Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Review: Unwind (Audiobook)



Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Series: Unwind #1
Genre: Dystopia
Length: 10 hours and 10 minutes
Narrator: Luke Daniels
Source: eLibrary
Author's Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depo

Description:
Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

My Rating:

My Review:
In the not so distant future where organ donors are few and abortion has become banned, children between the age of 13 and 18 can be "unwound" for a variety of different reasons.  Three children have such a fate.  Connor's parents have decided to unwind him.  As a ward of the state, Risa must be unwound because the State can't afford everyone in their care.  And Lev is the tenth child in a religious family, and thus will be unwound as a tithe.  All three children are fighters and refuse to take their fate lying down.  So begins  the adventure to escape...

On the story...
Wow!!  This story just took my breath away.  Each chapter alternates between Connor, Risa, and Lev as they all embark on their various paths always coming together again and again.  But the story isn't so much about the characters--though they are complex and interesting--as much as it is about the adventure.  It is unpredictable and frightening really and I found myself painfully invested in their lives.

But there's something else.  Most books take you very close to the edge but this one topples you over the cliff (trying not to spoil anything here).  It is shocking, dark, and intriguing and I can't believe that it went there.  For that reason alone, I'm not sure I'll ever forget this book.

On the narrator...
I saw this book, read the description, and decided to give it a try.  Then I clicked and saw the narrator and it was all over.  I am such a Luke Daniels fan girl and he did not disappoint.  I knew he wouldn't.  Luke Daniels and I are BFFs.

Overall, you should go get this one RIGHT NOW!  Well unless, dark reads really bother you.  I'm not sure if many would consider this dark but potential legal dismemberment sounds dark to me.  I'm funny like that.

P.S.  This goes toward that Dystopia challenge that I forgot that I committed to.  Soo... many more dystopia reads to go.  Yes!!




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23 comments:

  1. Yaaay Alexis! So glad you loved this! Your thoughts about this book mirror mine. Are you going to read/listen to UnWholly soon? I've read mixed reviews about it so I'm kind of an the edge.

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    1. I'm going to read Unwholly when it comes available on audio. It was so wonderful that way.

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  2. I am so going to get this! I mean Luke narrates it :) I think we could start a Luke Daniels Fan club (you and I) --- we could totally pimp his stuff :)

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    1. Yes!! Luke Daniels fan club all the way. Sometimes I'm listening to an audio and I think...Luke Daniels should have narrated this one.

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  3. O I love it. This is soooo on my list. I'm so glad to hear it's Luke. You know that ever since you and him became BFFs I've been wanting to meet him.

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    1. Exactly! I can't wait for you to listen to this one. I really want to know what you think. It is amazing. I promise.

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  4. Yay! I've been wanting to read this one and my library has it on Overdrive. :) Well, it's checked out, but I will definitely wait list it.

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  5. That sounds terrifying!! Adding it to my wishlist! (I enjoy terrifying.)

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  6. This sounds awesome actually, and look that I don't like Dystopia!
    It's like that, Never Let Me Go movie, but not boring. LOL (sorry if anyone liked that, I just found it kind of meh, but honestly I don't like Carrie Mullygan or Kiera Knightly all that much, so that might be it).

    Anyway, I'm going to try to check this one out!
    I haven't read my dystopian of the year yet ;)

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    1. If you're only going to read one, let it be this one. Please let it be this one!

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  7. How awful for those kids to have their organs forcefully taken and given away before they've even had a real chance to live. I'm glad they have rebelled against that nonsense!

    You have me wholly intrigued, and as I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of dystopians, I think I'll be picking this one up in the near future! Great review...I must try this Luke Daniels everyone raves about!

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    1. Yes, Yes and Yes! I laughed at the "nonsense" remark. You've got to pick this one up.

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  8. Love dystopians, the Hunger Games got me hooked. I look forward to reading this, sounds quite intriguing. I'm perplexed as to why they feel the need to create life to take it away?

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    1. It's so crazy how completely acceptable this is and how they rationalize it. You've go to read it.

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  9. Oh boy, this sounds good. This one is going on my wishlist right now.

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  10. I really want to read this one. I live in San Antonio and apparently Neal Schusterman is visitin numerous middle schools and high schools so we have completely sold out of all of his books.

    Great review. :D

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    1. Oh that sounds fun! I didn't know you were in San Antonio. I'm just around the corner!

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  11. Wow, this one looks fabulous. I'm adding it to my list of must-reads! I love a good dystopian :)

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  12. You're definitely right. This book is unforgettable. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I finished reading.

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