Unwind by Neal Shusterman

ISBN: 9781416912040
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (2007)
335 p.

Reading Level: Grade 9 and up.

Summary:

In a future not unlike our own, humanity lives after a war whose cause was reproductive rights. The issue is that life starts at conception, and a woman must have her child. There are, however, ways to deal with the child after conception. One can “stork” their child, that is, leave it on a stranger’s doorstep and hope for the best, or parents can opt to “unwind” their child until they are 17. At their eighteenth birthday, the children are considered adults and may choose their own path in life. Unwinding is the chilling solution where all of the organs of the child are donated to different recipients so that they may do good. This is the story of Connor, a boy whose parents signed him up for unwinding because he got into trouble; Risa, who is a ward of the state, but whose skillful piano playing is not enough to keep her safe; and Lev, a tithe, who is a child raised to be unwound and is taught to see it as the ultimate honor from God. The three teens cross paths in a remarkable and thrilling journey about loss, life, and the pursuit of survival against all costs.

Critical Evaluation:

This novel is full of compelling characters in a slightly futuristic time where certain words have loaded meanings. The Bill of Life is a document that lets a parent “unwind” their teen who they believe did not turn out right and after which the teens “live in a divided state,” meaning that although their body parts are in other hosts, their parts at times retain muscle memory, or part of their soul, and transmit this to their new owners. The overarching theme of the argument of when a life starts, stops, and is conscious is dealt with in this novel. As the Admiral tells Connor,

Everything that we think defines right and wrong was turned upside down. On one side, people were murdering abortion doctors to protect the right to life, while on the other side people were getting pregnant just to sell their fetal tissue. (p.223).

The irony of killing life to “save life” is not lost in this novel, just as it’s not lost on those who are Pro-Choice in our society. The population has lost their humanity, and it is a long road to regain it. As Connor and Risa hide in the high school with the baby they saved from storking, a teacher comes upon them. As Connor says, “Please . . .” “Please what? the teacher thinks. Please break the law? Please put myself and the school at risk? But, no, that’s not it at all. What he’s really saying is: Please be a human being.” (p. 83). This is not only an action-packed novel that will have readers furiously turning the pages, but the different paths the characters take are touching, tragic, and lend a hope for a better tomorrow.

 

Reader’s Annotation:

In a world where parents can sign over their teenager’s life to be unwound,
fear and uncertainty reigns. In this not-too-distant future, Connor, Risa, and Lev
must fight to be what their parents are not . . . human beings.

Author Biography:
Neal Shusterman was raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he fell in love with the written word. He graduated from high school and moved to UC Irvine where he wrote a humor column. A year after graduation found Shusterman with his first book deal, and he was also hired to write a film script.

Since his earliest days, he’s been a novelist, screenwriter, and a television writer. His novels have been awarded many accolades from such groups as the International Reading Association and the America Library Association. At present, he is also adapting his own novel, Everlost, into a feature film, much to the joy of fans everywhere.

Genre: Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

A discussion about government and abortion could be led with this book in a social studies or English class. Those who are against abortion and for abortion, in this novel, compromise with the idea that a child between the ages of 13 and 18 can be “unwound,” if deemed unsuitable to continue living. To essentially kill children after they’ve had so many years on the planet raises many moral considerations about how far humanity is willing to go in order to prove either side of an argument. This is a strongly provoking book that stays with the reader long after reading.

Booktalking Ideas:

-What if you found out you were going to be unwound? Would you run?

-How do Connor, Risa, and Lev grow throughout the book?

-Because unwinding makes businesses a lot of money and helps people,
the population does not raise any concerns about the process.
What similarities are there in our day and age with sweatshops and other businesses that exploit people?

Read-Alikes:

-The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

-Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden.

-The Uglies, Pretties, Specials and Extras by Scott Westerfeld.

-The Skinjacker Trilogy (Everlost, Everwild, Everfound) by Neal Shusterman.

Challenge Issue:

In researching if this book has been banned, I found that Montgomery County High School in Kentucky had their copies withdrawn from classroom use and curriculum, but it was still available in their school library and book club. The complaints ranged from “child abuse, suicide, and . . . deemed unsuited to discussion in coed high school classes. They also contend that the books don't provide the intellectual challenge and rigor that students need in college preparatory classes.” (Retrieved from http://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/books/unwind.asp).

I would let parents know that this book does, indeed, tackle ethical issues, but much can be taught through reading and discussing it. Although abortion, ethics, and power have always been sensitive subjects in America, this book is a wonderful way to open lines of communication between a child and a parent or teacher.

Reason to include in blog:

When I first read this book, I was blown away. I was immediately transported to this world that is far too like our own where two sides of an issue can blur in a moment. Readers will be gripping the pages until the end in order to find out what happens to Connor, Risa, and Lev. This and all the other books by Shusterman are must-reads, for they not only entertain and transport the reader from their day-to-day life, but also address the hard questions that are not for the faint of heart.

References:

Shusterman, N. (n.d.). Bio. Retrieved at http://www.storyman.com/bio/

Shusterman, N. (2007). Unwind. New York: Simon & Schuster.
 

We Are Marshall (2010). Banned Book Week: Unwind. Retrieved from

http://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/books/unwind.asp

Book Trailer: