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Unwind (Unwind Quartet #1)

by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)

4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 · rating details · 52,859 ratings · 7,491 reviews

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life

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Paperback, 335 pages

Published June 2nd 2009 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (first published November 6th 2007)

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Jul 07, 2012 Janina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, dystopian-apocalyptic, on-my-shelf, read-in-2010, covers-i-love, alternating-pov, series-lost-interest

An astonishing and at the same time disturbing read. Took me some time to get into, but from then on I was hooked. The world Shusterman created feels so vivid and real, it almost scared me. Thought-provoking and highly original. I haven't read anything like this ever before.

Also, it contained one of the most disturbing scenes I have ever read - not on a graphic level, but more due to the fact that what exactly is happening is left almost completely to the reader's imagination (if you've read the...more An astonishing and at the same time disturbing read. Took me some time to get into, but from then on I was hooked. The world Shusterman created feels so vivid and real, it almost scared me. Thought-provoking and highly original. I haven't read anything like this ever before.

Also, it contained one of the most disturbing scenes I have ever read - not on a graphic level, but more due to the fact that what exactly is happening is left almost completely to the reader's imagination (if you've read the book, you will most likely know what I'm referring to).

Set in the near future, the novel follows three teens about to be unwound – which is the thing to do with unwanted teens and basically means that they are to be scavenged for body parts to be transplanted to those in need of them (though the signification of 'need' can be stretched here: someone can also 'need' new eyes because his girlfriend doesn't like the old ones' colour).
Connor has always been trouble, sometimes unable to control his temper. When he finds out that his parents are about to have him unwound, he runs away and crosses paths with Risa and Lev. Risa is a state ward being sent away due to shortage of money and Lev is a tithe, sacrificed by his religious parents for a greater good.
Connor and Risa have only one goal: to be able to make it until their eighteenth birthday, when the law will protect them from being unwound after all. Lev, who has always believed in his special purpose, is deeply conflicted. Should he run with his two 'rescuers' or should he turn them in?

I not only found the three main characters, but also the friends and enemies they make on their journey drawn realistically and very relatable. Everyone has his own way of dealing with their situation and nothing is painted in black or white. Those characters have their faults – some more than the others – but in the end there was no one who deserved to be treated like he was nothing but human spare parts for those who could afford it.

The only thing that felt a bit off at times was the writing style. Sometimes the present tense sounded awkward to me, and the frequent switching between the different points of view made it hard for me to become fully attached to all the characters, but I loved Connor, Risa and Lev.

I will definitely be looking out for more of Shusterman's work.

Edit: I originally rated this book four stars, but I've decided to up my rating ;). I would recommend Unwind to everyone looking for a good YA book, I would label it a favourite, and I don't think I'll ever forget it. If a book makes me think about it even months after reading it, it definitely deserves five stars!(less)

139 likes · like · see review

Jun 08, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: leaves-awesomeness-behind, kat-s-book-reviews, i-learned-something-new, contemporary-fiction

I was walking back from my playgroup with my son on Monday, I came out of an elevator to find a teenage boy waiting for me. Fear and an urge to protect my son came over me as he looked a little "rough" around the edges.

Instead of pulling a knife or picking a fight though, the teenager turned on me with big, embarrassed, doe-eyes to ask in a quivering voice, "Excuse me, can I please have fifty cents to call my mum?" I fished out fifty cents worth of coins and left as soon as I saw him head toward...more I was walking back from my playgroup with my son on Monday, I came out of an elevator to find a teenage boy waiting for me. Fear and an urge to protect my son came over me as he looked a little "rough" around the edges.

Instead of pulling a knife or picking a fight though, the teenager turned on me with big, embarrassed, doe-eyes to ask in a quivering voice, "Excuse me, can I please have fifty cents to call my mum?" I fished out fifty cents worth of coins and left as soon as I saw him head towards the telephone, not waiting around to see if he got through to her. True story.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a novel about a world gone mad in which children between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can be legally signed over by their parents or guardians to be put through a harvest camp so that others can take their organs, tissue and blood.

Abortion is also illegal but people can leave infants on other people's doorstep as a method of "storking" and thus legally handing over their responsibilities of the child.

A common phrase used throughout this book is, "Someone else's problem." This encompasses the spirit of the book and is said often by adults who have had children fall temporarily into their hemisphere and require dealing with. There are very few adults in this book who do more than the bare minimum of what they have to do to sit right in their conscience and there's a whole bevy of others who don't do that much.

Connor, one of the trio of main protagonists and an indisputable Christ metaphor, is a "problem" child. His parents are at a loss as to how to handle his behavioral problems and his poor grades so they consign him to being unwound. Risa, a ward of the state, is a bed that the government can free up for a child that they can't legally unwind yet and so is also handed over to the harvesting camp. Levi, the last of the trio is a religious tithe by his parents - born and raised to serve God by handing him over to be tithed as part of their duty to the community and God.

