Do you ever just stare at people and think "wow, I really want to caress your brain?" Or, in more normal phrasing, have you ever admired someone's intelligence from afar? I've felt that way with several of my professors this semester, but I would love to just sit in a room with Neal Shusterman's brain (or Neal Shusterman himself, I suppose) and ask: how do you do it? How do you write? How do you breathe the same air us humans do?
On a more serious note, UnSouled serves as the third book of the Unwind Dystology (sorry for the abundance of parentheticals, but is that a real world? Anyone?) Authorities still arrest teens and unwind them for their organs and body parts, but Shusterman raises the stakes as new laws concerning the unwinding of adults and a repeal of Cap-17 garner political attention. The book follows Connor, Lev, Cam, and Risa, but voices from the second book like Starkey and new characters like Grace get time in the spotlight too. Three sides of an inevitable war arise: those in favor of unwinding, those who will use violence to avenge the unwound, and those who wish to end it for good.
As always, Shusterman balances a wealth of points of view, an intense and layered plot, and a host of societal issues. While some YA authors who write dystopia tend to favor one aspect of the story, like the romance, the world-building, etc. Shusterman develops it all with finesse. He draws from old conflicts, like Connor's relationship with his parents, in addition to new ones, like the competition between Cam and Connor. In the end we're left to think for ourselves - what makes people people? How significant is each individual part of us in comparison to the whole? What really comprises that whole aside from our organs and bones?
While UnSouled felt like the typical middle installment that plodded along for the sake of preparation, Shusterman's talent kept me invested. I eagerly anticipate the emotional bomb that will be Undivided and I highly recommend this series to all.