UnWholly (Unwind Dystology)

Neal Shusterman is a genius. I didn’t think this story could get better, but it absolutely does! I’m a high school teacher and years ago, a student recommended that I read the original book, Unwind. It took me a few years, but when I finally read it, I was instantly captivated. I ended up teaching it in class and I even recommended it to other adult readers. Everyone who read it LOVED it. UnWholly thoroughly exceeded my expectations! To say it is well-written is an understatement. I will definitely be purchasing the next book and beginning it immediately. Also, I heard that years ago they were planning to make this into a motion picture, and then a series (which would be way better, given the depth and complexity of the story and the characters). I do hope they figure out a way to do that. In closing, BUY THE BOOK. But read the first one, Unwind. You will not be disappointed.

So I have to admit that reviewing Unwholly feels nearly impossible in some ways...so much happens and from so many perspectives, that putting it all together in a review feels impossible, not to mention I don't want to inadvertently insert any spoilers! Reviews of this book are probably better left to the extremely talented reviewers on here, rather than my very amateur self haha, so that being said, I will just give a brief review of how I felt about this book and what I loved about it :). Unwholly continues the story of Unwind and with an additional cast of characters who weren't present in the first book. Some of these new characters are VERY unlikable and they are so well written that I genuinely felt angry with them. It was difficult to read from the bad guy's point of view (it would have been like having Roland's point of view in Unwind) and it can make for a difficult read, but it also provides a great deal of insight into the manipulation and destruction these psychos are capable of. And of course, we read from Lev's, Risa's and Connor's viewpoints again as well. I feel the frequent changing of viewpoints with such a large cast of characters both worked for this book and didn't...it built up the suspense and gave me a better understanding of the motivations of different types of people, but at times I felt a bit bored or felt like I just wanted to get back to Connor, Risa or Lev. What I loved about the character development in this book is that I feel like I truly got to know these characters so much better than I did in book 1, particularly Lev. Even by the end of Unwind, I didn't have strong feelings one way or the other toward Lev, but he is quickly becoming perhaps my favorite character in this series - there is something so endearing about him! While I don't want to give anything away, this book also reveals MANY of the motivations and reasoning behind things you may have wondered in the first book (such as why they allow the Graveyard to exist) and it's explained in such a way that it easy to understand and believable. One of my favorite little extras in this book was all of the little advertisements and news articles peppered throughout. The articles were in fact the most disturbing aspect to me in some ways, as they were real articles - I clicked on the links and it took me to the original articles - which really made me see how our World could get from here to there...talk about terrifying! I also love that the author didn't feel the need to have some absolutely ridiculous cliffhanger. He clearly understands that he can end with some semblance of closure, even if there are some open-ended aspects and people will still buy the next book. Many authors don't seem to get this and it makes me mad :P! I have to say that overall this is one of my favorite middle books I've ever read in a trilogy - it definitely didn't suffer from the typical scenario of the middle book being the weakest link. I didn't go in with very high expectations, because I thought that there was no way any follow-up could live up to the original and I didn't want to be disappointed. I realized by the end that I had nothing to worry about, because this book is incredible and on par with the original. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for the final installment!!

I adored Unwind when I read it a few years ago, so I jumped right up to get my hands on a copy of UnWholly when it came out. It takes place about a year after the events of the first, and it combines a few new faces with our favorite heroes. I found the book to be a bit of a mixed bag; UnWholly does what it was meant to, shifting the narrative from self-contained to a series. Any time that happens, there are going to be problems. First and foremost, the pacing wasn't quite what I wanted. When I first read Unwind, I loved the frenzied pacing, the fast cuts between viewpoints. It gave the whole thing a verite sort of feel and put me right in the middle of the frantic scramble to survive. From word one, I was on Connor's side, rooting for his escape and fearing for his safety. UnWholly is a different sort of book; it's more political, more deliberate and orchestrated, and the pacing mirrors that. It works for the story that's being told, but it isn't what I wanted or expected going into it. As far as the characters are concerned, I love the arc that we find our old heroes on, the courses that their lives have taken because of the events of the first book. The new point of view characters impress me far less; I don't sympathize with two of them very much until almost the end, and another I don't care for at all. This isn't the same as what happened at the end of Unwind, where we're thrust into the head of an antagonist and then begin to sympathize with him, I just plain don't like this new one. Also, while we keep the fast cutting between heads to follow the action, a lot of the time is spent in the heads of unnamed, expendable characters for no purpose. Often, there's a main viewpoint available to give us the same information, but we don't go there. In the end, I do like the expanded history of the world and how it got to this point and the further development of the story that I love, but it feels a bit like an afterthought trailing in the wake of Unwind. I never got the feeling from the first book that this was going to be the gust of wind that blew down the entire house of cards. It felt to me more like this was the story of these children and how they fought to survive. With the coming of UnWholly, that sense is lost, and the reader struggles to shift their minds out to the larger implications from the smaller picture. It likewise feels a bit like Neal is flailing to fill that picture in, sort of the way "Dead Man's Chest" felt compared to "Curse of the Black Pearl". I'll just have to see what happens when the series is finished to decide if the continuation is a good thing. While UnWholly suffers from middle-book-syndrome, it is very good for what it is.

The Akron AWOL is infamous. The other whollies worship him and the Unwind Culture despises everything he stands for. But behind the moniker is Connor. Connor is just a boy who made it to 17 and can't be unwound, but the weight of the world rests on his shoulders in Unwholly, the second Unwind book by Neal Shusterman. Connor is in charge of the entire plane Graveyard. He has hidden over 800 AWOLs there, but the fact that missing kids slated for unwinding are hiding there is no secret. He isn't sure why the authorities haven't come to get them yet, but he takes each and every day as a gift. While he and Risa can't be unwound anymore, there are a lot of kids whose lives are in his hands. He can barely feed the kids he has, but that doesn't stop them from the constant rescue missions to save more. Of course, not every kid is as grateful as they should be, and some, like Starkey, have only their interests in mind. When a bunch of kids are barely holding it together in the face of imminent unwinding, all it takes is one very smart, very devious rabble rouser. Meanwhile, Camus Comprix tries to find his way in a world where he shouldn't exist. The product of dozens of unwound kids, he is made of the parts of others. He was created, not born. When he struggles to find his way in the world with so many conflicting thoughts and memories swirling around his head, his handler feels a companion will keep him on the right track as the most revolutionary advance for humans in their existence. The only problem is the girl Cam wants is an unwilling participant in the experiment. When Risa is captured and blackmailed into joining Cam, she is forced to support the Unwinding movement, the single thing she hates the most. While everyone at the Graveyard thinks she has betrayed them, Risa is trying everything to hold them together. For a group of kids who no one cares if they exist or not, the responsibility sitting on their shoulders is overwhelming. This was such an interesting follow up to Unwind for a number of reasons. First, it was a book that came out after a significant hiatus. Shusterman took a while to get this book together, so if you followed the series from its inception, you needed a refresher at the beginning of this sequel before you started the new story. But who wants to read an info dump or a recap? So Shusterman created a really ingenious "index" that catches you up quickly and efficiently at the beginning of the story so you know where you are without some silly recap. I also really liked how he balanced the story between the main characters from the last book, Lev, Connor, and Risa, and the new characters Starkey, Cam and Miracolina. The addition of the focus on new characters made it more interesting while still keeping me connected to the previous book. On a whole, this is one of the creepiest premises I have ever read. I mean, seriously, unwinding kids?? People fighting to preserve the unwinding? The public service notices to convince people what a wonderful solution to abortion? CRAZY! But a brilliant fictional examination of just how far people can go and how blinded they can be in the face of fear and propaganda. It is the kind of series that can be related to everything from the Holocaust to the battle over same sex marriage or abortion. I love a book that is going to elicit passionate discussions from my students, and unwinding is definitely one that will get them fired up. But in addition to the infinite discussions, you will get wrapped up in a really crazy, really interesting story. Shusterman always does that to me!

One word: UNCATEGORIZABLE! This series is intense and amazing. Many authors find themselves facing "sophomore slump" when they write the second book in a series, but not Neil Shusterman! In fact, Unwholly is probably better than Unwind--and I didn't think that would be possible. Aside from the fact that these books are so unique, the author does an amazing job creating his characters. In Unwind, I found myself fully invested in Lev, Risa, and Connor. As Unwholly began to unfold, I was equally engrossed in their stories. But there were new characters introduced in Unwholly that really made this book! The one that stood out the most was Starkey. OMG. He is the ultimate antagonist. In fact, I found myself so disgusted with his character and his selfish motives, that I had a hard time reading Unwholly. I would get angry as I read and had to put the book down to cool off. That is powerful writing! For an author to create a villain that is so vile he makes me angry and bitter... wow. Starkey felt real. And I'm not saying that in some super bookish nerdy way either. All of the characters in this book were phenomenal. Oh, did I mention there is also a modern Frankenstein element going on too? Yep. If you couldn't tell, the guy on the cover is Cam--a boy created completely from the parts of unwinds. Every piece of his patchwork self was sculpted from living flesh of unwanted children. Creeptastic! Enough about the amazing characters... the plot(s) need some attention as well. First off, when you look at this book it appears to be one large dystopian plot. But it is SO much more. Each character has his/her own story that is told individually through alternating points of view. Every single character! You would think that would make this a choppy read, but it flows seamlessly (no pun intended, Cam). Ultimately, all the individual plots merge into an action-packed climax that leaves you cursing some characters and aching for others. Stunning! It was flawless. Above all of these incredible in their own right elements, the most amazing aspect of this book is the deep philosophical level that it brings. Ever since I read Unwind, I said this series needs to be discussed aloud. I still hold to that claim. In fact, I told my teacher friend that she needs to read this series to her 8th grade class (so I bought her a copy). Of course, I said to set the stage she had to build the background knowledge that the entire series centers around: who has the right to play God. If you don't know the basis of Unwind, it's rather complicated. In a nutshell, however, it goes something like this: America could not come to an agreement over the Pro-choice and Pro-life debate, which led to the second Civil War. In an effort to reach an agreement, the government made a suggestion they thought would be so ridiculous that both sides would stop arguing. That didn't happen though. Instead, both sides agreed to the terms and "unwinding" was born. Pro-life wins out from conception to age 13. From the 13th birthday until the 18th birthday, parents can choose to "unwind" their children (hello, Pro-choice) as long as Science uses every single part of the body. Can we say disturbing? Keep all that in mind, and add in a character that is entirely created from the parts of unwinds in Unwholly. Now you have the philosophical elements because Cam questions the idea of having a soul. That was some seriously deep stuff in a YA novel! I loved it. Then there is Miracelina. She's Catholic and wants to be unwound. Based on her religious beliefs and her decision to basically volunteer for suicide, another brilliant conversation about one's soul emerged. I'm telling you, this book is brilliant and so is Neil Shusterman! This is not a light-hearted YA dystopian. It is also not a story laden with teenage romance. If you want a feel-good story that leaves you smiling, you should also probably look elsewhere. But if you want a story that will have you questioning society's values and human nature, then you should definitely read Unwholly!

