Shusterman takes would could be a depressing dystopia and turns it into a tour de force. Unwind, which was first published in 2009, sounds as fresh and relevant today as ever.
After a civil war, known as the Heartland War, throwaway kids are being unwound. By signing an order, parents can doom their teenagers to a surgery that forcibly removes their organs.
Resisters, Conner, Risa, and Lev, are at the heart of the story. They come from different circumstances, and one is technically a tithe, but they are united by the belief that human life matters.
Many characters learn this truth too late. Throughout the novel, the kids hear the urban legend about Humprey Dunfee. The story went that the boys' parents regretted the unwind and tried to stop it. The order, however, was carried out.
Connor learns that the legend is not a legend at all. Humprey Dunfee, real name Harlan Dunfee, was an actual person. He is the son of the Admiral who has been attempting to save him and the other Unwinds.