Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2007.
ISBN: 978-141692040 335 pages Reading Level: 5.0 Lexile: 740L
Interest Level: 7-12 Recommended Grade Level: 9-12
“There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.” Henri David Thoreau
Unwind – in financial terms: to cancel out an earlier transaction with a new transaction.
Image living in a world, where your parents or guardians can give the order to have you “unwound” anytime between the ages of 13 and 18 years of age - not terminated in the sense of death but transformed into a “massive organ donor” for the benefit of others. Technically you are not dead – that’s not allowed – you live on in whoever receives each part of you – theoretically at least. The process of unwinding” is the outcome of the Bill of Life amendments marking the end of the second civil war. The second civil war was a bloody conflict waged between pro-lifers and pro-choice proponents.
In the story, Connor - a troublesome young man, Risa – a ward of the state which is making tight budget choices, and Levi – a religious young man raised to meet his destiny are thrown together by circumstance when Connor chooses to try and save himself from being “unwound”. Thrown together by accident, they form an uneasy alliance as they come to terms with what their futures will look like.
Mr. Shusterman presents us with a future world where anyone can receive a heart transplant, liver transplant, skin graft because there is no shortage of viable, healthy body parts. Within the story, we learn about “storking” where unwanted babies are left on doorsteps to come under the care, or not, of the person opening the door. If the baby’s lucky, he/she receives a good home – if not, sad things transpire.
We are given a glimpse of a world where life has a different meaning and value, and depending on how your family/guardian perceives your place in the “family” structure, a signature on a legal document seals your fate with a trip to the Harvest Farms. According to the Parents’ Unwinding Handbook:
“For your ease and peace of mind, there are a variety of harvest camps to
choose from. Each facility is privately owned, state licensed, and federally
funded by your tax dollars. Regardless of the site you choose, you can feel
confident that your Unwind will receive the finest possible care from our board-
certified staff as they make their transition to a divided state.” (p263)
Needless to say, Connor does not plan on letting his “unwinding” happen. Does he stand a chance in stopping it? What happens to Risa?…to Levi? Read the book and find out.
Futuristic novels, where the main character/characters try to maintain their lives when challenged or in some cases alter it to conform to a standardized image or feeling have become an exciting entry in young adult literature. The following novels all explore different forms of these ideas:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Delirium by Lauren Conrad
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