Catherine C. (c-squared) reviewed on 3/30/2012 + 181 more book reviews

I was telling one of my knitting buddies (who works at the library) that I've been reading a lot of YA dystopian sci-fi recently, i.e. Hunger Games, and she recommended this one. I picked it up the very next day and am so glad I did.

Set somewhere in the not-to-distant future where iPods are sold in antique shops but very little else has changed technologically, this book is pretty light on the sci-fi, but heavy on the dystopia. A second civil war has been fought over abortion with an, er, interesting compromise as the result. Children may not be aborted in utero, but can be "unwound" (broken down into their individual parts, which are then transplanted into others) between the ages of 13 and 18. Both sides have justified this because all parts of the teenager's body "live on" as part of someone else. The story of how this compromise was proposed (given in the middle of the book) is pure literary genius.

Obviously, most teenagers are not going to greet their own death with open arms and many try to escape. (If they survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can be imprisoned, but not killed.) Among these are the three main characters of the book, all from different backgrounds. Connor's parents signed the unwind order because he got into too much trouble. Risa is an orphan who just wasn't talented enough to justify the government continuing to foot the bill for her upkeep. Lev has known his entire life that he's being given to God as a tithe. All three end up on the run from the police. What follows is a fascinating story about human nature with some "what if" thrown in.

The sequel comes out later this year, with a third installment sometime after that. And, of course, a film adaptation is in the works.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details