Really this should be 3.5 stars. 
 Summary: I very much enjoyed the suspenseful story in Neal Shusterman's Unwind, as well as the complex issues the book wrestles with. However, I was kind of unsatisfied with the execution of the switching narrators element to the book. 
 What I Loved: The premise of Unwind is outstanding and thoroughly developed--it envisions a world that's not all that different from ours, that resulted from domestic conflicts over abortion, which escalated into all-out war and ultimately a treaty that results in abortion being outlawed but provides for the caveat that teenagers can be "unwound" and recycled for body parts. In the philosophy of this version of the U.S., the kids are not dead after being unwound, they are instead, living in a "divided state," which is how parents and government justify unwinding. There is a huge demand for fresh body parts (i.e., a broken arm usually is just replaced with a new one, if the recipient can afford it). The story follows three teens who are scheduled to be unwound (each for different reasons) and their backstories are interesting and well-developed. The second half of the book is far stronger than the first half, with action progressing as a nice pace--this is where the world of an underground railroad saving teens from unwinding unfolds in the story. The chapter describing an actual unwinding from the point of view of an Unwind, is heartbreaking and astounding. The tough issues in the book are dealt with in a matter-of-fact manner, avoiding the hyper-dramatized style of a lot of books geared toward young adults. There's a very small romance angle to the story, but it makes sense in the flow of the book, and isn't forced (yay!). Unwind also deals with idea of feeling unwanted by parents and society in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. As a YA book, I can see Unwind being appreciated by both girls and boys. 
 What I Didn't Like: I usually really enjoy the multiple narrators/switching POV technique. However, in Unwind it drove me nuts. The perspective never really changed, it was instead just telling that character's story at any given time. I found myself often flipping back to see whose story was being told, and while it was narrated in third person, during particularly emotional moments, you're thrown into the characters' thoughts, which feels disjointed from the third-person, all-knowing narrator. I would have preferred that Unwind be told in first-person if the switching narrator technique is being used (the chapter detailing an actual unwinding almost feels like first person and is very effective and made me connect emotionally with that character for the first time). Or, with the third person narration, I'd prefer the narrator be more all-knowing. The hybrid style really put up a wall between me and the characters. 
 Regardless of the POV issue that bothered me off and on throughout Unwind, I'd still recommend it--there's a sequel coming out in 2012 (it has the unfortunate working title of "Unwholly"), and I'll definitely be reading it. The author has set up a fascinating and eery world that's extremely intriguing.