There are many other such stories in this book from a boy whose loving parents died, leaving him an inheritance that his aunt feels would be better off putting her kids through college once he's been unwound and a boy whose divorcing parents couldn't agree on any custody solution and would rather, literally, divide him.

This whole book is about the powerlessness of children in the hands of those who should be responsible for them. It is at times nerve-wracking, heartbreaking, devastating and a complete adrenaline rush.

What it is most of all, though, is sad. Sad because the truth is that children are not the problem and they shouldn't be treated like a problem. They are a symptom at worst and a blessing always. They are a gift that requires attention. They are an innocent package and in the case of 99% of them - if they are running around the street as twelve year olds being a menace to society then they have not let us down - we have let them down.

I love this book because it is well written, I love this book because it is compelling. I love this book because sometimes it is a hard and challenging read on a personal level. I love this book because it asks you to think. I love this book for the many things it has revealed about me - most of them not positive. I love this book because it is well-written with absorbing characters and a great plot.

Most of all, I love this book because next time I come across a kid of the street asking for fifty cents to call his mum, I'll let him borrow my phone and make sure she's coming to get him.(less)

345 likes · like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Tatiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya, dystopias-post-apocalyptic, ala-ya-2008, 2012, series-in-progress-still-like, b

As seen on The Readventurer

I approached rereading Unwind with trepidation. I generally enjoy revisiting books in series before each new release, but two reasons held me back in this case:

1) My original reading of Unwind left me completely horrified and I wasn't sure I would want to relive this story again (my husband is still too scared to revisit it); and

2) Unwind was one of the very first books I read when I had just discovered YA back in 2009, and it was also one of my very first dystopias. I...more

135 likes · like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

this is a great book to use as a springboard for discussions about reproductive rights and governmental responsibility and what kind of world we are creating and leaving to the next generation.

but i'm just going to talk about me. cuz i am a very laissez-faire individual, and i live my life like i am reading a book someone else is writing, and i am just tuning in to see where it all goes, and any discussion of this sort always leads to conflicts, and i think goodreads has enough of those, yeah?

i...more

54 likes · like · see review

Jun 24, 2011 Elle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia-and-sci-fi, first-of-series, 2011-read, made-of-awesome, made-me-cry, made-me-think, own-read, elles-reviews

Holy frak-waffles Batman!! This is awesome.

At first I was like:

... but then I was like:

... and THEN I was all like:

...during that scene where they (view spoiler) I still have the major heebeejeebs.
I will never eat cauliflower again.

Unwind will shock you. I mean, roll-you-up-in-a-carpet-and-bitch-slap-you kind of shock you.

And you will love it.

351 likes · like · see review

Apr 15, 2012 Dan Schwent rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Dan by: The Amazing Emily Scherrer

Shelves: homework-from-the-ladies, young-adultery, 2012

In a dystopian near future, teenagers Connor and Risa are sentenced to be unwound. When their paths cross with a tithe named Lev, they flee the world they know and become fugitives. But how long can they run before the past catches up with them...?

Imagine a world where abortion is illegal but it's perfectly acceptable to have disagreeable children unwound, that is, disassembled and their organs given to waiting recipients, when they are between the ages of 13 and 18? That's the basic premise beh...more

64 likes · like · see review

Aug 30, 2011 Cassy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cassy by: Tatiana

Shelves: 2011, fiction-dsytopian-and-apocalyptic, event-missed-author, physical-own

You are not going to believe me, but I came to this book with open arms. It survived weeks of cuts and call-backs to become one of the final six books that were carefully wrapped in pajamas before being placed in the suitcase and flown to Switzerland. I only take books I am confident I’ll love on vacation. Well, given the length of this trip, space constraints, and my mercurial ways, they also had to be relatively thin, paperback, and fast-paced, but you get my point.

Alas, from the very first c...more

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May 13, 2012 Erika rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, the-magnificents, science-fiction

Have you ever wondered if one day, the doctors prefer replacing instead of healing? If one day, the parents can choose to keep or to terminate their child?

“You can't change laws without first changing human nature.”

“You can't change human nature without first changing the law.”

Today, authors of dystopian books are feeding us with various creative ideas. Many of us haven't noticed that Neal Shusterman has written a thrilling, bizarre, and incredible science fiction. This is a story when morals a...more

31 likes · like · see review

Jul 04, 2010 K.D. Oliveros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: Ace and Aaron

Shelves: ya

Thanks to Ace for lending me this spectacular YA book!

This is the best YA dystopian fiction that I've read so far. Compared to say George Orwell's 1984, the writing seems to be ordinary but Shusterman's imagination is boundless. How could have thought of an idea where below 18 y/o teens are unwound, i.e., all their organs are harvested for transplant use?

