Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Unwanteds (Unwanteds #1)

by Lisa McMann (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 3,292 ratings · 699 reviews

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be el

...more

Hardcover, 390 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Aladdin

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

YA Novels of 2011

118th out of 1,169 books — 6,218 voters

MOST AWAITED BOOKS 2011/2012!

165th out of 465 books — 966 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 10, 2012 Lora rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of middle-grade fiction

Recommended to Lora by: Kirkus

Shelves: lib-audiobooks, middle-grade-lit, g-dystopia-post-apoc, fantasy

". . . Without knowledge that life can be different, there can be no desire to change it."

In the land of Quill, all thirteen-year-olds are sent to the annual Purge where they will be divided into Wanted and Unwanted. For twin brothers Alex and Aaron, this day is especially daunting as they are both now thirteen and reluctant to separate. Or at least Alex is and would like to believe his brother reciprocates this sentiment.
On the day of the Purge Alex is unsurprisingly categorized as Unwanted an...more

like 20 likes · see review

Oct 06, 2011 Ghirardelli rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People interested in new places

Recommended to Ghirardelli by: My eyes

Shelves: please-be-good, kiddy-ture, fantasy, that-cover-unf, you-have-my-respect, look-something-original, badass-kids-taking-names

“The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter!”
Someone tell me how and I’ll reconsider my being against that

I love fantasy. I love someone telling me in a book that there is a giant tiger-wolf-bird guarding a castle and there are no questions asked. I love it because as illogical and unlikely it would seem, no one gives a crap because, how cool would it be? You’re too busy dreaming about this massive creature, interpreting what animal is more visible in the combination, to think, “What the? Those don’t e...more

like 9 likes · see review

Feb 20, 2013 kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, childrens-books

I'm between three or four stars on this one. As I'm not really the intended audience, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt with a four.
I liked McMann's world-building. She creates both places here with imagery that brings them to life.
The characters are a bit more difficult for me. I didn't feel any real connection to any of them, wasn't moved by their stories. I think for me to really enjoy this I needed to care more and I found lots of their behavior a little bit irritating.
Alex does many...more

like 5 likes · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Bernardo rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, a-drag-a-drab-and-a-drat, ah-to-be-dull-and-convenient, bitches-love-cliches, coverlust, drag-it-to-the-woods-shoot-it-dead, middle-grade-because-i-m-so-cute, mother-nature-wants-her-trees-back, pervading-tediousness, pukeworthy-writing, wastes-material-needs-to-go-green

I bought The Unwanteds last year after having loved Lisa McMann's other books, Cryer's Cross and Dead To You. The cover was beautiful, the synopsis was interesting and there were even critics raving on how the book was like Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games. I figured that with all those credentials, The Unwanteds ought to be a pretty awesome read, but it seems I was horribly, dreadfully wrong.

Narration

The omniscient and omnipresent third person narration is awful. That kind of narration has t...more I bought The Unwanteds last year after having loved Lisa McMann's other books, Cryer's Cross and Dead To You. The cover was beautiful, the synopsis was interesting and there were even critics raving on how the book was like Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games. I figured that with all those credentials, The Unwanteds ought to be a pretty awesome read, but it seems I was horribly, dreadfully wrong.

Narration

The omniscient and omnipresent third person narration is awful. That kind of narration has to be done properly if it's not to fall in one or more of the various writing potholes that come with it, and Lisa McMann didn't achieve that. Instead, McMann forsakes dialogue and uses the narrator to tell you how all of the characters feel, what they're thinking and what their plans for the future are. This generates a complete lack of suspense and also makes the characters uninteresting, since you get to know them through information that is blatantly hurled at you by the narrator.

Characters

The characters in The Unwanteds are a complete mess. They're rough carbon copies of characters in other series, except the ones in this book are all lame, stupid, or uninteresting. They're all extremely childish and dumb, and before someone argues that it's a children's book, go read a Series of Unfortunate Events, or Harry Potter, or The Golden Compass. Those are children's books, and people in them aren't so idiotic they're borderline retarded.

A special shout out for the main character, Alex, for being a fourteen year old in love with a twelve year old girl whose primary reaction to everything is being disgusted, and who magically hazed him until he would pay attention to her (not that she admits to this, this random tidbit of information is courtesy of the aforementioned wonderful narration.) Alex gets MORE cupcake points for finding out that his twin, Aaron, is a treacherous weasel, and still wanting to save him even after he called Alex a filthy and stupid unwanted who should be dead. Wow. What a wonderful character, indeed.

