Final Unwind

In this blog I will be talking about pages 287- 335 in the book "Unwind" written by Neal Shusterman. Right upon arrival at the Jack Happy's harvest camp Roland gets unwound. When he is being taken to the "chop shop" or where the kids get unwound, he really shows his true colors. He has to be forced to walk down to the chop shop by a bunch of guards and the whole time he is yelling and screaming saying he doesn't deserve this. This is much different then the Roland we know because in the book he has always been the strong, brave, vicious, evil bully. Meanwhile at the Chop Shop Lev shows up. Lev, now being apart of the clan, is on a mission to blow up the chop shop. He has explosives in his blood stream and it will be detonated from a clap, the are called clappers. This really shows that Lev feels that his life is dead-end because he is doing a suicide mission for a cause that he isn't even sure about. Then it goes to Connor because its his turn to get unwound. This shows his true colors too because unlike Roland he walked down to the chop shop without any restraints because he wanted to save some dignity. He went the brave way and everybody saw how brave he was. Risa, who was put into a band that plays on the roof of the chop shop, sees Connor coming and immediately bursts into tears. However, she can't do anything about it. As Connor is going in, Lev and his team run in and blow the place, except lev doesn't clap because he sees Connor. "Lev turns to see where the man is pointing. Coming out of the ruined glass doors of the Chop Shop is Connor." (Shusterman 311). I refuse to be a man who ruins endings of books and such for people. So to know what happens you're gonna have to read yourself. Genzino out.

Unwind 4/5

This blog is based off of pages 211-286 in the book "unwind" written by Neal Shusterman. Connor, Risa and Lev are all still in the graveyard. However, they never see each other. Connor is a mechanic, Lev is a message deliverer and Risa is a medic. The admiral's assistant named cleaver has a gang of kids who just cause mayhem. Lev is offered to join and he accepts. His joining this group shows that he desperately wants to be accepted even if it means joining a gang full of bad influences. Connor gets called to see the admiral. Roland tells him that the admiral looks for parts of an AWOL unwind and turns them in just to get their body parts and Connor believes him. This is showing that Connor is allowing Roland to get in his head and influence his actions. Connor does not trust the admiral and acts mean to him but the admiral just takes it and defends himself with facts. Connor finds out that Roland was lying and resents Roland even more then before. "For Connor, it's more then proof that Roland killed the Goldens- that he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants." (Shusterman 242). Roland and Connor are off fighting and Roland's lies have spread throughout the graveyard and a mob attacks the admiral's plane. The admiral is so shocked that he has a heart attack. The admiral would be dead but Connor came in and stopped the mob. This action shows that connor is growing to be more of a leader and is gaining more respect. Connor, Risa, Roland, and the admiral take a helicopter to the hospital where they are taken by the juvey cops. When Roland is told he will be taken to a harvest camp he rats out everybody at the graveyard. This shows that he can not be trusted with anything and he will do anything to save his own skin. Then Risa, Connor and Roland are finally captured and taken to a harvest camp called "Jack Happy Harvest Camp" where they will await their appointments to be unwound.

This post is based off the pages 135- 210 in the book "Unwind" by Neal Shusterman. It starts off with Lev after he has betrayed Risa and Connor and he is feeling really guilty. He no longer thinks of them as "unwinds" but more as his friends. This has changed because at first he considered them criminals and now he will do anything to be with them again. He has found a new travel companion named Cyrus who is also an AWOL unwind. He has a tough life because part of his brain belonged to an unwind so sometimes that kid will come back and do bad things like steal via Cyrus's body. This is sad because Cy is a good kid and only wants to help. Along the way Lev helps him with his problem and offers lots of advice. This shows how Lev is no longer a stuck up tithe and now has feelings for others. Connor and Risa are in a much different situation. They get taken to a safe house where 30 other kids are and more kids come each day. Unfortunately, there rival from a past safe house turns up... Roland. Roland immediately starts trying to get power and starts forming a gang with kids that back him up. Risa and Connor find out that Roland is going to try to take out Connor because he is the only threat of all the kids. Connor then realizes that take out does not mean fight, it means kill. Risa tells Connor to lay off and not fight Roland even though its in his nature. At first it seems like all hope is lost and that Connor will for sure be trying to get Roland when he says "You think I Can't take him in a fight?" (Shusterman 147). However, Connor does what he is told and stays away from Roland. This is a crucial part of the story because Connor is now listening to Risa and following her plan instead of doing his own thing which is what he always used to do before. This symbolizes the trust that is growing between Risa and Connor and how they are getting closer with each other as the journey goes on. I will continue reading the story and I am having trouble putting the book down.

