Unwind (Unwind Dystology)

Great book the story line and characters are wonderful. I finished this book in 2 days and was excited to find that there were more books! I now have the whole series. This book will get you out of a book slump or into books. This is such a underrated series. I wish that more people would recommend this book.

I was totally blown away by this book. Simply blown away. It put me into the 'ugly cry,' something very few books are able to do. Sure, I may tear up during moving scenes or feel my throat tighten, but it's rare that a book moves me to outright crying. That's not to say that this is a sad book, it's just extremely powerful. Unwind is set in futuristic America, an unspecified year, after the Heartland War, which was a second civil war between the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life factions. The Heartland War culminated in The Bill of Life, which outlaws abortion but leaves parents with the option of "unwinding" their children once they reach the age of reason--13 years old. Parents can choose to unwind their problem children at any time between the ages of 13 and 18. Children chosen to be unwound are called "unwinds." Not all unwinds are problem children, though. Some are "tithes"---children conceived for the purpose of unwinding and giving back to the community. These tithes know that their purpose in life is to be unwound and are strangely accepting of their fate. Unwinding refers to the surgery that dismantles a child, taking them apart piece by piece, 99.44 % of their bodies to be used later as transplants for multiple recipients (the remaining unwanted portions such as an appendix, are discarded). The rationale behind unwinding is that the unwind does not die, but exists in a divided state. In this new America, there are more surgeons than doctors, and the focus is on transplants, not actually curing diseases. Because who would choose to live with heart failure when you could easily receive a new heart? The same reasoning applies to prosthetic limbs, hair, and even brain segments. Unwind is told in the third person and the chapters alternate between Connor, Risa, and Lev. Connor is a troublemaker whose parents decided to unwind him. Risa is a ward of the state who gets slated for unwinding due to space limitations in the state home and budget cuts. Lev is a tithe, one of ten children born to parents who always tithe 10% of their earnings, and now, they are tithing 10% of their children. The three unwinds meet and Unwind focuses on their lives after discovering their unwind status. I'm going to stop my review here, because I don't want to give any part of the story away. I will say; however, that the way Shusterman weaves the interrelating parts of the story together was both heartbreaking and awe-inspiring. Unwind was one of the best books I've read this year; in fact, it's one of my all-time favorites. Just One Gripe: There's not one complaint I can make about this book. The only thing I can say is that I see on Goodreads that there will be a sequel: Unwholly, due out in 2012. My one hope is that the sequel matches Unwind in action, emotion, plot, and suspense. The Best Thing About This Book: The emotion, the suspense, the way it made me feel: it was all stunning. There are two parts in particular that literally took my breath away. If you've read the book, and want to know what parts those were, leave me a comment and I'll email you privately. I don't want to give anything away.

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman is a gripping young adult novel that immerses readers in a thought-provoking dystopian world. The story is set in a future where society has developed a controversial practice involving the "unwinding" of teenagers, raising profound ethical questions about life, identity, and the value of human beings. Shusterman masterfully crafts a narrative that keeps you on edge, as you become invested in the characters' plight and the moral dilemmas they face. The pacing is relentless, and the tension builds throughout the story, making it hard to put down. Each character is developed thoughtfully, providing different perspectives on the issues at hand. As readers navigate this chilling future, they'll find themselves grappling with their own beliefs about technology, autonomy, and what it means to be truly alive. Overall, "Unwind" is a must-read for fans of speculative fiction. It challenges your moral compass while keeping your heart racing with its suspenseful plot. It's a novel that lingers in your mind long after turning the final page, making you question the direction technology and society are headed. If you're looking for a thought-provoking and thrilling read, this book should be at the top of your list. 4.5 ⭐

Ever wonder what will happen if two groups fighting over an unanswerable problem finally went too far? What about the pro-life/pro-choice debate? If both sides finally realize their futility and reach a point of no return, where would we be? In Unwind, Neal Shusterman has taken the abortion issue so far, you will be terrified to imagine such a world. When the second civil war is fought over abortion, both sides agree to end the war if one rule is implemented: unwinding. A parent can choose to "unwind" a child only between the ages of 13 and 18. They must keep the child until they are 13 before unwinding. When a child is unwound, they are taken to a Harvest Camp and their parts are dismantled and used for other people awaiting the organs and limbs. The theory behind unwinding is that although a child is never alive "whole" again, they will always be alive in pieces, and therefore not be "aborted". Connor, Risa and Lev are three unwinds who are all being sent to Harvest Camp for different reasons. Connor is a moderately bad kid whose parents are tired of dealing with detentions. Risa is a ward of the state and due to cutbacks, they are unwinding a bunch of kids to make room for more. Lev belongs to a religion where they believe 10% of their worth should go back to the community. As the tenth child, Lev becomes the "tithe" or donation to the community in the form of unwinding. While all came form different backgrounds, all three will end up the same way- as spare parts for the operating rooms. During a freak accident, Connor runs away and causes an accident on Risa's bus to camp so she is able to escape. Then Connor rescues a reluctant Lev who just wants to fulfill his duty as a tithe. The three find themselves bumbling through town trying to find a way to escape the Harvest Camp. They find adults who are willing to sneak them and other runaway unwinds to a plane graveyard that doubles as hideaway for unwinds until they are 18 and free of the Harvest Camps. Unfortunately, for Connor, Risa, and Lev, it isn't as simple as just waiting, especially when someone is trying to take down the hideaway from the inside. Can they escape the camps? Or will they end up like every other unwind... pieced up like a junked car. This story is so horrifying it would catch anyone's attention. And the creepiest part? It's delivery is almost casual, making it even more terrifying. Shusterman keeps you engaged from the first page and leaves you gaping at the ending. I think this is a great book for either a male or female student, as the main characters present both sides. Each chapter is told in the perspective of one of the three main characters, giving the story an amazing twist. The most important part of this story is the discussions it will lead you into with your student or child. How far will people go to settle a long-standing argument? Can a compromise give up more than you imagined? What is death really? If your parts are still alive, are you? The discussion possibilities are endless. This is a book that will open up more than just your students reading fluency. It will create an opportunity to really talk a child about important topics. Shusterman hit a home run with this one- more than you can imagine!

