{"id":219129,"date":"2016-03-01T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T15:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/?p=219129"},"modified":"2016-02-29T23:00:51","modified_gmt":"2016-03-01T05:00:51","slug":"review-undivided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2016\/03\/review-undivided\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last Stand (Review: UnDivided)"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s bittersweet when a journey comes to an end. I loved the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows<\/em>. I was sad to watch that chapter of my life (pun intended) come to an end, but I was very satisfied.<\/p>\n

I feel the same way about UnDivided<\/em><\/a>, the final book in the Unwind “dystology” by Neal Shusterman. Since I read the first book<\/a> on a whim, I haven’t been able to stop raving about the series. The second book, UnWholly<\/em>, was everything a good sequel should be<\/a>. I struggled with book 3, UnSouled<\/em>, because the fast pace from previous installments became markedly absent<\/a>. Now that I’ve read UnDivided<\/em>, the story has been brought to a perfect close, and I feel complete.<\/p>\n

Beware: Spoilers for Unwind<\/em>, UnWholly<\/em>, and UnSouled<\/em> begin now.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When UnDivided<\/em> opens, we are back in Sonia’s basement safe house. The fugitives are getting restless sitting on top of their secret weapon. Argent knows exactly where Grace (and therefore Connor) is hiding, but when will he finally give up the info to Nelson? Lev has a safe place among the Arapach\u00e9, but what can he do now? Cam will soon be the property of the U.S. government, but now that his carefully cultivated world has been blown open, whose side is he really on? How far will the Stork Brigade go to spread their reign of terror under Lord Starkey? And how is the larger country responding to the churning political tide?<\/p>\n

I was upset by the “surprise twist” at the end of UnSouled<\/em>. An organ printer? We have 3-D printers now! Granted, we can’t print living human organs just yet, but I can see that becoming a possibility. I usually like some realism in my dystopias, but not quite that much. So I went into UnDivided<\/em> with low expectations. I heard a rumor that books 3 and 4 started as one volume, but it got so unwieldy that the ironic decision was made to split it up. That would have required some padding of both books, and that’s probably what I noticed in UnSouled<\/em>. I felt a similar unpleasant thickness to UnDivided<\/em> at times, but there was just enough speed to keep me going. It did make the end feel rushed, though, since suddenly everything happened much more quickly! And boy, did a lot happen!<\/p>\n

\"Statue

Image CC0 from Pixabay.<\/p><\/div>\n

Despite my disappointment at the end of UnSouled<\/em>, I was eager to wrap things up. I like finishing things. I wasn’t quite expecting how much richness Shusterman would work into this novel alone, though. His writing still stirs up beauty inside a tale of such darkness. He still has some new characters for us to meet. There are still great horrors to behold (as if retroactive abortion, a.k.a. unwinding, wasn’t bad enough). More incredible escapes keep our heroes out of the grasp of death or division. And for me, a reader who does not like politics, the politics were perfect: not perfect in general, but perfect for Unwind<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Two of my favorite features of the Unwind books are Shusterman’s lyrical turns of phrase and the philosophical meditations that sneak in among the teenage drama. I did not leave this book disappointed. This series is the smartest take on the abortion wars I’ve ever seen. I wish it were more widely read! There were many moments when I ended a chapter amazed at Shusterman’s ability to put the inner workings of human nature right on the page. Sometimes I was inspired, sometimes horrified. So many points of view are expressed through so many characters. It’s fantastic.<\/p>\n

In the end, I am satisfied with the Unwind series and with its story. There is another companion book, Unbound<\/em>, which I will read eventually, but I’m good for now. I’m content to become an Unwind evangelist. These books need to make it into more hands, and we need to acknowledge the direction our society is heading.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s bittersweet when a journey comes to an end. I loved the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I was sad to watch that chapter of my life (pun intended) come to an end, but I was very satisfied. I feel the same way about UnDivided, the final book in the Unwind “dystology”… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[4,87,91,154],"tags":[1749,163,116],"class_list":{"0":"post-219129","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog","7":"category-reviews","8":"category-young-adult","9":"category-youth","10":"tag-book-reviews","11":"tag-books","12":"tag-reviews-2","13":"entry","14":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":127473,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/07\/running-slowly-up-the-ramp-review-unsouled\/","url_meta":{"origin":219129,"position":0},"title":"Running Slowly Up the Ramp (Review: “UnSouled”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"July 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"It takes incredible skill to be a master storyteller. After Unwind and even UnWholly, I would have easily put Neal Shusterman on that list. I read UnSouled, though, so I'm withholding final judgment for now. I'm not as encouraged to keep reading, but I'm glad I did. I have to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"It never ceases to amaze [him] how far society will go to protect the children it loves and to discard the ones it doesn't.\" \u2014Unsouled, by Neal Shusterman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/acnm_unsouled.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":319211,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2016\/11\/review-101-tips-for-marrying-the-right-person\/","url_meta":{"origin":219129,"position":1},"title":"Pocket-Sized Pointers for Picking a Partner (Review: “101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"November 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Today's review is of a short book, so this will be a short review. Following on the heels of their successful book 101 Tips for a Happier Marriage, Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes have released a guide for getting to marriage in the first place. This new title basically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Photo by Billy Quach","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/hand-holdingblack-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/hand-holdingblack-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/hand-holdingblack-550x367.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":331456,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2016\/12\/review-great-catholic-parishes\/","url_meta":{"origin":219129,"position":2},"title":"Bits and Bytes on Thriving Parishes (Review: “Great Catholic Parishes”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"December 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I stopped working in ministry, I've been a regular parishioner, just like everyone else. Having seen things from both ends of the pew, in a sense, I remain interested in the state of American parishes and efforts to right the wrongs and fulfill our mission as Christians. 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Now I can tell you that the New Testament has its own \"subplot,\" so to speak. A few summers ago,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A review of \"New Testament Basics for Catholics\" at AustinCNM.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/acnm-newtestamentbasics-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/acnm-newtestamentbasics-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/acnm-newtestamentbasics-550x367.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":166310,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/review-rebuilding-your-message\/","url_meta":{"origin":219129,"position":4},"title":"The Art of Preaching and Teaching (Review: “Rebuilding Your Message”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"October 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I used to think I was indecisive. Now I'm not so sure. I can usually come down squarely on one side or the other about my opinions on books. Bumped? Loved it. Wild at Heart? Did not love it. Then I read Rebuilt, and I mostly liked it. I liked\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"Street closed\" sign.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/acnm_streetclosed-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/acnm_streetclosed-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/acnm_streetclosed-550x367.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101542,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/03\/review-cs-lewis-and-the-crisis-of-a-christian\/","url_meta":{"origin":219129,"position":5},"title":"Biography, Theology, and You (Review: “C.S. Lewis and the Crisis of a Christian”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"March 31, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I like C.S. Lewis a lot. He wasn't a Catholic, but he was a convert to Anglicanism, and more importantly, he was an incredible writer. I read The Chronicles of Narnia first, but when I entered adulthood, I discovered his apologetics works. I love them so much that I have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"If we find the gospel message to be true, we need to surrender to God and change our lives. For that reason\u2014whether or not the [C.S. Lewis] trilemma or some form of it works\u2014many will still never assent that Jesus is God.\" \u2014Gregory S. Cootsona","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/acnm_lewiscrisis.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219129"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219129\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}