Teen Tuesday – Review of YA Dystopian – Unwind

Wow!  Just wow!  I can not say enough about how much I loved this book, and I can’t wait to read the sequel!

I love dystopian books, especially ones that have a powerful, thought- provoking message, and Unwind is definitely powerful and thought-provoking.  The whole concept of parents having their unwanted or “worthless” teens unwound is just mind-blowing!  Unwinding is basically killing and selling the parts for transplants and grafting (easier and more complete than normal medical surgeries/procedures).  however, the society says it’s not “killing” them since they’ll still be alive somewhere but in a divided state.  Crazy!  (See the full synopsis below.)

On thing unique about it is the omniscient point of view.  I wasn’t sure I was going to like the way the point of view shifted to so many different characters, but I think it served its purpose. Not only did it allow us to be in several places and to see several events we would otherwise never have been able to witness, but it also gave us insight into so many different lives in this messed up dystopia. The point of the book was not for us to get to know one character deeply. It was for us to get to know a screwed-up society and the many different perspectives that form such a society. The author wanted us to see this world from as many different eyes as possible, but somehow, he also skillfully managed to get us involved with the main characters as well.

The other thing I would say about this book is that it was so well-written! There are too many powerful lines worth quoting to list them all, and the ending is even more moving and impactful. Without giving anything away, one of the last scenes with the Admiral and the party was simply breath-taking. I could picture it all in my head and seriously wanted to cry.  If you love dystopian novels, moving/powerful/big issue books, this is a must-read for you!

Synopsis:

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 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.

~ by Dusty Crabtree - Author of Shadow Eyes on October 15, 2013.