“Unraveling” Review: A Colorful String That Doesn’t Quite Thread Together

Writing about making a sweater from scratch is an intriguing premise, absent in the literary world — until now. A veteran writer, Peggy Orenstein may be best known for her New York Times-bestselling books “Girls & Sex” and “Boys & Sex,” though recently she made her foray into memoir-writing with her newest work, “Unraveling” — a piece that claims to “spin a yarn that will appeal to everyone.” With this more personal work, Orenstein explores the history, politics, and culture of the art of making clothes and how this intense process is woven into the very fabric of society. She spends portions of the book highlighting incredible women such as Lora Kinkade, a professional sheep-shearer, and Kristine Vejar, a Californian textile artist. Although the memoir is insightful and educational, it suffers by never deviating from Orenstein’s singular perspective.

The memoir takes place during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Orenstein decided to cope with quarantine by making a sweater from scratch — including shearing a sheep for wool. Through this process, Orenstein grapples with a wide variety of concerns, from dealing with environmental issues to navigating difficult family relationships and questioning what it means to be a woman in the modern world.

Orenstein’s insightful comments may lead readers to be more mindful when choosing which clothes to purchase and wear. Orenstein traces clothes to their sources, uncovering the journey of a piece of clothing before it lands in the hands of the consumer. In her own way, shearing a sheep is the beginning of this journey.

Orenstein writes as though chatting to a friend while explaining the intense process that it takes to create the yarn, the dyes, and design of her sweater. The effect is that of a conversational style that flows quickly and invites the reader into this sheep-shearing, yarn-making journey.

All throughout, she inserts historical anecdotes of influential women. These anecdotes include both fairy tales and historical accounts, ranging from Rumpelstiltskin and Queen Elizabeth I to the women of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. These romps through history and culture made “Unraveling” not only an entertaining read, but an educational one as well. Including these cultural and historical sketches expanded the viewpoint of her narrative and brought honor to the work of women throughout all times and cultures.

Orenstein’s playful tone makes “Unraveling” a binge-able read. However, some of the same qualities that make “Unraveling” so lovable may also cause Orenstein to lose readers’ trust. Her attempts to relate to readers by assuming that they have the same worldview as her make the book’s writing feel less approachable.

Orenstein portrays a level of self-awareness at times, noting that she “came of age in the wake of second-wave feminism, a time when girls like me (white, educated, financially comfortable) measured our worth through personal ambition and professional achievement.” By including this comment, she shares valuable insight into the place from which she is writing. However, those who do not share the same upbringing may feel disconnected from her worldview and therefore may also feel disconnected from her humor.

As such, the frequent use of second person intended to draw in readers instead alienate them. Instead of respecting Orenstein’s arguments, readers may find themselves arguing with the premises presented.

Orenstein’s striving to find connection with figures in history also falls flat. In one instance, Orenstein describes a group of craftswomen who destroyed spinning jennies, a once revolutionary technology that replaced crafts women's labor. Orenstein writes, “as a person whose profession has been devastated by the digital revolution, I can relate.” But with a viral Ted Talk and articles published in The New York Times and The Atlantic, her accolades and popularity build a rather asymmetrical comparison to these historical women.

It can be appreciated that this is intended to be a humorous book. However, many of the jokes came at the expense of other people. Orenstein is heralded for her humor, yet her comments often fail to land, instead feeling tone-deaf and even immature.

Near the end of the book, Orenstein reflects, “I do believe that change starts with personal reflection, followed by connection with like-minded others, and, finally, engagement in repeated, targeted collective action.” These words are fitting for her memoir. “Unraveling” will serve those “like-minded others,” but may also fail to strike a chord with those outside of this demographic.

—Staff writer Sophia N. Downs can be reached at sophia.downs@thecrimson.com.