The Unmaking of June Farrow Summary, Characters and Themes
The Unmaking of June Farrow is a novel by young adult author Adrienne Young. It’s a story that blends fantasy, mystery, and romance. In the book, June, burdened by a hereditary curse that drove her mother mad, lives in a secretive mountain town. Determined to break the cycle and solve her mother’s disappearance, June discovers clues hinting at the town’s dark history.
A mysterious doorway appears, offering a chance to travel through time. June ventures through, risking everything to alter the past, shatter the curse, and perhaps even find love.
Summary
The story dives into the life of June, burdened by a mysterious curse that plagues the Farrow women. The story unfolds in the fictional mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina.
June attends her grandmother Margaret’s funeral, who the townspeople believed to be simply ill. However, June knows the truth – the curse manifests as a fracturing of time, causing the Farrow women to exist in two eras simultaneously.
Determined to break the cycle and find answers about her mother’s disappearance, June delves into a family secret.
A cryptic letter from Margaret, along with a photo hinting at a past murder, sparks June’s investigation. The photo depicts a minister killed in 1950 alongside a woman strikingly similar to June’s mother, Susanna.
A complex family history unfolds as the story progresses. We learn that Susanna, fearing for June’s safety from her abusive father, Nathaniel, sent her to the future as an infant. Fabricating a story of June’s death, Susanna remained trapped in the past.
Sharing her experiences with her closest friend Mason and a mysterious woman named Birdie, June reveals the curse’s hold on her.
Birdie, later revealed to be June’s adult daughter Annie, urges June to confront the red door – a recurring hallucination – as a potential escape route.
Following Birdie’s instructions, June travels back to 1950. There, she encounters a surprised Eamon, a man she doesn’t recognize.
Learning that she’s been gone for a year, June grapples with the consequences of her time travel. The delay meant a year away from Eamon and Annie.
Birdie explains a loophole in the curse – one can only travel to a time they don’t exist in. June’s trip to 2022 created that gap.
Armed with a letter from her future self containing a pressed flower and the words “trust me,” June navigates the past.
She reunites with her younger self – a 16-year-old Margaret – and discovers a devastating truth: Susanna is dead. The weight of abandoning her daughter Annie hangs heavy on June.
The time travel rules become clearer: the locket watch June possesses determines the year of travel.
Each Farrow woman experiences the red door eventually, causing a fraying of time. Additionally, they are limited to three crossings.
Returning to the present, suspicion falls upon June. Her brother Caleb, the town sheriff, becomes suspicious of Eamon and June’s year-long absence.
A witness claims to have seen June running from the crime scene on the night of Nathaniel’s murder.
Seeking answers, June confronts Eamon and Esther, revealing Nathaniel’s past harassment.
They share a crucial detail – during her previous visit, Nathaniel seemed to recognize her. The horror of the past resurfaces – Nathaniel, enraged by June’s existence, had tried to drown her. In a desperate act of self-defense, June killed him.
Margaret, it turns out, played a key role.
We learn that she facilitated June’s time travel to a period she already existed in, aiming to break the curse. Additionally, Margaret reveals that Annie grows up to become Birdie Forester.
The climax arrives with Caleb’s arrest warrant for June. Despite Eamon’s pleas to escape through the door, June chooses to face the consequences.
A conversation with Caleb leads to a shocking revelation – Nathaniel murdered Susanna. June’s actions are exposed, but with the truth finally out, Susanna’s body is exhumed, confirming Nathaniel’s cruelty.
The story concludes with a heartwarming scene – a second wedding between June and Eamon, signifying a future free from the curse and filled with love.
Characters
June Farrow
June Farrow is the protagonist of the novel, grappling with the Farrow family curse that causes the women to exist in two time periods simultaneously.
Initially determined to break the curse and avoid passing it on by not marrying or having children, she ultimately finds herself deeply involved in unraveling the mystery of her family’s past.
June’s journey is marked by her shifting perception of reality and memory, as she transitions between her life in the present and her life in the 1950s.
Her evolution is central to the narrative as she moves from resistance to acceptance of her destiny, ultimately choosing to remain in the past to be with her family and break the curse. June’s character explores themes of identity, memory, and sacrifice.
Eamon Stone
Eamon Stone is June’s husband, who she does not remember when she returns to the past. His character is pivotal as he represents a link to the life and memories June has lost.
Eamon’s patience and love for June underscore the depth of their relationship, despite the temporal disjunction. He provides stability and support, even when June is initially confused and disoriented.
His character is also instrumental in the revelation of key plot points, including the details of Nathaniel’s murder and the complexities of June’s previous life in the past.
Margaret Farrow
Margaret Farrow is June’s grandmother, who appears as both an elderly woman at the beginning of the novel and as a 16-year-old girl when June travels to the past.
Margaret’s character bridges the generational gap, revealing the impact of the family curse over time.
