Nolan doesn't see darkness when he closes his eyes. Instead, he’s transported into the mind of Amara, a girl living in a different world. Nolan’s life in his small Arizona town is full of history tests, family tension, and laundry; his parents think he has epilepsy, judging from his frequent blackouts. Amara’s world is full of magic and danger--she’s a mute servant girl who’s tasked with protecting a renegade princess. Nolan is only an observer in Amara's world--until he learns to control her. At first, Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious. But to keep the princess--and themselves--alive, they'll have to work together and discover the truth behind their connection. A fascinating premise, clearly and compellingly written and imagined by a startlingly original debut writer.Praise for OtherboundFOUR STARRED REVIEWS"Original and compelling; a stunning debut." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Numerous plot twists drive the story along, and it’s grounded in worldbuilding that creates a believable, authentic setting. Duyvis makes ingenious use of a fascinating premise." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "While Duyvis’s debut is an exciting take on the fantasy genre, as it alternates between our world and that of the Dunelands, the true strength of the novel is in its positive portrayal of LGBT issues." --School Library Journal, starred review "Fantasy and speculative fiction fans will no doubt enjoy the ride, while authors should take note—this is how you do fantasy in a global world." --The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books, starred review "Duyvis creates a humdinger of an adventure that contains the agony of loyalty, the allure of magic, and, most gratifyingly, the element of surprise." --The Horn Book Magazine "Debut author Duyvis has written a nice twist on the classic bodysnatchers theme and keeps the pace moving smoothly, even when jumping between Nolan’s and Amara’s perspectives. Her racially diverse characters struggle with both disabilities and sexual identity, but she keeps her focus solidly on the story and character development so that diversity integrates naturally into both Nolan’s and Amara’s experiences." --Booklist
Diversity is such a win! Denise is biracial, her sister is black, and there are people of every background you can imagine involved. Not in a way that seems contrived though- just in a way that seems normal, which is good, because it is normal. And autism? Count me in! I think it was handled really well (which I describe more below). There's also Iris, Denise's sister who is transgendered. It's not made out to be this huge "thing", it's simply who Iris is, and I loved it! Sidenote: I worked with a boy with autism for almost four years, and he is the kind of person who just... he shines. Yes, he had autism, and there were loads of things he struggled with. But he's funny, and kind, and other kids just gravitate toward him. So the portrayal of Denise as a person, and not a stereotypical autism case was huge for me.
The apocalyptic conditions and politics seemed pretty realistic. I love an apocalyptic book, but sometimes the settings can be hit or miss. This one was pretty great. It was bleak, yet had a semblance of hope. It was honest, because the upper echelon of society bought their safety, and to hell with everyone else.
FAMILY. This book is incredibly family centered. And that makes so much sense! Because really- if you're in the midst of the end of the world, who can you trust if not your family? And I don't even just mean Denise and her family, everyone in the book is worried first and foremost about their families. It's very honest, and very refreshing. Of course, Denise's mom is a drug addict, and she is a really hot mess. Denise has to weigh her family loyalties against her own will to survive, and it's pretty intense!
The Not As Good:
I felt like the first half was fabulous, but the second half was a bit slow. Now, it wasn't bad, it just was slower. And when the second part is slower than the first, that makes it feel extra slow, if that makes any bit of sense. It just felt like some things in the second half were getting kind of repetitive (see point below for one of them) and I just wanted some kind of action.
I was getting really sick of Denise's mom. I mean, I get that she was a drug addict, that's not what I mean. It's just that Denise goes back and forth with her so often that I got bored of that particular storyline. I just wanted to slap mom, and move on, or something.
Bottom Line: It's a good book. It handles diversity really well, and is an interesting- and plausible- story. While it didn't completely blow me away, it was a solid book and I think it's worth the read.
