Book Review for...
Unwind
Neal Shusterman
Summary: Set in the future, the second civil war is fought over abortion. To end the war, a compromise is reached that ends the practice of abortion but creates an alternative called "unwinding." Between the ages of 13 and 17, parents or guardians can choose to have their children unwound, which involves having every part of their bodies harvested to be "donated" to another person so, technically, they don't really die. The complex and compelling plot follows three teens whose stories intertwine when they escape while on their way to the harvest camps.
I have two weaknesses in books: Tudor England and Dystopian fiction. This book fell into the latter category and it was well written. As the summary explained, it follows three teenagers and while that sometimes can be difficult - to separate yet keep each character important and unique - Neal Shusterman wound everything together seamlessly and kept the story gripping.
Before Unwind, I haven’t heard of the plot before so I believe it to be original. And boy, what an idea! You would think, reading the summary, that it’s silly to think any society would allow such a thing to happen but while reading, you understand where the idea came from and why the adults believe this to be ok and more importantly, needed.
The most disturbing part of the book was witnessing the process of being unwound from a kid’s view. That chapter was amazingly well-written. It horrified me and gave me great sorrow.
I would recommend this book to anyone. It’s a YA novel but it’s clever enough to keep any adult entertained, I think. Also, it’s part of a series and at the time of writing this, there are 3 books with another being released next year. I haven’t read any of the others but it’s not a lack of want. These will be on my Christmas wishlist and I hope I can continue the story in the unsettling world Neal Shusterman has created.
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