On Writing For Children

The Unwanteds is, painfully, the kind of middle grade book that treats the reader as if he or she were retarded. There are no plot twists that can't be seen kilometres away and that aren't manhandled into the story so they can hit you right in the face. If character's intentions aren't clear enough, they either explain themselves verbally, or have the narrator give their reasons - or both. Predicate nominatives are barely used, which results in the kind of sentence that goes like: "Alex tried his best to climb the mountain, but the mountain was too steep." Normally, that should be phrased "Alex tried his best to climb the mountain, but it was too steep", but Lisa McMann wants you to be sure of what she means, lest you get confused and somehow arrive on the conclusion that she's describing Alex as steep, whatever that means.

I actually ended up skimming the latter half of the book (I don't know how other people skim, but I just read dialogue and enough description to understand what's going on, barely), and I loathe skimming because it's a drastic last resort, but it was either that or DNF this book, and that beautiful cover deserved better.

Main point is, The Unwanteds is a terrible book that wastes some actually good ideas and then always acts on the assumption that its reader is dumb as a box of rocks. It's neither charming and magical like Harry Potter nor interesting as The Hunger Games, and I wouldn't recommend it for children,teenagers or adults. I'll think twice in the future before buying another Lisa McMann book.(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Arden rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.

In the land of Quill, every year 13 year-olds are sorted the strong, intelligent Wanteds who are sent to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths. Or so they believe. Alex Stowe is declared Unwanted and sent to the Death Farm while his identical twin brother, Aaron is declared Wanted. Once Alex gets to the Death Farm, he realizes things aren't what he believed - instead of being eliminated, he along with all the other Unwanteds are in a land called...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 10, 2012 Sheri Radford rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teens-tweens

Has anyone else seen that recent episode of The Simpsons in which Lisa wants to be a writer, and Bart and Homer come up with a scheme to group-write a YA novel by throwing in every element that all YA novels seem to have these days? That's what The Unwanteds felt like to me. It had a dystopian future, some magic, a kindly all-knowing mentor (Dumbledore-esque), not just one but two sets of twins (each complete with one good twin and one evil twin), a war between good and evil, even a hint of a lo...more

like 6 likes · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

The setting is the future in a place called Quill. Life there is not easy, especially if it is decided that you are an Unwanted. At the age of thirteen, it is determined that each citizen is in one of the following groups - Wanteds, Necessaries, or Unwanteds. The Wanteds are a privileged group given the opportunity for higher education and positions of power in society. The Necessaries are just that; they provide the necessary servi...more Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

The setting is the future in a place called Quill. Life there is not easy, especially if it is decided that you are an Unwanted. At the age of thirteen, it is determined that each citizen is in one of the following groups - Wanteds, Necessaries, or Unwanteds. The Wanteds are a privileged group given the opportunity for higher education and positions of power in society. The Necessaries are just that; they provide the necessary services required in daily life. The Unwanteds are sent to the Death Farm and exterminated.

Alex and Aaron are identical twins turning thirteen. They already know their fates. Aaron will stay in Quill and become part of the Quillitary and most likely move up the ranks to become a powerful leader. As a young boy, Alex showed creative tendencies when he was caught drawing in the dirt with a chicken bone. Creativity is not valued in Quill, which means all those with artistic talents are classified as Unwanteds.

The departure of the Unwanteds creates barely a ripple in the lives of those left behind in Quill. Alex's parents and brother almost seem annoyed during the brief farewell required when Alex leaves for the Death Farm. He joins the others headed toward their uncertain end, with only a hope that death will come quickly and painlessly.

Alex and the others soon find that there is nothing to fear. Upon their arrival, they are welcomed by a mysterious magician named Mr. Today and countless other magical creatures. The world they have entered is called Artime, and it is filled with color and beauty beyond their wildest dreams. It is immediately obvious that life in Artime is all about living and enjoying the creative pursuits they were denied in Quill.

After a brief introduction and orientation about the rules and requirements of Artime, Alex and his fellow Unwanteds begin to explore this amazing world. In addition to learning about art, music, and theater, they develop their own magical talents. They are free to roam and appreciate all Artime has to offer, but as Alex settles in he learns there is a definite separation between Quill and Artime. No one in Quill must know about the Unwanteds who escaped extermination. Contact with family and friends would threaten this wonderful world's very survival.

