Review of ‘We Were Restless Things’

Synopsis

Last summer, Link Miller drowned on dry land in the woods, miles from the nearest body of water. His death was ruled a weird accident, but Noemi Amato knows the truth: Link was killed. He told her so himself, because he's been texting her from beyond the grave, warning her to keep away from the forest.

Amberlyn, Link's sister, can't shake the feeling that Noemi is hiding something, and Jonas, Noemi's new housemate, can't get past the walls that she has constructed around herself. Because Noemi has a dangerous secret even bigger than Link's ghost...

Link drowned in an impossible lake that only she can find.

Now, if the three don't work together to unravel the truth about what is happening in the woods, someone else may wind up dead. Set over the course of one heartbreaking, mystifying, and ultimately hopeful year, this remarkable debut heralds the arrival of an incredible new voice in young adult literature.

Review

We Were Restless Things is one of those novels that linger in the balance of love or hate. It has an interesting premise, following a summer where a boy drowned on dry land. Link’s death is due to a lake in the forest that moves, a lake that is very much alive and interested in Noemi Amato. For Noemi, her once magical refuge has turned into something dangerous. She knows the lake murdered her friend because Link is texting her from beyond the grave. Elements such as that hook the reader in, but the characterization within the story lacks personality, leaving room for more development.

The magical realism that comes alive in the forest takes center stage in the story. Nagamatsu gives the forest a voice of its own, and that voice verges on terrifying. There are times where the reader is pulled in by the fantasy and magic of the forest, but Nagamatsu is fantastic at ensuring that something is unsettling about it. It is a great way to build this sinister atmosphere while creating tension throughout the story.

Lacks Personality

As the central character, Noemi lacks personality. This is a shame because she is described as a character with such vibrancy, but her artwork, the way she dresses, they don’t give her life. Quite simply, her voice falls flat, it lacks emotion.

Now, while it is excellent that Noemi is an asexual character, asexual does not mean a lack of emotion. Take Immortal Code by Lillian Clark, for example. Clarke included an asexual character and ensured that her character had a personality. Nagamatsu missed the mark in bringing to life this character by forgetting to include emotion.

Nevertheless, Nagamatsu does highlight something important in her story. When Noemi is talking about her sexuality with Jonas she says, “There are no romances about people like me.” The line is terrific, explaining much about her personality, while also highlighting the lack of representation asexuality has in the media.

Then there are Jonas and Amberlyn. Amberlyn feels like an afterthought of a voice. While she is Link’s sister, her POV does not offer anything to the plot. The reader could skip over her POV entirely and not miss anything in the story. Jonas feels like an accessory to Noemi. Jonas has a great voice, and well thought out dynamic with Noemi, but at the end of the day, he is forgettable.

Final Thoughts

Overall, We Were Restless Things is an interesting debut novel, but it could have been better. Beautifully written, with magical realism as an added wonderful element, it only lacks in the characterization.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.