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged read that challenges readers to question social norms and confront the ethical factors of technological advancements. Shusterman's meaningful storytelling and the novel's provocative themes make it a compelling and unforgettable journey into a dystopian world. Consequently, making the read hit uncomfortably close to home for so many. While the novel explores dark themes, it also emphasizes the resilience of human passion and the power within collective action. The characters' journey from fugitives to reluctant heroes adds layers of depth to the narrative, offering a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming adversity. This is a very interesting read that I would recommend to any teen or young adult readers that enjoy thoughtful books. This novel grips the attention of a young reader and questions certain dilemmas that may apply to them. I would especially recommend this read ifyou are looking to gain perspective on how an adolescent in your life may feel like an outsider. Just as important, if you personally face feelings of internal struggle towards relations with your parents or society, this book will evoke strong but important emotions for one to capture. Personally, I have a hard time finding books that grip my attention throughout the duration of the whole book; however, this book did just that. The way Shusterman transitions from one characters point of view to the next no only makes the reader more intrigued but allows for some insight into what each character is feeling. Overall, great, creative read.

As a person of the older generation, I have never had an interest in the dystopian genre, however I became intrigued when a friend who teaches English in a High School, began to speak highly of this book. Her comments were enough to pique my interest. A visit to Amazon and have a read of the "Look Inside" feature and I was hooked from the moment I read "The Bill of Life" at the beginning of the story. There is only so much that can be read online so it was an immediate purchase followed by 2 days of nearly non-stop reading. A fortnight later, I read the book again as it had such an impact on me by challenging me to look at my life choices and to examine my own core values in relation to what might be a scenario of life in the maybe not so distant future. Don't laugh, people like Jules Verne and Leonardo Di Vinci had their ideas scoffed upon and yet now, we praise them for their amazing insights into the future. The plot is provocative but intentionally so, to encourage readers to examine values and morality of individuals and the dystopian society in general, as compared to the values the reader holds in their own current society. I particularly enjoyed Shusterman's narrative style, devoid of overtly emotive language as the three central characters fight (literally and figuratively) to stay alive. The chapter of the 'unwinding' process as it takes place at a 'Harvest Camp' is written with a certain amount of compassion, for such a mind-boggling scenario. I cannot help but wonder how an author is able to come up with such scenarios. This is certainly a dark story that will remain unforgettable in my mind; for the subject, the moral compass of the society in which it takes place and for the style of writing. Will I read more of this genre? I don't know, as Shusterman has set a high standard for this style of book. I highly recommend this as a great read for young adults and would encourage parents and grandparents to also read it to enable discussion of issues relating to society, that many families never give considered thought to discussing. If you are not open to reading about (or discussing) religion, politics, health, abortion and organ donation, then this book is definitely not for you.