Author Lisa McMann takes readers on an adventure very different than that in her previous novels. Her creation of these two extremely different worlds creates a sharp contrast that had this reader captivated. The underdog status of the Unwanteds pulled me into the story and had me cheering for them right up through the last page. If you are a fan of HARRY POTTER, THE HUNGER GAMES, or just enjoy fast-paced adventure and fantasy, you'll want to get your hands on this one. (less)

like 2 likes · see review

Feb 06, 2012 Tiffany Neal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-fantasy, 2011, 2012

**just finished reading this as a read aloud to my 4th graders, and they absolutely LOVED it!**

I was keeping my fingers crossed for this one. When I first heard Lisa McMann was writing MG, I couldn't be more excited, and the premise was exactly what I'd been looking for in a read aloud for my 4th graders.
I picked up the book yesterday at Barnes and Noble, and was surprised at the length, since her YA books are usually much shorter. I plowed through this book just like I have with all her others...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 15, 2011 April rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, audio, fantasy, cybils, middle-grade

Every year the land of Quill has a ceremony where 13 year old children are deemed to be necessary or Unwanted. Children who are Unwanted are then sent to a death farm where they are obviously put to death. Typically any spark of creativity would cause an infraction which are factored into whether a person is wanted or not. Alex and Aaron Stowe are twins. Alex knows he will be deemed Unwanted and is resigned to his fate. Yet he will discover a truly magical world, as the truth is Unwanteds aren’t...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 04, 2013 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I very much enjoyed this story; being a creative person and an artist myself, I really liked that the focus of the magical world is through art. The magic system is a bit squishy in it's rules, one where it seems like you can do anything and everything without any kind of boundary, which did spoil it a bit. This does lead to a bit of a 'Deus Ex Machina'. Some of the magic is so clearly overpowered that you wonder why the events towards the middle and end of the book even had to occur, or why the...more

like · see review

Mar 30, 2013 Lucas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

I picked up the book to read because the front cover had "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter" as a review by Kirkus Reviews. There is magic, like Harry Potter, but there are no 'games' where a selected group of kids have to go and battle until there is only one survivor. I'm not saying the review is false advertisement, but I do think they went a little over the top with their comparison.

In this book, all 13 year olds get sorted as Wanteds, Necessaries, or Unwanteds. The Unwanteds get sent off...more

like · see review

Jan 26, 2013 Steven Fullmer rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was a disappointment to me. The writing alternated between "lollipops and rainbows" where there was little drama, shallow character development, and too-good-to-be-true escapes from perils; to "kill your way to the top" sibling rivalry, abrupt plot twists, and little to no family loyalty or regard.

At first, the book felt like it would jump into a Hunger Games-esque fight for survival against an evil totalitarian government, but then the reader is transported to a Dora the Explorer "eve...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 10, 2013 7-Aditi rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this book, two twins (Aaron and Alex) are separated, Alex to be killed and Aaron to become college student. However, Alex is saved and instead is sent to a magical land called Artime where he and and others like him, that were considered bad in quill(the place where he was sentanced to death), are appreciated. But,in Quill, Aaron is moving up the power ladder and is very close to figuring out Artime's secret....

I thought this a was an interesting book that started out a little slowly. It's j...more

like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit being a bit skeptical when I picked up this book and the title proudly proclaimed the review "hunger games meets Harry Potter". However, you can find elements of the dystopian world of hunger games as well as the hidden magical world of Harry potter without being a total knockoff.

It is written for the 10 yr old age group and isn't as dark as Harry Potter or hunger games but it can still carry the attention of the entire family. It worked well as a read-a-loud book.

As other comm...more

like · see review

Dec 21, 2012 Dandelionsteph rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic

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

like · see review

Nov 23, 2012 Cherry rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't know what to expect till I had to get this book, as it was an assigned reading. This story is sort of like Harry Potter and Hunger Games combined, where magic exist and elimination of 13 year old's ever year. I didn't get hooked till the place "Artime" existed. Sad how the two twins (Aaron and Alex) were separated due to faults of performing their creativity in public. It was a bit difficult when the author switch viewpoints, I had to stop and tell myself wait ...this is Aaron point of...more

like · see review

Nov 15, 2012 Brooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not just a good book, but a great book. This is not a usual book I would read, but I am glad I did. I am ready to pick up book 2! The kicker, I actually got to meet the author, which was a treat and hear a little about where her inspiration and thoughts came from. I think for me, it made the book better. I really did enjoy the entire story, I do think this is a book for an older child, at least third grade. The main character Alex, stole my heart from the beginning. I hate the beginning of the s...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Gennifer Zheng rated it 4 of 5 stars

