Book Review: Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis
Jun. 4th, 2015 03:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
juushikaTitle: Otherbound
Author: Corinne Duyvis
Published: New York: Amulet Books, 2014
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 387
Total Page Count: 162,036
Text Number: 473
Read Because: reviewed byrushthatspeaks, among others; ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: Every time Nolan closes his eyes, he slips into another world, living the life of a girl named Amara who may be real. Otherbound is a first novel and reads as one: surfeit with intent but rough around the edges. Nolan's narrative is unconvincing, with stiff dialog and a family that fails to come to life, but Amara's world and experiences are fascinating in their diversity. The plot gains momentum, but it does so without grace: the magic system develops rules inorganically and the machinations grows contrived. But for its weaknesses, Otherbound is always readable and I admire what it does well. It's a ruthless book without growing gratuitous, and the interpersonal relationships (especially Amara's) are in equal parts compelling and imbalanced—they become conversations about power dynamics and communication without overwhelming their emotional underpinnings, and they're nuanced and heartbreaking (as is the conclusion). And both worlds are full of people of color, both protagonists are disabled, and Amara has nonheteronormative relationships. I can't entirely overlook this novel's roughness, so I don't particularly recommend it—but I look forward to seeing future work from Duyvis.
Author: Corinne Duyvis
Published: New York: Amulet Books, 2014
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 387
Total Page Count: 162,036
Text Number: 473
Read Because: reviewed by
rushthatspeaks, among others; ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County LibraryReview: Every time Nolan closes his eyes, he slips into another world, living the life of a girl named Amara who may be real. Otherbound is a first novel and reads as one: surfeit with intent but rough around the edges. Nolan's narrative is unconvincing, with stiff dialog and a family that fails to come to life, but Amara's world and experiences are fascinating in their diversity. The plot gains momentum, but it does so without grace: the magic system develops rules inorganically and the machinations grows contrived. But for its weaknesses, Otherbound is always readable and I admire what it does well. It's a ruthless book without growing gratuitous, and the interpersonal relationships (especially Amara's) are in equal parts compelling and imbalanced—they become conversations about power dynamics and communication without overwhelming their emotional underpinnings, and they're nuanced and heartbreaking (as is the conclusion). And both worlds are full of people of color, both protagonists are disabled, and Amara has nonheteronormative relationships. I can't entirely overlook this novel's roughness, so I don't particularly recommend it—but I look forward to seeing future work from Duyvis.
