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A review by jackmchair
Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O'Donnell
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Short: This book is perfect for any young kid who loves Dungeons and Dragons - especially a younger middle schooler! Someone who has never played or heard of Dungeons or Dragons before may not find this as fun to read.
Full: The premise for this is so fun and the way each chapter is framed as though it's an excerpt from the guidebook helps the theme remain fresh. The humor is very much for the YA audience so if sarcasm and middle-school humor bothers you, maybe stay away!
The characters are OK and I didn't particularly feel a strong sense of attachment. I wish I had wanted them to be more successful but they were mostly 2D portrayals of common D&D tropes. If you've played D&D before you'll catch on and probably even picture someone you know as the characters but as unique characters in this book, I wasn't excitedly rooting for them and sometimes became annoyed.
Despite such a clear "source text" the story remains fresh and the plot elements keep it moving. I see this being a great series for a younger reader looking to nerd out (in the best way possible) but maybe isn't ready for something wordy like LOTR or WOT.
I feel strongly that there will be a positive correlation between a reader's background with D&D and their enjoyment of this book. Those who have been on a campaign themselves will find this to be a fun short read while those who haven't may struggle to get past the tone and humor.
Full: The premise for this is so fun and the way each chapter is framed as though it's an excerpt from the guidebook helps the theme remain fresh. The humor is very much for the YA audience so if sarcasm and middle-school humor bothers you, maybe stay away!
The characters are OK and I didn't particularly feel a strong sense of attachment. I wish I had wanted them to be more successful but they were mostly 2D portrayals of common D&D tropes. If you've played D&D before you'll catch on and probably even picture someone you know as the characters but as unique characters in this book, I wasn't excitedly rooting for them and sometimes became annoyed.
Despite such a clear "source text" the story remains fresh and the plot elements keep it moving. I see this being a great series for a younger reader looking to nerd out (in the best way possible) but maybe isn't ready for something wordy like LOTR or WOT.
I feel strongly that there will be a positive correlation between a reader's background with D&D and their enjoyment of this book. Those who have been on a campaign themselves will find this to be a fun short read while those who haven't may struggle to get past the tone and humor.