First of all, I would like to mention how stunning the book cover is. It already brings a sense of magic, warmth, and fantasy to the book due to the awesome colors and tones of the graphic displayed. The Unwanteds is about a dystopian society known as Quill. Every year, 13 year olds are sent to the annual Purge where they will be determined a Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. The 2 main characters, Alex and Aaron, are judged and Aaron is a Wanted while Alex is an Unwanted. Alex along with the othe...more First of all, I would like to mention how stunning the book cover is. It already brings a sense of magic, warmth, and fantasy to the book due to the awesome colors and tones of the graphic displayed. The Unwanteds is about a dystopian society known as Quill. Every year, 13 year olds are sent to the annual Purge where they will be determined a Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. The 2 main characters, Alex and Aaron, are judged and Aaron is a Wanted while Alex is an Unwanted. Alex along with the other Unwanteds are sent to their death at the Death Farmer. Before they die though, the Death Farmer reveals his true yet secretive identity and tells them that he is Mr. Today. Mr. Today created a world known as Artime where those who are creative can live, thrive, and learn about their magical abilities. Instead of being executed, the Unwanteds learn about their creative talents and live a new life in this safe haven. The children learn how to fight with their special powers for Mr. Today knows that there will be a time where Artime will be discovered and Quill and Artime will go into war. On the front cover is a review by Kirkus Reviews that states that The Unwanteds is basically a mix between The Hunger Games and Harry Potter.The Unwanteds definitely fall into the same category, but in my eyes, I do not think that this book lived up to the same expectation as the other 2 fantasy novels. Then again, I've only read one book. I need to read the remaining 6 books of this series (whenever they come out) and then I will decide whether The Unwanteds is that great. The plot is fantastic. I absolutely cherish the idea of 2 different worlds, and twins that have been separated. 5 stars for originality. The pacing of the book I feel is slow in the beginning and quick in the middle, and steady at the end. I did have some trouble following the story due to the pacing and switching between viewpoints. The characters are a delight. The intended audience for this book are elementary and middle-school readers ages 8-12. I enjoyed this story so I am sure children and students will too.(less)

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Lauren L added it

When I first saw this book I was very skeptical about reading it. It sounded interesting, but in all honestly I thought it was all talk and was not going to be as good as I thought it would be. This book did not disappoint at all. It was absolutely amazing. Lisa McMann made a great story about art and using it as magic. The character development in the story was great. When reading books like these there tends to be a lot of run on and no needed details and information, but it was the perfect am...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Kayla Krecklow rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read somewhere that his book was a mix of The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, and this book was exactly that. I wasn’t a big fan of the Harry Potter books, but I enjoyed the magic and spells in this book.

Every year in Quill they have a Purge and separate the thirteen year olds between the wanted and the unwanteds depending on their special talents and hobbies. Alex went into the Purge knowing he was going to be an unwanted and his twin brother was a wanted. The group of unwanteds were taken aw...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Bhunter2012 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Can you please tell Lisa that I don't think this book was at all like the "Hunger Games". I really loved the concept of the "Unwanteds". The idea that the kids with creative talents were worth more in society then the average person who just follows the "usual" is really interesting to me. I think it is more of a personal thing, because I feel like the "usual" in this case. For example I wish I had magical tubes that could transport me anywhere I wanted, and I wish when I forgot to bring a penci...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Johncady rated it 4 of 5 stars

This dystopian fantasy blends together very adult concepts of war and death with a world of magic. In the oppressive land of Quill children are sorted between the wanteds, the necessaries, and the unwanteds. Unwanteds are those that are creative and artistic, which Quill perceives as a threat to stability and safety and so kills them. The reader soon finds out the the Unwanteds are being saved by a magician named Mr Today who takes them to the magical land of Artime. Here the Unwanteds learn abo...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Diana Judd rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Kirkus reviews really described this book best when they said it was "the Hunger Games meets Harry Potter." But it's also so much more than that, and so much better for it. In the land of Quill, when children turn 13 they are split into three categories: the wanted who go on to university and the military, the necessaries who become garbage collectors, cooks, mechanics and such, and the unwanteds who are sent off to their death. This book follows Alex Stowe after he is proclaimed an unwanted...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Marjorie Estavillo rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book The Unwanteds, by Lisa McMann, is one that I throughly enjoyed reading. Just as the back of the book says, this book is a mixture of the Hunger Games, and Harry Potter. I really enjoy both of these series, and before reading the Unwanteds I was wondering how on Earth can someone mix the two of those. I didn't think I would like the book at first just because I thought it was going to be a bad mix of both books. As I started reading I tried to keep all the negative thoughts I had to myse...more

like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Vikki VanSickle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, fantasy, children-s-literature

