Unwind

Unwind

by Neal Shusterman

Imagine living in a world where your parents were able to give the government permission to harvest your body parts – while you were still living! This is the reality for the three teenagers in Neal Shusterman’s novel Unwind. It is the first book in the UnWholly trilogy for young adults. 

                The story is set after America’s Second Civil War that was fought between the Pro-life and the Pro-Choice armies. The settlement that ended the war was called the Bill of Life which stated that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent has the choice to retroactively ‘abort’ a child on the condition that the life does not technically end. This process is called ‘unwinding’ where the child, at the discretion of a parent or guardian, can be dissembled with his or her organs going to the sick and injured. The society does not see this as murder as the child is still living, but in a divided state. Set in an undated future, but far enough away for iPods to be sold at antique stores, the dystopian story follows the lives of three teens fighting for survival.

                The three teenagers are misfits, unsure of their purpose in life. Connor is a troublesome teen that discovers that his parents have signed the order for his unwinding and runs away before he can be sent to the ‘harvest camp’. Risa is a ward of the state who showed no real aptitude for anything other than the piano. As a result, the orphanage sent her to be unwound to ease the burden on the state home. Finally, Lev is a ‘tithe’ – a child born in a religious family who offer a child for unwinding to support humanity through God’s will. The church demands a holy offering of 10% of a family's holdings, including children. Since Lev is the youngest of 10 children, he is tendered on behalf of the family. Unwind follows the journey of Connor, Risa, and Lev as they are forced to grow up while running from the people that want to disassemble them.    

The idea of killing a child seems reprehensible to both Pro-Life and Pro-Choice activists, however the author cleverly uses this premise to encourage the reader to think more about the value of life as well as death. He also raises the question about the soul – does the soul continue to live as long as its body parts are still alive? Are the unwound really dead? Beyond these questions, Shusterman also weaves other controversial issues into the storyline including domestic terrorism, religion and plastic surgery to change one’s appearance. These divisive issues are well integrated into the plot so it does not feel like the author is forcing them on you. 

Unwind is a great novel, but the premise can be disturbing at first. As you read, however, you realize that the author has taken such an extreme view to raise important questions and provoke thoughts and discussions.  If you enjoy other dystopian series like The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) or The Uglies (Scott Westerfeld), you will love the Unwind trilogy.