From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Unwind (Unwind, #1)

Neal Shusterman

Start date: April 2, 2013

Finish date: April 30, 2013

Discussion: Books of the Month

Why we're reading this: To get to the discussion, CLICK HERE.

You voted and this won for April's Young Adult BOM. …more
[close] To get to the discussion, CLICK HERE.

You voted and this won for April's Young Adult BOM.

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 167 topics — 23,691 comments total

Books of the Month

* Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez - Nov 25 Theme BOM - South America (starts 16 Nov)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 21 posts · 72 views

last updated Nov 08, 2025 01:33PM

* A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett - Nov 25 Adult / Non-Fiction BOM (starts 2 Nov)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 88 posts · 89 views

last updated 57 minutes ago

showing 10 of 209 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Sep 16, 2014 Krissy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-motherfucking-stars, cover-color-blue, pgs-400-499, read-before-2015

I freaking loved this book. I loved all of the characters in it. Lev was a little shit at first but he grew on me. I even ended up feeling sympathy towards Roland by the end of the book. I did not expect that at all. There are so many great YA dystopian books out there right now. But I hope this book does not get lost in the sauce. It should definitely be given a chance and I will be recommending this book to everybody I know who enjoys this genre.

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2011 Jacalyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2011

In the effort to disclose information, here’s my confessions. I hate the term “Pro-Life”. Like those who are “Pro-Choice” are somehow against life in some way? After two very high risk, life-threatening pregnancies, I’m also a fan of “My uterus, my rules.” I choose what to do with it and I don’t want other people deciding this. That does not necessarily mean I am “Pro-Choice”, just that I don’t like the idea of someone else telling me what to do with my body. Finally, I really wasn’t sure I coul In the effort to disclose information, here’s my confessions. I hate the term “Pro-Life”. Like those who are “Pro-Choice” are somehow against life in some way? After two very high risk, life-threatening pregnancies, I’m also a fan of “My uterus, my rules.” I choose what to do with it and I don’t want other people deciding this. That does not necessarily mean I am “Pro-Choice”, just that I don’t like the idea of someone else telling me what to do with my body. Finally, I really wasn’t sure I could even read this book without gagging or going into some sort of thermonuclear meltdown at the thought of having babies just to farm them for spare parts which I partly attribute to having a cancer-survivor for a son.

Why did I read this book? I read it because I had far too many people tell me that it was just that good. Much like “The Hunger Games”, Shusterman’s “Unwind” tells a thought-provoking story with a terrible backdrop. The backdrop is merely a setting, one that while horrifies you. The story, however, takes you on adventure of human nature while exploring the role society plays in people’s lives.

The book touches on the wanted and unwanted in society as well as what depths people will go to survive. It makes you consider organ donation. The look into a future where people claim life “sacred” and yet treat it as a “disposable” commodity offers you the ability to truly ponder what life means to you. The book even touches on what could happen to the adoption/foster care system in a future world more gritty than our own. Legalized abandonment on a doorstep known as “storking” is a way of life in this future, and the instances seen in Shusterman’s novel is heartbreaking.

I think the most chilling topic covered is the “tithe-child”. A child born for the sole purpose to one day be “unwound”. A child whose very existence puts all new meaning to “an heir and a spare”. It made me sick to think about, but maybe that’s because I actually had people bring up this idea when my oldest son had cancer.

As with most dystopian tales, this book is not for the faint of heart. I promise, the story is worth reading. It’s just that good, but it will leave you thinking. ...more

Like · see review