UnWholly (Unwind Dystology)

This series is just disturbing, complex, enjoyable and i really cant put it down. Unwholly not as good as unwind but still a great story and i cant wait for the third which is rare for me with young adult books which r always so predictable. But not this one and most importantly the love story was written well most r over the top. U know i find male ya authors write better love stories such as (christopher paolini, rick riordan and this author) they r more believeable than female writers who tend to write love stories where the characters r a page away from doing sonething drastic over love. The characters r well written and adding the new ones just added to the freshness of the book.

My first attempt at reading Unwind by Neal Shusterman was in 2011, but I didn't succeed. Years later, and after finding a copy of Unwind in a used book store, I decided to give it another chance and loved it! My review is here. I even bought the novella set between Unwind and UnWholly, UnStrung, and loved it. My review is here.

But UnWholly was completely awful. Mind you, I only made it in 100 pages.

Instead of reviewing this book, I decided to explain why I did not finish it (DNF); the reasons are many for this book:
The first chapter is a huge summary.
The writing tells more than it shows.
The characters from Unwind and Unstrung ring hollow.
The chapters felt stretched out and empty.
The plot did absolutely nothing within the 100 pages I read.
The witty dialogue I loved in Unwind and Unstrung is nonexistent in UnWholly.
Starkey is Roland reincarnated; no one can convince me otherwise.
Essentially, everything that made me love Unwind is nonexistent in this book. I will not continue the Unwind series.

I'm trying to be careful here because the book raises important issues, and I loved the first book Unwind. However, the author forgot that narrative action is much better than sermonizing. The novel has a didactic tone that verges on a constant lecture. At times, I had to stop reading it because I was so tired at being talked at. The constant commentary takes away from the book's potential - showing, not telling, makes a superior book.

I was so excited about this book. I reread Unwind, a 5-star book for me, as quickly as I could so I could get right into UnWholly. Maybe my high expectations ruined it for me, but I was disappointed.

I think Unwind is a rare gem in the dystopian genre. I also loved that Unwind was a thinking book. It tackled a tough issue, and from the reviews I've read, no one can decide whether it is a pro-choice or pro-life book. Readers complained both ways. That is the mark of a great book.

UnWholly is an action book. Teens who are devouring these stories may love it because of that. I wanted more substance. The author tried. He gave more background about what happened to bring about unwinding. Those who complained that neither side of the debate would agree to unwinding will probably be happy with the new information. The author also asked a lot of deep questions, but it made me feel like he was trying too hard.

We got some new villains. I thought that one was just a cheap copy of Roland who was thrown in just to have a villain and some action. The story would have been better without him. The other was decent, and I look forward to learning more about her in book three.

Those who complained about the many POVs in Unwind will find UnWholly even worse. I didn't mind the shifting around in Unwind. The device still doesn't bother me, but UnWholly just had too many stories. The one mentioned in the synopsis seemed like a side note.

This book didn't keep me up late reading. It didn't make me think. The characters didn't excite me. I didn't like the additional world-building. This book brought the trilogy down to a pure YA series instead of one that is worthy of a wider audience.

...unless you like the choppy sentences below the level of my 6th grader. I've finished the Unwind and somewhat enjoyed it (at least the plot if not the style of writing). But this one is so UnReadable, I decided that it was not worth my time and effort.

I liked UnWholly a bit more than Unwind. While the first book seemed to be more focused on the individual characters, this sequel looks at the bigger picture. It does this by alternating the POV much more often, and by inserting advertisements and public service announcements about unwinding. The laws regarding unwinding teens have been changing. Now 17 year olds are excluded, setting thousands of teenagers free. But it's also created a shortage of body parts and organs, increasing black market activity and kidnappings. Connor is now in charge of the resistance and he's trying his best to save as many kids as possible, while trying to stop unwinding for good. However, in UnWholly the world has seriously gone crazy.

Instead of being primarily from Connor, Risa, and Lev's POVs, we get the addition of Starkey, Miracolina, Cam, Nelson and a handful of chapters from other minor characters. This may seem like a lot of perspectives to keep track of, but it never gets confusing. It's actually quite necessary to get a feel for all of the havoc taking place, and since the characters spend a lot of time separated from each other. Just like in the first book, everyone is connected in UnWholly so it's not just a jumble of random characters.

I couldn't buy into the world that the author was selling in Unwind, but in UnWholly I can definitely see how something like this could stay in place once it arises. It actually made me feel quite uncomfortable when I noticed that some of the arguments for unwinding make sense. I certainly don't agree with the process as it is, but I also can't condemn it completely since it is helping people. This is a common theme throughout the books, and it's actually something that comes up near the end thanks to some sleuthing by Lev and Connor. I do hope that they find what they're looking for.

UnWholly was another thought provoking addition to this series. It's much more focused on human nature than the first book, but it's no less exciting or engaging. It was interesting to me how something good can end up being really bad, how something seen as bad can actually do good. The gray area is firmly where this book resides.

Neal Shusterman is one of my all time favorite authors. All his book has thrilling story lines and really relatable characters. Such was the case with the first book in the series Unwind. I myself being a teen could relate to the characters that really got me hooked on the book. Then this one came out I was ecstatic to read it.

Neal Shusterman books always take you into a crazy world that is completely different from most teen books. That is another reason he is one of my favorite authors. In this series it is one that I could not even comprehend living in. One where troubled teens are signed away by their parents to get all of their parts cut away and sold to people who can afford to live forever. so teens are constantly on the run, like who would think of that Neal Shusterman would and that is why it so interesting to read.

I gave Unwholly four stars because it was thrilling and had a very interesting story line. Then introducing new characters to the mix made the story even more interesting. I had only a few problems with the book. The biggest being with so many characters i sometimes got confused on who was the main character for that chapter. The other problem i had was, unlike the first one there seemed to be more planning for action then the actual action. don’t get me wrong it had action in it but it took till like half way through the book to get to it. The first one started with action and ended with action.

Still this series is shaping to be one of my favorite of Neal Shusterman. I am as ecstatic to read the next one as i was for this one.
Draven C.

I still love Connor, Lev and Risa, yet each one of them takes a different direction in this book that leaves me really anticipating the next installment. We are introduced to Cam as well, and I do have to say that his character is extremely interesting, a Frankenstein of sorts. The whole thought about being "unwound" is so disturbing.

There are "adds" in the book that really made me laugh. The adds are why the people should want "unwinding" to continue and they are just plain funny. They may not have planned them to make people laugh, but they did. Every time one came up I just got a chuckle.

Lev really becomes one of my favorite characters in this book. His life really stinks, and in this book I was hopeful that it would get better, but unfortunately he is faced with more trials and confronted with more death. He always seems so distant, when talking to people. Although everything he has been through it's very understandable.

Risa actually makes me really mad in this book! I don't want to give anything away, but she ends up making some choices that made me want to scream. I still love her, but she makes some really stupid choices in this book. She doesn't have much of a choice, I just was surprised.

Connor I think just gets the raw end of the deal all the time. He strives to serve the people of the unwind camp, and yet he still finds opposition amongst his peers. It frustrates me that he is only trying to help, and others find a reason to cause rife in the group. I am anxious to see what happens to the group now in the next installment!

I really loved this book. I hate to compare it to Hunger Games but I only do because the concept of unwinding is so disturbing. A lot like fighting each other to the death. It's one of those situations that I cannot tear myself away from. This book if fantastic. I loved it from the beginning to the end. I am anxious to start the last book.

If you haven't read this series you should add it to your list, it really is very interesting. It's intense, exciting, and there's a love story to boot.

Unwinding has become front and center for society after the happenings at Happy Jack Harvest Camp. People are beginning to take a closer look at unwinding, and not just simply ignoring it as a fact of society. The age for freedom from unwinding has decreased to 17 (from 18). As there are fewer unwinds, there are less parts available for society to utilize, thus causing a shortage. Increased demand for goods means a growing black market where kids are stolen in order to be sold for their parts. Conor and Risa, still living at the abandoned airplane salvage yard, are doing their part to help unwinds escape their fate. But there is unrest amongst those in the salvage yard and a struggle for power that could mean disaster.

In order to instill trust again in unwinding, Cam was created. He was not born in the common understanding of the word. Instead, he was born of creation, comprised solely of unwind parts. Cam struggles with understanding who he is and where he belongs in the world. Does he have a soul? Can he be a part of society? Can he be with the girl he's fallen in love with? Will he be accepted?

Lev, the clapper who didn't clap, has been trying to live a normal life with family when his world is once again destroyed. Clappers are furious with him and want him dead. In his attempt to flee, Lev finds himself suddenly thrust into a cult that is saving tithes from their unwinding fate. They're doing so by making Lev an idol, worshipping him and all he has done. Soon Lev finds his fate once again entwined with that of Conor and Risa in a struggle to survive.

This was another good book. I actually enjoyed it more than I expected to. Cam was an interesting twist. Whereas <b>Unwind</b> is more about the act of unwinding and the moral implications, Cam brings in another aspect . . . What does it mean to be alive? Is someone the sum of their parts, are are they more? These topics are hit on, but thankfully not dwelled upon. The book is definitely enjoyable as a surface read with action and intrigue without having to delve into the philosophical undertones. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Some quotes:
"Lev finds himself in no position to approve, or disapprove, or even to judge the wisdom of it. How do you judge the brightness of a light when you're the source?"

"The measure of a man is not how much he suffers in the test, but how he comes out at the end."

Loved this book about as much as the original. I really enjoyed how Shusterman took some of the political themes and expanded on them to illustrate to the reader that the surface issues pervasive in our society are not usually what motivates those making our political choices. More specifically, the pro-life/pro-choice conflict that led to the Heartland wars, and was claimed to be the impetus for the Unwind Accords, was really a smokescreen for what was really going on - corporate greed and power, and a desire to control the unruly teens who were revolting due to the poor state of the economy and their inability to, among other things, find jobs and have a future. What I found most interesting about this is that our current politicians often use social issues, like their stance on abortion, to draw attention away from their policies on other issues, which are oftentimes not good for their citizenry, and ensure that voters continue to vote for them.