Her younger self provides insight into the family history and the origins of the curse, while her older self offers guidance and wisdom to June.
Margaret’s actions, particularly helping June travel through time, highlight her role in the attempt to break the curse and protect her family.
Birdie Forester (Annie)
Birdie Forester, revealed to be the grown-up version of June’s daughter Annie, is a crucial character who connects June’s past and future.
Initially introduced as Margaret’s old friend, Birdie’s true identity and purpose are gradually unveiled.
Her character embodies the hope for breaking the family curse, as she assists June in navigating the complexities of time travel and understanding the curse’s implications.
Birdie’s dual identity emphasizes the cyclical nature of the Farrow women’s experiences and the enduring impact of the curse on their lives.
Susanna Farrow
Susanna Farrow, June’s mother, is a tragic figure whose actions set the stage for the novel’s events.
Conceiving June in the past and sending her to the future to protect her from her cruel father, Nathaniel, Susanna’s character reveals the lengths a mother will go to safeguard her child.
Her death at Nathaniel’s hands and the subsequent cover-up are central to the novel’s mystery.
Susanna’s story highlights the themes of maternal sacrifice and the destructive nature of familial secrets.
Nathaniel Farrow
Nathaniel Farrow, June’s grandfather, is the antagonist whose cruelty and murder set off a chain of events affecting multiple generations.
His character embodies the dark legacy of the Farrow family, representing the source of the curse’s malevolence.
Nathaniel’s actions, including his abuse of Susanna and his ultimate death at June’s hands, are critical to understanding the family’s trauma and the curse’s origin.
His presence looms over the narrative, driving the plot and the characters’ motivations.
Caleb Farrow
Caleb Farrow, June’s brother and the town sheriff, plays a complex role in the story. Conceived by Nathaniel and Susanna after June was sent to the future, Caleb is caught between his duty as a law enforcement officer and his familial loyalties.
His investigation into his father’s murder and suspicion of Eamon add tension to the narrative.
Caleb’s character explores the conflict between justice and family, ultimately leading to his acceptance of the truth about Nathaniel and his release of June.
Esther Farrow
Esther Farrow, June’s great-great-grandmother, is a key figure in the past timeline. Running the flower farm and maintaining the family’s legacy, Esther provides historical context and depth to the Farrow family’s story.
Her interactions with June reveal the longstanding impact of the curse and the resilience of the Farrow women.
Esther’s character adds to the multi-generational perspective of the novel, emphasizing the enduring struggle against the curse.
Themes
The Complexities and Circularity of Lineage
Adrienne Young’s novel delves deeply into the intricate relationships within the Farrow family, emphasizing how lineage and legacy shape identity.
June’s journey to uncover her family’s history reveals a complex web of connections spanning generations. The novel explores how these familial ties are not linear but circular, with past, present, and future intertwining.
The portrayal of June’s relationship with Eamon, her husband, whom she forgets and then rediscovers, highlights the cyclical nature of her family’s experiences. This circularity is further underscored by her interactions with her grandmother, Margaret, and her daughter, Birdie.
The novel’s revelation that Birdie is actually her daughter Annie, and that June meets her grandmother as a teenager, underscores the idea that familial roles and relationships are not fixed but fluid.
This fluidity challenges traditional notions of time and heritage, presenting a unique perspective on how individuals relate to their ancestry and descendants.
The Connection Between Memory and Identity
Memory plays a crucial role in defining identity in the story.
As June navigates between different timelines, she loses and regains memories, which significantly impacts her sense of self. Young uses this to explore how memories, whether retained or forgotten, are integral to one’s identity.
The unraveling of June’s memories as she transitions from the future to the past and vice versa symbolizes the fragmentation of her identity.
Her initial disconnection from Eamon and subsequent rediscovery of their relationship illustrate how memories form the foundation of personal connections and self-awareness.
The novel’s climax, where June remembers killing Nathaniel in self-defense, serves as a pivotal moment that redefines her understanding of her past and her identity.
This connection between memory and identity is further emphasized through the family curse, which causes the Farrow women to live in dual timelines, constantly challenging their perception of reality and selfhood.
The Role of Sacrifice and Self-Discovery
Sacrifice is a recurring theme in the novel, intertwined with the journey of self-discovery.
June’s decision to stay in the past and break the family curse, despite the opportunity to escape, underscores her willingness to sacrifice her future for the sake of her family.
This act of sacrifice is mirrored in her grandmother Margaret’s actions, who aids June in traveling to a time where she already exists to break the curse. The narrative explores how these sacrifices are essential for personal and familial liberation.
Through these sacrifices, characters undergo significant self-discovery, realizing their strengths and the depths of their love and commitment to their family. June’s ultimate choice to stay with Eamon and face the consequences of her actions reflects her growth and acceptance of her true self.
The theme of sacrifice thus not only drives the plot but also highlights the transformative power of love and the importance of embracing one’s destiny, no matter how challenging it may be.