While I was in the first 50 pages, I found the novel boring as it reminded me of the teenagers killing each other in Suzanne Collins' The Hung...more

24 likes · like · see review

Apr 16, 2010 Annalisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Annalisa by: Tatiana

Shelves: young-adult, dystopia, speculative, guy-lit, sci-fi, issue, psychology, cover

Page one, I'm iffy. Pro-life and Pro-choice fight a civil war and the only way to satisfy both armies is the agreement that no abortions take place but from the ages of thirteen to eighteen any child can be unwound and his or her divided body and soul be used as organ donation? First off, pro-choice isn't going to go for a woman sacrificing her body through pregnancy and raising a child thirteen years before she can dispose of it. And pro-life isn't going to go for the termination of a child who...more Page one, I'm iffy. Pro-life and Pro-choice fight a civil war and the only way to satisfy both armies is the agreement that no abortions take place but from the ages of thirteen to eighteen any child can be unwound and his or her divided body and soul be used as organ donation? First off, pro-choice isn't going to go for a woman sacrificing her body through pregnancy and raising a child thirteen years before she can dispose of it. And pro-life isn't going to go for the termination of a child who is more developed than an embryo. I'm not buying that anyone would go for this resolution.

Page ten, I don't care anymore. I'm already invested in Connor's fate when he goes on the run after finding the copy of his Unwind order. The premise may be absurd, but Shusterman made the distopia so real for me that I had to find out the fate of these unwanted kids through every horrific detail. The story never slows down with twists paced through the end that kept me glued to the book. What disturbed me most (beside the unwinding) was the music played at the chop shop. Every time I think a society could not possibly go that far, throw in a little reminder of Nazi Germany and I know it already has.

While disturbing, the story is near impossible to put down or get out of your head once you do because every scene can be taken to discuss a larger issue in society. It's not really about the absurdity of the resolution but a vehicle for Shusterman to make statements about society. He introduces important questions about abortion, organ donation, stem cell research, the destructive power of propaganda, apathy of uninformed decisions, consequences, parental control, and religious fanaticism among others. But he doesn't shove answers down our throats. He just introduces the discussion. Pro-choice advocates could make the claim that Shusterman is defending their cause by showing all the unwanted children that would come from anti-abortion laws. Pro-life advocates could make the claim that Shusterman is defending their cause by showing how sick the destruction of children is as parents turn a blind eye to the specifics of the practice just because they selfishly don't want to deal with a child anymore. I think what Shusterman is showing is that a society should never allow a government to be its moral compass, but individuals should make their own informed, ethical decisions.(less)

66 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2012 Haleema rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People looking for an awesome dystopian read

Shelves: i-am-in-love, absolute-favorites, ninja-paced, love-the-quotes, brilliant-story-telling, wish-i-wrote-this, believable-characters, praise-worthy-plots, complex-world, das-deep, disturb-me-and-die, heart-wrenching, i-knew-it, must-meet-author, omigosh

OH MY SHUSTERMAN!

description

Hahahahaha.

That was my face throughout the whole book.

Just kidding. That would be freaky and painful.

Unwind is one of the best books I have ever read. Very rarely do I ever say that. It's one of those books that really KEEP YOU ON EDGE.

Where do I start? I must say, it was amazing in the most heart-pounding way. An incredible, well-crafted, gorgeously written book that is extremely fast paced, gripping, and suspenseful. I'll start in a rather organized way.

1. The characters: Com...more

33 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2013 Kristalia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: unique-stories, cut-my-heart-out, dark, humans-should-die-here-painfully, dark-so-daaark, 6-stars, series-i-must-own, best-series-award, best-couple-award, be-my-hero-plz, they-are-so-awesome-hot-and-stuff, sob-fest-its-just-so-sad, all-time-favorites, reviewed, mature-young-adult

Final rating: ★★★★★★/★★★★★

This book deserves more than just 6 stars. It deserves 10! This is my ultimate fav young adult and it was one of the most amazing and emotional reads. It's a roller coaster of emotions and don't read it if you don't wish for your heart to shatter, or if you don't wish for your heart to be cut out. Because that's how i felt while reading this.

But - in every darkness, there is light, and even if this book might seem quite grim, it was balanced. Because it's Neal Shuster...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Nessa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

One of my favourite genres of all time is horror. More specifically, horror that really gets underneath your skin, makes you uncomfortable, gives you nightmarish scenarios your brain likes to remind you of just as you're trying to get to sleep... But I find my high expectations for horror are very rarely met when it comes to YA novels.

Sure, there's horrible dystopias, such as the ones featured in The Hunger Games and Delirium, but neither of them have particularly scared me. I wouldn't want to l...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, ya, dystopia, reviewed-in-2011

It’s impossible to understand other people. It’s impossible to understand ourselves most of the time.

