Unwind by Neal Shusterman (Group Read December 2013)

[Isamlq]

Stacia ~ enchanted wrote: "I thought I had a personal copy of Gone, Gone, Gone but I didn't. I do have Invincible Summer though and in fact just made a summer folder this week for books with a summer setting or theme that I'..."

IS's cover is misleading... but I enjoyed it... broke my heart a little as I recall.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I know book 2 is about to come out but has anyone read this? I didn't even know it existed until a minute ago.

[Mairead]

I don't think this needs to be a series. It would have been great as a stand alone, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.
I'm having the same problem with Blood Reed Road having a sequel. It just isn't necessary.

[Gwennie]

I can't wait for UnWholly! I think it was supposed to be a stand alone, but I can always use more of my favorites.

I haven't seen that either, didn't know it existed. I'll have to check that out.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I guess it's a new release and is $1.99. Not sure if I want to pay that for another short but it does explain what happened to Lev when he went missing in Unwind, so it is tempting.

[Gwennie]

I got it! ;)

[Temple Rose]

One of my favorite books EVA!!

[Lyzzibug ~Still Breathing~]

I just saw that one on B&N today. I'm tempted as well, but haven't made up my mind.

[Elaine]

I've been hearing good things about Unwind for the longest time, esp on Goodreads, but I've only picked it up recently. Got to say that I'm SO glad that I finally got to reading it cos I devoured both books, one after the other. I have no idea what I would have done if I've read the first in 2007 :P

And now I can't wait till the third (and last?) is finally out, gah. I'm really impressed by this YA dystopian series.

Mairead wrote: "I don't think this needs to be a series. It would have been great as a stand alone, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.
I'm having the same problem with Blood Reed Road having a sequel. It jus..."

I think it's great as a stand alone but I'm pretty satisfied with the second book as it handles even more controversies, with a major new character being introduced.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Always happy to see this series get more attention. I wish more people knew about it.

[Elaine]

Stacia (the hype killer) wrote: "Always happy to see this series get more attention. I wish more people knew about it."

Ikr. Compared to the some of the overhyped YA dystopian novels out there now, this is so much better. I've taken to recommending it to all my friends.

[Lyzzibug ~Still Breathing~]

Finished UnWholly and Unstrung a few weeks ago and they were amazing! I purchased Unwind for my Sister in law for Christmas. Spreading the word :)

[Megan]

This series is amazing. Originally it was only supposed to be a stand alone, but it was so popular they added 2 additional books (hence the long wait between books 1 and 2). I'm really excited for the finale!! Can't wait until the fall!

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I wish we'd get more info about the movie. It's been optioned and is supposed to go into pre-production soon, but I'm starting to think it's never going to happen.

[Dee]

z'omg...Shusterman just tweeted that he just got back from vacation where he finished up book 4!! in the unwind series!! Its going to be called UNDIVIDED

[Gwennie]

WHOOOOO!!!! Awesome!!! I didn't realize it would go past book 3!

[Dee]

neither did I...its being called a dystology now

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Interesting...but is he going to pull a George R.R. Martin and take several years between each book?

(that was a bad attempt at a joke because Unwind and Unwholly were so far apart)

[Dee]

Haha- nope out October next year - a year to the day bk 3 in released and its only going to be 4 books

[Rachel]

UnWholly was so good! I didn't realize book three was coming out so soon! Eeee!

Stacia, have you read UnWholly yet?

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I haven't *hides*.

If I end up slacking and don't get it read soon, I'll probably put it on my definite list for December, which will be a series clean-up month.

[Dee]

I have to admit that it was better than I was expecting...I put off reading it because I didn't think it could live up to Unwind, but I think I almost enjoyed it more

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Oh really? That sounds promising.

[Dee]

its more big picture than Unwind...Unwind was just Rissa, Connor and Roland...whereas Unwholly looks at society - political campaigns for both sides etc

[Rachel]

Dee, I agree completely. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Unwind supposed to be standalone? Unwholly definitely takes more a "series perspective" (if that's even a thing), introducing more characters, even more world building, and sets up a bigger arc than just the survival of Connor, Rissa, and Lev.