Kirkus reviews claims this series is “The Hunger Games Meets Harry Potter,” which is music to many readers (not to mention publisher’s) ears. A little more HP than HG, this was a cozy, delightful first novel in a series that brought me right back to my own middle grade years. Also, can we talk about that cover? This is a perfect cover; who does not want to read a book that features a flying cat statue prominently on the front?

In the bleak, totalitarian world of Quill thirteen year olds are deeme...more Kirkus reviews claims this series is “The Hunger Games Meets Harry Potter,” which is music to many readers (not to mention publisher’s) ears. A little more HP than HG, this was a cozy, delightful first novel in a series that brought me right back to my own middle grade years. Also, can we talk about that cover? This is a perfect cover; who does not want to read a book that features a flying cat statue prominently on the front?

In the bleak, totalitarian world of Quill thirteen year olds are deemed Wanted or Unwanted. Wanted children stay and learn at the prestigious university while Unwanted children are sent to their deaths at the Lake of Boiling Oil. So imagine their surprise when the Unwanted children arrive at a virtual paradise called Artimé where they are taught to hone their artistic and eventually magical skills. For the first time, Alex is free to develop his talent for art and make genuine friends. But Alex’s enjoyment of Artimé is tainted by thought of his twin brother, Aaron, left alone in the repressive world of Quill. He risks everything to speak to him one last time, an action with irreparable consequences.

I loved the world of Artimé , which is a bookish child’s dream. A virtual paradise where creative arts and nurtured and encouraged. Like Hogwarts, this is a school of never-ending food, encouragement, and magical delights. Each of the children are given a tutor to help them nurture their specific talent (painting, acting, music). This instruction eventually includes magic, so what was once an accurate painting of a door actually BECOMES a door, or a soliloquy takes on the power of a spell. This is an engaging concept that middle grade readers will love and McMann is creative and innovative in this aspect of her world building.

The book lacked depth in some places and not enough time was spent developing some of the relationships (Alex and Lani’s relationship came out of nowhere and felt forced). This did not take away from my enjoyment of the book, but removes it from the ranks of richer literary fantasy, such as Harry Potter, Hunger Games, or The Peculiar. I’m curious to see what happens in the subsequent books. Gentle readers who like fantasy, magic, and animals will love this new series.(less)

like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At age 13, people of Quill are sorted into three categories: Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. The Unwanteds are sent to the Great Lake of Boiling Oil to be killed for being creative. Alex Stowe is twin brother of Aaron Stowe the Wanted. Alex though, is Unwanted. He is announced to be killed along with 19 other Unwanteds, when a magician rescues them, and whisks them off to the magical land of Artime, where creativity and imagination is cherished.
McMann spins a wonderful web of suspense and actio...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reason for Reading: I am a fan of the author and basically catching up with her books.

This was a pleasure to read and a book that every once and a while gave me little ripples of pleasure coursing through me body to read such a fine example of middle grade fantasy. I hate to use this comparison but it highly holds up to the "Harry Potter" model. Here there isn't a boarding school as such, but the children (13yos) are sent to live in a large magical building where they attend school learning magi...more

like · see review

Oct 22, 2012 Sweet on Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: independent-reader-jr, melissa-g

This blend of magic and dystopia, accurately pegged as "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter", will please young readers. It is partially set in a bleak land, Quill, where youngsters are eliminated like in The Hunger Games, but with only a hint of the violence. In Quill, both creativity and those who create are eliminated, and only those who favor power and strength are allowed to survive. As they regularly declare,

Quill prevails when the strong survive!"

So, at the age of thirteen, Alex Stowe is...more This blend of magic and dystopia, accurately pegged as "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter", will please young readers. It is partially set in a bleak land, Quill, where youngsters are eliminated like in The Hunger Games, but with only a hint of the violence. In Quill, both creativity and those who create are eliminated, and only those who favor power and strength are allowed to survive. As they regularly declare,

Quill prevails when the strong survive!"

