Review Detail

One of the things I loved about Unwind was that the ending was so satisfying. Not everything was wrapped up in a neat little bow, but the world would have been just fine without a sequel, which made me hesistant to pick this book up. However, I’m too curious not to read such a book. For the most part, Unwholly lived up to my expectations. Lev is still one of the most interesting literary characters I’ve ever read, so complex with motives and truly three dimensional.

Here is what I really loved about Unwholly:

More back story on the Heartland War and how the Unwind amendment could be approved so quickly.
The same emotional complexity that was found in Unwind.
The “bigger picture” this book takes with science and corporations. I think adding in this corporate element made the world of Unwholly more believable.
The story line about the oppressed storks(there were parts of this that I didn’t exactly like, but on the whole I think the idea of adding it is a good one–once again adds more depth to all the factors that come into play in real life)
The plot lines(yes, the multiple ones). As frustrating as it can be at times to juggle so many stories and characters, I appreciate how complex the situations presented in this book are. That’s how real life normally works too–not just a linear cause and effect but several factors normally go in to causing something.
High stakes. The stakes in Unwind were personally high for the characters I came to cherish, but in Unwholly, we get to see just how many lives are in danger.
Most of the new characters. As much as I loved Risa, Connor, and Lev, I’m once again reminded that there are other desperate people in the world of Unwind.
The addition of a character made completely out of Unwinds. Horrifying, creepy, and raises interesting questions.
The few things I wasn’t so fond of:

The character of Starkey. Shusterman is so good at making all his characters believable, but I just could not follow Starkey’s one-track motive. He never questions or doubts his decisions, and I find this hard to swallow from an author who at times made Roland more than just a stand-in villain and let you inside the minds of people who really thought they what they were doing was for the best.
While I loved the changing points of view in the first book, every once in a while a view seemed out of place in this book. Not enough to make me frustrated, but it did distract from the story some.
Final Impression: It would be hard for Unwholly to live up to my standard that was set by Unwind, but it does not disappoint. It’s not the near-perfect work I consider Unwind to be, but it’s very, very close, and more than a worthwhile read. 4/5 stars.