[Jenny]

I really liked Unwind but after all this time (and feeling like Unwind wrapped up nicely), I just don't have much interest in picking up the new ones.

[Dee]

i think it was yes...I haven't seen anything from him to indicate that it was originally going to be a series...but maybe the characters just kept on telling their stories

[Dee]

So I totally didn't know that UnSouled the next book in the series is out - I just reserved it from the library

[Kelly]

Jenny wrote: "I really liked Unwind but after all this time (and feeling like Unwind wrapped up nicely), I just don't have much interest in picking up the new ones."

Jenny, you should. I loved the second one even more!

[Robin]

Dee wrote: "So I totally didn't know that UnSouled the next book in the series is out - I just reserved it from the library"

Dee it was so good. More character development than action but there is still enough of that as well. It is setting up so good for the final book. I seriously don't know how it is all going to work out.g

[Dee]

my library has 4 copies of it, but they are all out - i'm really debating buying it...

[Robin]

lol I couldn't wait so that is what I did.

<----might have a small/midsized book addiction.

[Dee]

i did that with Unwholly because they didn't have it on order...they have 4 copies of unsouled...so I hope...if I don't see it in the next week or so, i'll probably buy - I need to take something down to NC on my trip to read and that would work

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

The group read for December is now open.

If you need to talk about any major plot points (minor story details don't need to be tagged), please use this code to put your text inside of a spoiler tag and make a note of whereabouts in the book you're talking about so people know if they've read far enough to be able to click on the tag :



If you are talking about books 2 or 3, then spoilers are absolutely needed, since not everyone will have read that far.

[Diane]

I actually started this yesterday. Wow it has really made me think of a lot philosophically. The concept is quite disturbing.

[Dee]

I loved this book - I'm getting ready to read book 3 right now

[Gwennie]

I'm reading 3 soon too!

[Diane]

How was #2? The way it ended seemed like a stand alone so I wondered if the next would be just a push to ride the tail winds of the first.

[Dee]

I call them a micro and Marco view - unwind is very much abt the individuals, the second is more abt society - the campaigning for and against unwinding etc

[Angie]

and were part of my epic library haul yesterday, so I'm getting started today! I'm excited. :D

[Rachel]

I can't remember... was UnWind originally meant to be a stand-alone?

I just finished UnSouled and it was pretty good. A lot of set-up for the final book but still very interesting.

[Dee]

I don't know Rachel -back when I read it in 2010 it had a series marking on it - but nothing more

[Rachel]

It was probably always supposed to be a series. The first book reads like the start to a series (though you're right, more micro than macro which is a little strange when the author is trying to set up a longer story arc).

Don't know why "stand-alone" popped into my head. Regardless, I'm glad it turned out to be a trilogy and then a dystology.

[Angie]

I finished Unwind last night and it read like a standalone to me. There was definitely room for sequels since they didn't overthrow the government/stop unwinding/etc, but the ending did feel complete.

I started UnWholly and like it a bit better so far.

[Dee]

I think stand-alone because there was sooo long between unwind and unwholesome (4 years)

[Gary]

Felt like a self contained novel leading to a series to me. Really enjoyed the ethical issues it covered. Finished well but left issues to be explored in future books. Would totally recommend it.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Welcome Gary!

I do think that the book would have worked fine as a stand alone.

Those who have just finished, what were your thoughts on (view spoiler)[Roland's unwinding, or the clapper explosions? Or even the bbq at the end with all of the people who had unwind parts? (hide spoiler)]

[Robin]

This had some very interesting ideas in it I especially was floored by (view spoiler)[Roland's unwinding. It was incredibly disturbing, even though I never liked the guy I just kept thinking they really aren't going to take him apart bit by bit and wow the way it is written I felt so horrible for him (hide spoiler)]

Shusterman really has a great way of writing that takes something extremely horrible and presents it in a way that isn't overwhelming, I'm not sure if that is a good way to explain it. I've read other stuff that gets so graphic you start to feel uncomfortable. But while the ideas of the story were uncomfortable the writing of events never was.

[Dee]

I don't think it would have been as powerful without the Roland chapter

[Gary]

Totally agree the Roland chapter was a crucial and powerful chapter which I thought was brilliantly written.