What do you think?
Rate this book
Unwound
Peter Robertson's novel Angel made him the most famous author in the world. Chronicling the sordid world of a teenage prostitute, it was the biggest bestseller of the year. It broke conventions, inspired a cult following, and made Peter Robertson rich, admired...and scared.
There, on the edge of the crowd, he always sees her. She not only looks like Angel, she embodies the desperate creature he created. Everywhere Peter goes, she goes, obsessed with everything about him. What could she possibly want? Soon, curiosity will get the best of him. So will the girl with the haunted eyes. Because what she's really after is something that will explode Peter's world.
There, on the edge of the crowd, he always sees her. She not only looks like Angel, she embodies the desperate creature he created. Everywhere Peter goes, she goes, obsessed with everything about him. What could she possibly want? Soon, curiosity will get the best of him. So will the girl with the haunted eyes. Because what she's really after is something that will explode Peter's world.
305 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2007
5 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 7, 2012
ONE OF THE Most disturbing books I have ever read....gave me creepy feelings for months. Read it with that warning as it was a GOODREAD.
September 15, 2024
I was surprised to really like the book. I think some of the other reviews on here are about a different book by the same name. It is a little disturbing but not what the other reviews describe. It is just an old school short paperback good book, which are my favorite.
January 16, 2009
Short Summation
Peter Robertson is haunted by an obsessed fan that embodies the main character of his best-selling novel perfectly. Having this copy of “Angel” showing up everywhere he goes starts to make him crack, and he has to do something before his wife or daughter get caught up in it.
Why this book?
I was ravenous. I needed something I could devour without worrying about nutritional quality or leaving any bones behind. I wanted something I could dive into and tear apart. I was not caught up in any sort of desire for a “quality” read. I needed words. I needed to feed. The colors on the cover made me hungry in that way, and when I did my customary flip-through, I caught this chapter title: “Blowjobs and Balconies.” I put it in my basket and never looked back.
How did it go?
[[Reviewer's note: this review was written in 2007; I've changed since then.]]
The Music . . .
Okay, first of all, I was pretty sure it was going to be of little substance, that it would be for distraction purposes only. Then I read the acknowledgments. Why, I don’t know. I rarely ever read the acknowledgements. I rarely read anything at all but the book and most times I even skip prologues and their like until I’m done. I don’t know why—they just turn out to be better that way most of the time.
The reason the acknowledgments are acknowledgeable to me now are because Baine (that’s a pseudonym, by the way) cited music in his acknowledgements. His exact words were, “And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that every book starts with one song, the same song, “Here Comes a Regular” by the Replacements.
Hey, I like the Replacements, I thought as I read that. Then he went on to cite more bands, of which Wilco was one of them. Lynn recently turned me on to that band and I really like them, so I was slanting toward not hating this book.
To tell the truth, the book was pretty good as far as sating my appetite for wordage. It just gave me indigestion.
The Actual Reading Experience . . .
Now, before we get started, this is one of those fast, easy reads. The chapters are über short and the story really moves. The writing style’s easy, even if the similes tend to bend toward sports a little much.
I can’t lie, the story had me. For a long time. Even toward the end. I had it all figured out, but I wanted to give Baine the benefit of the doubt because the twist was so (oh, forgive me for this) lame. I kept thinking, Oh, no, that just can’t be it.
Character-wise, I enjoyed it. I didn’t like any of the people as people, but they entertained me in this novel. I keep remembering the book as being told in first person from Peter, but I know it wasn’t. But that does tell me the main character was gripping enough that I really got into his head. Can’t complain about an experience like that.
I was not impressed with the way Baine totally went out of Peter’s head and stayed out toward the end. I think he did that to keep the “secret” longer, but there were so many other ways to do it.
Like nixing the big secret altogether and writing an original twist. Heh. Sorry about that. I’m still mad. And it’s been weeks since I read this.
Okay, okay, the last line of the book almost saves that twist. Almost. If I could believe it, it would. I think Baine thinks I should have believed it, but I didn’t. Nothing else in the book lets me do so. The way he led me, the way he pulled me over jagged potholes of plot—he just didn’t leave the room I need to rearrange my thoughts and fit that last line into the logic he gave me. Er, the logics. Plural.
Peter Robertson is haunted by an obsessed fan that embodies the main character of his best-selling novel perfectly. Having this copy of “Angel” showing up everywhere he goes starts to make him crack, and he has to do something before his wife or daughter get caught up in it.
Why this book?
