Review: Unwind

Name: Unwind #1

Series: Unwind

Author: Neal Shusterman

Published: Simon & Schuster

Recieved through: Purchased


Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not talented enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

                           

How can you look at the cover and not pick this novel up? It's not beautiful, but has an alluring aspect to it that makes you want to find out what's inside. And once you turn it around and read the synopsis, well, you just have to check it out. So I did.

In this futuristic novel, once a child is between the ages of thirteen & eighteen, parents can choose to have their kid "unwound", where all their body parts are basically donated, so techically life doesn't end- but they're no longer a burden. Once the child hits eighteen, their lives are in their own hands. However, once your parents have signed you off to be unwound, the action cannot be undone & life is as good as over. Unwind follows three kids Connor, Risa & Lev, as they try to escape their fate of being unwound & survive in a society that wants nothing more then to see them gone.

I quite enjoyed this. It wasn't a let down, and the story was touching. Although it didn't impact me as I had orignally wanted it to- nontheless, it was a good read.

Each character has a personality that gives the novel a realistic atmosphere. Shusterman did a superb job with this, as I can't stress enough how annoying it can get when an author decides to give every character in their novel the exact same personality/attitude. Unwind does an excellent job of showing the real life mistakes people make, in a world that isn't always merciful. Through the eyes of kids that are about to lose everything, they discover truths & lies- and are impacted in a way that was once beyond them. Reading this kind of hits you with the idea that situations can often alter a persons character- and all it takes is a small action to turn the lives of many upside down.

I enjoyed the story that evolved between Connor, Risa & Lev. Each character devolped immensly throughout, and it's evident as you read through the way their characters build.
I truly loved Connor & Risa. Each of them started off with a personality on two totally different poles- one was a trouble making kid that drove his parents insane, and the other was a ward of the state that just can't seem to hit the right pitch, therefore not allowed to survive. Once they come together, their toleration and discovery of one another is slow, rough and eye opening. My favorite things in a relationship. Each of them makes mistakes that causes the other to suffer, but they deal with it together. Although at times I wanted to knock Conner's teeth out for being an asshole to Risa, his deeper intent always prevailed when you were just about ready to judge him.

I disliked Lev most of the time, not only for his betrayel but for his ignorant personality.He literly needed someone to spoon feed him an idealogy for him to follow. ugh, my least favorite thing in a character. At times I pitied him, but even when he came through I still disliked him.

This novel has a good amount of betrayel in it. From Lev to Roland, to all the people Risa & Connor though that they could trust. It's what makes it so darn good- nothing is as you think it to be. Every page is a new cliff, & just when you think it's going to be a hurricane, you end up with a sand storm. get my drift? Suprises, Suprises, Suprises!

Definitly recommended for people that want to drift away from the paranormal, yet enjoy a realistic- not so realistic dystopian. If that makes any sense. This character-driven, edge-of-your-seat, forget-your-coffee novel will have you up all night!


Sequel: UnWholly