Unraveled Wednesday: 3/5/25

I'm joining Kat and the Unravelers today, but I'm not subjecting you to yet another photo of the Classy Hitchhiker looking much the same as it did last week. I am approaching the end, and by that I mean I've got 88 more rows to go. They are long ones, but I hope to be done by next week. 

Instead I'm sharing my excitement at receiving some good mail that serendipitously arrived yesterday. What could be hiding in this box? 

It's my Wollmeise!

 

 

I love the colors as much or more in person, and I even love the name that Wollmeise has given the collection.

Dracula sounds just a tiny bit creepy but I think the skeins are beautiful. I haven't unwrapped them yet because I want to make myself finish the current Hitchhiker first, and I know if I open the package, I'll wind them and maybe even cast on. So they'll remain safely sealed until the Classy Hitchhiker is done. I better get knitting!

I read a book last week that I began with high hopes. Dream State started off as a solid 5-star read—beautifully written, immersive, and filled with sharp insights about family, identity, and Montana as a dream state. Puchner’s prose is exquisite, and the early chapters immediately pull you in with their emotional depth and well-drawn characters.

However, the middle section drags considerably. The pacing slows, and some parts feel bloated, making it a struggle to stay engaged. What started as a mesmerizing read turned into a slog at times, barely holding onto a 3-star level of interest for me. Certain sections felt repetitive, and I found myself longing for the momentum and magic of the beginning. It is a rare book that has male friendship as a topic, and even rarer to have an author that follows the ups and downs of that friendship over the years, especially when there is a woman between them. One of my biggest problems with the book was this woman's motivation for a crucial action she takes near the beginning. I pretty much finished the book to try and understand her better but any explanation was sadly lacking. In the beginning, the climate change aspect felt like part of the story, but by the end I felt like I was being hit over the head with it at every turn.

Thankfully, the book regains its footing in the final stretch. The ending is just as strong as the opening—poignant, thought-provoking, and beautifully executed. If the middle had been tighter, this could have easily been a 5-star book for me. As it stands, it’s a mixed experience—worth reading for the highs, but expect some big lulls along the way.

What are you making and reading this week?