Storybound

First, the plot is brilliant. I love my fairy tale retellings as much as the next gal but it was so refreshing to read this story about students who are learning how to be characters in a story! I was laughing out loud with Una as she tried to perfect her villain laugh for her exam and desperately wishing I could have been part of this world. Honestly? Haven’t yearned this much since I didn’t get my Hogwarts letter all those years ago, might still be a little bitter about that one…but anyway, the plot twists and adventure were found on every page and really kept me wanting to know what happened next. The little plot twist at the end was really amazing and I actually didn’t see it coming which makes me so happy!The characters are all so loveable (or easily hated, I guess) and the book only made me want more from each one. I loved how the villains in this story were written in a way that made me sympathize with their predicaments and how Snow was portrayed as this snotty “Lady” but really she was just a scorned and sad daughter who wanted someone to love her. Obviously I loved Sam because well, he was a cat..but also because he was snarky and portrayed all the best cat-like qualities. Una and Peter we both very sweet and in a word, good which made me really see the differences between Peter and Endeavor Truepenny, I seriously look forward to seeing more from this character in book two.From page two this story drew me in. Marissa Burt writes a fantastic and beautiful narrative. I highly recommend it to those who enjoyed Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, or those looking for a story that reminds them about all of the things they love about fairy tales.

I'll start off by saying that I loved this book. I enjoyed the characters, Una, Peter, and Indy, especially, but I even connected a bit with Snow White despite her bullying tendencies. I like the world that the author created around fairy tales, the land of Story, where people/creatures train to enter a story and then live out the story before returning home to their 'regular' lives. The plot moved quickly and intricately through Una's unexpected arrival in the land of Story during Peter's 'practical' through the surprises and shocks of life in hiding.I appreciated that the characters felt three dimensional to me, Peter and Una are great characters but they make mistakes along the way. I also appreciated how Snow White who tries to bully Una, is presented as more than a bully, but a girl who has experienced much heart-ache and rejection in her life. This adds a nice twist to the story.Plotwise, there were some expected revelations, but also some unexpected twists and turns which always makes for a more interesting read. There were plenty of hints here and there leading up to the climax and some of the plot elements I was able to predict but others I did not, this makes for a fun read. I admired the creativity exhibited in this story. Little things like classes such as Outdoor Experiential Questing, and testing of one's Villain's laugh and the whole concept of Talemasters who kept the books with the 'tales' from Story's past. I'm a sucker for books about the value of books. :) I also found the underlying theme about history and how the way we view our history depends a great deal on how it is presented to us and who is telling the story. I found this a great read and can't wait to read the sequel, Story's End, coming out next year.

I quite enjoyed reading Storybound. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine, and while I don't typically enjoy fantasy type books, I did enjoy reading this one, and read it in two sittings. It is an interesting premise, a young, bookish girl who doesn't quite fit into her world is one day whisked away into a land of Storybook characters. She eventually learns that she has been Written In and must discover why that is before her life is in danger. As I said, I quite enjoyed reading Storybound, until I got to the ending, which felt a bit rushed and disjointed. I understand wanting to leave people in such a way that they just have to read the next book in your series, but to me, it almost felt as though there was a deadline that was going to be missed, so an ending was just hurriedly put together. I feel that even books with sequels should be whole and complete in and of themselves. This one felt like it just didn't quite make it to that point. It is still a great read, and seems like it would make a fun and exciting read out loud book for families.

There was a lot I liked about this book. I liked the little comments about how books are typically done (backstory, villains, heroes, etc.) and seeing how these characters acted out common story ideas. I thought the writing was clever and I loved the world that Marissa Burt created. It's similar to Inkheart with it's tongue in cheek portrayal of the written word (kind of like the author making light fun of her own profession).One thing I thought got a little tired was that Una and Peter often only figure stuff out by overhearing someone. They must have heard about 5 conversations and I thought there could have been more original ways for them to progress the plot. Also, I thought it was strange that Peter was the main guy for most of the book, and then Indy is the one that's present for the finale stuff while Peter takes a back seat. Kind of off-putting. I'll definitely be picking up the next one though, especially since this isn't really a complete book on it's own - more of a Part One, if you will.

I loved the plot. I thought it was very captivating. Marissa Burt made it feel like you were in the book. I am ten years old, and I recommend it for 13 year olds and up because it has kidnapping. It is amazing, and I loved it a lot!!!!

This book started out really well - wonderful concept for a children's story. But somewhere along the way, it starts to slide. A little confusing with the characters and the storyline gets a little blurred. I managed okay - but I was looking for a book that I could read to my Grade 3 students, and I don't think this will be it.

My 11 year old daughter loved it!

boring