Unwind - N. Shusterman

[Heather]

[Darcy]

This is one of my most favorite books!! There is so much to talk about with all the issues it brings up. It also sticks with you for a long time!

[Carrie (Care)]

I agree. It really makes you think deep. Great book.

[Darcy]

Stacia wrote: "It's too bad I can't use this for my "U" read. I have Uglies waiting for that, and I already bought it.

WTB more time to fit in all these books."

One of these challenges has a dystopian theme, this would be a good book for that.

[Darcy]

I am not sure which one, I can check when I get home and look over my slips of paper where I was keeping track.

[Heather]

Meet the criteria challenge.

[Carrie (Care)]

I thought it was that one too, but after I was thinking about it, I think it was a challenge from the UF group.

Stacia, it is YA so it would work for that one. I used it as my blue book for the rainbow challenge.

[Darcy]

Stacia, Carrie has it right, I was thinking of the other group. You could use it for the monthly read one book challenge.

[Darcy]

The pink one is a different challenge, so I would use it for October.

[Heather]

When I mad the diff realm/universe I thought that included distopia until Carrie told me otherwise. Sorry. Pink is a separate challenge. Although, you could use it in Dementia for something probably.

[Carrie (Care)]

I ruin everything! :P A dystopian theme would be good for a new challenge next year.

[Heather]

Awe crud. I have to think up more ideas? Why did you go and say that? =)

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Just finished this. Great book!

I think this story would be ideal for the classroom at a high school level. There is so much within this book that could be discussed.

The chapter with Roland was so sad...

[Isamlq]

Stacia (ridiculously repetitive) wrote: "Just finished this. Great book!

I think this story would be ideal for the classroom at a high school level. There is so much within this book that could be discussed.

The chapter with Rolan..."

I love love love this book...

[Jasmine]

I'm going to start this book today I think. I'm so excited that I finally got a chance to go to the library and get it.

[Tya]

I have no idea why I had been putting this book off for so long, but oh my goodness! So. So. Very good. I intend on forcing my book club into reading it. (view spoiler)[ Cy-ty (I don't know if I'm spelling that right, I'm audio-ing it) made me cry! And the scene where the old lady (Sophie? Sylvia? Something or other) had Connor write a letter to someone that he loves and then she reveals the trunk full of letters from other unwounds? (hide spoiler)] I don't know if these are spoilers or not, no ones commented in this thread since 2010, but better safe than sorry!

This book just makes me think, some books stay with you. Some books change you.

[Tya]

Has anyone else read

Can I just say (view spoiler)[ that I want the last book in the trilogy to be an adult book? I want Connor and Risa to find each other and bow-chicka-bow-bow for like 10 of those mini-chapters each. They deserve it.

Towards the end of the book I felt sorta bad for Cam. And then he revealed the depths of his cray cray. Don't be cray cray Cam. I was hoping that in spite of his super recognizability that he would run off with Risa and join the resistance. But apparently he'd rather nurse his obsession? At least its going to a good cause....?

I HATED MIRACALINA. I gave a little cheer when I got to think she was dead. I get that she wanted to be tithed. That she didn't think she was brainwashed and that she truly believed that tithing was awesomesauce and she wasn't super thrilled about the whole kidnapping/rescuing thing but did EVERY.SINGLE.WORD that came out of her mouth have to be so danggum BITCHY? Whatever. Lev, you can do better. (hide spoiler)]

[Darcy]

I read it a while ago, like it, but didn't think that it was as good as the first one. I do agree with what you are saying Tya.

[Tya]

I didn't like it as well as the first one either. It read like filler. Oh! My reason for posting in the first place. I had just finished reading the book and was online and the website that I was reading had a banner at the top of the page that said something like "We gave her a heart and she's doing great things with it" or something. It sounded like an add for Unwinding. So creepy.

[Darcy]

That is creepy!

I think part of why I didn't think the second book was as good was the whole concept of Unwinding was so shocking and the bring them together at the end was so weird.

