The Unwilling

I’ll be honest: *The Unwilling* frustrated me at first. Not because it’s bad—quite the opposite. Kelly Braffet’s world is so densely layered, her characters so stubbornly flawed, that it takes a while to find your footing. Judah, the reluctant prophet at the center of the storm, is the kind of protagonist who makes *terrible* decisions for reasons that feel painfully human. And Tia Rider’s narration? She doesn’t just *read* Judah’s exasperation; she *embodies* it, her voice tightening with every ignored warning from the god who won’t leave him alone. There’s a scene early on where Judah snaps at his deity, and Rider’s delivery—equal parts exhaustion and defiance—made me actually laugh out loud. That’s the kind of specificity this audiobook excels at. But—and this is my critique—the middle act drags. Braffet’s strength is her character work, not her battle scenes, and there are stretches where the siege of the city feels more like a backdrop than a driving force. The magic system, too, is fascinating in theory (a god’s power filtered through human vessels, with all the ego and miscommunication that implies), but the rules can feel vague when it matters most. That said, the final act *lands*. The emotional payoff, particularly in Judah’s relationship with his sister, is devastating in the best way. Rider’s performance shines brightest in these quieter moments, her voice softening just enough to let the heartbreak seep through. If you love fantasy that’s more about the cost of power than the thrill of wielding it, this is worth the investment—just be prepared to sit with the discomfort.