So, at the age of thirteen, Alex Stowe is one of those deemed "Unwanted" by Justine, the High Priest of Quill. They are considered weak (in other words, creative or imaginative), and therefore, they are sent off to die. Alex and the other Unwanteds are shunned by society, even their parents and siblings, as they head to The Death Farm. But death farms are not always what they seem. In this case, there is no death at the death farm. There is no elimination. The Unwanteds actually turn out to be the lucky ones. They end up in Artime, a society hidden from Quill and filled with magic, freedom, truth, humor, and color. It is the exact opposite of Quill.

Alex, is obviously thrilled not to find himself in the Great Lake of Boiling Oil, but life in Artime is an adjustment for all of the Unwanteds. It takes some getting used to, living in a world where artistic talent is admired and developed, especially after coming from a society where singing is illegal and there's not a pencil in sight. Then there are the magical elements, like the animals and statues that speak, the "octogator" who teaches drawing, and the tubes that are used as a mode of transportation. To make things even harder for Alex, he is separated from his twin, Aaron, the Wanted. Alex gets to know other Unwanteds, Meghan, Lani and Samheed, but when they are all chosen to begin their "Magical Warrior Training", months before he is, Alex becomes angry and withdrawn.

It isn't until he confronts his twin, and himself, that Alex understands who he is and where he belongs. Just as the twins must face their differences, so, eventually, do the people of Quill and Artime. And by "face", I mean "fight", although, fighting in Artime terms means using "creative ingenuity" rather than traditional weaponry. They arm themselves with spells that have the power to encase the enemy in splatter paint or make them fall asleep. They paint themselves invisible, bring origami dragons to life, use magic highlighters to blind their opponents, and much more. This unique combination of art and magic is especially enchanting!

Although things don't always add up (like, how can Aaron excel in math class without a pencil, and is there no creativity in economics?), Lisa McMann does an excellent job of bringing both Quill and Artime to life. For readers who are interested in a dystopian novel, but are not quite ready for the violence of The Hunger Games, The Unwanteds is a great selection. Readers are entertained, but also inspired to ponder concepts like government, freedom and good versus evil. And for those who love a sequel, good news, there is more to come.(less)

like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Sai rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Harry Potter meets the Hunger Games" as Lisa McMann describes the book The Unwanteds is genuinely true. Set in a distopian future, a fight for survival, love, trust, and freedom Alex fights his own twin brother Aaron in a devastating war. Quill is a gray, oppressive world where on one day each year 13-year-old are separated into three castes: Wanted, Necessaries, and Unwanted. Wanteds go to the Academy, Necessaries get to work, and the Unwanteds, mostly creative kids, are sent to the Death Farm...more

like · see review

Sep 11, 2012 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
Fantasy

In a small town called Quill there is a ceremony going on to decide if the 13 year olds of Quill are gifted, necessary, or unwanted. Those who are gifted get to go to special schools for the strong and smart. Those who are necessary get simple jobs like farming or baking for the normal. Those who are unwanted or artistic and talented are sentenced to immediate death by being thrown into a lake of boiling oil. This horrible fate happens every year by order of th...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
What did you think?	8	9	20 de Mar 13:33
Kismet Book Touring : The Unwanteds on tour August/September	15	8	16 de Sep 04:32

combine
Other Editions (6)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

235 users

Science Fiction > Dystopia

78 users

Young Adult

77 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

69 users

Adventure

30 users

Fantasy > Magic

29 users

Childrens

18 users

Science Fiction

14 users

Childrens > Juvenile

13 users

Young Adult > Teen

9 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Lisa McMann

Lisa McMann lives and writes in the Phoenix area. Her books include the NYT bestselling paranormal WAKE trilogy, CRYER'S CROSS, DEAD TO YOU, and the dystopian fantasy series beginning with THE UNWANTEDS. (Book 2, Unwanteds: ISLAND OF SILENCE, comes out Sept 4, 2012).

You can find more info at Lisa'a website, lisamcmann.com, interact with her on Facebook or Twitter, or ask questions and find answer...more

More about Lisa McMann...

Books by Lisa McMann

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Unwanteds

3 trivia questions
1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Unwanteds

“If you believe you can read you can” — 12 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Unwanteds
avg rating	preview: The Unwanteds Goodreads rating: 3.82 (3292 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917879-the-unwanteds?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1308432658l/9917879.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917879-the-unwanteds?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann[/url]

The Unwanteds (Unwanteds #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website