Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by nerdy_birdie_reader
The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
3.0
I feel like I would’ve liked this book a lot more if I was a middle grader. Not that I don’t enjoy middle grade books, I do. But I didn’t like the voice of the story or Will’s narration (even though it’s third person, Will’s point of view). The story is told in present tense, except for the fact that I didn’t think this suited the book.
I also felt that the “adventures” was just Will not really knowing anything. He would do something thinking that one thing would happen, but then poor Will would go through something else. And the villains he had to run away from, were pretty one dimensional. This is also a reason why I think I would’ve liked this book if it wasn’t middle-grade, because the villains aren’t really as developed as villains in Young Adult fiction (according to me . . . I hope I did not offend anyone).
I thought that Maren wasn’t really that well-developed. After finishing this book, I can tell you that I honestly don’t know much about her or Will. It was kind of on the flat side in that department. And I was hoping that Maren’s skills Will’s thoughts on The Boundless would be shown later on in the book. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. I guess, that was because their development isn’t really a part of the story. It was just Will’s wish for an adventure. Mr. Dorian was kind of boring once you find out his motives in the story.
The “magic” part of this story. If you were to read The Boundless I would HIGHLY recommend knowing a bit about Native Canadian beliefs, because a lot of the beings or magic that revolves around the incidents on the train is through that.
Nonetheless, I have looked more into books written by Kenneth Oppel and I think that I would like to try this author out more. :D
Overall, I am sure The Boundless would be great for a middle grader and I highly recommend that if you want to read this, then read it with a younger relative or friend, because things they may enjoy in this story may not even come to your mind. I know if I would’ve read this book in middle grade I would’ve loved it.
I would obviously recommend The Boundless to any middle grader who is a fan of magic and a decently paced plot. Nothing major or complex happens, so if you’re looking for a story like that, then why not?
I also felt that the “adventures” was just Will not really knowing anything. He would do something thinking that one thing would happen, but then poor Will would go through something else. And the villains he had to run away from, were pretty one dimensional. This is also a reason why I think I would’ve liked this book if it wasn’t middle-grade, because the villains aren’t really as developed as villains in Young Adult fiction (according to me . . . I hope I did not offend anyone).
I thought that Maren wasn’t really that well-developed. After finishing this book, I can tell you that I honestly don’t know much about her or Will. It was kind of on the flat side in that department. And I was hoping that Maren’s skills Will’s thoughts on The Boundless would be shown later on in the book. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. I guess, that was because their development isn’t really a part of the story. It was just Will’s wish for an adventure. Mr. Dorian was kind of boring once you find out his motives in the story.
The “magic” part of this story. If you were to read The Boundless I would HIGHLY recommend knowing a bit about Native Canadian beliefs, because a lot of the beings or magic that revolves around the incidents on the train is through that.
Nonetheless, I have looked more into books written by Kenneth Oppel and I think that I would like to try this author out more. :D
Overall, I am sure The Boundless would be great for a middle grader and I highly recommend that if you want to read this, then read it with a younger relative or friend, because things they may enjoy in this story may not even come to your mind. I know if I would’ve read this book in middle grade I would’ve loved it.
I would obviously recommend The Boundless to any middle grader who is a fan of magic and a decently paced plot. Nothing major or complex happens, so if you’re looking for a story like that, then why not?