This book has sure gotten some hate. Some people have called it too disturbing for YA. Some even called for banning it. Is it disturbing? Without a doubt. That's what makes it so powerful. Is it more disturbing than Hunger Games, which has kids slaughtering each other in the arena, or the Giver, where babies and the elderly are routinely killed with a lethal injection to the head? I wouldn't say so. I believe the reason people FEEL it's more disturbing is because the worlds in Hunger Games and The Giver are so different from ours that it's easy to disassociate yourself from them, and feel like the horrific things described in those books can never actually happen and are therefore nothing more than entertainment. But Unwind breaks that mold. It throws us headfirst into a world that feels so much like our own that it gets under our skin and stays there. Some reviewers believe the premise to be absurd. The only thing I had trouble with is the notion that a civil war would actually break out over the issue of abortion. A vast majority of people simply don't feel that strongly about the issue, which makes this part of the premise far-fetched at best. But the rest of the premise? Every day we see and hear stories about women throwing out their newborns into dumpsters or smothering them in high school bathrooms, or mothers neglecting their children to the point where they die from hunger or thirst or exposure, of parents shaking their babies to death because they wouldn't stop crying, disowning or even killing their children for going against their word or accepted lifestyle, and yet people have trouble believing some parents would readily chose to get rid of their troubled teens by giving them up to the state to legally be used as organ donors? Google "Belgium child euthanasia" and you'll instantly find this premise a lot more believable. To be fair, the book could've showed the motives of the parents better. For example, it would've made the premise more believable if the parents received a monetary reward for unwinding their child. Greed can motivate people to do horrible things. The book also doesn't make it clear enough that unwinding wasn't something people jumped at as a sensible solution, but rather accepted because of desperation to end the war that was obviously going nowhere. As a result, everyone lost, because as bad as abortion is, what they ended up with is a hundred times more horrific. And they see no way out of this situation, so they've convinced themselves that this is a good thing, that the unwound teens don't "really" die when deep down they all know the awful truth. They've numbed themselves to it with their own self-righteousness. This point is a little too subtle for many people to understand, it seems. Another point people seem to miss is that the reason unwinding is being encouraged by the authorities is because they use it as a form of population control. There were about 1.2 million abortions in the U.S. last year. Imagine if all those aborted fetuses were instead born. Sooner or later you'd have a serious overpopulation problem. Unwinding to the rescue. Other than those small issues, the book was a great read. The writing style didn't bother me. Great characters and plot. This is of those books that makes you feel closure when you finish it. You might love it or hate it, but one thing for sure: you won't be saying "meh, whatever" when you finally put it down.

For more of my reviews visit [...] Title: Unwind Author: Neil Shusterman Rating - 3.5 out of 5 (to be clear, I still recommend it) It is the weekend! Time for BOOK REVIEWS! Today I am going to review Unwind by Neil Shusterman. I would like to start my review by saying that Neil Shusterman is already a published and awarded author. It feels a little strange to criticize someone who had achieved these milestones when I myself have not. At the same time, this is where we get the phrase 'Everybody is a Critic', right? Concept - Disturbingly Brilliant or Brilliantly Disturbing Story - Structure and POV get in the way, but plot is great Synopsis Following the Heartland War which arose from the anti-abortion movement, a 'compromise' of sorts was reached between the two sides. It was decided that abortion would be eradicated and that certain changes would take place in society in order to accommodate the increased number of unplanned or unwanted children that would be born. One of those changes was that a mother could legally drop a baby on any family's doorstep and, so long as the mother does not get caught in the act, the family will have to take in the baby and provide for it. This is a practice known as 'storking'. Another change is that unwanted children can be surrendered by parents to be raised in State Homes (StaHo). Those in StaHo with special gifts will likely make it out alive. Those children without special gifts and without willing parents will find that there is only one option: being 'UNWOUND'. If a child makes it it to the age of eighteen without being selected to be unwound, then by law they will be allowed to lead normal lives. But if prior to eighteen a child's legal guardian signs an Unwind order, the child will be removed and taken to a harvest camp to be Unwound. Unwinds are harvested and their body parts used by society to heal disabilities and diseases. For this reason they are seen as 'living on' and unwinding is not viewed by the majority in society as being morally wrong in the way that was true for abortion. An unwound child goes on to do something useful and all of society benefits. Everybody wins, right? Without giving anything away, this story may be worth the read precisely because it is so incredibly WRONG! Though you don't know the details of unwinding until near the end of the story, the fear of it is plenty of fuel for the story. When you finally reach the eventual truth of the process, is so horrible that you find you are actually a million times more disgusted than you were with just the idea of it. Tithes Like Lev Wear White to Show Their Purity The story focuses mainly on three unwinds: Risa, a talented (but not talented enough) pianist from a State Home, Conner, an explosive and unpredictable boy whose exasperated parents give him up, and Lev, who is a special kind of unwind called a TITHE. Lev's family is highly religious and believes in tithing ten percent of everything they have, including their children. Lev has been preparing to be unwound for his entire life and believes it to be his duty. Through a series of random circumstances that take place on their way to the harvest camp, these three end up together and are swept up into an underground resistance movement to save the unwinds. They must navigate shifting circumstances with untrustworthy peers, untrustworthy saviors, and in some cases, their untrustworthy selves in order to find their way to salvation...and to reawaken society's ability to question itself. The concept of this story was so strong that I was expecting to really LOVE it, but I found that there were some flaws that I couldn't get past. The main one is that the author changes POV every chapter. That would be survivable if he only gave you Risa, Conner, and Lev's POV, but he gives you tons of others as well. He gives you the POV of people whose name you never even learn and who only appear for a few paragraphs. It is jarring and it leaves large gaps in the consciousness of the 'big three' as I think of the main characters. It was disruptive enough that it did undermine the overall story for me a bit. When I learned that the author also writes a lot of screenplays, it made more sense. They seemed like scenes at times, rather than a cohesive narrative. That being said, I still think it is worth a read for people who enjoy truly DARK dystopians. I find it brave of the author to tackle something that is such a 'third rail' of discussion. But be forewarned, if your opinions are strong on this topic, the story will likely give you pause for quite a long time.