Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: young adult, science fiction, dystopia, fantasy, romance, thriller, horror, adventure
Published: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a dark military plan for him. But below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Connor, Risa, and Lev uncover these shocking secrets, enraged teens begin to rise up, demanding justice and a better future.
But more trouble is brewing. Starkey's group of stroked kids are growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. If they have their way, they'll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad - which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.
The finale to the New York Times bestselling futuristic thriller dystology that Booklist called, "Perfectly poised to catch the Hunger Games wave, and based on an even more plausible dystopian scenario," is unexpected, unsettling, and startlingly unconventional.
* * *
I cannot believe the Unwind Dystology is finally over! It's one of my favorite series and Unwind is basically the book that led me to read more science fiction. It's also the book that I've reread the most! It saddens me to see it end yet I'm glad that it gave a satisfying ending that left me crying out of happiness.
UnDivided is were things start to explode. Plans/Dreams come to reality. Things are set in motion. The war is finally being fought head on. I like how everything was finally brought to light. They were not simply implied - everything was verbally stated - Proactive Citizenry's plans. The plan behind Cam's creation and how every evil thing is connected to Proactive Citizenry.
I like how UnDivided basically tells a lot of truths that are being masked by those in position or with money. Proactive Citizenry's hold on the Juvenile Authority played a very interesting role throughout the series. It has always been present but was never completely revealed to all of the characters. The part's pirate, Divan's, role in the story is also very impressively presented. Divan generally plays by the laws yet at the same time he doesn't. He sells unwind parts in the black-market but he makes sure that he unwinds them in the 'proper way' unlike the infamous black-market dealer, Dah Zey.
UnDivided is perhaps the book in the series that really brought me to tears - Sonia, Lev, Connor, and Connor's family. These key moments basically brought me to tears despite knowing that things will be okay. It's Shusterman's writing that really brought the emotions out of me. I'd say that Shusterman knows when to pull the right words for the right moments.
I LOVE Connor's growth throughout the series. In the first three books, his courage and stand on unwinding was built. Here, in UnDivided, his emotional side was brought up. I like how going back to Ohio basically stirred something inside him - how his family came to his mind, the letter he made, what they might think about him now, and his brother. Parts five and six was the craziest for Connor. I didn't expect it and I didn't know what will happen once it did happened. It was crazy (but it gave light to one of the questions that came to me) - I know this may seem crazy or it may not completely make sense. But let me just say that it's absolutely brilliant!
Risa, on the other hand, is basically just there. I don't think that there was really anything more special about Risa other than Connor's conscience. She keeps Connor on his feet. Lev, on the other hand, went through a series of traumatizing events that only Lev can go through. At 15yrs, it's certainly overreaching but after the things we went through, I don't want to say that he's just 15. He's possibly more than that. And his closure? Surely it's everything I can ask for. After his great stunt at the Statue of Liberty, all I can do after that was cry out of happiness.
Minor characters now: Hayden, Grace, and Cam. In the previous books, Hayden barely had his own POV but that didn't stop me from liking him. With Radio Free Hayden throughout half of UnDivided, Hayden basically throws out all of the thought-provoking things right at your face. Hayden makes you ponder about the world - the things that are emerging in it and who's truly behind it. Hayden has access to EVERYTHING! Grace is also one of my fave characters. Let me tell you what Grace is: a genius! She's got a brilliant calculating mind that works like computer. Actually better than that because her emotions are also well intact with the things she's doing. Grace is the logical thinker. And Cam, I knew he could make it. This brilliant Frankenstein brought down his creator but I feel sorry for him halfway through because of what Roberta did to him - erasing his memories. But how it ended for him basically made me smile.
I don't know why I'm going through ALL of the key characters. Maybe because it's the final book? I'll just continue because I'm having fun :P
Can I talk about the evils now? Let me go through Starkey, Agrent, and Nelson. Starkey's charisma was overwhelmingly amazing. I applause him for that but he's too aggressive and shallow and narrow minded. His downfall was his own fault. Argent, on the other hand, learned things the hard way. And Nelson? Let's just say he got what he deserve. HA!
MOVING ON, I like how UnDivided brought closure to everyone. It perfectly tied everything together. While I thought that were would be a grand meeting for everyone (okay, there was a 'grand meeting' but not what I had in mind), it left me smiling for everyone.
OVERALL, UnDivided is a well written conclusion to a stunningly amazing series. It brought all of the horrors out of a society that was made to embrace unwinding. It brought closure to each of the characters starting from those introduced in the first book until those that were introduced late. It has well developed characters who could be too young for the things they have done but experienced enough to have done them. While these young characters may have done great things and were put to a pedestal, they each had their own weaknesses which reminds you how that they are young adults. It's a highly recommended read for everyone who enjoys thought provoking books full of action, well developed characters, and multiple points of view.
UnDivided is were things start to explode. Plans/Dreams come to reality. Things are set in motion. The war is finally being fought head on. I like how everything was finally brought to light. They were not simply implied - everything was verbally stated - Proactive Citizenry's plans. The plan behind Cam's creation and how every evil thing is connected to Proactive Citizenry.