Like I said, a smokescreen. Quite relevant to our current political landscape, and I again applaud Shusterman for raising these issues in a somewhat objective way.

Speaking of objective, Miracolina. She was like Lev 2.0, only unlike Lev, she had full faith in her upbringing despite her parents' decision to change their minds and despite her exposure to different types of thinking. She was the yin to Lev's yang. I liked that he showed it is ok to hold steadfast to one's beliefs, provided, of course, that one is exposed to the contravening arguments.

Sparkey. Oh how I hated him. I mean, I was meant to, but the depth of my hatred knows no bounds. His myopic view of the world made me want to grab his shoulders and shake the ever living crap out of him, smack him across the face and yell, "get ahold of yourself!" At one point, I actually disgusted myself by thinking, "he should have been unwound." Ugh! That's how I knew he wrote a great character. Thing is, as much as I hated Sparkey's fixation on the storks (he was so "wah wah, poor me," without a thought for the other kids in his exact situation who arguably should have been more affected by their unwind orders, seeing as how they were birth children who thought they had loving parents), I thought it was a very accurate portrayal of how many teenagers can be. He had not yet been given the chance to grow and mature like many of the other characters.

This book was quite action-packed, just like the first one, and the pacing was good.

Wow. I literally just finished this one seconds ago. And I'm still in a post-awesome-book-recovery-phase. Seriously, sometimes really good books just leave me in a completely different state of mind. I have a million books waiting to be read right now (including two sequels I've been dying for that just came out), but I am still lost in this scary, scary world that Shusterman has created.

I read Unwind over a year ago and remember feeling the same way after completing it. The premise for book one is that the US had gone through a second civil war where those who were pro-life battled it out against those who were pro-choice. And after years of battle, a compromise was agreed upon. No pregnant woman would ever be allowed to have an abortion; however, if the child were to grow up to be an unworthy teenager, he/she could be unwound. Unwinding involves surgically removing all of a child's organs (while they are still breathing!) and donating all their parts to people who "need" them.

In the world of Unwind, no one wears glasses any more and no one looses their hair. No one gets into car accidents with life damaging consequences. Spinal chords, eyes, hair, hearts, skin, kidneys, limbs, and everything else can be replaced by unwinds. The first book centers around Connor (a teenage boy too rebellious for his parents to want to keep), Risa (a ward of the state), and Lev (a Tithe, someone who is brought up specifically to be unwound). And the first book ends with an explosion at an unwinding camp, and all three characters escaping with their lives.

This book begins not long after the first finished. Connor is now the head of the Graveyard, a safe zone for AWOL's (kids escaping unwinding). He also now has the arm of a kid he hated, and lives every day thinking about how he has someone's limb. And there's Risa, a girl who had the luxury to decide not to get any parts from an unwind. Though, this means she's in a wheel chair and seems to be more of a hindrance to her fellow whollies than a help. And Lev first gets taken into police custody for being a clapper (who didn't clap), and then gets sentenced to community service.

There's Unwind, Tithe, and Stork rescue missions. There's a lot of kidnapping. There's a lot more politics, if that's even possible. And the points of view go way beyond these three characters. We also get to read in the point of view of a juvey cop turned parts dealer (aka: offal human being). We are introduced to Starkey, a kid who thinks he deserves to lead more than anyone else, and makes it his mission to both find a way to take over Connor's job and to make all Stork's first in society. Storks are babies that are abandoned on doorsteps. Since abortion is outlawed, if a woman doesn't want a child she can legally decide to leave it on a better person's doorstep. Most storks end up unwound, and until they are unwound, tend to be bullied and persecuted for being not wanted.

With Starkey planning a coup, a pissed off ex-juvey cop on a revenge mission, and more and more people finding out about the graveyard, Connor has to do all that he can to protect as many kids as possible in a short period of time. Also, unwinding science is advancing in frightening ways. There's an organization that sees and treats Lev as a god... There's clappers pissed off at Lev that intend to find him and explode him. There's tons of injuries at the Graveyard, and when Risa (as head medic) goes with one kid to the hospital and realizes that all kids who end up at the hospital get found out and sent for unwinding, embarks on her own, twisted, dangerous journey.

Between the science, the politics, the action, the explosions, and the twists, there is an overwhelming notion of morality. And as the book goes on, we are finally clued in to how a society can rightly end up in a place where unwinding became the ultimate compromise. History is learned! The book is also layered with advertisements, propaganda, commercials, and other networking techniques that added to the terror. So many kids end up dead in this one. There's an epic battle at the end that involves a major plane crash. And seriously, I was on the edge of my seat till the very last page.

The book had a very slow start. I took me a couple of days to get through the slow beginning, but it was so worth it. Whatever you do, do not give up during the slow beginning because about 1/3 of the way through, it picks up like a serious suspenseful action thriller movie. I found myself laughing at parts and crying at parts. Seriously, reading a parent's reasons for deciding to unwind their child was so harsh and awful.

The advancements in technology in regards to the character, Cam, were pure terror for me. Seriously, this book will have you laughing one moment, crying another, and then turning all the lights on in your home out of fright the next. I think what this book, and the first one did so well was put together a realistic world that does not sound too far-fetched. It has you believing the worst in people, and seeing how far one idea can go in the wrong direction. It's a world where kids everywhere are singled out (for their body parts), even kids who aren't signed up for unwinding. It is not a safe place for teens.

The ending was intense (though not quite as intense as the first one). I had high expectations because of how blown away I was by book 1, and I was not disappointed in the least. I don't know how I will be able to wait for the last book in the trilogy. Hopefully, it won't take Shusterman another set of years for the final installment to be finished. Shusterman gets an A+ for world building, for character development, suspense writing, political understanding, and just plain uniqueness. These books are amazing. I'd recommend them to anyone, even to people who don't read YA. Seriously, what are you waiting for? Read it.

Unwholly started out strong. New and interesting characters were introduced right at the start with lots of backstory. We didn't quite catch up with the familiar characters from Unwind until later in the book, which was nice because it allowed the anticipation to grow. Shusterman's story pacing is right on. Storkey and the part pirates seemed like promising villains. Cam was by far the most interesting character as was Miracolina and her unique tithe perspective. We are also learned more in this second book about the origins and politics of unwinding.

My qualms with this book are a few. For one, the appeal about the first book was that it did not follow any of the typical tired YA dystopian trilogy stereotypes. The characters were just average people trying to survive and you were never quite sure if the main characters were safe. However, in this book the author has gone down that stereotypical route with main characters who are meant to appeal to teens' narcissistic sense of over-importance complete with a typical (obsessive) teen love triangle. Beyond all common sense or reason, Connor is now the leader of the grave yard. Lev is a celebrity. And Risa is still the angsty teen who of course eventually has her broken body restored to perfect again. There was little shock factor and little reason to be seriously concerned about the safety of the main characters. No more depth was added to these main characters... and eventually it seemed as if their voices all just blended together.

Shusterman's obsessive need to connect all plot pieces leads to far too many far-fetched coincidences (the juvie cop tazed by the Akron AWOL is now Nelson a parts pirate convert with a serial killer like obsession with trophies, Cam is so obsessed with Risa because part of his make-up was of Simon the boy who rode the bus with Risa prior to the accident who had delivered some chilling parting words, and even the woman who helped hide them in a safe home is reintroduced as having an important role). I wouldn't be surprised if the baby from the first book makes some reappearance later on...

The build up the various new characters just culminated into a mediocre climax. Storkey proved boring, as did Trace. And Cam did not seem to serve any purpose other than to be a new potential love interest. I do plan on reading the third installment. But the first book was so complete by itself that I can't imagine it progressing in any new & interesting direction. I do think Shusterman had a really great idea and continues to develop the storyline of unwinding in a fascinating way. I think it is the history of unwinding and where it is going that has me interested. I could care less about any of the characters.

I couldn't wait to start this book because I absolutely loved the first book, Unwind, and was eager to continue the series. Not only do we get to see familiar characters from book one in this continuation, there are also a trio of new voices to hear from. While I absolutely loved seeing Connor, Risa, and Lev again, I was also intrigued-maybe horrified-by the other perspectives I could read from. It's amazing to see how many different opinions formed about the controversy over unwinding.

The perfect image of unwinding is beginning to fall apart in the world and all of the other issues that have been lying just beneath the surface are beginning to spring up. Yet Connor, now leading the Graveyard, cannot easily start a resistance against the people who are allowing teenagers to be unwound. I love the take that this book made because while the teens aren't alone in all of this, there are so many forces working against each other that it appears almost everyone is truly powerless.

There were some twists in this book that I wasn't expecting! I knew that it was going to be fast-paced and action-packed because that's what I've gotten out of all of the books by Shusterman I've read thus far. I absolutely love his writing style. I can never predict what's going to happen. I'm definitely picking up the third book in this series . . which I thought was going to be the final novel, until I found out that there's going to be a fourth book! I'm so excited!

This is a series I'd recommend to anyone who's looking for a serious, kind of disturbing read with lots of fantastic characters and a great plot. I can never get enough of Neal Shusterman and Unwholly definitely doesn't disappoint!

Neal Shusterman's Unwind was the best dystopian novel that I have read. He creates a future that seems feasible, yet leaves the reader wondering how we could let ourselves get there. In this second installment in the Unwind trilogy, the story of Conner, Risa, and Lev continues with the addition of a few new characters. Everything seemed neatly wrapped up at the end of Unwind, but UnWholly begs the question, how do these troubled teens marked for unwinding manage to survive with only each other to count on? Worse yet, what happens when they can't even count on each other?

