Unwind

Unwind
by Neal Shusterman

In the future there has been a second civil war between those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice. The war is ended by the two sides compromising on a "Bill of Life" that states all pregnancies must come to term; however parents and guardians have the right when their child is between the ages of thirteen and eighteen to "unwind" them. The child does not die. Each and every part is kept alive though in separate pieces. Eyes to someone, ears to another, skin to someone else. Once the parents have given their children up to unwinding it cannot be reversed.

Connor discovers his unwinding when he finds holiday tickets to the Bahamas, which has everyone in his family's name on them except his own. Risa is an orphan and the orphanage is overcrowded so when she makes five mistakes during her piano recital she knows where she is headed. Lev is devout and when, he, as the tenth child in his family, is given to be a human tithe, a sacrifice to the unwinding, he enjoys the attention and is happy to fulfill what he thinks is his destiny.

The three all meet when Connor decides to run rather than submit to his unwinding order and the book becomes the story of the three's attempts to continue to live their lives under the threat of unwinding.

A thought provoking and challenging book.

-Mr. Dale