Unwind, by Neal Shusterman

Unwind, by Neal Shusterman, is a thrilling novel that takes place in the future United States. We follow three teenagers who went AWOL when it was time for them to be "unwound". In these times, being unwound wasn't unusual and happens from the age of 13 to 18. Being unwound means to have your entire body deconstructed to be used for medical patients who need them. Being unwound was a simple solution to unwanted teenagers, and for some families, a giving of their tithe for religious reasons. Due to his rebellious past, Conner is being unwound by the choice of his parents. For no reason but budget cuts and uselessness, a ward of the state, Risa, is being unwound. And Lev is being unwound for his religion, he is a Tithe.  But when destiny throws them into each other's lives, they do whatever they need to survive until their eighteenth birthday, when they can no longer be unwound.

I must admit, I wasn't too thrilled about reading this because of bad reviews it has received before, but they were wrong, for me that is. I loved Unwind, not only because I like utopian/dystopian novels, but because it was such a marvelous story! The idea of being unwound was very unique. I also enjoy Shusterman's writing style. Each chapter is a different character and the story from their vantage point. I enjoyed seeing other people's view on what is happening. I would recommend this book to teens who enjoy dystopian themes and gut wrenching ideas.

Reviewed by Kristine, grade 9.