At the very beginning, I honestly wasn’t buying the story. I just couldn’t understand parents who would get rid of their child and celebrate by going on a cruise. I should have known better. Our belief systems, morals, cultural conventions, laws… they didn’t just pop out of nothing. They are so deeply ingrained into our society that we never doubt most of them. People, we're sheep!
I wonder, at s...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, science-fiction, series, whoa-that-s-heavy, male-protagonist

I of course have come late to this party because this book has been out for a while. So many goodreaders love it and then I heard UnWholly, it's long awaited and unanticipated (not from lack of excitement but from surprise) sequel, was coming in. Then I thought to myself, "Enough is enough! Must read this pronto!"

Think about living in a world where disease is basically eliminated and the pro-life and pro-choice people have come to a compromise. What a great accomplishment. Or is it? In this mo...more I of course have come late to this party because this book has been out for a while. So many goodreaders love it and then I heard UnWholly, it's long awaited and unanticipated (not from lack of excitement but from surprise) sequel, was coming in. Then I thought to myself, "Enough is enough! Must read this pronto!"

Think about living in a world where disease is basically eliminated and the pro-life and pro-choice people have come to a compromise. What a great accomplishment. Or is it? In this modern world unwinding is a common practice. Unwanted teenagers are sent to harvest camps where every part of their bodies is dismembered so others who need it can use it, in other words they are unwound. To carry this tale we have Connor, the troubled 16 year old that his parents couldn't handle anymore. Then there is Risa, the orphan girl that the state can't take care of anymore. Lastly there is Lev, the tithe who believes being unwound is a privilege. These three mash up together and the one things that binds them is they all are unwinds. Unwinds on the run from a world that doesn’t want to give them a chance.

I was constantly reading on the edge of my seat while devouring this. I kept scanning the page ahead to see what happened. The book feels smart (though it didn't always feel that way but more on that later). Some of the characters have exceptional character development and there are so many interesting people the protagonists meet along the way. The book is constantly throwing descriptions and ideas that make you pause. The plot is one of the best I’ve read. Things snap together unexpectedly and the sheer volume of how things play down is mind boggling and plain awesome. I loved the exploration of the basic theme of how humans want to live and struggle. To be cheated the chance is inhumane. Basically this a book full of win. I kind of love that this book is popular among readers but hasn't reached the masses...yet anyways. It gives it a nice novelty factor when you get to reading it. Oh gosh and the gut wrenching creepy chill factor is spot on; there is an especially memorable scene in the story that knocks you out. So why the four stars instead of five? It’s because I am too nitpicky these days.

It was difficult for me to wrap my head around the idea someone could be unwound and still be alive. And no matter how much Shuster wrote about painful and raw descriptions of how the soul could be scattered if every part was left alive (and he did a superb job of evoking emotion in these portrayals) I still didn't buy it. It may be because I'm going into the medical field and it's just seems too far removed to be possible. Especially when you found out how it's done, it doesn't hold up. I do think replacing body parts would be possible though, just not people to be considered in a limbo state after donating all their body parts. Once their head, heart, and vital organs aren't connected to each other it's a done deal. It's also hard for me to swallow that it’s common to have children sent to be unwound. I could see if it was mandatory by the government, but here it's the parents’ choice. I know there are horrible people out there that would do it, but there isn't even any monetary gain that I could see. But I digress.

Even though I had some problems with the believability, I was completely taken by it while I was reading. I would shiver and cringe often. It makes you question what we know and how we would react in the same situation. I want to believe I would be beyond horrified, but what if I needed say … a heart? Would I reject one from an unwind? I hope the answer is yes. It was a bit of a head workout to say the least. What Shuster does best is demonstrate how wrong this feels and children deserve much more than what adults give most of the time. I kept thinking of song that lyrics say, “I used to be the kid that no one cared about, that’s why you gotta keep screaming till they hear you out.” These teens manage to scream loud enough to be heard.

Extra: If you are curious what the song is here is the link. It doesn’t go with the book at all in my opinion, but that one line really got to me. (less)

13 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2011 Kira rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone, everywhere

Recommended to Kira by: Someone awesome

Shelves: awesome-ya, books-that-changed-my-life, will-read-the-next-one, dystopian, awesome-heroine, favorites, argh-you-made-me-cry

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Of late, we've seen the YA dystopia trend grow to dizzying heights. Many like to bleat that every post-apocalyptic adventure published within the last year is trying to grab the success of The Hunger Games, just as we've all assumed that authors of YA paranormal romance are trying to jump on the Meyer bandwagon. We're being conditioned to accuse every dystopian author of being a scammer, and every book (before we've even read it and discovered that no, it doesn't have anything to do with Collin'...more

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Oct 24, 2010 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, favorites

4.5 stars. Have you ever finished a book and been left with an almost speechless feeling?

