Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
 In this collection of short stories, one must ask: Zombies or Unicorns. Featuring stories from award-winning and popular YA authors, the question that has been nagging fantasy fans for decades is explored. For example, what if there really was an epic battle waged between both zombies and unicorns? Would the human race survive? Or what if one is already a zombie and having a tough time reconciling with the fact that we are not really human and, guess what, in love with human. How about the fact that is unicorns needed help from pure young maidens and they chose one of us because there was no one else left who met their demands? What about the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse? Is it possible for us to start all over again and pretend nothing every happened? Lastly, what if we wanted to check out the local "freak" show just to be near the hot guy we are crushing, only to find out that unicorns actually exist, but are not the pretty ponies we dreamed of. All of these questions are asked and no matter the result, there is always a chance that things could end perfectly or horrifically.  Despite the end result, the best part about it all, is that everyone will have an experience they will never, ever forget.

Critical Evaluation:
This is seriously one of the best collection of short stories I have ever read. Everything single one of these stories have their own flavor that keeps it alive and appealing to all readers. Unlike most anthologies, the editors provide a beautiful introduction to each story where readers not only get to learn about the author, but what he or she thinks about zombies and/or unicorns. I absolutely loved the one by Naomi Novik, entitled Purity Test, because the premise is so tongue-in-cheek and just plain creative. Although I am not an expert on unicorn folklore, I am pretty sure they never have had contact with human; they are the purest of the species and humans can ruin that innocence. Granted, the only way I know that is because I have watched the film, Legend, a million times, it makes sense why humans are not allowed near Unicorns. However, this belief is debunked because a unicorn needs the help of a female virgin to save the unicorn species. The question that is asked is: why? Furthermore, why did the unicorn approach a girl who, unfortunately, makes poor decisions, which is evident in the very first ten sentences of the story. The question that I had in my mind is what is the real definition of purity? Although popular culture states that being a virgin means one is not sexually active, but what about purity of the mind and soul? With all of the witty dialogue, is a serious discussion of what it means to be pure and how a little faith can go a long way. This is just an example of the brilliance that is in this collection and I am so going to use this collection when I begin my teen story time program!


Information about the Author:
According to their personal websites:

Holly has also been a frequent contributor to anthologies, and has co-edited three of them: Geektastic (with Cecil Castellucci, 2009), Zombies vs. Unicorns (with Justine Larbalestier, 2010), and Bordertown (with Ellen Kushner, 2011). Her first collection of short fiction, Poison Eaters and Other Stories, came out in 2010 from Small Beer Press. She has just finished the third book in her Eisner-nominated graphic novel series, The Good Neighbors, and is working on Red Glove, the second novel in The Curse Workers series. White Cat, the first in the series, is out as of May 2010, and is about capers, curse magic, and memory.

Holly lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret library.

Justine Larbalestier FAQ:

Q: Where were you born?
A: Sydney, Australia. In Paddington Women’s Hospital, which is now a block of flats.

Q: How do you pronounce your surname?
A: Lar-bal-est-ee-air. It can also be pronounced Lar-bal-est-ee-ay or Lar-bal-est-ee-er. Those are all fine by me. Friends at school used to pronounce it: Lavaworm. I have to really like you to let you get away with that one, but.

Q: What’s it like living with another writer?
A: Wonderful. I’m very lucky because even if I wasn’t married to him I’d be a Scott Westerfeld fan. This way I get to read and comment on everything he writes first. He’s also a fabulous editor and reads and comments on all my work.

Q: Do you both write in the same room? Or do you have separate studies? Isn’t it annoying having someone else working so close by?

A: Mostly we write in the same room, sometimes not, though we’re always within shouting distance of one another. Scott and me travel a lot and write in many different places on our trusty and very transportable laptops. Magic or Madness was written in three different houses in Sydney, one in New York City and two in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Magic Lessons was written in two different houses in Sydney, one in New York City and one in Buenos Aires. Magic’s Child was written in San Miguel de Allende, Sydney and New York City. Liar was written in two different flats: one in NYC (the East Village) and the other in Sydney (Surry Hills).

It’s not even slightly annoying writing in the same room as Scott. We get to ask each other for synonyms, how to spell things, and whether Agnetha is an okay name for a character? (Apparently not.) It makes writing even more fun.

Q: What’s it like living in two countries?
A: (For those who don’t know, me and Scott spend half the year in Sydney, where I’m from, and half in NYC, where Scott has lived the majority of his life.)
Living in two places is most excellent. I have two sets of friends. Two sets of favourite restaurants. Two sets of everything really. When it’s six months at home and then six months in New York City I rarely get homesick and nor does Scott. Works out pefectly. Also lots of summer. I love me some summer.

Genre:
Teen Short Stories

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Zombies vs. Unicorns:

• 21 Proms edited by David Levithan and Daniel Ehrenhaft
• Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Catelluci

Awards & Recognition:


From Amazon.com

"Forget vampires vs. werewolves; the hottest feud is between fans of the fiercely magical horses and the shambling, brain-eating undead. . . . Who is the victor in this epic smackdown? Readers, of course!" - Kirkus Reviews

* "In this offbeat anthology, editors Black and Larbalestier embark upon a literary throw-down to determine which is superior: zombies or unicorns. . . . Without a clunker in the bunch, this anthology more than lives up to the potential its concept suggests. Zombies or unicorns? There's no clear winner, unless it's readers." - Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Who ultimately wins? To reuse an old joke: everyone." - Booklist

* "This is a must-have for fantasy collections.” - School Library Journal, starred review