-Genzino out

Unwind 2/5

For this blog I continued on my journey through the book "Unwind" By Neal Shusterman pages 88-134. Starting off this segment Lev, Risa, and Connor are hiding in the bathroom of a highschool. Then Lev sneaks out and betrays Risa and Connor by turning them in to the office at the school and calling for security. This shows that even after all they have been through, Lev has not developed or changed in anyway and still wants to be tithed. Risa and Connor get away and are found by a teacher who has a place for them to stay. Meanwhile Risa and Connor are getting to be closer to each other. "I go by instinct, you go by brains. I guess that makes us a pretty decent team." (Shusterman). This is showing the companionship bond that is growing between them. They went from not trusting each other at all and now they trust each other with their lives. When Risa and Connor get to the spot that the teacher brought them to, it was a hide out for other "Unwinds" however the teacher takes the baby so thats a load off their shoulders but Risa is still sad which shows that she is a caring and loving person by growing a loving bond with the baby so fast. In this hide-out they meet a couple other kids; Mai, Hayden, and Rowland. Mai is a small asian girl who is goth and very quiet. Hayden is nice, funny and very likeable. Rowland is a big, mean, power hungry, bully. All he does is try to fight Connor just to prove his alpha status. I will be curious to see how Risa and Connor's situation pans out.

Unwind 1/5

The book I am reading is called "Unwind" written by Neal Shusterman and for this blog I read pages 1-88. It starts off in the eyes of a 16 year old boy named Connor who faces being unwound by his parents. The concept of being unwound is when parents have their unwanted children sent to harvest camps where the kids are killed and their organs are used to help people in need. So, technically, life goes on. Connor is being unwound because he is a kid who gets in a lot of trouble at school and doesn't always listen to his parents. He has no intention of being unwound and decides to go AWOL. Connor is able to run away because his parents do not know that he knows. So before he runs away he tries to make them feel guilty by trying hard in school and acting much more pleasant. Doing this doesn't make him feel better, it makes him feel worse and he starts to feel bad for his parents. This shows that although he may be rough around the edges, deep down he's a good kid. The next chapter the story jumps into the eyes of another teen named Risa. Risa lives at a state home where she is an exceptional student and a great pianist. However, she is not good enough so she is being unwound. She has always followed the rules and she has always respected authority but taking her life away is much different. She escapes through commotion on the way to the harvest camps which is caused by a runaway unwind (which you find out later is Connor) and she takes her chances and flees into the woods. Then the story shifts a third and final time into the eyes of a 13 year old named Lev. Lev knew his whole life he would be unwound and he has learned to accept it and treats it as a blessing. He is on his way to the harvest camps when a runaway unwind kidnaps him and takes him to the woods (which is also Connor). Connor was only trying to save him from being unwound but Lev thinks he is crazy and that he should want to be unwound. As you can see from the description, it is a very unique writing style in that it switches main characters each chapter and ties all the stories together from different perspectives. I like this because you get to know and see what other characters don't know and don't see. Also you get to see all of the perspectives. I am excited to continue reading and I will let you know of Connor, Risa and Lev's progress on my next blog. -Genzino out