Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Did your parents ever threaten you when you don't behave? Did they promise to kill you after you did something extremely bad? Well what if your parents could legally kill you? The story Unwind explores this possibility.

After a second civil war was fought over abortion in America, the government concluded that abortion is morally wrong. But if the parents wish, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, they can unwind their child. Instead of killing and burying the child, every ounce of their remains will be preserved and used for needed hospital patients. According to the government since the individual body parts are still alive, the child doesn't die, it's just separated.

The main characters of the story are three children who are escaping from their bound fate. Connor, a boy around the age of sixteen, discovers his parents are unwinding him after snooping through his fathers desk and discovering three plane tickets to the Bahamas. His name wasn't on any of the tickets.

Risa, a young girl who was raised in a ward, is told by the principal of her school that they cannot afford to keep every child that isn't raised by their actual parents or storked( when a mother leaves her newborn on the stoop of a random household, which is also legal according to the government). Unfortunately for her, she falls in the 5 percent that have to be unwound.

The last member of the party, Lev, is raised by loving parents that wish the best for all of their ten children. But due to religious beliefs, they must give up 10% of everything. Lev is the tenth child. From birth, he is brainwashed to think that his sacrifice is for good of everything and God will love him for it.


By luck or by destiny, the three children meet together and try to escape everything.


This book, to say the least, was breath taking. When I first discovered the novel, I was a little skeptical. First of all, it was in the Teen section( which I prefer not to visit in), and second of all, I was afraid the story was going to revolve around the unwinding process more than an actual story with characters. But I'm glad I was proved wrong.The characters practically jump out of the pages and greet you along as they fight for survival. Neal Shusterman has a true talent. The book gets a 4.5 from me, and I have to thank my friend Star for making me purchase it.