This is how Unwind made me feel. I thought that the concept of kids being "unwound" (this is just a PC term for body parts being harvested/removed from unruly and unwanted kids) was an interesting and new story that I hadn't heard before. Unwinding results in the teen's death, but it was explained in the book as a chance to "live on" through other people.

I expected that the kids would fight to stay alive. I...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-books, 2011, dystopian, ya-kids-teen, own, lovestory-done-right, best-characters-ever, mc-guy

Unwind is one of the few 'hype' books out there that is completely deserving of praise. And not only that, it is one of the best dystopians I've ever read. Why, you ask? I'll refer you to the publication date. Unwind was published in 2007, before dystopians truly took off as the 'next big thayng.' Even before The Hunger Games (2008). In other words, it's truly innovative and original because there really wasn't anything around at the time for it to copy. In a literary atmosphere where more and m...more Unwind is one of the few 'hype' books out there that is completely deserving of praise. And not only that, it is one of the best dystopians I've ever read. Why, you ask? I'll refer you to the publication date. Unwind was published in 2007, before dystopians truly took off as the 'next big thayng.' Even before The Hunger Games (2008). In other words, it's truly innovative and original because there really wasn't anything around at the time for it to copy. In a literary atmosphere where more and more dystopians are all about romance, love triangles and "OMG big bossy governments are so mean!," this novel stands out.

For one thing, the premise is both clever and chillingly realistic. In the near future, an event known as the Second Civil War takes place. The issue this time is reproductive rights, with pro-lifers pitted against pro-choicers. The fighting results in a disturbing compromise called the Bill of Life, which implements the practice of Unwinding. Guys, you want a dystopian with a creepy/original premise that really makes you think, 'Gah, could this really happen?' Here it is, right here. I can't imagine love ever being a disease, or matching people up based on...well, I still don't get the reason for wanting to do that. But unwinding troubled and unwanted kids, thereby easing juvenile delinquency and solving organ donor shortages ? Eerily contemplative.

Neal Shusterman is up there with Scott Westerfeld as an extremely gifted, KISS-style dystopian writer. Premise was realistic, the plot exciting and so was the execution, and the characters were strong as well. The only thing I could have done without was the writing style: third person present-tense, which I'll mention again later. It was a little hard to read.

As much as I liked the characters and how they were portrayed, it's the story world and plot execution of Unwind that really makes it a unique read. I was very, very impressed with Shusterman's ability to equally show both sides of an issue. At the heart of good dystopians are commentaries about our current society, and yes, these commentaries usually manifest in political forms. What really makes Unwind special is Shusterman's ability to pick an issue - say, reproductive rights/right to life - and take it straight down the middle (in contrast - much as I love Scott Westerfeld, he did get a little over the top with the environmentalist thing. Bo-ring). I just wanted to say that I was really, really impressed with Shusterman, and really respect him for not just picking whichever agenda suited him best and shoving it at the readers. Oh, and for ONCE we have a dystopian novel where the message/meaning/whathaveyou is a little more significant than just "INDIVIDUALISM - YAY!," like some drunken 21st century Thoreau.
Like I said earlier, the only 'complaint' I have is that the writing style was a little weird. It's written in third-person present-tense, which I've never encountered before. For example, "Amelia pauses in between sentences, thinking of what she will say next." It just took some getting used to. Also, the perspectives switched a lot between characters, sometimes randomly, which got a little confusing. Other than some writing-style issues, this book was an amazing read.
I do think the ending could have been better - some things happened at the end that I wish hadn't happened! Oh well, though. I will caution you that the scariest part (yes, I said "SCARY") is close to the end. I'll just say that Neal Shusterman isn't the type to totally keep readers in the dark - you'll get to see exactly *what* happens in the sinister Unwinding process, and
it.
is.
freaky.
*Nightmares!*
The ending was satisfying, even if some things happened that I wish hadn't.
My humble suggestion? If you consider yourself a fan of dystopian fiction (and especially if you're growing tired of the - *ahem* - tendency for repetition in YA dystopians), check out this book, 'cause it's one of the ones that started it all!
(less)

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Jun 13, 2012 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who can deal with the grisly themes

Recommended to Jim by: Erika

Shelves: dystopia, horror, kindle-books, science-fiction, young-adult, strong-smart-female-protagonist, suspense-thriller

There are nearly 5,000 reviews of this book on GR, and the official synopsis explains clearly what is meant by the term ‘Unwind’. So, I am going to assume that those who read this are familiar with the basic premise. If not, that’s okay - some of the context will be evident here. But it is much easier to review this without major spoilers if I don’t try to tap-dance around the basics.

