Reviews tagging Body horror

Unwind, by Neal Shusterman

35 reviews

froggydanny's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Confinement, Body horror, Death, and Medical content

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

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

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.

k_galloway's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Grief, Gore, Torture, Abandonment, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Physical abuse

moonytoast's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

i don't think there's ever been a more apt time to read this series than right now.... RTC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, Child death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, and Body horror

Minor: Child abuse, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Blood, Car accident, and Injury/injury detail

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

faythfarrar's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Body horror

kittycatlover's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, and Child death

aligmich's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This was a fascinating concept, and I’m still going to be thinking about it for a while. It’s harrowing - but not entirely out of the realm of possibility which is the scary bit. Lev is the most engaging character by far, and I hope they explore him more. Also did NOT buy the romance, I hope Risa gets more to do next time….

All in all, I enjoyed it - but it’s certainly not perfect by any sense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

oliverreeds's review against another edition

dark hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Abortion, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence

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: Medical content and Body horror

Moderate: Blood and Violence

Minor: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Trafficking