SOL: Unwind





This weekend I read the book Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I cannot tell you how amazing it is. If you like The Giver or The Hunger Games, it's a must-read.

Unwind is set in the future, after the second civil war, which was fought over reproductive rights. The conclusion is simple: life is untouchable from conception to the age of 13. But from 13-18, parents or guardians can choose to "unwind" their child - every part of them is donated, meaning that they are still technically alive, just not in one piece.

This story follows three "unwinds," telling of their lives in survival mode. It sounds gruesome, but it is a truly mesmerizing commentary... Here are a couple of my favorite quotations.

"'What you did, Lev - it confused people. No one knows whether you're a monster or a hero.' / Lev thinks about that. 'Is there a third choice?'"

"By the time it turns into a war, the issue doesn't matter anymore, because now it's about one thing only: how much each side hates the other... And everyone was selecting their leaders not by their ability to lead but by where they stood on this single issue."

Comments

  1. Monica MartensMarch 14, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    I loved the Hunger Games trilogy - I'm reading through it a second time. I was looking for a next book to read so I'll try it :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elizabeth G.March 14, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    I'll make sure to add it to my TBR pile. Sounds like a keeper. Thanks for the recommendation.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Christy Rush-LevineMarch 14, 2011 at 8:07 PM

    Have you read Bruiser? I think it is Shusterman's best ever...even better than Unwind, if you can believe it! He is one of my favorite authors.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TamMarch 14, 2011 at 8:11 PM

    New author for me--thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 14, 2011 at 11:38 PM

    I also loved the Hunger Games which surprised me. It was a genre I usually shy away from. I'm going to take a look. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

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