Here is a lesson to be learned: We must always be careful of the actions we take, for there are always unintended consequences. Sometimes they are serendipitous, other times they are appalling, but those consequences are always there. -p109
I like how UnDivided basically tells a lot of truths that are being masked by those in position or with money. Proactive Citizenry's hold on the Juvenile Authority played a very interesting role throughout the series. It has always been present but was never completely revealed to all of the characters. The part's pirate, Divan's, role in the story is also very impressively presented. Divan generally plays by the laws yet at the same time he doesn't. He sells unwind parts in the black-market but he makes sure that he unwinds them in the 'proper way' unlike the infamous black-market dealer, Dah Zey.
UnDivided is perhaps the book in the series that really brought me to tears - Sonia, Lev, Connor, and Connor's family. These key moments basically brought me to tears despite knowing that things will be okay. It's Shusterman's writing that really brought the emotions out of me. I'd say that Shusterman knows when to pull the right words for the right moments.
"They're unwinders, Connor. They'll always be unwinders."
"They were parents first." -p142
I LOVE Connor's growth throughout the series. In the first three books, his courage and stand on unwinding was built. Here, in UnDivided, his emotional side was brought up. I like how going back to Ohio basically stirred something inside him - how his family came to his mind, the letter he made, what they might think about him now, and his brother. Parts five and six was the craziest for Connor. I didn't expect it and I didn't know what will happen once it did happened. It was crazy (but it gave light to one of the questions that came to me) - I know this may seem crazy or it may not completely make sense. But let me just say that it's absolutely brilliant!
Risa, on the other hand, is basically just there. I don't think that there was really anything more special about Risa other than Connor's conscience. She keeps Connor on his feet. Lev, on the other hand, went through a series of traumatizing events that only Lev can go through. At 15yrs, it's certainly overreaching but after the things we went through, I don't want to say that he's just 15. He's possibly more than that. And his closure? Surely it's everything I can ask for. After his great stunt at the Statue of Liberty, all I can do after that was cry out of happiness.
Then he looked Garson in the eye. "What would you rather have: shreds of the past or the whole of the future?" -p171
Minor characters now: Hayden, Grace, and Cam. In the previous books, Hayden barely had his own POV but that didn't stop me from liking him. With Radio Free Hayden throughout half of UnDivided, Hayden basically throws out all of the thought-provoking things right at your face. Hayden makes you ponder about the world - the things that are emerging in it and who's truly behind it. Hayden has access to EVERYTHING! Grace is also one of my fave characters. Let me tell you what Grace is: a genius! She's got a brilliant calculating mind that works like computer. Actually better than that because her emotions are also well intact with the things she's doing. Grace is the logical thinker. And Cam, I knew he could make it. This brilliant Frankenstein brought down his creator but I feel sorry for him halfway through because of what Roberta did to him - erasing his memories. But how it ended for him basically made me smile.
I don't know why I'm going through ALL of the key characters. Maybe because it's the final book? I'll just continue because I'm having fun :P
Can I talk about the evils now? Let me go through Starkey, Agrent, and Nelson. Starkey's charisma was overwhelmingly amazing. I applause him for that but he's too aggressive and shallow and narrow minded. His downfall was his own fault. Argent, on the other hand, learned things the hard way. And Nelson? Let's just say he got what he deserve. HA!
MOVING ON, I like how UnDivided brought closure to everyone. It perfectly tied everything together. While I thought that were would be a grand meeting for everyone (okay, there was a 'grand meeting' but not what I had in mind), it left me smiling for everyone.
"It won't. You won't let it - and you will play. Maybe not today, but tomorrow, or the day after that. Because it is in your nature to survive. You see, Risa, survival is a dance between our needs and our consciences. When the need is great enough, and the music loud enough, we can stomp conscience into the ground." -p286
OVERALL, UnDivided is a well written conclusion to a stunningly amazing series. It brought all of the horrors out of a society that was made to embrace unwinding. It brought closure to each of the characters starting from those introduced in the first book until those that were introduced late. It has well developed characters who could be too young for the things they have done but experienced enough to have done them. While these young characters may have done great things and were put to a pedestal, they each had their own weaknesses which reminds you how that they are young adults. It's a highly recommended read for everyone who enjoys thought provoking books full of action, well developed characters, and multiple points of view.
* * *
What I Like: (1) Connor (still my fave character in the series) - such great development and the emotional things he went through in here, (2) Lev - ohgod, the things he did, (3) ALL of the characters - doesn't matter of they're for or against unwinding or if they made me smile or angry, they completely made the book for me, (4) Radio Free Hayden + Hayden = perfect breaks for the book - just how encouraging and seemingly neutral his thoughts are. Hayden makes me think, (5) the unexpected events!!, (6) the ending - somehow heartbreaking, Connor's moment with his family.
What I Didn’t Like: (1) there were times when I'd think about how everyone actually are and they're doing things greater than them
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