Unwholly

By Neal Shusterman

In a society where unwanted and troublesome teens are salvaged for their body parts, Connor, Risa and Lev continue to fight against the system that would 'unwind' them. Thanks to their high-profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding.Ridding society of so-called troublesome teens might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question and a new law passed. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests, not to mention the illegal 'Parts Pirates', that want to see it not only continue, but expand.

Connor, Risa and Lev each struggle to rescue as many AWOL teens as possible and offer them sanctuary. But life at the Graveyard is hard, rivalries bubble under the surface and the cracks are beginning to show.

And then there is Cam, a teen who does not exist. Made entirely out of parts from one hundred other 'unwinds', Cam is a 21stcentury Frankenstein, a rewound, struggling to find a true identity and meaning, and a place in society. But when a sadistic bounty hunter who takes "trophies" from all the 'unwinds' he captures starts to pursue Connor, Lev and Risa, Cam finds his own fate inextricably bound with theirs…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Sep 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9780857078636

Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty books, including Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award; Scythe, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book; Dry, which he cowrote with his son, Jarrod Shusterman; Unwind, which won more than thirty domestic and international awards; Bruiser, which was on a dozen state lists; The Schwa Was Here, winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award; and Game Changer, which debuted as an indie top-five best seller. He is the winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for the body of his work. You can visit him online at storyman.com.

Reviews for Unwholly

[ryant.b3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a company called Proactive Citizenry. They were a group designed to keep unwinding under control. They turned into a group that supported unwinding, and made it worst. A new creation is created, and his name is Cam. He is a creation of unwind parts thrown together. Connor, Lev, and Risa are running towards answers this time instead of running away. Risa is seperated and meets Cam, and is scammed into supporting Proactive Citenzry. The Juvenile Authority comes and destroys the Graveyard.This book was less exciting than the first book, but it was still good. My favorite person was Nelson the cop. My least favorite person was Cam. My favorite part was when Risa dissed on Proactive Citenzry. My least favorite part was when the Graveyard was destroyed. I can't wait to read the third and fourth book. They will probably be better than the first and second book combined.

[anatoliar.b1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Connor is now in charge of the Graveyard. Risa is paralyzed form the waist down. Lev is...somewhere. One day some stupid kids get hurt and Risa joins them on a trip to the hospital. At the hospital some really complicated set of events take place and Risa sort of gets kidnapped by some people and is forced to have her spine replaced. Risa meets a boy named Camus, Cam for short, and is horrified because Cam wasn't born, he was made entirely from unwound teens. Later in the story, Connor get betrayed by a double-agent-type-person and Risa is blackmailed and forced to support unwinding on television. The book wasn't too great in my opinion. But on the other hand, there were several cool moments. There were a few parts that were really sad and i kind of liked that. The reasons that i didnt like the book were that there were several slow parts and boring plots. There were also so charaters and situations that i did not think were necessary.

[krissiemarie-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was sucked in by these books, I couldn't put them down, I started them randomly when I found a article about distopian novels like the hunger games. I was surprised how good they were, strange, bizarre, and I can see it happening in the future. But I just couldnt put them down, everyone should read these.

[nlmii · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book series continues to be an emotional one, I appreciate that its more focused on the characters trying to survive and less of the usual teenage drama and sex fest that some novels are typical of doing.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's been awhile since I read the first book in this 4 book set. I loved Unwind and shared it with my then 13 year old grandson! He read all 4 books and loved them. He's now 17 and too old to be unwound now! Neal Shusterman does an amazing job with his world building, so good in fact that it's easy to believe we live in that world. Of course, with what's going on in the world, it makes these books very frightening.

[myntop · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[Eliana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it. The characters were great. The relationships powerful and realistic. But what I love the most is the tension. I was constantly on the edge of my seat while reading this. The last bit was heartbreaking yet chilling. Would absolutely recommend it for fans of the Hunger games and the Mazerunner

[lisa5127 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If I had never started the Scythe series, this would easily be five stars. But, in my opinion, Scythe is a bit stronger of a series. Of course, that could also be because I am DYING for the third book to be released!