Dystopia at its best. Unbelievable writting. Neal Shusterman's mind is sharp as he takes you to a world that is terrifying and leaves you scared for humanity's capacity for cruelty. This book will have you questioning your personal beliefs. If you have not read this series your truely missing out. Five stars!!!

I was a huge fan of the first book, Unwind. Shusterman came up with a world we hadn't seen before, and brought up countless ethical situations, which really made me think. It worked very well as a stand alone, so I was a little surprised and worried when this second installment came out. That said, there was no way I wasn't going to read it. UnWholly by Neal Shusterman takes place a little after the end of Unwind. We are immediately introduced to a new character, Starkey, who is undoubtedly going to be the villain of the piece, who vies with Conner (our protagonist from the first book) for leadership of the Unwinds. We are then in short order introduced to new characters in the next few chapters-- all who have eerie resemblance to the ones we all know. Miracolina is the poster child for a tithe, a person who is raised to be unwound. She is our new Lev. And so on. The story revolves around these new characters, and the struggle of Connor, Risa, and Lev to keep their ragtag band of teenagers safe from being unwound. It's a thankless job. The most unique addition to this group is Cam, a composite created from many Unwinds, taking the best from them and putting them all together in one being-- a modern day Frankenstein. I believe that this introduction saves the book. I don't know if Shusterman had the intention of doing a trilogy at the beginning. To me, it feels like he wasn't ready to leave this fascinating world of the Unwinds, and it was undoubtedly a runaway success. But this installment has the feel of being a bit tacked on, rather than its own story. I feel that for the first half, we see the first book retold from very similar characters, and from an evil character that is not very interesting. As I said before, the introduction of Cam saved the book from entirely repeating itself, because he was a fresher idea. Even then, what happened was pretty predictable. The book is well written and flows well. I was able to make it to the end and was interested enough to keep going. Since the first book was so good, I was a bit disappointed in this book, but not much, because I already had reservations going in. Overall, a well written follow up to Unwind, but its content makes me wonder if Unwind should have remained a stand alone.

Ok, first off, if you haven't read Unwind yet. DO IT. It is one of the most griping books I have ever read. That being said, this sequel is really, really good as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this one also. The plot continues where the first left off. We see the consequences of the events in the previous and find out where the characters are because of them. I think one of the reasons these books are just so good is that they take place in "our world." The country is the same, but because a war was fought over abortion, you can unwind kids. This dystopia works because so little is changed from our belief systems now that it makes these books believable. It's something I could see happening, and that is what makes the books terrifying to me. This book adds more characters and their stories to the picture. I can't say I like them all, because I don't. I don't think we are suppose to. We see what making a group of people "second class" can do. Each new character puts a different view and spin on how we see the belief of "unwinding." We still get to see Lev, Conner, and Risa though, so don't worry! Throughout the book the tension only adds. The situations the characters are in become more complex. There is a certain amount of growth in everyone of them. We find out more of the history that lead the country and the world to where it is. We also see more of how people has changed, and how the idea of how "Americans expect things" comes into play in this new world. What is sad to me, is that if this did happen to the country we live in, I could see people I know behaving this way. Will I read the next one? HECK YES! I love this series. I find it mind blowing and surreal. I would recommend this series to anyone. It is written beautifully and is an amazing story.

Excelente

Excelente continuação da trilogia! O autor mantém a qualidade do texto e o suspense da trama! Mal posso esperar para ler o próximo livro!

Well, after reading this book I was buzzing. All the different things which happened were amazing and it was the best book I have read in a while. I would reccommend this to those who are of teen age and enjoy dystopian books or those who are looking for a thrilling read. The book was great and i would say anyone should give it a go.

Me gusto mucho el libro y buena calidad

Hard to put down once you start, very well written....if you are a Hunger Games fan then you will enjoy this series of books.