The book cover of “Unlashed” by Reb Schuster.
“Unlashed” by Reb Schuster is a coming-of-age novel set in a rural, Eastern Montana community in 1989.
Ailbe Diffenbach, known to her family and friends as “Alby,” is 14 and struggling with several personal issues. As the novel begins, for instance, her older sister and closest confidant is leaving for college. This leaves her the last child of five left at home on her parents’ ranch.
Her parents’ relationship is strained and Alby is put in the middle, as they use her as a mediator in their discussions. Both of her parents are deeply involved with the local Catholic church in their tiny town. Alby’s mother has been trying for many years to modernize her church with new ideas, and to be more accepting of women. She is constantly thwarted and frustrated by the lack of change and acceptance, however. Alby’s oldest sister is a feminist pagan, and all this religious turmoil has Alby deeply conflicted and questioning her own beliefs.
Then there is the biggest stressor in her life: She compulsively pulls her eyelashes, eyebrows and hair out, which is where the book’s title is born.
The author does a good job of synthesizing the issues of a 14-year-old girl coming-of-age in the discriminatory atmosphere of 1989 rural Montana. There is the sexism at her church, in her own family, and racism against Native Americans from several adults in her life. There’s her desperate desire to fit in, but still be herself. He also touches on the moment to moment pull of being treated like a child, to being treated like an adult. And, of course, all the normal upheaval of being a 14-year-old no matter the era or place.
Alby has always been the family peacekeeper and tries to not be a bother or stand out. She internalizes a lot of her mother’s stress and frustration as feelings of unworthiness and self loathing. She wants to be better than her peers, be smarter, be a better basketball player, and to be prettier than the other girls as well. Alby knows her expectations for herself are unrealistic, and that leads her to be tremendously hard on herself over every misstep or perceived fault.
As much as she does not want to talk to her family or friends about her compulsive behaviors, Alby feels like it is worse that no one brings it up. The shame that she feels is multiplied by the fact that the issue, and therefore her emotional pain is ignored.
On New Year’s Eve, as the new decade begins, Alby’s perspective starts to change. She sets a goal for herself: By the summer, her cousin will be getting married and Alby will have her hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes back; she will have beaten her compulsive plucking urges.
From this point forward, I feel like the novel really shines and Reb’s characters come alive. Alby is on a journey of self discovery, but she also opens her eyes to the issues of the people around her, focuses on who she wants to be going forward, and on what she wants to take into the future with her.
Alby learns a lot about deep topics that touch her, or people in her community, such as: the racism and genocide against Native Americans, something that was glossed over in her history class; deeply entrenched sexism in all aspects of life;, the hypocrisy of some people’s religious beliefs, in contrast to their actions towards others; and she explores her feelings about her own sexuality and the possibility of someone close to her being homosexual.
I really enjoyed the transformation of young Ailbe, her deep insights into her own inner workings and the growth she achieved. My favorite paragraph in the book is when Alby states that she realizes something big, that it’s not enough to stop the hair pulling for other causes, big or small. She is the worthy cause. For anyone who has worked to overcome being a people pleaser and having low self esteem, Alby is a role model. Her actions show the day-by-day steps you have to take to be truly yourself and to love who you are.
I look forward to seeing what the author writes in the future, and recommend this debut novel by Montana author Reb Schuster.