This book certainly deserves its legion of fans, and could become a phenomenal movie. I strongly recommend it for...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: middle school, high school

Recommended to Courtney by: Mark Letcher

Shelves: young-adult-literature, dystopia, re-read

"What if your parents could unwind you?"

This book deserves six stars for its ingenious plot!

The novel opens by explaining that the United States experienced its second civil war instigated by pro-life and pro-choice advocates bent on destroying each other. To end the long, bloody war, government officials came together to create "The Bill of Life," which "states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2008 Kewpie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books that once I finished it, I started it over and read the whole thing over again. And even after that, there were parts of it that I kept re-reading and thinking about. Before I go into my long review, I wanted to just mention that this book had one of the most nightmarish and horific scenes that I have ever read in my life. It contained almost no details at all, and none of the sparse details were graphic or gory. And that made it even scarier. My imagination provided m...more This is one of those books that once I finished it, I started it over and read the whole thing over again. And even after that, there were parts of it that I kept re-reading and thinking about. Before I go into my long review, I wanted to just mention that this book had one of the most nightmarish and horific scenes that I have ever read in my life. It contained almost no details at all, and none of the sparse details were graphic or gory. And that made it even scarier. My imagination provided more than any author ever could. It's been a few days and I can't get that scene out of my mind.

There are so many ethical and moral arguments brought up here and almost no clear cut answers. Here are just a few of the dilemas that come up or discussed about:

1.The obvious ones: abortion, stem cell research, tissue and organ harvesting.

2. In the case of minors, where does the line between "guardian" and "owner" cross over? The parents in this book treat children as property from the day they are born. They are things to donate to churches, sell for money, "put to sleep" when they are being a nuisance. When the parents sign the unwind orders, the State becomes the guardian of the minors. When the minors run away, they are considered to be stealing government property.

3. The power of euphamism. There are many terms and phrases in the book that seem very neutral, nonthreatening and almost positive. All the while, these terms mask draconian, horrific and barbaric rituals. I think a big message of this book is that euphamisms can be used as propaganda. People condone actions that they wouldn't normally condone because the euphamisms soften the messy harsh realities.

I find it interesting that some people were offended by the book and claimed it was too pro-life! I thought the book was very pro-choice. The author set up a world with abortion being illegal and the world being over-run with unwanted babies, who were discarded on random porches or put into massive institutions where teenagers were gotten rid of to make room for the mass influx of new babies. The message sometimes seemed to me that if you made abortion illegal, then the population would explode and children would be neglected and devalued to the point that people would sell their teenage children to organ harvesters because they needed the money or the kids were too inconvenient or annoying. There is no mention of illegal abortions or mandatory sterilization of undesireables.(less)

68 likes · like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Camilla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, own

WOW! What an incredible read, I couldn't stop reading it! Shusterman is now one of my favourite authors, he creates such brilliant adventures that leave you captivated right until the end! The whole concept of this book is pretty heartbreaking, but is was also very exciting. Following the characters during their escape from being Unwound was a crazy ride that leaves your palms sweating and your heart broken...

Parents have children and know that they'll have them forever and always love them, but...more WOW! What an incredible read, I couldn't stop reading it! Shusterman is now one of my favourite authors, he creates such brilliant adventures that leave you captivated right until the end! The whole concept of this book is pretty heartbreaking, but is was also very exciting. Following the characters during their escape from being Unwound was a crazy ride that leaves your palms sweating and your heart broken...

Parents have children and know that they'll have them forever and always love them, but some parents have a different idea in mind. They can Unwind them, where the kids are literally taken apart. Let's say that they are a troublemaker, or ''not good enough'', or even a tithe (planned to be Unwound from birth), these could be some of the reasons why they could be Unwound. They can only have it done before the age of 18. Unwinds are sent to a Harvest Camp and put into the Chop Shop, where no one knows what exactly happens in there... All they know is that you never come out, and your parts are kept for future transplants for other people. If you need an arm, They got one! Need some new teeth? They got some! Everything is available. It may seem great for the people receiving new parts but think about where those parts came from, and what all those kids went through to give their limbs. Well, Conner is that troublemaker, Risa was just not good enough at piano, and Lev is a tithe, who believes that his destiny is to be Unwound..

Conner is that kid who gets in fights, and starts them. He finds out that his parents are going to have him Unwound. Conner knows that he has to leave, and escape before they come to take him away. He leaves home and meets two other kids in the same situation...
Conner meets Risa, a girl immediately sent on a bus to a Harvest Camp right after a piano performance that proved she's "not good enough." The bus never gets to its destination, and that's where she meets two other kids...
Conner and Risa meet Lev, who is in a different situation than them--well, sort of. He is a tithe, he was born and raised with the plan in mind that he will be Unwound in the future. He is proud of being an Unwind, and he won't let Risa and Conner stop him from getting to the Harvest Camp...

