I was pretty pumped when I saw we had a new book series sitting in Teen and couldn't wait to check it out. Unfortunately, the first book had already been checked out, but, right before I left on my vacation, both the first and second books were in. I knew that was my moment to shine. Time to get reading.
This book series takes place all over the United States, but frequently stops by familiar cities, including Akron, where the main character is from.
In short, the story all circles around the idea of "unwinding," which is like donating a kidney but it can be done with every single part of a person. Creepy, right? In the time period this series takes place, parents are allowed to sign an "Unwind Order" while a child is between the age of 13 and 17. If that child is able to escape before being unwound, he/she has to go into hiding until his/her 18th birthday, when he/she can no longer be unwound. Later in the series, this law drops from 18 to 17, allowing more children the chance to live a life free of an unwinding.
The main characters, Connor, Risa and Lev, are all set to be unwound. Connor's parents signed his unwinding order, Risa was set to be unwound by the state home where she was a ward and Lev was chosen to be tithed, which is a nice way to say his parents gave him life so he could be specifically unwound and given back to God. Unlike most unwinds, tithes are happy to be chosen and want to be unwound.
Essentially, Connor escapes custody, he causes a bunch of accidents, including ones for the vehicles carrying Risa and Lev. Connor, thinking Lev is another unwound needing saving, pulls Lev out of his car, while Risa breaks out of the bus carrying her. From this point on, they live as fugitives running from their fate to be unwound. Lev eventually decides to not be unwound and all three take a stand against unwinding.
The series has so many twists and turns that it's simply impossible to put these books down. I actually had to double check that I read all four because they went so quickly I was certain I had missed one in the process. Shusterman, the author, has a really wonderful writing style, giving just enough detail while keeping important details concealed until later in the books. Matter of fact, one of my friends started to read these after I had finished the first one and she asked me what "clappers" were. They were mentioned in Unwind (book #1), but not even truly explained for a while, keeping the reader guessing.
I cannot recommend this series more--especially if you're into a good chase with some mystery. Maybe it's just me, but the whole concept of unwinding is something that could actually happen, which also made this a bit of a horror series.
If you're looking to try a series that is like watching the Empire Strikes Back, definitely start reading the Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman.
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