Review: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Troublesome children are unwound, which doesn't mean they're killed. Nobody is exactly sure what it means besides the fact that transplants are a lot easier to obtain. Queue Connor, whose his parents have signed the documentation for him to be unwound, Risa, ward of the state which doesn't have enough money to keep those who are less than excellent, and Lev, someone happy to be unwound because it is his destiny. The world of the unwinds unfolds through their eyes.

This is one of those dystopians where the world seems normal at first, but really madness lurks as the story gets deeper and deeper. Shusterman draws in the reader slowly but surely through a marvelously twisted journey.

The world Shusterman has created is well thought out, and even though there are a lot of viewpoints that we see through. Each one serves a very definite purpose, and brings a better understanding of the world he has created rather than making the story feel fragmented.

In some ways, this is almost a political commentary on what would happen if anti-abortion activists had total control but then the realities of the situation took itself out on society's less fortunate. It is also a social commentary on deflected responsibility. There is a lesson to this book as with most dystopian fiction, but Unwind does it more poignantly.

Star Rating: 4.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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