Unwind

Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. Simon & Schuster BFYR: New York, 2007. ISBN: 9781416912057.

Plot Summary:
The setting is sometime in the future after the Second Civil War. To end the war, a compromise was reached and the government outlawed abortion, but parents can choose to 'unwind' their child between the ages of 15 to 18. Unwinding is not killing; according to the law every part of the body is reused so the person lives on. Connor Lassitar accidentally learns that he is to be unwound. The day after he is scheduled to be taken to the harvest camp his parents and younger brother have planned a vacation to the Bahamas. Connor decides to go AWOL and try to escape his fate. Along the way Connor's destiny collides with Risa, a girl who was raised in a state home and plays the piano, and Lev a tithe. A tithe is a person who is conceived and raised for the soul purpose of being unwound as a gift to God. The path of these three characters cross and criss cross throughout the story with surprising results.

Evaluation:
This book is written from several different perspectives. There are no chapters, but the divisions are based specific characters. Each character's 'chapter' is written in third person. We don't hear what is going on in their head, but we get the action from their vantage point. This story brings up many philosophical thoughts about abortion, life, death and the soul. Neal Shusterman doesn't take a stand, but presents different sides of each subject. He is successful in promoting thoughtful insights into difficult topics. One question that futuristic novels bring up is, "can this really happen?" This question and many others will keep gnawing at the reader long after the book is finished. Readers who enjoy the Hunger Games Trilogy will be caught up in Connor's fight to live despite the governing laws of the land.

Reader's Annotation:
When does life begin, and when does it end, and who decides?

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:
Teens are searching for meaning and trying to understand the world we live in. This book will promote discussion about religion, medicine, life, death and many other meaningful topics that are important to adolescent development.

Genre:
Science Fiction/Dystopia

Why I Included This Book:
I read this book for a class presentation. This has been one of the best reads so far this year. I can't wait to use it for a teen book club.