These three kids meet unexpectedly and their adventure turns out to be one wild roller coaster. Emotions jump of the pages as these kids experience what they feared the most, they meet new kids; some good and some bad. They can't understand why their parents would do this to them, but it doesn't matter, because they are determined to get out of this and escape the deadly horrors of being Unwound....

All I can say was this book was amazing!! Shusterman did such a brilliant job writing this book, you feel the characters emotions
and it feels like you are watching them or even experiencing the journey with them. The characters are so strong and inspirational, they go through so much but they never give up. The concept of this book was creepy but very interesting, and you can't help but think of it after you've closed the book, and wondering how the characters were holding up after the last page...(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Feb 21, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-faves, 01-hall-of-fame, 20-dystopian, 24-ebooks

What a horrible, horrible dystopian vision Neal Shusterman presents us with in Unwind!

A horrible vision which I found utterly unrealistic in the beginning. I just couldn’t imagine parents having their children "dismantled" because of bad behavior or better say, I couldn’t imagine a society accepting this gruesome procedure as common. After a while, though, I started thinking and considering our history and what people already did let happen, as well as the gruesome things that are still happenin...more

44 likes · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Oceana Fern {Assorted Insanity} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-romance, horror-fiction-romance, young-adult, favorites, cover-lust, dat-title

This cover reminds me of the HUMAN CENTIPEDE poster, which really isn't the best comparison. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.

DON'T CLICK ON IT IF YOU DON'T WANT NIGHTMARES

(view spoiler)

But, anyway.

UNWIND is pretty awesome.

Amidst the horrified comments from my reviewer friends (“HOW HAVE YOU NOT READ THIS ALREADY, OCEANA?”) I finished reading UNWIND with my jaw slack. Unbelievably creative, with interesting main characters and unique writing, UNWIND is also littered with interesting historical an...more

7 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2010 Flannery rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, swords-and-lasers, young-adult-teen, read-in-2010, miadb-picks, favorites, bpl, wishlist-for-books-to-keep

This book is set in a futuristic America where people may retroactively abort a child between the ages of 13-18 by a process called unwinding. When a child is unwound, nearly every part of them will be used as donations for people who need specific body parts. The plot centers on three different characters who are set to be unwound--a boy whose parents made the choice, a girl who is a ward of the state, and a younger boy whose parents had him solely to donate him as a "gift" to God. I was hooked...more

35 likes · like · see review

Sep 03, 2012 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young adults who love science fiction and action

Recommended to Victoria by: Teresa

Shelves: action-adventure, leaves-awesomeness-behind, best-characters, best-endings, books-that-i-love, favorites, heroes-i-admire-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-respect, made-me-laugh, science-fiction, young-adult, treasure-keeps, fantasy, books-reviewed, sad-depressing-books, series-to-continue-still-like, made-the-hype-worth-it, so-much-hype, shattered-my-heart, 2012-favorites, kick-ass-heroines, dystopian-post-apocalyptic

First of all, I would like to thank Teresa for recommending this awesome book to me!

Where to start? Unwind was a thrilling roller coaster from the start to the end. It was a dizzying, amazing ride filled with twists and turns and brought me up and down. Unwind is one the best YA dystopias that I have read next to the Hunger Games because it's so astonishing, shocking, and so disturbing. Neal Shusterman wrote such an incredible book filled with smart, cunning characters and heart-pounding action...more First of all, I would like to thank Teresa for recommending this awesome book to me!

Where to start? Unwind was a thrilling roller coaster from the start to the end. It was a dizzying, amazing ride filled with twists and turns and brought me up and down. Unwind is one the best YA dystopias that I have read next to the Hunger Games because it's so astonishing, shocking, and so disturbing. Neal Shusterman wrote such an incredible book filled with smart, cunning characters and heart-pounding action. This book is one of the books-that-you-can't-put-down! It's so addicting, thought-provoking, and makes me think for a long time about the actions and powerful words this book has.

The character, Connor was an awesome guy. He is smart, kind, agressive, and one of those guys you can't help but like. He is courageous and possesses strength and wisdom that made me admire him. He fights for what he believes in and never stop giving up. He is like one of the best characters in Unwind! I also have to say that there's something attractive about him. :)

Another character named Risa is absolutely amazing, cool, caring, and intelligent. Risa is like my favorite character in Unwind. She's smart, bright, and has a side of agressiveness to her that I like in a heroine and look to. Risa is very protective of herself and knows that she have to protect those she love. Risa isn't like any weak YA heroine I read these days. She is dependable, strong, and have the courage to climb to new heights and beyond. These qualities made me admired and respected her.

The characters in the story were strong, smart, and very cunning. They are the kind of characters that I find intriguing to read and to learn about. I also love the adventures and survival that Connor, Risa, and Lev faced together. The action was fast-paced and thrilling and kept me reading the entire book until I was done.

