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A review by dododenise
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A really good sequel that broadened the world and leads to big possibilities of where this story and world will go in the future.
Neal really has a thing for writing the most unlikable antagonists ever. First Roland and now Starkey. While more unlikable than your average villain, they are still so human and that is what makes them great. I want to throw them down a ditch yet they give the story a lot.
I’m also hoping the future books will focus more on Hayden. He is a great character and I want him to have more moments to shine.
Not sure about the way the book handled disability. I was excited for there to be a main character in a wheelchair. While it makes sense for a society with those huge medical advancements to be more ableist too, reading about her being healed as being whole again was not great. I had hoped that the society critical characters would’ve made more arguments against that.
Cam, a human made entirely of other people’s parts, was also a really interesting concept to introduce. Hope to see more happening with that in the future, and also seeing where his quite toxic features lead an otherwise “perfect” human.
Neal really has a thing for writing the most unlikable antagonists ever. First Roland and now Starkey. While more unlikable than your average villain, they are still so human and that is what makes them great. I want to throw them down a ditch yet they give the story a lot.
I’m also hoping the future books will focus more on Hayden. He is a great character and I want him to have more moments to shine.
Not sure about the way the book handled disability. I was excited for there to be a main character in a wheelchair. While it makes sense for a society with those huge medical advancements to be more ableist too, reading about her being healed as being whole again was not great. I had hoped that the society critical characters would’ve made more arguments against that.
Cam, a human made entirely of other people’s parts, was also a really interesting concept to introduce. Hope to see more happening with that in the future, and also seeing where his quite toxic features lead an otherwise “perfect” human.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Fatphobia