Undivided by Neal Shusterman

Genre:  YA Dystopian

Unwind Dystology, Book 4

Neal Shusterman's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  If you haven't started the Unwind series, the information below can spoil plots from earlier books.  This series is a definite recommendation for dystopian lovers.

Description (taken from Neal Shusterman's website):

Teens control the fate of America in the fourth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology by Neal Shusterman.

Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a plan: to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes. And below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens begin to march on Washington to demand justice and a better future.

But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad—which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.

I must admit, I wasn't pleased with the third book ending without completing the series.  I just felt like a fourth book was going to be unnecessary.  But whatevs.  I got the fourth book and had a satisfying conclusion to an epic dystopian world of unwinding.

All of our beloved characters come together to set a spark to the flame.  Everyone should know what unwinding does instead of hiding it in the closet.  And for those who don't know, unwinding is dividing troubled teens into parts that can be used to save lives (allowing for them to live in a divided state).  As Cam goes back to Proactive Citizenry to take them down from the inside, Conner and Risa work to uncover the mythical organ printer.  All while Lev is trying to take a stand for Unwinds.  But in the end, will it be enough to get the world to listen to a few troubled teenagers?

Honestly, Neal Shusterman does an excellent job of weaving fictional characters into a story that flows through current news articles.  It kind of pulls ties from our current world into this unwinding world.  And while the unwinding idea is completely absurd, it still brings the idea full circle.  After finishing it, I have to question what things I'm apathetic to that I shouldn't be.  It's a story that keeps you interested until the end and then leaves you food for thought (without anyone balking at the idea).

I definitely recommend this series to anyone and everyone.  The first book is cringe-worthy and wholesome dystopian goodness.

Unsouled by Neal Shusterman

Genre:  YA Dystopian

Unwind Dystology, Book 3

Neal Shusterman's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  If you have not read the first two books in this series, know that the description and review below will give away plotlines.  Read at your own discretion.

Description (taken from Goodreads):

Connor and Lev are on the run after the destruction of the Graveyard, the last safe haven for AWOL Unwinds. But for the first time, they're not just running away from something. This time, they're running toward answers, in the form of a woman Proactive Citizenry has tried to erase from history itself. If they can find her, and learn why the shadowy figures behind unwinding are so afraid of her, they may discover the key to bringing down unwinding forever.

Cam, the rewound boy, is plotting to take down the organization that created him. Because he knows that if he can bring Proactive Citizenry to its knees, it will show Risa how he truly feels about her. And without Risa, Cam is having trouble remembering what it feels like to be human.

With the Juvenile Authority and vindictive parts pirates hunting them, the paths of Connor, Lev, Cam, and Risa will converge explosively and everyone will be changed.

When I started this book, I thought this series was a trilogy.  So I thought this was the last one in the series.  When I was getting closer to the end, I realized the story was not wrapping up at all and found out there'sa fourth book.  And that is the last one to the series.  I honestly feel like I have been strung along with this book.

The second book alluded to a major plotline to the story, and this one does a good job of expanding on it.  It gives you the story that was erased from history.  The knowledge that Proactive Citizenry has worked so hard to bury.  While you can begin to guess about what happened in the past, nothing is revealed until the very end.  And we find out that Proactive Citizenry is a well-oiled machine that's involved in everything and only cares about the final dollar (it's easy to make a few comparisons to existing organizations today).

While we see the same characters from the second novel, we get more of the story.  The ongoing story in addition to some holes that occurred from the first two novels.  Don't get me wrong, these stories are really good.  And they interweave with all of the unwinding advertising in the novel.  Truly, it's a good novel.  I just had the mindset that this series was going to wrap up and end.  Instead what I got was an uphill story that finally let's you see everything clearly, but we've got a ways to go before we're at the bottom end.

Don't go into this book thinking the series is about to end.  You'll probably enjoy it more.  It's good story-building; I just feel like I'm ready for the climatic ending that I want to see.

Challenges:  Dystopia Reading Challenge

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

Genre:  YA Dystopian

Unwind Trilogy, Book 2

Neal Shusterman's website

Expected publication date:  August 28, 2012

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Note:  I highly, highly recommend you go read Unwind before reading the description and my review for Unwholly.  While the description given can spoil the plot for the first one, your welcome to read on if you still need more convincing on this series.

Description (taken from Goodreads):

Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa—and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp—people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simltaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.

Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.

Rife with action and suspense, this riveting companion to the perennially popular Unwind challenges assumptions about where life begins and ends—and what it means to live.

I have to start off with the cover.  Let me tell you, this cover gives me the heebie-jeebies.  It's one of the ugliest, weirdest looking things out there.  But I only wanted to pick it up sooner after seeing it and loving the first book, Unwind.  And now that I've read this book, I believe the cover is perfect.  The book explains it well.

We remember the main characters from the first book, Connor, Lev, and Risa, right?  Well, they're in this book as well.  In addition, we're going to see some new faces.  And this adds a whole other dynamic to the story.  For the most part, we see a lot of teens that have had their human status revoked. Can you imagine how that would feel?  To have your loved ones (even though you may not love them always) and those charged with raising you basically tell you that you hold no value in society?  You as an individual, will not make the society, as a whole, a better place.  Therefore, you're life has been revoked.  I really can't imagine a world with so many problems and so much hate.

But then...  This book does a really good job of trying to bridge the gap between our world nowadays and the world in this book.  This is not a dystopian of some far away world that will never exist here.  It's something (that yes is super bizarre and feels unlikely) could potentially happen in our world.  And Neal Shusterman does a very good job with showing already published articles (in the here and now) and relating them to his book's world.

This book challenges the basic beliefs and struggles that we as humans have.  Our selfishness and instinct to save ourselves over others.  Questioning whether a bum's life is worthy of life in our society. Only instead of bums, it's troubled teenagers that face this question.

Do I recommend this book?  Absolutely, after you've read the first.  If you enjoyed Unwind, then you'll enjoy Unwholly.  It's definitely thought-provoking and makes you question the world.

My favorite quote from the book:

The sad truth about humanity, Risa was quick to realize, is that people believe what they're told.  Maybe not the first time, but by the hundredth time, the craziest of ideas just becomes a given.     ~p 86

Thanks goes to Simon and Schuster for providing me a review copy.

Challenges:  Sensational Seconds and Young Adult Reading Challenge

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Genre:  YA Speculative Fiction
Unwind Trilogy, Book 1

Neal Shusterman's website

Description (taken from GoodReads):

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.




This description does not do the book justice.  It's actually what captivated me and got me to read the book.  And let me tell you:  wow...  Just woah.  No words.

This book was really, really good.  Ever thought of what happens to a society when you take the human part out of the humanity equation?  And is it wrong to de-humanize others for the sake of saving yourself? This book doesn't ever answer that, but boy does it make you think and question your thoughts.

This book isn't for the faint of heart.  It's like the author was creating a beautiful yet graphic rug.  And each thread has a meaningful purpose that you don't understand until you see the whole picture (and sometimes that picture isn't pretty).  The intricacies in the plot were amazing.  I think everyone should go read this book.