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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
The Search for WondLa was an imaginative story with amazing details and worldbuilding. I was pleased with the twist in the end, yet I experienced some annoyances while reading. They're probably pet peeves. I think Eva talking to herself while hiding has no other reason than the writer feeling that he couldn't just let her think to herself, so he wanted to switch it up a little. I'm always annoyed at characters that talk when they hide. Do they want to be found?!
Then there's some of the crazy accents in the book. While they certaintely help create an atmosphere, sometimes they were unintentionally funny for me. Especially during fighting sequences. This kinda interrupted my process of trying to sympathize with the characters. Other than that I look forward to reading the sequel.
Then there's some of the crazy accents in the book. While they certaintely help create an atmosphere, sometimes they were unintentionally funny for me. Especially during fighting sequences. This kinda interrupted my process of trying to sympathize with the characters. Other than that I look forward to reading the sequel.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The art is gorgeous, the book is terrible. Really bad writing.
I am always on the search for good kids/YA books because even though I'm well into adulthood, every time I find a good one I feel transported back to when I was a kid and books opened up fantastic new worlds for me. I stumbled across The Search for WondLa randomly and was drawn in by the premise and the illustrations I saw in the sneak peek. Imaginations are the best, but sometimes, especially with unusual creatures, well-done illustrations can add to the experience. I was pleasantly surprised by WondLa and promptly bought the second book, which I am eager to start later today!
The Search for WondLa feels a bit familiar, with influences from a mishmash of old science fiction/fantasy movies and books. I liked it because it added for me a hint of nostalgia and a feeling that I was rereading an old favorite book that I'd forgotten. DiTerlizzi has created a fascinating world and populated it with a wide range of three-dimensional beings (live and robotic).
Eva Nine, the main character, is a 12-year old human girl who is thrust into a strange world that can be both exciting and dangerous as she searches for other humans. Along the way we are introduced to a variety of characters that either help or hinder her quest. I loved meeting all of them and only wish that we could see/learn more about all of them in further detail. While parts of the story could get a little slow, I actually enjoyed the slow moments where you could see a bit of the world unfold or see some character development.
And the illustrations in this are amazing! I purchased the Kindle version, and so while I don't have the paper version for comparison, the illustrations still came out nicely. All of the illustrations were wonderfully detailed and conveyed a part of the narrative so well.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves light scifi/fantasy and is either a young reader or, like me, enjoys reading these kind of books. And my suggestion is to not speed through the book for the plot (which I am often guilty of), but instead take your time reading it and discovering this new world with Eva Nine. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and future books written and illustrated by DiTerlizzi!
The Search for WondLa feels a bit familiar, with influences from a mishmash of old science fiction/fantasy movies and books. I liked it because it added for me a hint of nostalgia and a feeling that I was rereading an old favorite book that I'd forgotten. DiTerlizzi has created a fascinating world and populated it with a wide range of three-dimensional beings (live and robotic).
Eva Nine, the main character, is a 12-year old human girl who is thrust into a strange world that can be both exciting and dangerous as she searches for other humans. Along the way we are introduced to a variety of characters that either help or hinder her quest. I loved meeting all of them and only wish that we could see/learn more about all of them in further detail. While parts of the story could get a little slow, I actually enjoyed the slow moments where you could see a bit of the world unfold or see some character development.
And the illustrations in this are amazing! I purchased the Kindle version, and so while I don't have the paper version for comparison, the illustrations still came out nicely. All of the illustrations were wonderfully detailed and conveyed a part of the narrative so well.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves light scifi/fantasy and is either a young reader or, like me, enjoys reading these kind of books. And my suggestion is to not speed through the book for the plot (which I am often guilty of), but instead take your time reading it and discovering this new world with Eva Nine. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and future books written and illustrated by DiTerlizzi!
This was the perfect read for me. it came along at just the time and I really enjoyed it. This does feel like a younger books but the ideas and characters are really enjoyable. I didn't want to put it down so I would really recommend it.
This science fiction adventure tells the story of Eva Nine, a young human girl who has been raised in an underground sanctuary by a robot known as MUTHR. When an invader breaks in and destroys their dwelling, Eva Nine escapes to the surface where she discovers an entirely different world than she had been prepared for. The writing is ok, with some abrupt transitions, but kids will get a kick out of this fast paced adventure with allusions to Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz, and will be anxious for the sequel.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was absolutely precious and wonderful. I took a long break in the middle, but that was my fault not [b:The Search for WondLa|7327327|The Search for WondLa (The Search for WondLa, #1)|Tony DiTerlizzi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361401746s/7327327.jpg|8944726]'s. I always love to read a well crafted middle grade adventure, no matter how old I get, and this certainly hit every mark I needed it to.
To start, when faced with a telling a tale to younger readers, an important component is always the lessons that are taught. WondLa successfully and meaningfully addresses everything from growing up to loss, and from friendship to loneliness. At the same time though, the lessons were organic, not shoved down the readers throat. The story required the perfect amount of thought but was still an easy, and simplistic read (this is a good thing!) And the illustrations, done by the author, [a:Tony DiTerlizzi|25421|Tony DiTerlizzi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1401808965p2/25421.jpg], himself, were breathtaking and added so much magic and wonder to the story. The fact that they were colored (in a mood-setting green scheme) helped this even more. Even the plot twists were predictable (remember the book is for a much younger audience than myself), but not glaringly obvious so that they frustrated and bored me. I've read a lot of YA that can't achieve this and that audience is technically supposed to be more clever.
I certainly want to read on in this trilogy and see what other adventures Eva Nine and her friends embark on. And middle grade sci-fi should definitely be more of a thing.
This book was recommended to me by a friend, and even though it is technically a "children's book", I decided to give it a try, mostly because of the illustrations. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this cover is hard to ignore. I am always more likely to read a book with illustrations by the author, because to me that says that the author really put a lot of thought and imagination into the story. The story itself is fantastic, something that would definitely have enchanted my twelve-year-old self, and I found myself drawn in by the fantastical creatures and places that DiTerlizzi describes. At first, the book seems like another cliched, end-of-the-world cautionary tale about respecting the earth, et cetera, et cetera. But after Book I, the story really takes off, moving just a little bit too quickly (Keep in mind however, that this story is for young adults and is meant to keep their attention with its nonstop action). By the end of the story I was very impressed by DiTerlizzi's ability to create an expansive, imaginary world that is believable and will not confuse younger readers too much. He does not give away all of the secrets, leaving some out in the open to be answered later or for the reader to puzzle out themselves, but the riddles he does solve are clever and surprisingly unpredictable. The illustrations are also fantastic, but often I found myself having to refer back to them in order to understand what the characters and places looked like because his descriptions left something to be desired. It almost makes me wonder why he didn't do the whole thing as a graphic novel instead of a book. All in all, I think this is one of those rare books that parents can read along with their kids and both will get something important out of it, and I give it four stars.