Unwind (Unwind Dystology Book 1)

'Unwind' is the story of three very different teenagers, Connor, sixteen, who is constantly in trouble at school because of his temper, Risa, fifteen, an orphan who was raised in one of the many state homes all over the USA and Lev, thirteen, who has been raised to believe he must make the ultimate sacrifice. Connor, Risa and Lev have one thing in common, they are about to be unwound.Following the second Civil War, also known as the Heartland War twenty years ago, a war between the Pro-life and Pro-choice armies, the Bill of Life was created, which states that a human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen, this means that between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent or guardian can 'abort' their child on the condition that the child's life does not 'technically' end, this process is known as 'Unwinding', the child will not die, parts of he/she will be harvested for transplants, which has become normal within society, every part of your body can be replaced at the price of ending another person's life.Connor is being unwound because of his behaviour, Risa is being unwound because the state home she lives in can no longer afford her and due to the vast amount of abandoned babies who have been 'storked' unsuccessfully ('storked' is when a baby is abandoned at a person's house, under the law, the person must accept the baby, if the baby is ignored they eventually arrive at a state home) there is no place for Risa. Lev has been preparing to be unwound since birth because he is a tithe, he been taught that his unwinding will be a contribution in the greater scheme of things, Lev is happy to be unwound the day after his thirteenth birthday. Connor and Risa take the opportunity to run and Lev is forced to run with them, now the three of them are on the run, all they can hope is that they keep running or hidden until they are eighteen. In a world where all teenagers are at risk of being 'unwound' by their own parents/guardians, who can they trust?What I thought of 'Unwind' ~I went through various emotions reading 'Unwind', I could not understand how a bill like the Bill of Life could be passed but given the situation within the society and the 'need' for transplants, it was acceptable to society, I also found it cruel that all the children who are unwinded are put forward for various reasons, behaviour, lack of money and with such a lack of conscience, what would possess a parent/guardian to do such a thing while telling their children that effectively they will still be alive in someone else, and in some ways they are but the person they were is gone with only parts left.'Unwind' is a strong story with characters who are faced with death before their time, there is so many discussions surrounding the nature of human transplants but with 'Unwind', the majority of children are not given an option or are taught to believe it is the right thing to do, there are so many questions raised within this book but it leads back to the same thought, well for me it did, that no one has the right to decide when someone should die. Each character has their own story and as you read you learn more and about them, and the cruelty of their situation, and how they are lied to by people they trust, none of them deserve their fate.Neal Shusterman has wrote a story with the subject of an future that could happen, which makes it more frightening, at times, sad and in one particular part, heartbreaking, you will care about Connor, Risa, Lev and the rest of the children about to be unwound.'Unwind' is an excellent story, its heartfelt, insightful, and definitely gives you something to think about.An excellent book, highly recommended and I hope to read more books by Neal Shusterman.

For a relatively old fish in the dystopian pond right now, this book was surprisingly original, fantastically written and absolutely worth a read - there were moments for me when I held my breath, felt excited or had to keep it together instead of getting my heart stomped on. This book is clever and you need to read it.Imagine a World in which mistakes are rectified, abortion is forbidden and new laws mean that, if you feel like you've just bitten off more than you can chew and had just one too many kids than you can cope with, that you can just get rid of it. Or leave it on a neighbours doorstep and it be socially accepted and legalised. Imagine a situation in which you need a transplant. Forget the waiting. Those times are gone. Now there are endless supplies of organs just waiting for you to buy. Even if you just want a new eye colour. Or hands that know how to paint. Crazy right? It's diabolical, makes me feel sick just thinking about it and made my brain whir for hours afterwards.In Connors world though, this is commonplace. In fact his family have been "Storked" plenty of times by neighbours not wanting their newest addition. But Connor is a rebellious teenager. And his parents really want that trip to the Maldives; Connor is about to be Unwound. That's right, he's been signed away by his parents for his organs to live on in someone else. You see, the people of this generation believe this isn't manslaughter. Oh no, it's just transferring of your soul, in bits, to others. No death involved...right? The only catch was that all children must be unwound before they turn eighteen and become an adult.Risa is a ward of the state. Her parents didn't claim her. But the state home doesn't have space for another girl who plays piano. They have mouths to feed. So Risa is declared ready to be unwound too.Oh and Lev, well he's slightly different. You see, rather than Spring it on him at the last minute, Lev's parents have chosen to Tithe Lev. This basically means that they've sacrificed Lev from the goodness of their hearts. For God. And Lev is effectively brainwashed into thinking this is cool.All three main characters have a unique story, which somehow blend really wonderfully together. I think Shusterman writes so intelligently. He pulled me in immediately with short chapters, fast pacing and a particular knack for surprisingly me by doing the unexpected. No characters path was straight forward to me, no fork in the road became too obvious to see coming and he had no issue with damaging key characters here and there.What I liked most was the moral dilemma. I like that this concept is structured by rules, to make it easier for me to believe. But I think the best part was the human corruption within. It is difficult to imagine, in a world where these things are allowed, how commonplace unwinding would be. And I loved questioning human nature and where my own beliefs fell within this.A large part of the book, the latter end, was hard to read. Not because it was bad. But because it was so so good! There's a particular scene many reviewers have mentioned which really left me with goosebumps feeling sick and doubting whether I could read on but knowing some sick part of me had to see it through.Ultimately this book is disturbing, thought provoking and challenges you to think about what you might feel, or do, given a similar situation. The world is well fleshed out and the characters are easy to connect with - something I find essential to actually continue with a book. My only complaint was that some of the story lines were disjointed. At times characters would appear somewhere without the reader being shown how they got there - a bit difficult when it really is a massive change in situation for a character.Nevertheless, a really good read and I can't wait to see, given how explosive the ending was, what happens next!

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged read that challenges readers to question social norms and confront the ethical factors of technological advancements. Shusterman's meaningful storytelling and the novel's provocative themes make it a compelling and unforgettable journey into a dystopian world. Consequently, making the read hit uncomfortably close to home for so many.While the novel explores dark themes, it also emphasizes the resilience of human passion and the power within collective action. The characters' journey from fugitives to reluctant heroes adds layers of depth to the narrative, offering a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming adversity. This is a very interesting read that I would recommend to any teen or young adult readers that enjoy thoughtful books. This novel grips the attention of a young reader and questions certain dilemmas that may apply to them. I would especially recommend this read ifyou are looking to gain perspective on how an adolescent in your life may feel like an outsider. Just as important, if you personally face feelings of internal struggle towards relations with your parents or society, this book will evoke strong but important emotions for one to capture. Personally, I have a hard time finding books that grip my attention throughout the duration of the whole book; however, this book did just that. The way Shusterman transitions from one characters point of view to the next no only makes the reader more intrigued but allows for some insight into what each character is feeling. Overall, great, creative read.

Bought for my grandson for Christmas. He said he loves it.

Excellent livreje recommande pour jeunes à partir de 14 ans

Un libro rápido y entretenido,en mi opinión muy recomendable para aquellos que disfrutan de las distopias con adultos jóvenes como protagonistas.

Is this the way the earth will end up, I sure hope not, very interesting read, am going to read the rest of the series, HAVE to find out what happens, really enjoyed this book.