UnWholly is a fantastic continuation of the story started in book 1. Lev makes a strong comeback in this novel as he comes into his own and learns what he believes for himself.

Miracolina is introduced as a new character. She is a tithe who feels even more strongly about her tithing than Lev did.

Starkey appeared in the first book. He becomes someone you learn to hate, a lot! His quest to take over Connor's job is his sole, selfish purpose.

Cam, another new character, I won't go into detail on him so I don't spoil anything. He is about as complicated as can be. I hated him, then I loved him, then I wasn't sure, but in the end, I think he is going to play a very critical role in the series.

Connor continues to do his best to lead the kids at the base. Leading becomes harder and harder as things fall apart.

Risa makes a big move that she thinks will help everyone. Of course, it is not that simple. Luckily, she is street smart and knows how to deal with life. Again, I don't want to spoil anything here, but her story continues to be a good one.

I am already on the wait list for book #3!

[librarianryan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

#BBRC #middleofaseries#Booked2020#Popsugar#BeatthebacklistShusterman has done it again. Unwind ripped my heart out. It had me in tears and hopeful for a better future. This sequeal has brought so much more depth to the story but left me with a more happy heart which is amazing considering the death count. I am glad they changed the covers. The original cover was all dark with a man with a scared face on the cover. It’s too dark. That man is Cam and while is jealous and territorial, he is not dark...at least not yet. Cam is an expirament. He was purposefully made parts of 99 different unwinds. Nothing but the best. It is interesting to watch him become a person and learn to be real. Just this aspect of the story could keep a book club talking for days.Connor is now in charge of the airplane graveyard and all the kids there. Risa is in charge of medical until she is blackmailed into a new role. I love to see these two develop as characters. Lev is still here as well, but he is lost. He is on house arrest, but not really sure what to do or where to go in life from here. At points he is given “god like” qualities that he knows he can not live up to, but at the same time we get to see him try to find a new truth for himself between a former tithe and a regular teenager given celebratory.We get a few new characters. The main one to consider is Starkey. Towards the beginning of the book, I feel for him. I see him as the next Connor, but the further the story progresses the more we have to ask ourselves if Starkey is a hero or a villain. What are his actions and why?As always Shusterman writes a universe I DO NOT want to live in, but am fascinated to watch. There are still 2 more complete books to go and a collection of short stories. Being that I am living in the Covid-19 quarantine timeline, I see many things that resemble our current society and am fearful that Shusterman has a Wells-like quality of predicting the bad things of the future. For all our sakes, I hope not.

[sheiladeeth_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first book of Neal Shusterman’s dystopian series stood well on its own, but Unwholly adds intriguingly, not just to the tale but also to the questions arising from the tale. Morality skewed by history and politics; religion skewed by peer pressure; good intentions skewed by cruel lies… It’s a book that invites readers to ponder the meaning and value of life, by showing what might happen if lives are devalued. But of course, the lie is that the devalued lives will gain value in being “divided.”While one character struggles to believe he is human, others are told their only worth is their body parts—and some even believe it. Plausible characters, fascinating dilemmas, and unpredictably intersecting story arcs draw the story together, while newspaper articles (most scarily, those real articles that label “feral teens”) offer a larger and haunting worldview. How easily deception becomes the norm (think Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale).A dystopia that might not be so implausible, a wealth of human mystery and worth, great characters and great plot—I really enjoyed the read!Disclosure: I was given the set as a gift and I love them all.

[jothebookgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Disturbing, chilling, dark, and sickly dystopian, Unwholly is a tour de force. This is the second book in the Unwind series, and Shusterman is superb!

Captivating but broken characters carry the plot along. Unwholly is set in the not so distant future where medicine can cure just about anything. Parents who can no longer “parent” turn to a system that can take their errant teen off their hands. The kids get shipped off to a facility where they are unwound, or basically taken apart and sold for parts. One arm here, one eye there, one spinal cord over there. Of course, the parents think they’re doing the right thing—allowing their broken teen to live on in many other people. Imagine, a blind boy getting new eyes, a cripple walking, a car accident victim given another limb. What a great program, the parents think.

