The Cambridge Harvard Summer Academy's "The Ties That Bind Us" course has forced me to read the book Unwind by Neal Shusterman. This story is rather strange and something I wouldn't have found if it weren't for CHSA (a round of applause for their good choice in books).
Anyway, this story is about a solution for those who were pro-choice or pro-life during the Heartland War in the USA (which never happened, this story is sci-fi). The USA has decided to come up with the Bill of Life. This bill declares that abortion cannot happen until a child is between the ages of 13 and 18. During that time period, a parent can choose to "abort" or "unwind" their child. This means that the child's body organs will be unwound from them and will be given to others who need them. This allows the child to be alive in a really messed up way. Weird huh? But it gets weirder.
So there are three kids, Connor (16), Risa (16?), and Lev (13) who all were to be unwound but they escaped. Connor's parents didn't want him. Risa was part of the state ward who had to unwind her due to budget problems. Lev is a tithe for his family. Lev is the most interesting character so far in the story because he is the one that changes the most. He goes from being totally up for unwinding (note: not many people dream of being an Unwind) to someone who doesn't think of it as a good idea, which is a big change. I would tell you more about the story but I am not done and I can't say much without giving it away. However, I do suggest that you read it because it's really good!
--Mary
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