Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

19 reviews

dark_marble_eyes's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I've seen this book as recommended reading for young adults/teens quite a lot, and I can see some merit in it. The main problem with this book is that it doesn't overtly take a stance, yet is promoted as a "conversation starter" on the subject/concept of abortion, the could-be alternatives, and the people on "either side" of the argument. It is purposefully written in such a way that somehow both anti-legal abortion and pro-legal abortion people regularly point to this book as a "see here! this is arguing my point!"
However, it comes across to me as a work written by someone who is either not invested in the issue or only invested in the way that it's a profitably inflammatory subject.

I cannot speak to the original intentions for the book and its sequels, but the opinion I personally have formed after reading the book, some interviews of the author, and the reactions of others, is that it lacks integrity of belief. I do believe that books written with intentional ambiguity can be helpful and valuable -just not this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: War

in relation to my tag on mass/school shootings- I do not remember there being specific mention of school shootings themselves, but there are people called "clappers" who are essentially suicide bombers in this universe who will go to schools or public areas and clap, activating [nitroglycerin?] in their bloodstream causing combustion and explosion.

clevernamehere's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment

cghegan's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Medical content

Moderate: Violence and Blood

Minor: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Trafficking

snazz07's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Abortion, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Cursing, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

winters_night's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Police brutality and Abortion

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

martereadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, and War

plumquin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Police brutality, and Abortion

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Suicide, and Medical content

Minor: Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual harassment

mgroller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I hate-to-love this book. I have never had a book make me physically recoil as I have while reading Unwind. Serious stomach-churning action. It seems glaringly exaggerated to start, but the pit-in-my-stomach sensations of realizing that

if the technology existed, on some level I see similar ripples of the opinions in this book being feasible

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abortion

Moderate: Police brutality and Kidnapping

Minor: Confinement and Gore

bill369's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Child death

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, and Police brutality

Minor: Grief, Car accident, and Abortion