Book info

• Title
• Author Neal Shusterman
• Year
• Genres

Thoughts

Unwind adds to a long list of young adult dystopian fiction, but there’s something different about this one. Rather than there being a cataclysmic event that forces the world to think differently about life (and usually it’s teenagers), this is a realistic portrayal of what could happen if those that make the law take a wrong turning somewhere. Based around the thorny area of right to life, the story tells the tale of a couple of plucky heroes who attempt to change a world that could see the end of them.

It’s the start of a series but is absolutely a standalone book in its own right. The characters are really well done, slightly off kilter but absolutely relatable, particularly as they find themselves in each growing predicament. The actual scene in the centre was very raw, very moving, and it really made me incensed about the situation, despite knowing it is fiction and not reality. None of it is comfortable reading, but given the basis, it’s perhaps important.

Thus, I am definitely going to read more of the series and I’m glad to see a young adult book that steers clear of the now traditional Hunger Games style tropes.

Rating: Unrated