Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Born into a perfectly ordered world, 16-year-old Adelice has a rare and powerful gift. She can physically weave the fabric of life to control space, time and matter. Having been brought up to respect the mysterious Spinsters that wield this power, you'd expect her to be ecstatic when she finds she can join their ranks. Instead, her first experience reeks of frustration.

Aged eight, Adelice's distress at finding an abandoned bird's nest unearths her ability: 

'As I watched, the golden strands of light flickered slightly, and I realised they were slowly moving forwards, away from the moment in front of me. They weren't simply fibres in Arras's tapestry-they were lines of time. Tentatively, I reached for one of the golden fibres. Encouraged by its silky texture, I took it and yanked it hard, trying to force the time bands back to a moment when the mama bird was guarding her precious babies. But the strands resisted. No matter what I did, they kept on creeping forward. There was no going back.' 

 It's a hard lesson: controlling the world around her doesn't guarantee the safety of those she loves.

Adelice's talent is valuable and those in power will stop at nothing to control her. Once they have her there's no going back. Having been whisked away from her family, Adelice is faced with a terrible choice: work for those that tore them apart or be killed. As her training continues she realises the extent of the Spinster's control over the public. But what exactly does the powerful Guild need Adelice for? And how much leverage does this afford her? Can it keep her own family safe, or is it too late for that?

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 I loved Gennifer Albin's concept of the world constantly changing and being woven around us. The idea of the delicate balance of life being visible and tangible really appealed to me. It's refreshing to picture a completely new type of perception and reminded me of how limited our human sight is in terms of the colour spectrum. This also led to some touching imagery of individual lives being intertwined and woven together. 

Like many novels featuring totalitarian societies Crewel raises the age-old question: should you sacrifice free will for the security of crime-free authoritarianism? Albin's twist here lies in the originality of how that security is created and physically maintained. I also liked Adelice's determination and ability to appear cocky in the face of danger. She's sharp witted and seems to have an enviable knack for banter especially with her nemesis, Guild Ambassador Cormac Patton:

'But they know more than they let on,' I press. His cologne's heavy musk is making my head swim, and I can't hold back the thoughts I've locked in since my arrival.

'They do,' he admits, 'but I have so much more power. It's easier to share little secrets when you're in charge.'

'And you are?' I ask him pointedly. 'Then why tell me? You have no more reason to trust me than they do.'

'No, I don't,' he says, 'but unlike them, I can have you killed.'

'And I thought we were finally becoming friends.' 

Cormac laughs a deep, barking cackle. 'You are delightful. I do hope I don't have to kill you.'

'Finally, something we can agree on'.

Despite these perks, I found I didn't quite root for Adelice the way I have for other YA heroines like Katniss and Hannah Baker. At times she came across as a little too superficial and flirty, without Katniss' steadfast fire and hatred of the enemy. Whilst it could be argued that this makes Adelice a more realistic teenager, I would have liked to have felt that her resistance to The Guild was fueled by universal humanitarian concern rather than self-interest. This alienation was exacerbated by the fact that she struggled to strike up friendships with the other Spinster recruits. Adelice isn't short of potential boyfriends, but she sure could a have done with a few more friends.

Having said that, I couldn't help but respect Adelice's courage, survivor instinct and wit. Gennifer Albin has woven a quirky, imaginative plot throughout this novel and I'll eagerly be looking out for the sequel.  

Crewel is due to be published in the UK by Faber and Faber in October 2012