Project Human by Pen Avey

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Science Fiction
Source: I won a copy. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I am so thankful I won a copy of this book from the author through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.  I read this book in under three hours. I had to take a break for breakfast. The major theme of this book is, What does it mean to be human?  This story about a girl named Eva and her father, and the android sister they created for her, caught my eye from the very beginning.  Eva and her sister Ann are home schooled. The reason? Ann is and android, called a simulant. Eva calls her a Humant. One day their father tells them he has to try to find a different job. He will need to have them stay with his sister. The problem is he hasn't exactly asked his sister Jo to keep them. He makes Eva promise not to tell anyone about Ann. For the first time in their life they will be going to a public school. The new neighbors below her aunt have a son named Rokas. He and Eva hit it off. When a day trip to a science museum leads to Ann's disappearance, Eva and Rokas set off to find Ann.  What happens next will keep you on the edge of your seat, reading. It brings into question what love will make you do for someone else. The major plot twist that happens about three-quarters of the way through was one I suspected. Every part of this book was a pleasure to read. I don't think five stars is enough. That is how much I loved this book.

Undivided by Neal Shusterman

 

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Source: I purchased a copy

This is the fourth and final book in this series. Connor is definitely a changed young man. That is all I will say about that. Cam, the young man who was a rewind, someone created from unwound parts has helped to bring justice to unwinds and rewinds everywhere. The government must now look at what they have done for years and decide if it is morally acceptable. Justice for those who didn’t survive and for those who were wronged. Neal Shusterman has kept this conflict about what is morally right in the forefront. He has given us a series that takes an issue still debated today and shows what happens when things are taken to the extreme. He shows how people justify things much the same way people justified what took place during the Holocaust. The story leaves so much for the reader to think about. This book  was so full of unexpected twists, sadness and happy events that made it a suitable and satisfying ending to the series. It also leaves the reader with a lot to think about.

Unsouled by Neal Shusterman

 

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Source: I purchased

This third book in the Unwind series takes us deeper into how unwinding began. Connor is rescued by Lev once again. The Graveyard is raided and most of the unwinds are captured. They are all searching for Sonia to get answers to hopefully stop the unwinding. What they learn is very nefarious.  The parts pirates turned my stomach. How could someone take people, whether they are to be unwound or not and sell them for parts? Oh yeah, we have people who kill others for their organs. Not much different than the parts pirates. We learn something from Sonia that could have prevented the unwinding. We also learn why unwinding wasn’t stopped.  Shusterman keeps the tension going. He keeps giving us more to learn about the characters we have come to care for so much, and at the same time introduces us to new characters. Some of them we love and some of them we love to hate. We have a group of teens who have had to grow up way too fast, yet still behave like teens.  You can feel the tension in regards to the unwinding situation building to a point where there will be no turning back. It is an all or nothing outcome.

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Source: Purchased

Years ago as the rest of the books in this series came out I read them, yet failed to write reviews on them. I decided to reread the entire series while home on break. This is the second book in this wonderful series by one of my favorite authors. In this second book a lot has happened. The Admiral is no longer running the “Graveyard”.  Conner is now in charge.  Risa has her own roll to play in front of the camera’s. Lev has come a long way. He started out a willing tithe until he was kidnapped and went one hundred percent the other way becoming a clapper. With the help of his former pastor he has a new purpose in life.  We meet a character named Cam who like Frankenstein was created from all unwound parts. Shusterman has done a wonderful job of making you love the characters that are so despicable.  In other words he does an excellent job of creating characters that you will love to hate. I think the thing I love the most about this series is that it shows what could happen in a future where the pro-choice and pro-life sides take things to the extreme.  No matter what side of the argument you are on when you read this book, you realize that the third option was definitely not the correct option.  It also touches on the questions about having a soul, especially if you are unwound.  This reminded me of Robin Wasserman’s series “Skinned”, for the same issues of whether the character still has a soul.  Highly recommend both series. I will say as I have before that Neal Shusterman and ALL of his books are some of my favorites of all time and I am thrilled to introduce them to another generation of teens.

 

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Source: I purchased a copy

Neal Shusterman has long been one of my favorite authors. I first read Unwind in 2017. I gladly put his series on my classroom shelves. Two years ago we had to take all books off and put them away until the district told us which books we could keep on our shelves. They all had to be "reviewed", and not by the teacher. I went from over 3000 books to a little under 700 books. Last year I changed schools. I started collecting books again. Parents signed letters giving their children permission to read whatever they wanted. I began purchasing my favorites once again. The first books I purchased over Christmas break this year was Neal Shusterman's Unwind Series. I reread them this week.

Unwind takes the issue of abortion and turns it on its head. After years of pro-life and pro-choice arguing the issue of abortion war breaks out. It is finally decided that the abortion issue is dead until the age of 13. At that time, with the advancement of technology and medicine children can be "unwound". This mean their body can be chopped up and sold to the highest bidder with all parts being used. There are two nefarious factions at play here. First you have the "tithes". They are children who have been dedicated as a tithe from birth. They are raised and trained that they have a higher purpose and willingly go to be unwound, to live on in the lives of others. The second is those that for whatever reason have not done well in school or society have been given to the government for unwinding; signed over to them by their parents. There is a third group that is lumped in with this second group. If you end up in a state home and are lucky you live there until you are 18. If you aren't lucky and they need more room you will be sent off to be unwound.
Our three main characters are Connor, who found papers his parents had signed to have him unwound. The reason? He was always in fights and had low grades. Then there is Levi, called Lev who is a tithe. Finally we meet Risa who is being unwound because they need more room in the state home she lives in. Connor leaves the night before he is to be unwound. Unfortunately he is caught the next day. He escapes across a highway, sees Lev and takes him as hostage. All of this causes a major accident which also involves the bus that Risa is being transported on. The three of them end up together and so the adventure begins.

We learn a lot about each of their lives, about something called "getting storked" and a group of people who want to destroy these "chop shops" and a group that is trying to help them survive. This is an awesome book. It is followed by 3 other books. I highly recommend the entire series, just like I will to my students when I return after winter break.