Some teens are able to escape and form a resistance movement. Led by the Akron AWOL, or Connor Lassiter, the teens live in the Phoenix desert holed up in an airplane graveyard. Connor is getting nervous. He knows the Juvies, sadist cops who turn in Unwinds, know about the graveyard and know that there are hundreds of kids living there. Why aren’t they making a move, Connor wonders. Why are they leaving us alone, he asks. When he finds out there’s a traitor in his own camp, he realizes that the kids may have to make a run for it.

Risa, Connor’s sometime girlfriend, is captured and becomes the face of Proactive Citizenry—the organization responsible for thousands of teens’ unwindings. Not only that, Proactive Citizenry has a new project on its hands—it’s produced the very first artificially developed human Camus. Camus is a scientific and genetic miracle to behold. He is made from over 100 different Unwinds and was developed to show the public what the future holds. Cam falls in love with Risa but she turns on him; he promises he will never let her go; he will search for her forever.

The camp is compromised and the kids are in for a huge fight. Just when Connor and Lev think it’s over, they see the milk of human kindness. Unwholly sets up nicely for book 3—where some important questions will be answered and the plot will UNWIND (pun definitely intended).

Shusterman belongs in the ranks of sci-fi giants George Orwell and Ray Bradbury. Unwholly is wholly great! I raced through this book, and teens will, too. Don’t pick this one up unless you’re ready to stay up until the wee hours.

Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up. No sex. One g-word.
FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

[erikahope-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I may have read one too many YA books in a row but I'm getting tired of the teenage "too cool" attitude. There are some provocative ideas tossed up in this book no doubt...ethical issues about ownership over one's life, others' lives, minorities, human nature...but I didn't feel like there was any follow through. It's kind of like this review...I can mention a lot of interesting themes but unless I get into the meat of it (as you should in a BOOK) it's lacking. And on a side note, I found some of the outrage on part of certain characters a little hard to buy into. It seemed a little manufactured. All in all, the book didn't deliver up to potential but I admit to finding it moderately engaging as I was reading it.

[karconner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this trilogy so far. It is twisted at times, exciting, and captivating. I can't wait to read #3.

[carmenmilligan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love to start a book review with this word: WOW! I finished the first in the series, Unwind, and went straight to this one. It did not let me down.

The characters from the first are in this one, with a few new faces. The action is fast, furious, complete and extremely suspenseful. I loved the new characters, even the ones I loved to hate. I am anxious to see what happens in the last of the series.

Some favorite passages:

"And why? Because of words? Words don't hurt you. " Which is one of the hugest criminal lies perpetrated by adults against children in this world. Because words hurt more than any physical pain.

History is written by the victors - and when there are no victors, it all winds up in corporate shredders.

He remembers feeling so sick for so long, after a while he had forgotten what being well even felt like. Could it be that way for an entire society? Does a sick society get so used to its illness that it can't remember being well? What if the memory is too dangerous for the people who like things the way they are?

High recommended.

[librarycin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars*****SPOILERS if you haven't read Unwind*****Conner is running The Graveyard, where hundreds of kids who were supposed to be unwound have escaped to. Risa is there with him. Lev is under house arrest. *****END SPOILERS*****Starkey is a new AWOL unwind who has arrived at The Graveyard and is chomping at the bit to climb high and run the place. Cam has just woken up and is trying to figure out who he is and what's happening, while a woman, Roberta, tries to guide him through. Miracolina is a tithe who's parents decide at the last minute not to send her to be unwound, but she's believed all her life that this is her purpose and insists on going, anyway. Starkey will meet up with Conner, Risa with Cam and Miracolina with Lev when things take a turn for the dangerous. Wow! Another roller coaster ride, this one! I listened to the first book on audio, and it was amazing, but it was really one particular part in the audio (a very creepy thing to listen to, actually: the process of someone being unwound, from their point of view!) that made me want to find this one on audio, as well. However, after a few years, I gave up and read the hardcover. I'm actually glad I did, as there were so many different points of view to follow, I think the print did make it much easier to follow than the audio would have been. I was at a solid 4 star rating for this one, until the last quarter of the book or so, when everything hit the fan! Very exciting at that point. That upped my rating, in the end.

