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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
The thrilling sequel to SPIN THE DAWN, a magical series steeped in Chinese culture.
Maia Tamarin’s journey to sew the dresses of the sun, the moon and the stars has taken a grievous toll. She returns to a kingdom on the brink of war. The boy she loves is gone, and she is forced to don the dress of the sun and assume the place of the emperor’s bride-to-be to keep the peace.
But the war raging around Maia is nothing compared to the battle within. Ever since she was touched by the demon Bandur, she has been changing . . . glancing in the mirror to see her own eyes glowing red, losing control of her magic, her body, her mind. It’s only a matter of time before Maia loses herself completely, but she will stop at nothing to find Edan, protect her family, and bring lasting peace to her country.
YA fantasy readers will love the sizzling forbidden romance, mystery, and intrigue of UNRAVEL THE DUSK.
Review:
I really loved Spin The Dawn, published in 2019. There was stunning world building, folk-lore, and characters. This continues in Unravel The Dusk, but this book has more political intrigue, and a personal reckoning for the main character, Maia. All this adds up to a satisfying ending to this duology.
What I Liked:
World-Building:
As with the first book, Unravel The Dusk continues with the folk-lore of this world of demons, gods, and ghosts. We see more of the world of demons, in particular, as Maia is slowly becoming one! This is a long process where a person will slowly lose control as they give in to the temptation to use magic. Maia has many reasons to use magic as she defends her kingdom against the evil warlord Shansen.
But this world is also filled with the textures of fabrics, the aromas of food, the sensations of hot and cold. All of the senses are involved in this book. I particularly like all the references to clothing (Maia is a tailor, after all).
Characters:
I enjoyed Maia's journey as she fights her transformation from human to demon. She is never self-pitying. She's made her bargain and is resigned to her fate. But she also wants to do the best she can during the time she has left.
I also like that Edan, Maia's lover, doesn't try to "save" her. He wants to be with her, even if her time is short. Neither character wastes time with melodramatic sacrifices or ridiculous misunderstandings.
Relationships:
Maia's life is not just defined by her romance with Edan. This book shows her ties to her family, particularly her brothers, and to her friend, Ammi. This shows her full life, something that YA books, often don't do.
Ending:
While I won't go into too much detail (no spoilers!), I will say that there was a great resolution to the story that incorporated love, sacrifice, and folk-lore. It was beautiful and satisfying.
Rating: 
Release Date: July 7th, 2020
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 368 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A worthy sequel to Spin The Dawn, with amazing world-building, and characters.
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