Unwind (Unwind, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Feb 19, 2018 ❤ Aly ❤ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ammp-fairytale-2018, 2018

I loved this book so much! I really enjoyed the characters and the story line. I want to definitely read the whole series!

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Apr 02, 2013 Cathie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013-reads, nbr-challenges, nbr-botm, young-adult, dystopia, science-fiction, usa-ohio, mind-bender, moral-issues, above-the-norm-very-good

holy shit photo: holy shit Holy_Shit.jpg

This is one book that will stay with me for a long time. 4.5 stars. Great ethical brain-scratching how sick can a society get plot. Right up there with A Handmaid's Tale dystopia tale. A disturbing but fascinating read.

I'm very surprised this is aimed and marketed as Young Adult because there are some very heavy issues discussed. Kudos for starting the discussion early.

The plot of this book is that abortion is illegal; all children are born and wanted, but a parent can decide when their chil ...more

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Jun 29, 2013 Chelsey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-books, favorites, books-to-reread, recommended-for-everyone

Wow. I will try to make this as coherent as possible. I've just finished this book and I'm still too emotional. Where do I even begin with this book? I've not felt this much passion and emotion while reading in quite a while.

The premise of the book is unique and executed so well. The subject of abortion is probably one of the most controversial issues at the moment. I feel like no matter what your view on the subject is, this book will still appeal to you. That's one thing I loved about it. Unw Wow. I will try to make this as coherent as possible. I've just finished this book and I'm still too emotional. Where do I even begin with this book? I've not felt this much passion and emotion while reading in quite a while.

The premise of the book is unique and executed so well. The subject of abortion is probably one of the most controversial issues at the moment. I feel like no matter what your view on the subject is, this book will still appeal to you. That's one thing I loved about it. Unwind didn't just ask the question of is abortion right or wrong, but it raised much deeper questions, such as what it means to be alive and what a soul truly is. And those are questions that I think we can and should all consider, no matter what side of the issue we are on. I feel like Shusterman was able to explore these deeper, philosophical questions without ever seeming preachy or bias. I really enjoyed the small moments of insight I gained while reading.

The writing was also fantastic. There were a couple places, particularly towards the end, where I felt Shusterman just told us what happened rather than showing it. For example, some of Risa and Connor's conversations towards the end were just summed up in a paragraph rather than written out as dialogue. Which was completely fine with me, it wasn't distracting at all, it just made parts of the end seem a little rushed. Aside from that, I love Neal Shusterman's writing style, even though it's not what I normally prefer. Also, can we just talk about some of his one liners? I mean, I put this book down and was completely blown away by some of them. Throughout the book, there were many moments that I had to put the book down and take in what I had just read. I felt like the writing was simple, but somehow very, very powerful.

THE CHARACTERS. Talk about character development. And I mean BELIEVABLE character development. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it at that. I feel like Risa could have been explored a bit more, but I was happy to see a strong female character with complex emotions. I related to Risa on so many levels and I think she's someone young girls could really identify with. As for Connor and Lev, I found them both relatable, but each for their own unique reasons. I felt that way about almost all of the characters in the book. Each character, even the minor ones, have a unique idea or thought to offer. None of the characters bored me and I'm genuinely interested in them all. I can't wait (all of 5 minutes it will take to finish this review) to start the next book and see how much more the characters change and develop.

Overall, I'm in love with this series. I've already purchased the next book. I went out yesterday before I had even finished this one. This was just fresh and exciting and heartbreaking and thought provoking all in one! I couldn't put it down and I'm pretty sure I've talked all my friends to death over this book.

I recommend this for everyone. I think it's a provoking and interesting read that would appeal to many. I think any YA fan or any Dystopian fan who can deal with YA writing, would love this book especially. It is YA, but it's written in such a way that I think anyone would like it. Also, no love triangles or angsty romance! COME ON, what a treat. This honestly is just a great character driven story set in a not so far fetched world. I really think it's such a good read and you'll definitely be pleased to read it.

Some of people's biggest critiques of this book seem to be the implausibility of it all and Shusterman's writing style. Is there a certain suspension of belief necessary to fully invest yourself in the story? Yes. But is it worth it? Yes. Here's the thing, I don't read for reality(okay that's a bold statement), but I read for experiences and new ideas. I've always preferred books to movies/tv because I feel nothing transports me to another world the way a book does. And I love it. So for that fact alone, I'm willing to accept a lot of suspension of belief IF the story is worth it. In this case, I think it is. Yes, the premise of the novel and some of the medical details require you to suspend your belief, but the overall story and the rewards of reading it made it worth it to me.

The writing style of the book is very YA-ish and less adult fiction. I went into the book knowing it was YA, so I had low expectations for the writing style. If I had gone into the book thinking it was adult fiction, I might have a different opinion. But I was expecting YA writing and that's what I got. Though I really, really think it was great quality YA writing. Perhaps the fact that the story and characters were above and beyond any expectations that I had for a YA book, and in fact rivaled some of my favorite adult fiction, is what made the writing style good with me. I typically do prefer a different style of writing, but I felt like this book was written appropriately.
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Apr 22, 2022 Carissa Brown rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopia-or-utopia, young-adult, sci-fi, politics, audiobook

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

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Sep 08, 2015 Maggie Shanley rated it liked it · review of another edition

OK young adult dystopian fiction in which teens can be "unwound" by chopping them up and using their parts for transplants. Parents and the government decides who gets to be "unwound". ...more

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Nov 28, 2013 Mandiann rated it really liked it

What a horrifying idea of our future.

Well thought out and the characters were well written.

The chapter that goes into details about the process of unwinding a person was absolutely terrifying.

Although I really enjoyed the book I think if I hadn't stopped midway for 3 months before finishing, I would have rated it higher. ...more

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May 08, 2020 Suraj rated it really liked it

I am always fascinated to read books by Neal Shusterman. He always deal with subject matter which are different and very interesting. It makes his books very refreshing to read. Enjoyed the first book in the Unwind series. Can't wait to pick up the next book . ...more

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