[Tya]

I loved the third book! I liked it much, much more than the 2nd one. It still reads like its building towards something bigger. Apparently, this series is not a trilogy like I thought. Anyway, (view spoiler)[ I know that this is not a romance book. I know that. But, I was so stinkin' disappointed with the reunion between Risa and Connor. I get that Risa was thrown seeing them there together and I liked that Connor immediately understood I even liked that "low cortial" Grace understood all of the underlying dynamics going on better than anyone else. I did not like that Risa going to Connor in the middle of the night and the kiss happened from Grace's pov. I did NOT like that either Risa was playing with Cams feelings/not smart enough to realize that Cam would probably be awake when she went to Connor. I didNOT like that when Connor thanked Risa for choosing him she makes a point of saying that she didn't. Not because there's no choice between him and Cam (that would have done my shipper shipping heart good) but that she didn't make one--almost like Risa was pitting the two against each other and thats not something that Risa would do.

I do like that Lev seems to finally be doing something. The first two books, even when he was on the run, he seemed pretty passive. He was just reacting to things. The only decision he made last book (that wasn't made for him) was going to rescue Connor. I love that he's made the decision to make the ChanceFolk his dam. I hope that this isn't the last that Connor sees of him.

As for Cam, I believe--like Grace--that he's self centered enough that whatever his is now its going to ultimately going to blow up in his (and Risa and Connors) face. He left thinking that he was going to be a hero to Risa but bitter that she chose Connor over him (not knowing she didn't choose at all). I did feel really, really bad for him when they wouldn't let him sign the contract to join the General because he's nothing more than a collection of parts and then, when Roberta had him sign his name while they were talking and he signed Wils? My heart broke for him.
Speaking of--who didn't call Wil's hands going to Cam a hundred miles away? What I didn't call was how nuts Una would go. A part of me thinks/thought that they would end up together but that would cheapen Wil/Una and Una/Cam. (hide spoiler)]

Anyone else reading?

[Darcy]

Tya, I'm glad that you are liking these as they go on. For me the last couple of books don't live up to the first. You bring up some great points, especially about Grace, I really liked her.

[Tya]

I can see why you say that, Darcy. I think that there's a lot of world building happening. It doesn't feel like it (or isn't so obvious) in book 1 because your expecting world building. But by books 2 and 3 you expect to have the plot and the background and all of that laid out and thats not the way Neal Shusterman is writing them. Each book has a heavy dose of background all throughout as well as what's happening in the present (I think anyway...I'm not so good with details). I would think that sooner rather than later there won't be anymore background to reveal and the books will stop reading like filler and then ---woooh boy. I think its also that he's telling all of these stories and their disjointed. So, in bk 1 you're introduced to the major players, bks 2 and 3 are character development (who they are away from each other, as independent characters) and the next book is probably getting the characters back in the same space and the book after that (?): war/fall out of war. So...I think bks 2-4 are all building towards bk 5 (although I have no idea how many books are in this series. So. Whatever) Kind of like when I watch one of the 6 hour versions of Pride and Prejudice---all I really watch is the 1st hour to learn the plot, and the last hour to see how it all panned out.

Thats my theory anyway. As always, its completely possible that I have over-thought. (view spoiler)[ What did you think of Starkey and the knocking up of 3!!! girls? (hide spoiler)]

[Darcy]

I think I was just so stunned by the whole concept of unwinding in book 1, so it just stuck with me, the ending just killed me. With the rest of the books is wasn't so visceral.

Starkey, well, there is one sick puppy! What is worse is how the girls acted like it was a special gift, gag me!!

[Tya]

I really loved the ending of the series. I want there to be a novella to wrap up some C and D and E plotlines and maybe a follow up something with Connor and Risa and Lev that takes place a few years down the line to see them living in a non-AWOL environment.

[Darcy]

Tya wrote: "I really loved the ending of the series. I want there to be a novella to wrap up some C and D and E plotlines and maybe a follow up something with Connor and Risa and Lev that takes place a few yea..."

I thought the last book was a good one to wrap things up. What I really liked was how the general public opinions changed.