Plot Summary:
The uprising at Happy Jack Harvest Camp was only the beginning. Not only are Unwinds rebelling, but the public now knows what it means to be unwound. Although Unwinds believe that Connor the Akron AWOL is nothing but a legend, many of them believe in his legacy and are fighting their way to sanctuary where they cannot be touched or harvested. For Mason Starkey (aka. Starkey) his luck has run out. After being dragged from his bed, in the middle of the night, Starkey reflects on his past and the injustice. Starkey was storked, which means his biological mother abandoned him on the front porch of his adopted family, and has been conflicted about it his whole life. Could this be the reason why he acted out so much? Unfortunately, his actions have forced his parents to sign the "UnWind" order and, although he acts like he doesn't care, he is terrified about the Harvest camp. However, he recalls the Akron AWOL and decides to take his fate in his own hands. When he asks his Juvy's to stop and get him something to eat, he decides to run, but what happens next is utter disaster. After living on the run, Starkey earns a reputation that earns him a lot of respect just like Akron AWOL, but for different reasons. Connor is known for his kindness and fairness; whereas, Starkey is the cunning and strong. When Starkey arrives at the Graveyard, he learns that the Akron AWOL is not dead, but very much alive. However, Connor is not what Starkey thought he was and that creates a lot of disappointment, which leaves Starkey no other choice: challenge Connor as leader. For Miracolina, she has accepted her fate as a Tithe and that her place is to return to God after saving her brother's life with a bone marrow transplant. Although her parents are starting to regret the fact that she must be harvested, she decides that she is at peace with this decision while they live in regret. After picking up another Tithe, Timothy, Miracolina is on her way to the Harvest Camp scared and anxious. What was supposed to be a journey to the end is changed when the van caring her and her friend is hijacked and they are taken to a secret location where they meet Lev--the Tithe who rebelled. For Cam, he doesn't know who or what he is. When he finally awakens, his thoughts are jumbled and his memories are blurred. Who is Cam? What was he created for? And what Starkey? What is he trying to accomplish? All of these questions will be answered, but the peace that the Graveyard knows will be threatened and, although the war on "Unwinding" was won, the battle for survival has only just begun.

Critical Evaluation:
O-M-G!!! I had not idea that Neal Shusterman would Unwind into a series! I will admit that I had one heck of a time reading this book not only because it's about a very, very controversial subject, but the very idea "Unwinding" just scares me. Without getting into the politicking, readers are faced with a very real and disturbing alternative between two very different ideologies. In this sequel, as Connor, Lev, and Risa as take on more AWOL Unwinds, things are getting more dangerous where AWOL's are being snatched and harvested by pirates (who make a lot of money) and there organ/body aprt donations are low. Although the order to reduce the age of "Unwinding" (where teens the ages of 17 & older can no longer be unwound) have brought this reviled practice into the light, things have gotten worse. In fact, Connor is struggling with the massive waves of escapees and he has no idea how he will house, clothe and feed everyone. Connor has grown up so much and, despite the fact that he is the leader, its obvious that its taking its toll on him. As for Lev, he is now a legend among the Tithes, which has been a good and a bad thing. With Risa, she feels the strain in her relationship with Connor and it worries her. Although the gang is faced with these hardships, nothing could prepare them for Cam. Cam, as we learn, is an enigma. Although we think he is a human, what we learn is much more complicated and scary. Granted that "unwinding" is a very unethical practice, it's even scarier to think that this process is now being used create a better human race. I don't know about you, dear readers, but I don't want my body parts, and yours as well, to be used in a giant human "Build-a-Bear" workshop to make a new, and improved, version of Lindsay Lohan. Along with Cam, another character is introduced and his name is Starkey. Starkey is the typical bad boy who was supposed to be sent to the harvest camps only to escape by committing the ultimate crime. Starkey is very unpredictable and, as readers get further and further into the story,  he is not to be trusted because he has his own set of plans that could help or destroy the sanctuary that was made by the Admiral. This is the latest plot twist in the "Unwind" trilogy and it will seriously leave readers wanting more, which is coming soon!

Information about the Author:
According to his website:

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently played in several major cities. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.

Genre:
Teen Dystopian Thriller

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 10 & up

Books Similar to UnWholly:

• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Divergent by Veronica Roth

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com:

"A breathless, unsettling read."--Kirkus Reviews

"Shusterman continues to develop and expertly twist plotlines begun in the first book, picking up the pace with short chapters and a present tense narrative while interspersing for verisimilitude actual recent news items about real organ harvesting and abandoned and “feral” teens. Perfectly poised to catch the Hunger Games wave and based on an even more plausible dystopian scenario...Fans will want to get their hands on this the second it’s released." (Booklist )

"Smart, intense, and thought provoking, this series will stick with readers."--VOYA, 5Q

“Shusterman elegantly balances the strikingly different perspectives of the three main protagonists effectively, and these dissimilar approaches to life highlight the ways in which the larger world grapples with unwinding. …The high quality of UnWholly will inspire readers to go back to see what was missed as well as stoke anticipation for the final book.” (The Horn Book )

Thematically rich and packed with action, commentary, and consequences, this is a strong pick for dystopia fans that will also appeal to reluctant readers. (BCCB )

"This sequel to Unwind is well worth the wait...the characters, action, and drama make it easy for readers to be drawn into the story and the weighty issues, such as what it means to be human and what it means to sacrifice for others. Several plot twists at the end not only make for a satisfying conclusion, but also expertly set the stage for the final installment of the trilogy." (School Library Journal )

"Readers will come to think deeply about the question of survival, and to what extremes one would go to for survival of themselves and loved ones. This book is a welcome addition to a science fiction collection, with threads of romance, adventure, and alternate universes which are closer to becoming reality. Recommended." (Library Media Connection )