The suspenseful and original science fiction novel Unwind by Neal Shusterman describes a bizarre and twisted future in which abortion is outlawed after a bloody war over human rights. Instead, there is a process known as unwinding; from the ages of 13 to 18, unwanted children are sent to a harvest camp where they are dissected into each little body part to be used somewhere else, thus preserving “life” but not the actual child.
The story is told through the eyes of 16-year-old Connor Lassiter, who found out his parents were planning to unwind him. Connor, cherishing his life, runs away from his family and goes into hiding. While living on the streets, he meets up with two other unwinds, Risa and Lev. Together, they find their way to a secret campground with hundreds of other unwinds. But when several members of the camp are killed, and rumors start flying about the leader, Connor doesn’t know who to trust, and who to hide from.
I absolutely loved this book. The idea is so creative and original, and the story is executed amazingly by Shusterman. The main plot follows Connor, but the perspective changes through his friends and other characters throughout the book, giving the story more depth and emotion. Shusterman adds spice by creating complex, dynamic characters like Lev, who starts out as a nice, innocent boy, but transforms into an explosive and downright scary individual. The story has many surprises that’ll keep you craving more.
Overall, I thought this book was excellent, and I would recommend it to anyone between the ages of 13 and 18.