[reneenmeland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book made me late to work. Books don't usually make me cry, but this one managed it. Well done, Mr. Shusterman. Well done.

[mountie9_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast paced intriguing sequel to Unwind. Much better world building and things are becoming even more clearer. Some nice .development and a couple of interesting new characters added have fleshed out this series and has me looking forward to reading the next installment. Love the discussions you could have about the moral issues in the story. Once again I highlight that this series is perfect for teens as most of the adults are useless

[ahappybooker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

UnWholly (Unwind, #2) I honestly did not enjoy UnWholly nearly half so much as I did Unwind. I'm a little disappointed about that. I don't really understand how a story with such an intense topic as Unwinding could be so utterly boring, but that is exactly what it was for the first 3/4ths of the book. The last 1/4 was much better and exactly what I was hoping for in this sequel. Unfortunately the last quarter did not make up for the majority of the book which was less than average. One of the aspects I enjoyed about this book was that each chapter began with a news report or public service announcements that gave a perspective about what living in this world would be like. For example, there are several public service announcements that talk about the people whose lives were enhanced by Unwinding and the benefits to the community. It's disturbing, but it really shows how the people in this world view things. The writing itself was very bland and lifeless for most of the book. While there were at times a bit of action taking place in the story, it was told in such a way that it was almost as thrilling as watching someone play chess while talking you through each move. There was a lot of angst and worrying and whining among the characters but I felt I had lost any connection I had with any of the characters from the first book.UnWholly nearly redeemed itself in the last quarter when all of the set up of the previous chapters finally began coming together into a coherent story. It was almost too little too late but I will likely continue on to the third book in this series solely on the strength of how much I loved Unwind.

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

UnWholly (Unwind, #2) I honestly did not enjoy UnWholly nearly half so much as I did Unwind. I'm a little disappointed about that. I don't really understand how a story with such an intense topic as Unwinding could be so utterly boring, but that is exactly what it was for the first 3/4ths of the book. The last 1/4 was much better and exactly what I was hoping for in this sequel. Unfortunately the last quarter did not make up for the majority of the book which was less than average. One of the aspects I enjoyed about this book was that each chapter began with a news report or public service announcements that gave a perspective about what living in this world would be like. For example, there are several public service announcements that talk about the people whose lives were enhanced by Unwinding and the benefits to the community. It's disturbing, but it really shows how the people in this world view things. The writing itself was very bland and lifeless for most of the book. While there were at times a bit of action taking place in the story, it was told in such a way that it was almost as thrilling as watching someone play chess while talking you through each move. There was a lot of angst and worrying and whining among the characters but I felt I had lost any connection I had with any of the characters from the first book.UnWholly nearly redeemed itself in the last quarter when all of the set up of the previous chapters finally began coming together into a coherent story. It was almost too little too late but I will likely continue on to the third book in this series solely on the strength of how much I loved Unwind.

[kassilem · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first half of this book didn't grab me and keep me reading like I thought it might, since I had been so taken with the first book UnWind. The first half dragged a bit. However, the second half of the book flew by. I usually enjoy reading about what some people think will be our futures as human beings. This particular idea of unwinding teenagers chilled me when I first came across it, and here in this second book we start to get some more clues as to how exactly the world got to the point of excepting such a horrific practice. I'm looking forward to more on this angle in the next and last book of the series. I'm also looking forward to seeing where the characters go from here. The end of the book was a big turning point for them all I think. I'm very interested in Cam now. Recommended if you enjoy dystopia novels.

[otikhonova-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The plot is really predictable, but still can keep your attention. Good reading while you're on vacation/on the plane/ any other places, that don't require 100% attention on the book.

