OUR DARK UNRAVELING

Teen girls harmed by the same toxic boy unite to reclaim their power in this modern retelling of “Bluebeard” that marks Australian author McGovern’s U.S. debut.

Georgina and Jude grew up as close friends and neighbors. Their relationship evolved into something more intimate when they entered Milford, an elite rural boarding school that prohibits digital communication. By the time scholarship student Lyssa arrives, joining George as her roommate, the pair have broken up—and Jude’s actions have silenced George, ruining her reputation and making her the subject of gossip. Lyssa, unaware of this background, quickly falls under wealthy Jude’s spell and enters a romantic relationship with him. When students return to campus from a break, they’re shocked to learn that Jude died from a gunshot wound while hunting rabbits on his family’s property. He appears as a ghost to George and Lyssa, becoming an embodiment of their grief. A desperate Lyssa uses self-harm framed as magic to cling to him, while George comes to recognize that Jude is continuing to control them through guilt and intimidation. Only by recognizing this abuse can they free themselves and begin to heal. The ominous landscape heightens the sense of unease, but the leads’ strong voices are the story’s greatest strength; the girls’ dual narration heartbreakingly unpacks their layered emotions as Jude slowly diminishes their sense of selfhood. The main characters present white.

A potent, hope-filled exploration of emotional manipulation and a redemption song for survivors of toxic relationships.