I have to say Unwind will make an epic movie filled with heroic action and unforgettable characters. (And it will! Unwind is going to make into a movie and I know it will be epic as the book!)

There was this powerful, unwinding scene in the book that I couln't tear myself away. It was so intriguing and very heartbreaking. (view spoiler)

Unwind is without a doubt deserves 5 stars because of its powerful and engaging adventures, characters, and emotions. I LOVE IT! I am highly anticipating to read the sequel, Unwholly, to see what will happen next!

Pick up this book. You will love it!(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Mar 25, 2011 Dana Stabenow rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

5 likes · like · see review

Jun 29, 2011 Sarai rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, dystopia, young-adult

WARNING: There is a lot of gushing ahead. I mean it, it's almost sickening. You have been warned. --- Unwind is one of those books you can't seem to put down because whenever you finally do, all you end up doing is thinking about the book. It's well-written, addictive, intriguing... and awesome.

The pacing is brilliant. I was hooked from the beginning, which hasn't happened in a while. I also felt like I connected with the characters on a more personal level since it's written in first person nar...more

20 likes · like · see review

Apr 23, 2012 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: characters-named-ari-ariana, dystopia, alternating-pov, emotional, series

It's hard to talk about this book because there is nothing left to say.. it says it all by itself.

From the first page the 3 main characters (Connor, Risa, Lev) have some emotional (almost heartbreaking) stories to tell about before and after meeting each other, and you can not 'not care' about their destiny, about what might (or will) happen to them.
Without noticing you start to know them all, to feel their pain, their struggle and you keep reading every page hoping with them that they will ma...more

6 likes · like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Stacey (prettybooks) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-after-university, dystopian-or-post-apocalyptic, read-in-my-twenties, young-adult-fiction

4.3 average is a really good score for Goodreads. 51% of people who read it gave it 5/5. It’s one of those books that hasn’t had a lot of publicity yet people seem to know about anyway. It was originally published in 2007 and so it wasn’t written to leech off the success of The Hunger Games. I had very high expectations for this book.

I was drawn in at the very first moment as on the first page of the book you are confronted with The Bill of Life:

“…between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a par

...more 4.3 average is a really good score for Goodreads. 51% of people who read it gave it 5/5. It’s one of those books that hasn’t had a lot of publicity yet people seem to know about anyway. It was originally published in 2007 and so it wasn’t written to leech off the success of The Hunger Games. I had very high expectations for this book.

I was drawn in at the very first moment as on the first page of the book you are confronted with The Bill of Life:

“…between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to restroactively “abort” a child… on the condition that the child’s life doesn’t “technically” end.”

Now if that’s not enough to get your attention, I’m not sure what will. I had to re-read it several times just to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding. You can choose to abort your child as a teenager? Really? Wow. You may think this would result in the story being completely unbelievable - parents deciding they’ve had enough of their child and so essentially sentencing him or her to death. However, instead of dying in the way we know it, all body parts of a teenager are used up e.g. blood, skin, organs, hair, everything. The story is told continously through the eyes of three main characters: Conner, Risa and Lev. Three “Unwounds” trying to escape before their time is up.

However, Shusterman avoids the over-dramatic, over-the-top scenarios that could have been present and manages to make the entire story real by focusing on the individual lives, emotions and beliefs of three teenagers and what brought them to their present day situation, while still managing to demonstrated the bigger picture and the consequences of “unwinding”.

It only took me two days to read this book as I was completely absorbed in the storyline, emotionally involved in each character’s fate, and every chapter left me hanging on (with a few in particular making me shudder!).

While I don’t think unwinding as a “pro-life” and “pro-choice” solution would ever be a logical solution, Shusterman writes well enough to make you believe that in this strict, and (what appears to be) an emotionless, clinical society, it is logical. He writes so clearly that the entire book was played like a movie inside my head. This is definitely one of those “must read” books for fans of young-adult dystopian literature.

Dystopian or Not Dystopian? Dystopian(less)

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Wild Things: YA G...: Unwind by Neal Shusterman	39	103	15 hours, 20 min ago
Roland's Chapter... SPOILERS	18	79	May 22, 2013 08:00pm
The Ending SPOILERS	14	69	May 20, 2013 05:29pm
Can you describe the Proactive Citizenry or/and the Juvenile Authority in the Unwind Series?	4	13	May 13, 2013 10:22am
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About Neal Shusterman

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movi...more Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.

As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.

Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.

Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”

Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.

Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.

Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."

And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.

Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!(less)

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Quotes from Unwind

“Stupid dreams. Even the good ones are bad, because they remind you how poorly reality measures up.” — 552 people liked it

“In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn't a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is.” — 404 people liked it

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