Description
The much-anticipated new fantasy series from Ransom Riggs, his first since introducing the #1 global phenomenon Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.
Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won't leave him alone. Every hallucinatory moment seems plucked from a cheesy 1990s fantasy TV show called Max's Adventures in Sunderworld - and that's because they are.
Not a good sign.
In the blurry weeks after his mother's death, a young Leopold discovered VHS tapes of its one and only season in a box headed for the trash - and soon became obsessed. Losing himself in Sunder was the best way to avoid two things: grieving his mother and being a chronic disappointment to his overbearing father. But when the strange visions return - at the worst possible time on the worst possible day - Leopold turns to his best friend Emmet for help. Together they discover that Sunder is much more than just an old TV show, and that Los Angeles is far stranger than they ever imagined. And soon, he'll realize that not only is Sunderworld real, but it's in grave danger.
Certain he's finally been chosen for greatness, Leopold risks everything to claim his destiny, save the world of his childhood dreams, and prove once and for all that he's not the disappointment his father believes him to be. But when everything goes terribly, horribly, excruciatingly wrong, Leopold's disappointments prove to be more extraordinary than he ever could have imagined.
How do you battle darkness when no one believes in you - not even yourself?
Visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs weaves the familiar with the peculiar in a stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, reminding readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born - and that when you're never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself.
Welcome to Sunderworld.
Review
Leopold Berry is ordinary and average at everything. His mum died when he was twelve, and his dad is controlling and demanding and so Leopold loses himself in an old TV show called Sunderland. The best things in his life are his friend Emmet, who is always there when he needs him, and his mum’s old Volvo that he calls Bessie. Leopold became so obsessed with Sunderland that he and Emmet used to make their own versions of the show complete with costumes and props, and he started seeing things from the show around him.
But he hasn’t thought about Sunderland in years and now he suddenly he is seeing strange things again. A raccoon on fire that no one else can see, a meter that takes teeth instead of money, a parking attendant with wings. Is Leopold losing his mind or are these things real? He soon discovers that Sunder is a real world and he and Emmet have been drawn into it. Is Leopold really average or is he meant to help Sunder somehow.
This is sure to be a new favourite with fantasy fans as Ransom Riggs has built a whole new world in Sunder and created wonderful characters to fill it. Leopold is searching for his place in the world and when you entwine this with a magical world it makes for a fantastic adventure. The book is full of weirdness that is mesmerising along with a great friendship between Leopold and Emmet. It’s a really fun read and don’t be surprised if you have to finish it in one sitting and will be eagerly awaiting Book 2.
Perfect for fantasy fans aged 15 and up.