One of the most profound (and a little bit creepy) tools that Shusterman uses in this novel is the use of news headlines. If you don't watch carefully, it is easy to miss which ones are fictional advertisements touting the virtues of unwinding and which ones are true stories from our own time included as the historical background that led to unwinding. For any who would ask, how can we possibly end up in the situation he puts forward, you have your answer.

As with Unwind, UnWholly takes place in a society where abortion has been made illegal, but teenagers can be "unwound". Don't call it dying because these kids continue living in a "divided state" as 99.44% of their parts are placed with people who are more deserving of them. When you make unwanted children 14 year olds instead of unborn children, it sure seems a lot more cold-hearted to get rid of the ones society doesn't want. Yet it becomes the norm, and people stop asking if it should be.

Well, not everybody. Conner is running the "Graveyard" hideout for AWOLs (runaway kids marked for unwinding), and he finds it more difficult than he could have imagined to deal with his own personal issues as well as caring for a few hundred unwanted teens. The introduction of Starkey fills the gap left by Roland, who is not completely gone. Conner starts to wonder what we were all wondering by the end of Unwind. Why does the government continue to allow the Graveyard to exist and how much longer can that last?

Too much goes on in this novel for me to cover it all. It is less of a thought provoking book than the first and more action packed, though we do begin to see the origins of unwinding revealed. A lot is set up for the third book, UnSouled.

Find this review & others at City of Books
I still have to process how incredible this book was.
Unwholly is a roller coaster ride of a novel. This book will tear you up again and again. Unwholly picks up where Unwind left off: Connor is in charge of the graveyard, Risa is in a wheelchair, and Lev has become a symbol of the down fall of society.
I really loved how Neal Shusterman showed us more of the characters of Unwind and they seemed alot more developed than in Unwind. Besides the returning characters from Unwind there is also a whole new bunch of characters. One of the new characters is Cam a "rewound"- a person made from parts of different unwinds. At the same time I hated and really liked Cam, I hated what he represented but loved his personality!
This book has tons of insane and epic action sequences. This book isn't only action there alot of dramatic scenes that really messed me up. I love how Neal Schusterman added Pro-Unwinding articles between sections of the book. Also if you read Unwind a while ago the book has a bit of a recap in the beginning which was very helpful. Another aspect of this book that was really fantastic was the alternating point of view. The alternating point of view helped you see into the mind of many AWHOLS and pro Unwinding people. I really got a clear sense of the world of Unwinding from the alternating pov. Possibly one of the greatest parts of the book is you find out why Unwinding started, yes in Unwind they explained it but in Unwholly you get a better sense is how could anyone want to unwind someone.
I need Unbroken right now. I have a feeling that Unbroken will make me feel unwinded and then rewound. Neal Shusterman has a reputation of messing with my emotions with his Unwind books. I really want to read all of Neal Schusterman's books and I think I will start with the Skinjacker Trilogy. Hopefully there won't be a 5 year wait until Broken but who knows?
I recommend Unwholly for those who loved Unwind and are ready to be brutally torn apart with emotions. This is definitely one of the best dystopias I ever read and that's a big deal considering I have read a decent amount. I think Unwholly surpassed Unwind in all aspects! There's tons of great dialogue, plot, action, adventure, emotional scenes, and so much more. Unwholly is one of those great books that once you finish you're not really done because you won't be able to stop thinking about it. Unwholly is practically everything a book needs (except for a sneak peek of Unbroken).
5/5 Stars

I bought this book from another source but wanted to post my review here as well. It took me a little bit to remember book one since I had read it quite some time ago. I have to say that I really like this series. The idea of unwinding is so far-fetched and, at the same time, I can see how society could be crazy enough to allow it to happen if the technology existed. I'm not a big fan of swapping points of view all of the times, but I loved it in Dan Brown's books and I'm loving it in this series.

It's hard not to sympathasize with each character. I can see and accept each character's point of view because their beliefs and attitudes stem from their expereinces. I don't like to give away books, but I love that Connor and Risa and Lev are back. I love that the author kept them true to the personailities that they had in book one. And I LOVE Cam!!! I even love the bad boys for the roles they play. It was interesting to see the parents' sides as well.

I cannot wait to dive into Unsouled. I'm a HUGE fan of cliff-hangers, and UnWholly left off in such a great place. I'm torn over who should "get the girl" and really, really hope that book three leaves me with acceptance over the author's choices.

For anyone who loves dystopian societies, this book is for you, but you definitely want to read Unwind first. Otherwise, you'll be lost.

"Anger is only our friend when we know its caliber and how to aim it."

Unwind left me reeling with complicated horrible ideas and shocking moments that really stick with you. The unwinding of Roland left me torn because he was such a horrible person but unwinding was so horrible and to witness it step by step was one of the most heartbreaking things in the book. That said Unwholly didn't have many moments like that for me. Perhaps that is because how more shocked and appalled can you get after Unwind. Unwholly was more about how a revolution begins stalls and tries to pick back up. It is about finding your place in the world and dealing with the consequences of actions both yours and others. Finding the truth about the past and trying to use that to build a future.

Connor is stuck running the Graveyard he has so many responsibilities and no time for anyone including Risa. He hasn't come to terms with having Roland's arm and is so afraid that he will hurt Risa with it he is avoiding her. The anger in him is building but he is trying to keep everyone safe. The juvies know where the graveyard is and are just waiting for an excuse to take it down for parts.

Risa is trying to get through to Conner but he has built up so many walls. She ends up in a precarious position as Cam (the first person made from all unwind parts) brings her into his life. Risa is trying to save the Graveyard but as she gets to know Cam she can see he is just as much a victim as everyone else in the Unwind game. Risa and Conner struggle in this book but I love that they never really seem to give up on one another no matter if they are together or apart.

"The sad truth about humanity, Risa was quick to realize, is that people believe what they're told. maybe not the first time, but by the hundredth time, the craziest of ideas just become a given."

Starkey is a sociopath, but he is a sociopath with a cause. Being storked as a baby he wants to save all the other storked kids. But unlike Conner he is willing to sacrifice anyone and everyone else in his way. Starkey was the most disturbing thing in this book. The lengths and deceptions he was willing to go to were horrifying. Is he what the government has finally made to go against the system or is he part of the reason why the system is in place to begin with?

But the break out character was Lev!!! I loved Lev in this book. The insights he had and fumbling to find a new role in life had moments of both joy and heartbreak. Lev sees the role he played in some of the changes that came after he didn't clap, but they didn't turn out as he had hoped. He really wants to make a difference but where to begin. Now there is an organization abducting tithes in his name and treating him like he is the second coming. As Lev tries to save Miracolina from sacrificing herself to be a tithe you see the redemption he desperately is seeking for himself. It was so touching his story really inspired me.

Like Unwind this took off quickly and kept going. There was not a lot of down time something was always happening. The shifting POVs make the story more three dimensional. Seeing into the mind of the Cam and Starkey were the most disturbing for completely different reasons. While Unwholly shifted gears and changed themes the plot and story are so good you can't help but be riveted. I can't wait to see how things resolve in Unsouled. I will say well worth the five year wait in between Unwind and Unwholly.

After reading "Unwind" and being satisfied with the hopeful and closure-providing ending, I really had no idea what direction Shusterman could possibly take in another book in the same world. I was obviously thrilled to find that there was a sequel though, got my hands on it immediately and tore right through it in a few sittings.

"Unwholly" definitely lives up to "Unwind"!

A new thing in the book was the insertion of advertisements for unwinding in the text. Very unnerving. They were a nice addition to the story to illustrate the propaganda influence that the unwind children and the rest of the world were seeing in their everyday lives.

One of the new characters, Cam, evokes a whole new set of ethical problems and questions about what makes someone an actual "person." I absolutely loved the first few chapters from his point of view where he was learning how to make sense of his thoughts and what was happening--"pulling himself together" to be a single person as it were. I can't wait to see his return in the third book.

Nelson and Starkley were excellent as villains. I condemn what they did and realize they are not good people, but their character depth left me sympathetic for them despite their horrible deeds.

I'm glad to see that Lev has grown up quite a bit and consequently become more likeable. It was also nice to see Conner and Risa again--they're fantastic, strong characters, and I'm still rooting for them in their struggles with their conflicting emotions for each other and with their need to survive and protect the other unwinds.

Overall, the story was fast-paced, chilling, realistic, relevant and beautifully written. It left me wanting more!

When I read Unwind, a YA book loaned to me by my teenager, I discovered it to be THE creepiest and most chilling book I'd experienced in ages. As scary and disturbing as anything in the adult horror genre. And, of every dystopian near-future I've encountered in fiction, the most all-too-terribly-plausible.

Welcome to a world where the pro-life/pro-choice debate tore America apart with war, and ultimately resulted in a law that made it legal for parents or guardians to decide to retroactively abort their children at any point between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. Those kids would be "unwound," harvested for their organs and replacement parts.

Unwholly, the sequel, delves deeper into the history of that shattered nation, again while hitting all too close to the bone. Lack of educational and employment opportunities leading to a generation of disaffected young people with no prospects in a struggling economy ... the underlying fear of "feral" teens ... sound familiar?

It's also a society of convenience, ease, and entitlement that takes a blow when an amendment to the law reduces the unwinding age to seventeen. Suddenly, there's less material available, making it harder to get those medical fixes or cosmetic upgrades. People don't like that. Parts pirates have taken to obtaining the goods by whatever means available, including kids not even scheduled for unwinding.

There's resistance, inspired by the events of the first book. There's a growing underground trying to save and free the kids. Those who designate a child from birth as a "tithe," as a form of religion, are led to question their beliefs.

Even among the refugee camp where AWOL unwinds hide out, dissension brews when a caste system forms between factions ... those who were raised by their biological parents or as wards of the state, and those who were "storked" and abandoned as babies on strangers' doorsteps.

The book also takes the science of unwinding in a new and even more unsettling direction with the debut of Cam, the first-ever entirely composite human lifeform. He's been created from the best of the best, the most beautiful of the beautiful, with the knowledge, language, and talents of all the donors who went into his making. A new height of humanity? Or a modern Frankenstein monster, an abomination that ought not to be?

An Unwind movie is reportedly in the works. The third book in this not-to-be-missed series comes out later this year. Neither of which is soon enough!

I can't even begin to describe this book.
It was,.. it was,... it was life changing.
Really I loved everything about it. The writing is exceptionally good. Mr. Shusterman you are in my opinion one of the most gifted authors that have passed my hands in my whole existence. I can't even begin to comprehend what goes on in your mind and I don't want to. Just keep putting it on paper and it's enough.
This story has had such an impact on my psyche that actually made me question humanity and society and laws and everything. Yes, it made me question everything.
I hope this is not a possible future for mankind because we would no longer be named mankind, but monsterkind or something.
The things Connor, Lec, Risa, Hayden, Trace did are out of this world. Their character growth through these two books is something to be reckoned with. I should only hope that more authors could write such complex and lovable characters as yourself.
Their loyalty, determination, proactiveness, courage, self-sacrificing are out of this world literally. To be marked for death and to still be able to be good and to help others is just beyond any expectations.
I only wish more authors would make such strong characters.
Even the bad guys are so amazingly described that you feel the terror when inside their head.
All have their own voices. I was able to distinctly separate them. Not one character sounded like another in my head.
And believe me I even liked Cam although I had so much trouble understanding his existence. I believe he will have a pivotal role in bringing down PC.
I can't wait for the next book, even if I am not ashamed to say I am terrified of reading it.

UnWholly, the long awaited sequel to Unwind by Neal Shusterman has finally arrived and this #2 New York Times Bestseller was definitely worth the wait.

Neal Shusterman is a world building genius and his writing style is oh so captivating. It is clear that Shusterman took his time getting every moment in UnWholly just right. Every single line is carefully crafted and it is the most enthralling and thought provoking string of words you will read all year. Shusterman continues to shower the readers with imagery and detail, every bit of it you'll thirst for after reading UnWind. And the PSAs will make your heart skip a few beats. It is as if one has fallen down the rabbit hole into an entirely different world. Except, the fascinating part about this journey is that this world is essentially a possible exaggerated future of our world. "No?" you say? Yes. Shusterman includes real life present day articles that correlate with the topics at hand, abortion and abandonment in UnWholly, just as he did in Unwind. Never say never. You haven't seen creepy until you've read UnWholly.

This can be best described with the words straight from the page, our "eyes can see the world." Funny what one sees when their vision is adjusted. Shusterman opens our eyes to what is coming if we as a society do not straighten up. Does a sick society get so used to its illness that it can't remember being well? Well, what Shusterman has created here is a story about what it means to be whole as an individual, as a family, and as a society and what happens when it all falls to pieces, literally. The pieces have fallen and UnWholly is putting them together in the most magnificent way.

We all concluded unwinding and storking to be fascinating but UnWholly raises the bar that Unwind set, giving us even deeper dips on the rollercoaster than the first. Believed the kicks couldn't get more intense? Think again. Just when Connor, Risa, and Lev have just barely caught their breath, they are thrown off course and forced to reevaluate once again who to trust and depend on for help in the fight for their lives, literally, their lives. Because even sanctuaries aren't safe. What happens then? Pandemonium. And every unwind has their own form of resisting a repeat of that pain... lucky for us, those effects ripple in ways other dystopias drown trying to reach.

Be ready to fall for the unwinds all over again. The character development for those old and new is superb. It's as if no question from Unwind has been left unanswered and even more concerns that went over our heads were addressed. New characters have been intertwined with familair characters in the most organic way which is ironic considering one these characters is anything but organic. Society just wants them to think that he is. See, that's the thing about individuality. It can't really be defined. And when it can, it will still be used against the source. Good intentions mean absolutely nothing in this world. Which brings us to the question, what exactly is being kept out of history books, "for the greater good" and who determines what is greater? UnWholly poses so many questions. UnWholly unveils the unimaginable lengths people go to live in their false truth, live their lies and force the world to. In this world, there are two lies and one truth. Finding that truth proves to be a greater task than Connor could have ever imagined.

UnWholly rises above rejection, fear, the impossible. UnWholly unveils the human heart in a way that shines high above the rest. UnWholly encourages its readers to take ahold of the power they have in the present for the future despite their past, doubt required. Ah, present. The unwinds were given the gift of life by a greater unknown and the older generation, mere human beings want to take that gift away, one to keep all for themselves. Who will soldier on? Who is willing to take back what is theirs? Find out in UnWholly, one of the most riveting reads of 2012 and one of the most powerful books of our time. If you start one trilogy this year, let it be this one!

Unwholly
by Neal Shusterman

Also in Series:
Unwind

In the aftermath of Unwind, Connor and Risa are still in the desert. It's the only place that is safe for them now. That and the only place that they can help the other AWOL's get to a safe place. At least until they turn seventeen and can't be Unwound anymore.

What is Unwinding? Well... if you don't behave? If your parents never wanted you? If you weren't living up to the expectations of what they wanted from you? They can turn you in for Unwinding. Where you're put to sleep, and every single cell in your body is taken away, every body part is seperated and sent out. Used as replacement parts for those that need them. Or even just want them. Plastic surgery with an entirely new kick. Most parents don't Unwind their children until they're teenagers and that, is where they make their mistake.

This book, introduces Cam. A boy that is completely made out of Unwound children, completely created from parts and was no one before he was created. From his brain to his toes, everything is made. He is a mishmash of skin tones, hair tones, pianists, runners, Olympic dreamers. He is proof that Unwinding can be used even further than just to create a new spine or replace a leg. He is proof that we could create a whole new kind of being. Special ordered children.

But is the world ready for all of this?

Unwind was initially written as a stand alone book. It was a fantastic novel, and one I liked a lot. So, I wasn't surprised when the author decided there was more story to tell. I was a little curious if there was going to be some sort of .. drag. Or that I would feel he stretched too far just so that he could continue writing the series. But, I was plesantly surprised. He really thought out what direction he wanted the book to take, and he really fleshed out the world of Unwinding, as well as what the possibilities are. Not to mention the dark underbelly of such a thing.

I loved the way that he used this novel to really flesh out the world. It wasn't really just about Connor and Lev this time. There were several characters that got to be in the spotlight here and there. Which really fleshed out the world. We were still following Lev, Connor, and Risa around. But the bringing in of Miracolina, Starkey and Cam. Where fantastic additions. I thought overall, it was a fantastic novel.

I never once got bored or felt like there was a space that lulled too much. I loved the way that the author jumped around from one character to another constantly, keeping the world evolving and making sure that you touched on everyone. I loved the complexity of the characters and how they're trying to find their places in the world while trying to make a huge impact. No teen should be Unwound.

I'm truly eager for the next book. I'm so excited that he decided to make this book a series. I really do love to find that gem, of a single book that just does what it's supposed to. Tell a good story. Unwound had done that. But, now that it's becoming a series I think that he has a real treasure on his hands. He is doing such a fantastic job of making his way in the Dystopian world. Not to mention, making sure to give the readers something to think about. Honestly, I could see this on school reading lists because I think a GREAT deal of amazing conversation could come from something like this.

5 stars

I LOVE this series! 4.5 stars. UnWholly is even more addicting than book 1, Unwind. I simply cannot wait for the third book next year.

Neal Shusterman's style is great -- at first, I thought that with the addition of all these new characters (Cam, Miracolina, Starkey), it would takeaway from the main story line and not give me enough "time" following the main three: Lev, Risa and Conner. But, I think Neal balanced all the stories well and never stayed away from one story line too long.

I know it took Shusterman 5 years to decide on releasing a second (and third) book in this series, and I'm so glad he did. While Unwind was a great standalone read, I felt like there was so much more to be said and done -- and it's great to see where the story is heading.

UnWholly picks up where Unwind stopped, with the appropriate amount of 'recap' -- but still, read Unwind first! Lev, Conner and Risa are now on their own paths, facing more and more disturbing and scary situations. The book, much like Unwind, is full of ethical debates and decisions for each and every character... each must follow their path to realize what it means to them to be alive, and not just alive but to make their lives mean something.

How far would you go to survive? The addition of the new characters adds many more layers to the story following others from different backgrounds: some you hate and some you end up sympathizing with even when it seems highly unlikely. Oh... and you thought ROLAND was bad?? Just wait.

If you read Unwind and enjoyed it, you won't be disappointed in this book. I think it was even better than the first. If you haven't yet, I highly suggest you do! Great books, and I can't wait for book 3! :)

Reading this book series so far has really brought back my interest for reading books again. This book captivated my mind because it was just my level and it also had all the attributes to the types of books that I wanted to read. Those types of books is action, and I guess sci-fi books. The beginning of the book was a bit confusing for there was many characters brought back who I could not remember all the details about. The beginning mostly introduces the effects of the Happy Jack Harvest Camp Explosion by Conner, Lev and Risa. This brought more awareness to the problem of unwinding. Powerful businesses feel violated by this act and all three teens are presented as hostile to the world. Throughout the book, we soon learn about a new creation of the highest valued unwind parts to create the perfect Frankenstein, Camus Comprix. He is a teen who does not basically exist since he was created and does not technically have a soul. His fate will soon intertwine with Conner, Lev and Risa under a vengeful bounty hunter in which Conner had done wrong.

Picking up this book brought back memories of when I was a child because Conner and Lev remind me of the heroes who want to stop the bad guys. This book also starts teaching me about responsibility and trust with your closest friends. This book is well made because it gives the perspective of each main character by allowing us to experience their side of the plot and their feelings towards it. This book also teaches me that people will do anything to protect their loved ones from harm. Conner shows this throughout the book for Lisa when he feels that she is in danger.

Unwind stands out for me as one of my favorite works of fiction of any genre. I was somewhat skeptical when I learned that there was not only going to be a sequel, but in fact a trilogy. I didn't feel that there was any way that Shusterman could surpass the mind bending drama he so thrillingly brought to life in Unwind. I don't think he surpassed the original with Unwholly, but he certainly provided us with a worthy sequel. He develops the ideas brought forth in Unwind in a way I wasn't expecting, introducing compelling new characters while never losing touch with the old ones. Unwholly doesn't deliver the same shock value as Unwind, but it is in no way a typical "middle book" of a trilogy. There's a valid story here that the author seamlessly develops using spot on pacing, rapid fire dialogue, and smooth transitions between a surprisingly large number of characters.

The author once again turns a keenly observant eye to a society so consumed with the essential question of pro choice vs. pro life that it's forgotten about the kids who are already here. The picture he paints of a defunct education system, dysfunctional family units, and a society that has become so sick that it's forgotten what it's like to be a well will no doubt resonate among teen readers. This is a book that along with its predecessor begs to be discussed and parsed and discussed again.

Unwholly is an exciting read. I didn't expect it to be as good as Unwind, and was very surprised when I found myself once again totally involved in this world. This is one of the few middle books that I've read that does an excellent job of continuing the story, adding to the world building, and effectively expanding on themes and ideas. This is not a cliff hanger ending, but an open one and I can't wait to find out where things are headed next.

I don't typically read the synopsis of a book because I worry about spoilers and IMO, this one has a huge spoiler. The good news is, I read it after I started reading the book so I already knew about this part of the book.

Now that I've gotten that part out of the way, let me get to the good stuff.

UnWholly is just as good, if not better than Unwind. I thought it would be just a continuing story of the main characters, but I was so wrong..

This book introduces new characters that you'll love and hate. Neal Shusterman does a great job of inter-twining the new characters with the old. In this story, the author does a great job at keeping the basis of the Unwind story moving forward while adding new twists and turns.

Ready for book 3, UnSouled.

With Unwind being a favorite book of mine, I was excited to see that there would be a trilogy yet skeptical at the same time. With such a well-written book, I didn't know how Neal Shusterman could add to the sequels to make them better than the original. I was wrong.

UnWholly picks up a year after Unwind ends, so if you haven't read the first in the series, go do that RIGHT NOW. We get to see some of the characters we befriended in the last book: Connor, who is tediously trying to manage the Graveyard of AWOL unwinds; Risa, who's frustration is coming to a boiling point; and Lev, who is trying to find his purpose in the world now that he's known as "the clapper who didn't clap." We also get to meet some new chilling characters, like Miroclina, the tithe who refuses to brainwashed into thinking unwinding is bad; Starky, the angry kid who will save "storked" kids at all cost; and Camus Grandprix, the very first human to be made completely with parts from unwound kids. These new characters fit in perfectly and give a whole new dimension to the story, since Neal Shusterman does switch character perspectives frequently.

This is not your happy unicorns and butterflies book. It is a dark portrayal of the US in the future, so it's best to say it's a book for middle school aged kids and up. My advice is this: get through the first 100 pages. If you are not hooked, then this entire genre just isn't for you because this book is one of the best ones out there.

It’s been a long wait for this book, but Unwind fans will not be disappointed. Several new characters are added to the mix; some good, some bad, but they all have their own agenda. Connor, Lev, and Rise not only have to deal with Juvies and harvest camps, but also with parts pirates, those who kidnap kids to meet the demand for organs the Cap-17 law has created. There’s plenty of suspense and action that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. I absolutely could not put the book down during the last hundred pages because I just had to find out how everything worked out. This series also calls into question ethical issues and moral values: How far would you go to stay alive? Would you take the body part of a kid who maybe wasn’t a bad person, but their parents found them to be too much trouble? I can’t wait to read the third book and find out how the story ends!

more reviews at: adventureswithinthepages.tumblr.com

Okay, I'll be the first to admit, I was not overly excited to read this book. I liked Unwind--but didn't love it. In fact, UnWholly sat at the bottom of my "to read" stack for about a month before I finally got around to reading it. It sounds silly, but the cover was a little too creepy for me and I wasn't jumping to pick it up. But, I did finally read it, and...drumroll please...my expectations were wildly exceeded!

There were so many things that I just adored about this book. It had been several years since I read Unwind, but there were bits and pieces, (no pun intended) to help review the first book enough that I didn't feel lost at all.

I generally don't love the third person POV, but in this case, it worked. Observing things from so many different perspectives really helped capture the full story. Several new characters were introduced this time around and the author eloquently weaved each of their viewpoints together. We were also able to see deeper insights into characters we know and love, such as Connor, Lev and Risa.

I have seen so many middle novels in trilogies act as just a filler between books. This was not the case with UnWholly. Neal Shusterman did a great job picking up where Unwind left off. Not once did I feel like this was just a second book in the trilogy. It never felt stagnant or sluggish. The author is such a fantastic storyteller that this book really can stand on its own. It moved along at just the right pace, with each chapter making me more invested in the characters and their struggles.

I also really appreciated the fact that Shusterman was able to convey deep emotions without resorting to excessive profanity. I've read quite a few YA books where authors think the more they curse, the better they will get their point across. In UnWholly, I still felt all of the characters' angst, fury, disappointment, love or fear without the author expressing vulgarity and profanity. This book just goes to show that emotionally charged stories can be told while still remaining clean and appropriate for the young adult audience.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the ending. I won't give any spoilers away, but I was so happy that Shusterman was able to conclude the book with some resolution instead of leaving everything open-ended. It's obvious that many questions still remain for the third book to answer, but UnWholly ended with some closure, as well as hints as to the direction the final installment will take. All in all, a great story that left me salivating for the next one!

I thought this book was a great sequel to Unwind. What I like most about this series are all the different moral issues it makes you think about. Is one life more valuable than another. Who decides? Is being raised to be a tithe brainwashing? What if you needed a body part to live. What if your family member needed one?

I thought the book had great pacing with suspense that builds as you go. I loved the introduction of the new character Cam which brings in even more questions about the soul and what makes life. Are you more than the sum of your parts? The transformation of Miracolina was also nice as she found a different purpose for her life. Risa's changing attitude towards Cam was also a good subplot. I think this book is really great for the YA audience because there are so many ideas that can be debated and discussed. It would also make a great selection for book clubs for older folks for just the same reasons.

I am looking forward to the final installment of this series!

Another book to rock me to my very core. I was horrified at some of the things going on in this installment of the series. Particularly the events unfolding around Cam. My heart breaks for some of the kids at the Graveyard and especially for Risa and Connor as they continue their journeys. From the start something was off with other characters for me and I was sad to see that I was correct. I'm anxious to see more of this world and these stories. I want to hear more about Lev, Risa and Connor specifically. I encourage fans of dystopian and fans of Shusterman to read this series!

Unwind is one of my favorite books of all time. I love everything Neal Shusterman writes, but Unwind holds a special place in my heart. When I found out he was writing a sequel to it, I was ecstatic! I waited patiently for the day it would finally be released. When it was, I was on vacation, but I went out to a bookstore near where I was staying and bought the book the day it came out.

I finished this book in 2 days. It shows you new sides of the not-so-impossible-to-imagine future world of Unwind. You learn history of Unwinding, and this book is also filled with action, suspense, and various viewpoints to show every angle and every opinion on Unwinding. The characters develop beautifully, and, as all Neal Shusterman books are, UnWholly is extremely well-written. You will definitely not want to put this book down!

As I write this review, I listen to the organ grinder outside, his monkey, no doubt, perched on his humpback. The government could take care of that back, of course, and give him a spine. No, not the kind of spine Congressmen need, the actual vertebrae. The G men are in the business. Organs R Us. Which can only mean the black market isn't far behind. You know. Freelancers. Rock chalk chop shops.

This is the sequel to UNWIND, which introduced us to the concept of misbehaving teens getting their comeuppance via stormtroopers visiting in the dead (heh) of night. All the thugs need is the signature of Mommy and Daddy -- parents who just don't know what to do with their out-of-control, drug-taking, hard-drinking, utterly-defiant child. From there the 12-18 year-olds are farmed out to processing plants where they are harvested, such that their eyes could wind up in Tallahassee, their lungs in Seattle, their heart in San Francisco (sorry), their kidneys in Corpus Christi (I'll stop, I promise), and their liver in Poughkeepsie.

Variation on a Theme of Vampires, call it. Older, weaker, diseased vampires who suck the lifeblood out of the young and healthy. Age preys on youth, assisted by Uncle Sam. Remember "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and the quest for eternal youth? What of the Fountain of Youth? The precedents in literature and history are out there, certainly. "Oh, if I knew then what I know now," and "Youth is wasted on the young." No more.

But I digress. With UnWHOLLY, Shusterman shows his screenwriting chops. This is cinema waiting to happen. And he's upped his game. A lot of irons in the fire. We have the returning stars from Round #1: Connor, the leader of the Graveyard hideout in the Arizona desert; Risa, his wheelchair-bound would-be lover who worries about him; Hayden, the computer guru in charge of defense; Trace, the muscle (here, very Frenchily, called "boeuf") of the outfit; and Lev, the little tithe that could.

Oh. And a returning bad guy -- Nelson, a former Juvie cop humiliated in the Happy Jack Harvest Camp climax of book one, here to seek revenge in the worst possible way as a freelance body parts guy. His number one objective is rebel number one: Connor. And his number one "vengeance is mine, saith the Lord" goal: to have Connor's eyes as his own after the Akron AWOL is captured and unwound.

Lovely.

We also get a new bad boy named Starkey, cut in the same mold as Roland, the lost teen villain of book one (though his arm remains -- attached to Connor... don't ask).

And little Miracolina, the tithe who doesn't want to be saved.

And Roberta, the bitch on wheels who works for the Proactive Citizenry arm (probably some teen athlete's) of the Feds.

And, my favorite, Cam (a.k.a. Camus Comprix), an echo of Frankenstein's monster (Roberta in the role of good doctor and handler). Cam is the first creature ever stitched from multiple unwinds, the best and the brightest and the strongest. He wasn't a person to begin with, someone in need of a part or two, he is the sum of other kids' parts -- every blessed (or cursed) square inch of him. Buff and Brains, call him. And he's in love with a girl named Risa (but of course).

If your wheels are turning just thinking about all of this, so were Shusterman's. He's got threats from the inside (Starkey), from the outside (Nelson), from the government (Juvie Stormtroopers), from the Proactive Citizenry bureaucrats-gone-wild (Roberta), and maybe, just maybe, from this new Superman... er, SuperTHING (Camus Comprix). Meanwhile he's got the subplot of Miracolina, the Little Unwind Who Wouldn't (cooperate with her rescuers). All told, we have loose cannons, looser snipers, and loosest armies ready to storm the Arizona hideout at the drop of a code word ("Pancreas," maybe). What a glorious mess.

And it's not over, either. It doesn't even pretend to be. Book #3 is in the pipelines. UnWholly is clearly unwhole and incomplete. So cool your jets, readers. There's more where this came from.

Overall, lots of fun and sure to intrigue young readers in middle and high school alike. Remarkably clean. Some violence, of course, but no propane language (an abundant gas in YA fare these days) or hanky-panky to speak of. My one-star objection is Shusterman's heavy use of that YA stock character, Coincidence. He's all over the place, bringing characters together in one "Are you serious?" surprise after another. I don't mind a little, but really, in a great big country like ours, it's amazing how quickly a central set of antagonists stumble upon each other. And to have one part of Cam be an unwind who pined for Risa... well, that's just straight out of "Who'd of thunk it?" now, isn't it?

That said, high marks all around. This is better than your average YA bear. And the character of Cam is a fascinating one. As an echo of Frankenstein's beast, he is both reprehensible and sympathetic, poster child for scientific hubris and Adamic cause for compassion. A victim with all the advantages the rest of us would love to be saddled with -- a perfect body and a perfect brain. And finally, raison d'être for Book #3, the last (one hopes... the series thing can really get out of hand and stretch fans out forever).

Anyway, such were my thoughts as the organ grinder played on in the street below my window....

I am not sure why, especially since I am not into the dystopian genre, I enjoyed this book so much. Guess I bought the premise of the Great Cultural War and the bizarre compromise. No swearing, no sex, no gratuitous violence. I would recommend for teens and grandparents, but not to parents of teenagers. Ha Ha!

Unwind was one of most interested and intriguing books I have read in the past couple of years. I have forced everyone I know to read it. So, imagine my delight when I saw there was a trilogy in the works. Although I admit unwholly didn't have the same impact as unwind, an impossible task given the nature of the shock value of the first book, this one was very good. A real thrill ride from start to finish, thoughtful character development and a story that never stops surprising me. The character of Cam made you really stop and think about just what it is that makes us human. For anyone who liked unwind, give it a read. And if you haven't read unwind, go do it now and relish the fact that there are two more books to read once that one is done.

UnWholly is the second book in the Unwind trilogy. It starts with a recap of Unwind, but not in the normal recap way. There is a short question and answer section. I felt that it gave me a good reminder of what happened. If I had just read Unwind, I wouldn't have had to read that section. Most books spend multiple chapters with subtle or not so subtle reminders of what happened in previous books. I like that there was an option to not have to read it, but it was there if you needed it (which I did. It had been way too long since I'd read Unwind.)

This book started similar to how Unwind started. There are new characters introduced. While it seemed very similar to the first book to begin with, there was soon a twist. Soon, the characters from Unwind start showing up as well. In all honesty, I feel there were too many characters in this book. It is definitely my biggest complaint. For the most part, I was able to keep them all straight. It didn't ruin the book at all, and I realize that all of the characters were necessary for the story.

It took me quite awhile to read this book, but not because it was difficult to read or because I wasn't interested. I really absorbed all of it. I could tell how important every part was, and I didn't want to miss any information that might come up later. I really enjoyed Unwind, and I was kind of nervous to read UnWholly. Second books in trilogies are often just not very exciting to me. Thankfully UnWholly pretty much blew me out of the water. I was very impressed, and I am anxiously awaiting the finality of the trilogy.

When I passed the New Books shelf in my local library, I thought the cover looked familiar. Like, Unwind familiar. So I took a closer look, and - oh god - it's a sequel! To Unwind! Needless to say I swiped the book right off the shelf, even if I might've given the woman who was also browsing the shelf a nasty shock.

UnWholly is written from different subjective third-person POVs. You may think this leads to a choppy feel, but it doesn't. After awhile you get used to Shusterman's style.

We are introduced to a number of new characters, and though this might make you go, 'Where are Connor, Risa or Lev?' at first, you will soon be fascinated by the new characters and love to hear from them as well. Shusterman is a master at plot, weaving separate story lines into the heart-gripping conclusion, that - of course - maddeningly hangs off a cliff and makes the reader cry for the next instalment.

UnWholly held my attention from the start. I couldn't put the book down. The world is rich and stands on its own, and the characters real and sympathetic. You see them transition and grow and you cheer for them (even if there isn't much to cheer about).

Connor, Risa and Lev don't disappoint, and several times during the book I found myself tearing my hair out telling Connor to watch out for that guy! (I won't tell you who.) Connor and Risa's relationship has also met a speedbump, and it tore my heart out. Risa also finds herself the subject of a new character's amorous feelings, and the guy is so likable it tore my heart out to read about that, too. (Yes, this book tore my heart out a ton of times.)

As an aspiring author myself, I was deeply impressed by Shusterman's writing style and the depth of this book. Boy has this book got DEPTH. Besides the rich world-building, there are ethical issues raised in this book that go beyond your imagination. Shusterman grabs a problematic issue and pushes it until he can push it no further. If you enjoy a book that sets your mind reeling, UnWholly is the book for you.

Neal Shusterman delivers a thrilling Masterpiece in the companion to the mesmerizing 'UNWIND.' Society is trying to get rid of troubled teens, a sadistic bounty hunter changes Cam's fate, and Cam who is a futuristic Frankenstein struggles for identity as the author portrays the value of life itself. There are chilling twists-and-turns from beginning to end. The unforgettable characters come to life, the suspense is intense throughout, and the action is explosive. The riveting story will have you on the edge-of-your-seat as you crave for more. If you enjoyed THE HUNGER GAMES, you will love UNWHOLLY, a thrill ride you won't forget. Highly Recommended to all thriller lovers!

Neal Shusterman strikes again with Unholy. Unwholly is a sequel to Unwind, the first book in a 4 book series. The books take place in a semi futuristic world after a second civil war fought between the pro life and pro choice forces. One moral of the series is that if no two sides can agree, the result is always worse. This is the case in this world, and unwinding is the result of this war. Unwinding is process of harvesting all parts from a live and well human being whom is literally being "unwound". The choice to be unwound is determined by ones parents or legal guardians and no unwind order can be undone. Connor, Lev and Risa are the story's main characters, each having escaped their unwinding, they each have a unique background. Meanwhile in Unholy, a slew of new characters are introduced, including Miracolina, Cam, Starkey and Nelson. The four new characters and three previous ones intertwine to further the complexity and intricacy of the Unwind world. The three original characters separate but it only allows more leeway for further building of the story. Over all, it is a great sequel, for a great concept, developed by a great author. I give Unwholly a 9/10 stars and am reading the next two books. Go pick up your own copy today, and if you haven't already, read the first book in the series, Unwind!

Picture a futuristic world, where a war has occurred between the pro-life and pro-choice groups. In the end neither group really won; the representatives merely reached a compromise that suited both sides. Abortion was made illegal, but parents were given the option to "unwind" their teenagers and sell their bodies for parts. You have just entered the horrifying world of Neal Shusterman's dystopian quartet. Today I'm reviewing the second book in the set, Unwholly, about which my reaction is mixed.

At first, my feelings slid more towards the negative. Of course I was eager to reconnect with the characters of Unwind. How would Connor fare as the leader of the Graveyard, a safe haven for teens marked to be unwound? How will Risa handle being paralyzed from the waist down after the attack on Happy Jack Harvest Camp? How will Lev deal with his newfound hero status, which he received when he refused to become a "clapper" (suicide bomber)? But instead of these familiar characters, Unwholly introduces me to Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam-a whole new cast of characters! Of course this is okay, but it's just not what I was hoping for.

Not that these new characters don't have potential. Miracolina, like Lev, is a tither-one who has been predestined since birth to be unwound. And Cam, is a composite of several unwound teenagers, who is intended to represent the perfect human being. These new faces, plus many more I haven't mentioned, make for a huge cast. This is nothing new for Shusterman, who played the same juggling game in Unwind. The problem is that I didn't initially care for any of the new characters. Yes, being slated to be unwound would probably make anyone a tad bitter; but Starkey, with his power-obsessed "corporate" soul, is simply not likable. I couldn't wait for Shusterman to switch to the viewpoint of another character, but Miracolina and Cam weren't particularly better.

My last complaint is that the first half of Unwholly felt weighted down with politics. Fans of The Hunger Games Trilogy might compare the moments when Katniss is with family or in the arena to those when she's in the capitol. Indeed, at times, especially when Risa is being forced to work for an organization called Proactive Citizenry, it felt as if I were reading the more nauseating parts of The Hunger Games Trilogy again.

Now that I have seemingly trashed Unwholly, let me step back and tell you that ultimately I enjoyed it. Eventually, Connor is reintroduced and is portrayed as sympathetically as a teenager who, having been prematurely saddled with the responsibility of leadership, wishes more than anything to live a normal life. For The Hunger Games Trilogy fans who were disappointed when Katniss became semi-comatose in Mockingjay, you'll be happy to know that Connor remains very much at the forefront of the plot. Risa also returns and faces tough choices, when she's forced to choose between violating her ethics and saving her friends. She's also the reason that we see a different side to Cam, who at first she was inclined to hate. And Lev struggles with his conscience when he rescues a tither, who turns out to believe much more strongly in that position than him.

As for the rest of the cast, you already know I didn't initially care for many of the newcomers. As the story progressed, most of them grew on me. Through Miracolina, Shusterman helps us remember that some people really do have the strength of their convictions, even to the point of being willing to die for their faith, and he raises the question of whether we have the right to interfere. Through Cam, Shusterman points out that sometimes we can't do anything about our background, but that doesn't mean we can't do something to make the world a better place.

But not every character has a warm and fuzzy side. Shusterman gives his readers one character who they will love to hate-a "parts-pirate" (one who deals illegally in human body parts) who approaches the level of the best horror movie villains. There is no third dimension to this character. There's no sob story that explains why he is the way he is. He's evil, and we are free to loathe him with wild abandon.

As the characters of Unwholly started to pull me into, I also began to better enjoy immersing myself into their world and so, although Unwholly doesn't completely live up to my expectations, I like it well enough to be happy that I own it. I'm also still eagerly awaiting the sequels, one of which will be released in October and the other next summer.

The Good: Simply amazing. Unwind did not need a sequel. While it was a bit open ended, the story was perfect on its own. Unwholly was unnecessary. Except it wasn't. It was completely mind blowing. It took Unwind a step further, into an awesome place I never imagined. Risa's story line was science fiction gold. Absolute perfection. Nothing else was needed to convince me this book was spectacular. And then Lev's journey. Just wow. Everything in Unwholly made complete sense in the world it was set in.

The Bad: Not a thing.

UnWholly is equally as action-packed, attention-grabbing, and thought-provoking as book one in the Unwind series. I found UnWholly easy to jump into even though it's been a long time since I read the first book, and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

This book definitely did not suffer second book syndrome! Introducing various new and interesting characters, increasing the risk and intensifying the plot, UnWholly was a great sequel to a superb first book. I'm excited to see how Shusterman continues to spin the story and how it will all end up.

The book UnWholly by Neal Shusterman was a spine tingling adventure. Its set in a dystopian society with a slight modern day twist. UnWholly is book 2 of the Unwind trilogy. The book is told through many different views throughout the book. Each chapter is told in one of the main characters perspective and all of their perspectives end up leading together at the end. When I read unwind for the first time I did not get why it was keep jumping back and forth between the perspectives of the characters in each chapter, but then they eventually all lead together and I understood why Shusterman wrote it the way he did. The three main characters from Unwind: Connor, Risa and Lev are back and along with some new characters: Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam in UnWholly. Connor is a runaway unwind known as the “Akron AWOL”, and last in Unwind he was running the “graveyard”. I recommend this book (and this trilogy) because it really is an astounding book. UnWholly is full of suspense, it will keep you on you on the edge of your seat; you won't be able to put the book down because you will be wanting more and to know what will happen next.

Wholly freaking goodness! Wow.

I loved the previous installment in this trilogy, Unwind, and never imagined that Shusterman could outdo it. Boy, was I wrong!

Shusterman really upped the stakes in this book. He is a genius at devising subplots and masterfully weaving them all together into a beautiful, coherent story.

Of the book series that I've read thus far, this is the best sequel in a trilogy that I've experienced. Middle books that exist as a part of a trilogy, have a tendency to drag in pace; quite often, serving as merely a bridge between the first book and the third. This is certainly not the case with UnWholly. UnWholly introduces new characters (along with the old), new complexities to the arc of the story, and ups the action.

The Unwind trilogy is the most nuanced and thought provoking Young Adult (YA) dystopian series that I've read. Shusterman doesn't dodge or sugarcoat tough, controversial sociological and ethical issues that impact our society. He confronts them head on. And that's why I have so much respect for this series.

I can't wait for the third book to be released this fall!

Brilliant.

The Good: Simply amazing. Unwind did not need a sequel. While it was a bit open ended, the story was perfect on its own. Unwholly was unnecessary. Except it wasn't. It was completely mind blowing. It took Unwind a step further, into an awesome place I never imagined. Risa's story line was science fiction gold. Absolute perfection. Nothing else was needed to convince me this book was spectacular. And then Lev's journey. Just wow. Everything in Unwholly made complete sense in the world it was set in.

The Bad: Not a thing.

UnWholly is equally as action-packed, attention-grabbing, and thought-provoking as book one in the Unwind series. I found UnWholly easy to jump into even though it's been a long time since I read the first book, and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

This book definitely did not suffer second book syndrome! Introducing various new and interesting characters, increasing the risk and intensifying the plot, UnWholly was a great sequel to a superb first book. I'm excited to see how Shusterman continues to spin the story and how it will all end up.

The book UnWholly by Neal Shusterman was a spine tingling adventure. Its set in a dystopian society with a slight modern day twist. UnWholly is book 2 of the Unwind trilogy. The book is told through many different views throughout the book. Each chapter is told in one of the main characters perspective and all of their perspectives end up leading together at the end. When I read unwind for the first time I did not get why it was keep jumping back and forth between the perspectives of the characters in each chapter, but then they eventually all lead together and I understood why Shusterman wrote it the way he did. The three main characters from Unwind: Connor, Risa and Lev are back and along with some new characters: Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam in UnWholly. Connor is a runaway unwind known as the “Akron AWOL”, and last in Unwind he was running the “graveyard”. I recommend this book (and this trilogy) because it really is an astounding book. UnWholly is full of suspense, it will keep you on you on the edge of your seat; you won't be able to put the book down because you will be wanting more and to know what will happen next.

Wholly freaking goodness! Wow.

I loved the previous installment in this trilogy, Unwind, and never imagined that Shusterman could outdo it. Boy, was I wrong!

Shusterman really upped the stakes in this book. He is a genius at devising subplots and masterfully weaving them all together into a beautiful, coherent story.

Of the book series that I've read thus far, this is the best sequel in a trilogy that I've experienced. Middle books that exist as a part of a trilogy, have a tendency to drag in pace; quite often, serving as merely a bridge between the first book and the third. This is certainly not the case with UnWholly. UnWholly introduces new characters (along with the old), new complexities to the arc of the story, and ups the action.

The Unwind trilogy is the most nuanced and thought provoking Young Adult (YA) dystopian series that I've read. Shusterman doesn't dodge or sugarcoat tough, controversial sociological and ethical issues that impact our society. He confronts them head on. And that's why I have so much respect for this series.

I can't wait for the third book to be released this fall!

Brilliant.

I was disappointed. Unwind was such a well written and developed book so I had extremely high expectations for this. UnWholly takes off with a boy named Starkey, he's heard of the Akron AWOL and he thinks that he is dead from what he heard in the media. I had a mini hearth attack reading that but it's alright! False alarm.

Starkey is annoying. I could just stop there because its just the plain truth, but let me elaborate. He fools Connor, is single minded and is horridly sensitive. Not exactly what I call a likeable character. Conner, Risa and Lev, our main characters, are the most thoughtful and strongest characters in the book, so many actions they make are unthinkable yet so intriguing.

It's really hard for someone to right with several protagonists, I counted at least 10 different ones, Shusterman really knows how to right with large amounts of POV's. unlike some other books, these different POV's really take advantage and make the audience feel more enticed.

The romance was quite lacking, Connor and Risa barely made any interaction which made my heart ache. UnSouled BETTER give me more romance because I was expecting all when diving into the book.

I may as well admit now that I found it fairly hard to get into UnWholly. Taking me 5 days is really slow for me and I was surprised how quickly I finished the last 230 pages all today. This shows that the first 170 pages were boring and slow for me.

Unwind lovers, after your long wait, UnWholly has finally come so get prepared to be grossed out at the creepy parts and adoring some of our main characters.

I loved Unwind, thought it was a thought provoking book. Unfortunately, UnWholly was a disappointment to me. He introduced some new characters that were just replacements of characters in Unwind, nothing new.
The new discovery, Cam, to me, discredited the message the author was trying to convey in Unwind. There was no point why they created him, they just did because they could.
I started to skim the last half of the book, and stopped reading some of the characters POV altogether. I think I liked the first book so much, that Unwholly made me mad that the author couldn't live up to the potential of the first.
I will read the 3rd book, only to find out what happened to Connor, Risa, and Lev.

While I found the first book in the series (Unwind) to be absolutely mind blowing, I was rather disappointed with UnWholly and I can't quite put my finger on the reason. I think (maybe) I was expecting too much.

It's a book that I will definitely read again and I'm sure I'll enjoy it more the second time around. It definitely wasn't a bad read, it just didn't seem to live up to the first book.

Unwholly is the sequel to Unwind. It has been a long time waiting for this sequel. It did not disappoint!

Unwinding is still taking place. Children between the ages of 13-17 can be unwound if their parents sign the paperwork. The age used to be to 18, but has now changed to 17 which has caused a shortage of available parts. This has given rise to black market pirates.

Characters from Unwind are also in Unwholly. Connor, Risa and Lev are still fighting the battle for the right to live. Each one has a different battle that puts them in constant peril.

There are also new characters in Unwholly. One a horrifying creation that has taken unwinding to a whole new level.

I was not disappointed in the excitement of the story. The introduction of new characters kept the story from becoming stale. I'm looking forward to the last book in the trilogy and can only hope that it doesn't take another 4 years to come out.

The Unwind Dystology is a favorite with my students. Even my most reluctant high school student, once they begin reading the series, find themselves reading with enthusiasm. I have had students who have never finished a book in school before, come to me bragging about how this series actually made them want to read.

When I first read Neal Shusterman's book Unwind I was amazed at his ability to make the story come to life. I have since suggested the book to numerous students, friends and co-workers. When I heard that it was going to be made into a trilogy I was excited and apprehensive. I certainly didn't want an awesome book with an awesome story to go downhill and my expectations were high. All I can say is that I WAS NOT disappointed. Unwholly was superior. Neal Shusterman took a the story of Unwind to a whole new level, with all of the old characters and introducing new characters as well. I loved them and hated them so powerfully because his writing pulled me into the story. Unwholly was awesome, excellent, and amazing all at once.

Lately, I have been having a hard time finding a fusturistic dystopia series that I really could look forward to. I have read many series in this genre, but I haven't been able to truly get excited about any of them since The Hunger Games. Divergent was a great book, but the second two books in the series were slow. I finished the series pretty much hating it. In fact, I reread The Hunger Games for a third time that very weekened just to read such great writing in this genre. Unwholly, however, was just as thrillinng as the first book, Unwind. To me, this series is the next best thing since The Hunger Games.

I guess I'm not really feeling this series anymore. I really enjoyed the first one. This seemed like just a continuation of book one, same formula, and it didn't seem like a whole lot happened. I really didn't like any of the new characters, except maybe Cam. I HATED STARKEY. I hate him so much.

I didn't like Miracolina, although she finally ended up having some growth and growing a brain.

Connor was annoying and angsty, Risa was annoying and angsty (although she does get an interesting twist about halfway through). Lev had a good story. I think he is my favorite character.

I just don't think I care enough about the characters to read the last one. Maybe after a long break. I don't like the way the drama is set up either. As you can tell, it makes me a little ragey.

SPOILER

I am so ticked that "T" was killed off. And then we get to see his death scene as he drowns. ALL BECAUSE OF STARKEY. THAT was freaking annoying. T was the one other character in this I liked and then THAT happened.

(Note: This was a Goodreads two-star rating.)

I can sum up my thoughts in 2 words for Book 2 in the Unwind Trilogy Twistedly Awesome!!! I read the overview loved the idea, thinking I have not read book 1 in the trilogy I would be a bit confused as to what was going to go on. Some books require to read in order, when a series. Starting into UnWholly my thoughts were the same , "oh no need to read book 1" but no I didn't. I read UnWholly cover to cover, loving every word how Author Shusterman started each chapter with a name, flipped the story to each character having the story remain intriguing the entire book. After I was done with UnWholly, I started UnWinding going a little backwards. Author Neal Shusterman makes it worth it! Going backwards in the series I myself felt the unwinding! UnWholly screwed with my mind, in the most awesome way possible!!! I cannot say how often a book comes along that you are like I love it, but what the heck how can a world be so twisted!!! You have to read this....

I received an ARC copy FREE for the Publisher for 100 percent honest review.

UnWholly, the sequel to Unwind, was a long time coming. In fact, when I read Unwind for the first time nearly five years ago, I had no idea there would be a sequel. Neal Shusterman masterfully continues the stories of Conner, Risa, and Lev as he explores how mankind takes unwinding into new territory. New characters exploit others in their power plays, but our three protagonists continue to fight against unwinding. Kudos to Shusterman for continuing to produce stories worthy of discussion.

This was a very interesting sequel. Lots of action, potential for romance, mystery and saddness. I adore Cam but I won't tell you who he is. He's a new character. Risa is amazing and wait till you meet Miracolina. What a spitfire. Gotta get book 3!

This book was simply amazing! Without giving too much away, you can expect the see the same characters you love from the first book as well as new characters who will tug at your emotions in the same ways. The way the story in the second books goes makes perfect sense following the first story. What I liked best is that there are certain characters who I wanted to have more of a story in Unwind who got it in UnWholly. I tried not to zip through this book but I just couldn't put it down.

More GREAT stuff from Neal Shusterman. Great 'bad guy' you just want to love. There needs to be a movie of this series!!!
Dream Weaver (Dream Weaver Novels) (Volume 1)

If you liked Unwind, you should enjoy this continuation of the original story line. Many of the same characters are included along with some new and interesting developments. Well written and moves at a good pace. I am looking forward to the next installment due out soon.

After reading the first book if this series very enthusiastically, I immediately purchased the second and devoured it. It keeps you engaged and needing to turn the page the entire book. Great and intriguing story overall.

This is the second book in the Unwind Dystology. It continues to follow Connor, Risa, and Lev but pulls in other characters and new "laws" that raise important ethical questions. Elements of Frankenstein that call for pause---because this alternate society created by Shusterman is completely realistic. Scary.

A great emotional book that gets the reader angry, sad, defensive, and so much more. The structure and different point of perspective from the various characters is brilliant especially when they come and intertwine together. Defenitely a book that will keep you reading. Get out of your comfort zone and let this book challenge your morals. No matter what your beliefs you will absolutely take something significant from it.

Because they show the futility of trying to impose very wrong laws on an aware citizenry. I hope our own country realizes the very bad laws that are being enacted by the dictator-carts which are in charge now

When I stumbled across Unwind in the school a couple years ago, I was very happily surprised. Shusterman painted a vivid and hauntingly believable view of a world that had lost its morals, before closing on a high note. I was satisfied, but couldn't help but want more. Lo and behold, Unwholly! I snapped it up as soon as time would allow, and dove in expecting literary gold. I was not only satisfied, but once again blown away. Shusterman takes all of the interwoven story lines of Unwind and steps it up, introducing new characters, and deepening our understanding of who we already know. The only con I have to present is this: now that I've read book two, I won't be able to rest soundly until I know how it all ends.

Well-structured book that segues from the first novel of the trilogy. The second book, Unwholly, introduces new characters as well as unexpected twists that come about due to pressure exerted on the previous main characters. It further develops the events leading up to the war that preceded the order to unwind. The novel ends with resolution that also leaves open enough to make me anxiously await the third book.

I really enjoyed reading Unwind but I wasn't so sure the sequel would be able to maintain the standard set by its predecessor. Neal Shusterman did not disappoint! What I love about this book is how issues are presented and left for us to wrestle with ourselves. Answers aren't given, just e issue, and the state of the human condition. I'm looking forward to the next book.

This was a great book it worked so well together, in the next book I hope cam and Risa and Connor meet up, that will probably happen, I always thin it'd be coll if Connor goes back home to his parents and his other friend which I can't remember her name. I red both books in about 3 in a half weeks so if I'm gonna have to wait 5 years for the third I'll go crazy!

What a great follow-up to Unwind. This one is just as good. If only I can convince my husband to read the series - he can't get past the concept. He's missing out though!

On a side note, I'm sorry Neil Shusterman wasn't able to attend the Austin Teen Book Festival. Hopefully his mom is ok and he can make it back to Austin some time.

What a wonderful follow-up to the first book! I loved the new characters that were added. The great thing about these books is that there is such wonderful character development. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment!

I loved Unwind, thought it was a thought provoking book. Unfortunately, UnWholly was a disappointment to me. He introduced some new characters that were just replacements of characters in Unwind, nothing new.
The new discovery, Cam, to me, discredited the message the author was trying to convey in Unwind. There was no point why they created him, they just did because they could.
I started to skim the last half of the book, and stopped reading some of the characters POV altogether. I think I liked the first book so much, that Unwholly made me mad that the author couldn't live up to the potential of the first.
I will read the 3rd book, only to find out what happened to Connor, Risa, and Lev.

When I first read Neal Shusterman's book Unwind I was amazed at his ability to make the story come to life. I have since suggested the book to numerous students, friends and co-workers. When I heard that it was going to be made into a trilogy I was excited and apprehensive. I certainly didn't want an awesome book with an awesome story to go downhill and my expectations were high. All I can say is that I WAS NOT disappointed. Unwholly was superior. Neal Shusterman took a the story of Unwind to a whole new level, with all of the old characters and introducing new characters as well. I loved them and hated them so powerfully because his writing pulled me into the story. Unwholly was awesome, excellent, and amazing all at once.

I could not wait to read this book after reading unwind. I read it over Christmas break at my son's house. I had just finished unwind. This story gives you so much more info on the characters and how they feel. It is just awesome.

I guess I'm not really feeling this series anymore. I really enjoyed the first one. This seemed like just a continuation of book one, same formula, and it didn't seem like a whole lot happened. I really didn't like any of the new characters, except maybe Cam. I HATED STARKEY. I hate him so much.

I didn't like Miracolina, although she finally ended up having some growth and growing a brain.

Connor was annoying and angsty, Risa was annoying and angsty (although she does get an interesting twist about halfway through). Lev had a good story. I think he is my favorite character.

I just don't think I care enough about the characters to read the last one. Maybe after a long break. I don't like the way the drama is set up either. As you can tell, it makes me a little ragey.

SPOILER

I am so ticked that "T" was killed off. And then we get to see his death scene as he drowns. ALL BECAUSE OF STARKEY. THAT was freaking annoying. T was the one other character in this I liked and then THAT happened.

(Note: This was a Goodreads two-star rating.)

I am nearly done with the first book, audible version. The first book is really good so i got excited to download the second only to find out there is no audible version. Not even a CD version.

Please create the audible version.

I read Unwind six months ago and atleast once a week I find myself thinking about this book. The issues that are faced in the book may not be the realitys of today (I hope it never happens) But there is always tomorrow. I am looking forward to reading UnWholly.