[indygo88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like the first book in the series, Unwind, the writing was less than great in this book, but I found this 2nd installment more action-packed and overall mildly more enjoyable than the first. UnWholly gives the reader some more background information regarding the War and other associated aspects that are helpful. I'll probably continue on with the series, just because that's how I am.

[justablondemoment · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed the second book, not as much as I did the 1st one though. The constant switching of POV's was a bit draining and confusing. Already got the 3rd one on hold and really look forward to continuing the series.

[blog_gal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is amazing! Neal Shusterman never ceases to surprise me. Some things that occurred in the book seemed to be too convenient and not reasonable, but other than that the book was great. The characters (both new in this book and present in the last book) were very well developed. The plot is amazing. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out.

[nycke137 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I always have difficulty when books jump from character to character to character but I loved Unwind so much, I suffered through it. It was so worth it.

[jami_leigh · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Plot: 2 stars
Characters: 2 stars
Style: 1 stars
Pace: 1 1/2 stars

I slogged through this one. If I weren't in the middle of trying to cram a bunch of books into this month, I wouldn't have even finished this one. The constant POV shifts, the "and they laughed, not knowing danger was in the car behind them" sort of cliche, trite junk. I'm disappointed.

[br14kaiho · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

 UnWholly by Neil Shusterman is a great book. It is book 2 out a series of 3. Connor owns the Graveyard. The Admiral gave it to him after he had a stroke or a heart attack. Lev saves the unwinds. Risa lives at the Graveyard but she can't walk because she lost her legs in the explosion in Unwind after an explosion. She had an option to get new legs from an unwind but she says no. Connor accepts getting new body parts. They thought he was a guard. So RIsa meets this monstrosity named Cam and he fell in love with her. She gets a new spine and legs. So she makes all these speeches and pretends to date Cam.This book is great for whoever enjoys battles and things like that. Also for people that enjoy violence. It was a good book over all but really violent.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unwholly is the second book in a series: this is a ****spoiler warning**** for the first book, Unwind.Connor, presumed dead by the authorities, is running the Graveyard, a home to the kids still under 17 who are in danger of being “unwound.” Risa works with him as a medic, in a wheelchair because she refused to accept the spine of an unwind – a teen who has been unwound into a “divided” state, with basically all parts used medically for transfusion and transplant. Lev, the former “clapper” who did not clap and detonate the explosives in his blood, has gone through medical treatment to make himself stable and is now feeling stifled, talking to kids in danger of being unwound but unable to speak out against unwinding either.The book is hard to describe if you haven't read the first book, and would be hard to follow as a standalone as well. The future civilization Shusterman describes has an element of possibility in it: what if really screwed up teenagers were “unwound” to provide organ and other transplants? What if abortion didn't exist, but you could leave an unwanted baby at a doorstep as long as you weren't caught (a practice known as “storking”), with the expectation that the owners of the house would take the child? This series explores the implications of this dystopia, with no easy answers. Unwholly takes up soon after Unwind left off, continuing the multi-perspective switches between Connor, Risa and Lev, and adding some new characters in Starkey, Miracolina, and the “parts pirate” Nelson, who's after runaway unwinds (also known as AWOLs, the kids whose parents have signed the unwind order but who get away before they are picked up to go to “harvest camp”) for the black market. Another new character, Cam, adds another element to the mix as a sort of Frankenstein creation from the parts of unwound kids. Is he merely a conglomeration of all these parts, or is he more? Does he have his own soul? A creepy, fast-paced, and thought-provoking series I'm looking forward to continuing soon.

[pencilstubs-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[wethereaders · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked "Unwind" so it was natural to continue with the series. Problem teens are unwound to harvest organ and tissue parts for medical use. In "UnWholly", the unwind age has been lowered from 18 to 17 creating a shortage of tissue thus creating a huge black market and vicious bounty hunters, in addition to the parents, juvie cops and state institutes trying to unwind troubled teens. Then there is Cam, created from the best of the best. The problem is each of those parts have different memories, languages and backgrounds. The future does not look good for teens.