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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.