I was ravenous. I needed something I could devour without worrying about nutritional quality or leaving any bones behind. I wanted something I could dive into and tear apart. I was not caught up in any sort of desire for a “quality” read. I needed words. I needed to feed. The colors on the cover made me hungry in that way, and when I did my customary flip-through, I caught this chapter title: “Blowjobs and Balconies.” I put it in my basket and never looked back.
How did it go?
[[Reviewer's note: this review was written in 2007; I've changed since then.]]
The Music . . .
Okay, first of all, I was pretty sure it was going to be of little substance, that it would be for distraction purposes only. Then I read the acknowledgments. Why, I don’t know. I rarely ever read the acknowledgements. I rarely read anything at all but the book and most times I even skip prologues and their like until I’m done. I don’t know why—they just turn out to be better that way most of the time.
The reason the acknowledgments are acknowledgeable to me now are because Baine (that’s a pseudonym, by the way) cited music in his acknowledgements. His exact words were, “And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that every book starts with one song, the same song, “Here Comes a Regular” by the Replacements.
Hey, I like the Replacements, I thought as I read that. Then he went on to cite more bands, of which Wilco was one of them. Lynn recently turned me on to that band and I really like them, so I was slanting toward not hating this book.
To tell the truth, the book was pretty good as far as sating my appetite for wordage. It just gave me indigestion.
The Actual Reading Experience . . .
Now, before we get started, this is one of those fast, easy reads. The chapters are über short and the story really moves. The writing style’s easy, even if the similes tend to bend toward sports a little much.
I can’t lie, the story had me. For a long time. Even toward the end. I had it all figured out, but I wanted to give Baine the benefit of the doubt because the twist was so (oh, forgive me for this) lame. I kept thinking, Oh, no, that just can’t be it.
Character-wise, I enjoyed it. I didn’t like any of the people as people, but they entertained me in this novel. I keep remembering the book as being told in first person from Peter, but I know it wasn’t. But that does tell me the main character was gripping enough that I really got into his head. Can’t complain about an experience like that.
I was not impressed with the way Baine totally went out of Peter’s head and stayed out toward the end. I think he did that to keep the “secret” longer, but there were so many other ways to do it.
Like nixing the big secret altogether and writing an original twist. Heh. Sorry about that. I’m still mad. And it’s been weeks since I read this.
Okay, okay, the last line of the book almost saves that twist. Almost. If I could believe it, it would. I think Baine thinks I should have believed it, but I didn’t. Nothing else in the book lets me do so. The way he led me, the way he pulled me over jagged potholes of plot—he just didn’t leave the room I need to rearrange my thoughts and fit that last line into the logic he gave me. Er, the logics. Plural.
April 11, 2014
Good book about the future of abortion and the right to life. I plan to read the next one in the series - if there is another one. It is, however, another book about teenagers (Divergent, Twilight, Maze runner......) But it is worth reading. It is pretty disturbing in one part in particular.
May 20, 2013
Very disturbing, but couldn't put it down..
November 16, 2022
In a society where you can be unwound for any reason, Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives. They are scheduled to be unwound. To unwind someone is to harvest their body parts and give them to someone more deserving. It is not killing them because technically, they are still alive, just in others' bodies. It was hard to put this book down because I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. The ending was not what I expected.
I think this book is very relevant in today's society. When I look at what is going on with abortion rights right now, I hope we are not heading down this path. But I am afraid this book could be too realistic in a future time. There are some good points in organ transplants but it is never, never okay to kill someone to get that body part.
I think this book is very relevant in today's society. When I look at what is going on with abortion rights right now, I hope we are not heading down this path. But I am afraid this book could be too realistic in a future time. There are some good points in organ transplants but it is never, never okay to kill someone to get that body part.
July 3, 2021
Wow, I really didn't know what to expect, but this was a super BOOK!
October 1, 2021
very good writing. I had to pry myself away especially near the end
January 8, 2017
I actually liked it better than I thought I would when first starting it. The ending was unexpected. Very good Author.
February 26, 2015
This book is very creepy, but very feel written. It is about juvinial deliquents being "unwound" instead of murder so each part of them is still living but in someone else. I love how the author uses real news clips in his book it makes it so much more realistic.
January 16, 2009
This book is AWESOME only read it if you don't get grossed out easily
July 29, 2011
good book. fast read. unexpected twist at the end.
October 6, 2012
This was a pretty good book, couldn't put it down. I was very surprised with the ending didn't expect that. I'll let others know that they should read this.
March 3, 2014
My son read this book for school. Disturbing, but amazing. Couldn't put it down, read it in one sitting.
Read
September 30, 2014I was completely enthralled with this book and planned to read the rest of the series.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews