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booksandthebea's review against another edition
5.0
Neal Shusterman has done it again. It was so nail bitingly awesome. Read it...just read it. Read UnWind first, but you have got to read these books, i doubt you'll regret it.
Merged review:
Neal Shusterman has done it again. It was so nail bitingly awesome. Read it...just read it. Read UnWind first, but you have got to read these books, i doubt you'll regret it.
Merged review:
Neal Shusterman has done it again. It was so nail bitingly awesome. Read it...just read it. Read UnWind first, but you have got to read these books, i doubt you'll regret it.
epenglin's review against another edition
5.0
This is an amazing sequel to it's equally amazing predecessor, and my only disappointment is that I have to wait until the third one comes out. The whole story and plot was well thought out and I couldn't have loved the characters more! I was left shocked, surprised, heartbroken, and even scared about some moments in this book; however, those moments needed to be read. Because in a world of so much conflict, there is most definitely hope for a better future, because "there's ordinary people out there doing extraordinary things."
Merged review:
This is an amazing sequel to it's equally amazing predecessor, and my only disappointment is that I have to wait until the third one comes out. The whole story and plot was well thought out and I couldn't have loved the characters more! I was left shocked, surprised, heartbroken, and even scared about some moments in this book; however, those moments needed to be read. Because in a world of so much conflict, there is most definitely hope for a better future, because "there's ordinary people out there doing extraordinary things."
Merged review:
This is an amazing sequel to it's equally amazing predecessor, and my only disappointment is that I have to wait until the third one comes out. The whole story and plot was well thought out and I couldn't have loved the characters more! I was left shocked, surprised, heartbroken, and even scared about some moments in this book; however, those moments needed to be read. Because in a world of so much conflict, there is most definitely hope for a better future, because "there's ordinary people out there doing extraordinary things."
yum_ashy's review against another edition
5.0
ate, slayed, devoured, I don't know what else to tell you. I have mixed feelings about Cam bc it's like ohh you're made out of unwound parts and you're low-key creepy sometimes but at the same time it's like yasss bite the hand that made you he's so cute he's in looovvveee
caitskye's review against another edition
5.0
Ah! This book was so gripping. Seriously, could not put it down!
So doing a review on a book in a series is really hard, because I want to blab about everything, but in no way would I want to spoil anything for anyone! My goal here is to keep this review short, to the point, and as vague as possible. No clues/hints here!
This series of books is so different from just about anything else that I usually read. It is dark, gritty, and really creepy while at the same time it has these amazingly good characters and light moments that are perfect. It helps that Mr. Shusterman is a wonderful writer. Seriously, I could read his stuff all day (which I end up doing, when I pick up one of his books!).
I feel like the characters in this series are really black and white, even though some of them may seem gray. That was confusing; I mean that I feel like I know who is a good person and who is kind of a nasty one! There are some characters that were new in this book that I just wanted to hide from; they gave me the heebie jeebies. And a certain someone ticked me off so bad, I wanted to strangle them. Everything felt so real, sometimes I forget that I am just not reading and not living this story.
I really did love the introduction of all the new characters, but I am also very attached to the characters from the first book and I was so glad they were back. I feel that Connor, Risa, and Lev really make these books for me! I love that they are each so different and yet very distinct. I just find myself rooting for them the entire time. I also love that we get to experience so many different PoVs; another compliment to Neal Shusterman that he can pull this off.
If you are looking for something epic, read this series. I was scared this book would succumb to the "second book slump", but it didn't at all. I couldn't put it down and the new characters and action kept it fresh. My favorite thing about these books is that they stick with me afterwards. I find myself thinking about them all the time, because they are so thought-provoking. I would definitely recommend these books to anyone.
So doing a review on a book in a series is really hard, because I want to blab about everything, but in no way would I want to spoil anything for anyone! My goal here is to keep this review short, to the point, and as vague as possible. No clues/hints here!
This series of books is so different from just about anything else that I usually read. It is dark, gritty, and really creepy while at the same time it has these amazingly good characters and light moments that are perfect. It helps that Mr. Shusterman is a wonderful writer. Seriously, I could read his stuff all day (which I end up doing, when I pick up one of his books!).
I feel like the characters in this series are really black and white, even though some of them may seem gray. That was confusing; I mean that I feel like I know who is a good person and who is kind of a nasty one! There are some characters that were new in this book that I just wanted to hide from; they gave me the heebie jeebies. And a certain someone ticked me off so bad, I wanted to strangle them. Everything felt so real, sometimes I forget that I am just not reading and not living this story.
I really did love the introduction of all the new characters, but I am also very attached to the characters from the first book and I was so glad they were back. I feel that Connor, Risa, and Lev really make these books for me! I love that they are each so different and yet very distinct. I just find myself rooting for them the entire time. I also love that we get to experience so many different PoVs; another compliment to Neal Shusterman that he can pull this off.
If you are looking for something epic, read this series. I was scared this book would succumb to the "second book slump", but it didn't at all. I couldn't put it down and the new characters and action kept it fresh. My favorite thing about these books is that they stick with me afterwards. I find myself thinking about them all the time, because they are so thought-provoking. I would definitely recommend these books to anyone.
helen_flower's review against another edition
4.0
I started this book after finishing Unwind, because I needed to know what happened. And this book doesn’t disappoint.
Unwholly picks up after the explosion at the harvest camp, and Connor is now leading the Graveyard in place of the Admiral. He’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders and I like that he doesn’t get it right all of the time. Connor makes mistakes, he trusts the wrong people and unconsciously neglects Risa, his partner. He makes all these mistakes because he’s only 17, a child still in an adults role trying his best. And that makes him relatable and likeable.
All the characters, new and old, are interesting and thought provoking. Cam is especially so and my opinion of him changed rapidly throughout the book as he grew and evolved. I can’t wait to see what he does in future books because I know it’s going to be extremely important to the plot.
As with all of Shusterman’s books, the writing is engaging and though provoking but exciting and thrilling. He has this great balance between keeping the plot going but adding in great lines of wisdom that really make the reader question their own morals.
A really great book, though not at the 4.5/5 stars I gave Unwind because this book didn’t have a passage that truly haunted me like the first one did.
Unwholly picks up after the explosion at the harvest camp, and Connor is now leading the Graveyard in place of the Admiral. He’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders and I like that he doesn’t get it right all of the time. Connor makes mistakes, he trusts the wrong people and unconsciously neglects Risa, his partner. He makes all these mistakes because he’s only 17, a child still in an adults role trying his best. And that makes him relatable and likeable.
All the characters, new and old, are interesting and thought provoking. Cam is especially so and my opinion of him changed rapidly throughout the book as he grew and evolved. I can’t wait to see what he does in future books because I know it’s going to be extremely important to the plot.
As with all of Shusterman’s books, the writing is engaging and though provoking but exciting and thrilling. He has this great balance between keeping the plot going but adding in great lines of wisdom that really make the reader question their own morals.
A really great book, though not at the 4.5/5 stars I gave Unwind because this book didn’t have a passage that truly haunted me like the first one did.
jordan8791's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
silvia10smith's review against another edition
4.0
Engrossing and suspenseful, with new characters that add a lot of different perspectives to the conflict. I really like how thoroughly and humanly Shusterman explores his conflict.
sue_loves_to_read's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa—and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp—people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simltaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.
Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.
I'd been really looking forward to this book but it didn't live up to its predecessor. That's possibly because I was familiar with the concept of unwinding. It's still pretty horrific and the way that Shusterman inserts advertisements throughout the book is a very effective way of showing how people are influenced by a constant barrage of propaganda. I found the flipping of the narrative between characters irritating and there seemed to be a lack of depth. Still a good plot though and I'll definitely read the final book in the trilogy.
robinbridgefour's review against another edition
5.0
Buddy Read/reread with my peeps at Buddies Books and Baubles
Shusterman is one of my favorite YA writers. He writes in such an engaging and imaginative way. The alternating PoVs each have a different voice and the glimpses into the minds of even the 'bad' characters gives immense insight into their motivations. I liked this just as much the second time through and it still holds strong as my favorite YA series to date. Well done Mr. Shusterman, well done.
Even if you aren't a fan of YA or only give few YA series a try I highly recommend this well thought out series.
Original Review July 2013
4.5 Stars.
“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.
Shusterman is one of my favorite YA writers. He writes in such an engaging and imaginative way. The alternating PoVs each have a different voice and the glimpses into the minds of even the 'bad' characters gives immense insight into their motivations. I liked this just as much the second time through and it still holds strong as my favorite YA series to date. Well done Mr. Shusterman, well done.
Even if you aren't a fan of YA or only give few YA series a try I highly recommend this well thought out series.
Original Review July 2013
4.5 Stars.
“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.
periwinkleocean's review against another edition
4.5
So. Good. guys i love this book. im going to have to drive to the library tomorrow and get the third one because its 1am and i cant do it now. shustermans writing makes me feel high. lev is my baby boy and i hate starkey and cam is kinda insane but in like a fun way. connor is such a hero and i love him for it. risa is so fucking cool. guys. guys. guys. i kind of love hayden as a sidekick. poor trace. my brain hurts. i actually cackled at the scene where the dj played the hokey pokey and like acc cackled bc yk i was full on laughing into my blaniet for like 20 seconds. wtf is this book and all its comedic minor details. like lev bby girl your hair. why was it brought up so often. good night and thanks for coming to my ted talk on wjy this book is amazing. and if youre wondering why its missing 0.5 stars its bc im picky and it doesnt completely have those 5 star vibes. also like,,,some scenes i kept accidentally skimming over