and very original and unique in its concept.
Keeps you intrigued the whole way through.
With two love interests more conflicted than others and in a surprising situation.
Eric a hot seemingly orphaned bad boy, who is to me irresistible and Jost is a quiet but kind guy with a good sense of humour who has family issues..
The whole plot of this story is insane to say the least. You would never be able to compare it to other books beca ...more
Keeps you intrigued the whole way through.
With two love interests more conflicted than others and in a surprising situation.
Eric a hot seemingly orphaned bad boy, who is to me irresistible and Jost is a quiet but kind guy with a good sense of humour who has family issues..
The whole plot of this story is insane to say the least. You would never be able to compare it to other books beca ...more

Dec 27, 2015
The Book Queen
marked it as abandoned
I think this may be the quickest I've ever abandoned a book. I was reading it on wattpad, so I couldn't tell what the page number was, but I ditched it after Chapter Two. Life's too short to read books like this. I'm not normally so picky about beginnings, but the two chapters I've read were disappointing and dull, and according to the majority of the reviews, the rest of the book is the same. Crewel gets the dubious honour of being my first DNF of 2016.
...more

Although I had a few problems with this book, mainly the lack of female friendships (categorizing women as backstabbers and b****es with each other, which I totally disagree with) and Adelice's emotions. She barely had any, it was like if she had a kitten and it died she'd be like "oh, that's so sad" and then barely even shed a tear. It just really bothered me.
Anyways, the story/plot was really interesting, it kept wanting more. The writing style was okay enough. ...more
Anyways, the story/plot was really interesting, it kept wanting more. The writing style was okay enough. ...more

4.5 stars
Crewel surprised me. It’s not often I read sci-fi – mostly because I don’t know what I’m looking for. I know the contemporary genre inside out, and I find my way around the fantasy section fairly well, but sci-fi is a whole new ball game for me. But every time Crewel popped up on my Goodreads feed, I felt a spark of curiosity. Maybe it was the unusual name, the vivid cover or the unique (okay, weird) premise. Probably all three. So when I was offered Crewel for review, I jumped at the c ...more
Crewel surprised me. It’s not often I read sci-fi – mostly because I don’t know what I’m looking for. I know the contemporary genre inside out, and I find my way around the fantasy section fairly well, but sci-fi is a whole new ball game for me. But every time Crewel popped up on my Goodreads feed, I felt a spark of curiosity. Maybe it was the unusual name, the vivid cover or the unique (okay, weird) premise. Probably all three. So when I was offered Crewel for review, I jumped at the c ...more


Between the enormous amount of glowing reviews it has received and by the fact that I personally met the author and found her to be a very intelligent woman, I suppose you could say that I was expecting high things from Gennifer Albin's Crewel. Unfortunately, however, I found it a bit mediocre and disappointing.2.5 stars
The premise of Crewel is one that, to me at least, was quite intriguing. The story is set in the futuristic world of Arras, where the Guild rules the ...more

Dec 26, 2011
Tee loves Kyle Jacobson
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
2012-must-reads,
around-the-world-arc-tours
A HUGE THANK YOU to Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to read this ARC. I have to say I have never read anything like this before. The way Gennifer set this world up was nice and slow. Sometimes slow is painful but in this case it is GREAT! I was able to follow the new world and grow right along side Adelice.
Adelice lives with a secret that she wants to keep from everyone. She wants to be normal and she definitely does not want to be a Spinster. But one day while she is being tested she ...more
Adelice lives with a secret that she wants to keep from everyone. She wants to be normal and she definitely does not want to be a Spinster. But one day while she is being tested she ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Young Adult/Middle School book about girl who is taken to the rulers of their city separated into 4 sections. [s] | 3 | 32 | Sep 27, 2020 09:57AM | |
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Crazy for Young A...: Pair 7: Lana and Nicole (June Besties) | 24 | 24 | Jun 24, 2018 07:07PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: Crewel (Crewel World, #1) by Gennifer Albin - Restarting April 22nd 2018 | 31 | 151 | Apr 19, 2018 06:45PM | |
Booktastic Bookah...: Crewel World (Trilogy) by Gennifer Albin | 3 | 2 | Dec 13, 2016 11:15AM | |
Erik or Jost? | 9 | 91 | Aug 20, 2015 02:20PM | |
YA/NA FANATICS: Crewel by Gennifer Albin | 22 | 23 | Sep 25, 2013 02:05AM |
****Guess what?! I am writing YA again! Check out Gennifer Albin writing as Geneva Lee and my new series GILT: By Invitation Only coming May 31!****
***HEADS UP REVIEWERS: I don't respond to review requests sent through Goodreads because I don't get on here frequently enough. However, it's super easy to fill out the review request form. I can't guarantee it will get you a copy, but it will get your ...more
***HEADS UP REVIEWERS: I don't respond to review requests sent through Goodreads because I don't get on here frequently enough. However, it's super easy to fill out the review request form. I can't guarantee it will get you a copy, but it will get your ...more
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Articles featuring this book
November is the time for aspiring writers to get serious about writing that book! It's National Novel Writing Month, the annual event designed to...
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2 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“Take the happiness you can, even if it's only a little.”
—
51 likes
“Cormac and I have an understanding."
Erik raises an eyebrow. Clearly he's got the wrong idea.
"Don't worry. It's a death-threat thing.”
—
29 likes
More quotes…
Erik raises an eyebrow. Clearly he's got the wrong idea.
"Don't worry. It's a death-threat thing.”