Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Series: Unwind #1
Genre: Dystopia
Length: 10 hours and 10 minutes
Narrator: Luke Daniels
Source: eLibrary
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Description:
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 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.
My Rating:
My Review: In the not so distant future where organ donors are few and abortion has become banned, children between the age of 13 and 18 can be "unwound" for a variety of different reasons. Three children have such a fate. Connor's parents have decided to unwind him. As a ward of the state, Risa must be unwound because the State can't afford everyone in their care. And Lev is the tenth child in a religious family, and thus will be unwound as a tithe. All three children are fighters and refuse to take their fate lying down. So begins the adventure to escape...
On the story...
Wow!! This story just took my breath away. Each chapter alternates between Connor, Risa, and Lev as they all embark on their various paths always coming together again and again. But the story isn't so much about the characters--though they are complex and interesting--as much as it is about the adventure. It is unpredictable and frightening really and I found myself painfully invested in their lives.
But there's something else. Most books take you very close to the edge but this one topples you over the cliff (trying not to spoil anything here). It is shocking, dark, and intriguing and I can't believe that it went there. For that reason alone, I'm not sure I'll ever forget this book.
On the narrator...
I saw this book, read the description, and decided to give it a try. Then I clicked and saw the narrator and it was all over. I am such a Luke Daniels fan girl and he did not disappoint. I knew he wouldn't. Luke Daniels and I are BFFs.
Overall, you should go get this one RIGHT NOW! Well unless, dark reads really bother you. I'm not sure if many would consider this dark but potential legal dismemberment sounds dark to me. I'm funny like that.
P.S. This goes toward that Dystopia challenge that I forgot that I committed to. Soo... many more dystopia reads to go. Yes!!