Storybound (Storybound #1)

Mar 28, 2012 Nafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-authors-12, books-for-review, books-i-own, 2012

I’ve heard people comparing Storybound to books like the Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke and I think it’s an apt comparison because like Inkheart, Storybound, too, crosses several boundaries and blurs several lines between fiction and reality. However, unlike the Inkheart series, I found that, as a matter of personal taste, Storybound seems more relatable and accessible. But that’s not really the point. The objective here is to tell you that Storybound is an exciting middlegrade debut by an au...more I’ve heard people comparing Storybound to books like the Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke and I think it’s an apt comparison because like Inkheart, Storybound, too, crosses several boundaries and blurs several lines between fiction and reality. However, unlike the Inkheart series, I found that, as a matter of personal taste, Storybound seems more relatable and accessible. But that’s not really the point. The objective here is to tell you that Storybound is an exciting middlegrade debut by an author with an extremely creative streak.

I immediately found myself drawn to Una, like, from the very sentence. She is a foster child with all the issues and feelings that comes with being a child seemingly alone in a world where other children are snug in the middle of families they belong to. Her unplanned sojourn to Storybound, a land where story book characters live, is the impetus to the adventure she has spent her whole like yearning for. The book takes you on a ride, it tosses you in the air and forgets to catch you and then as you flail, it plucks you out of the air and places you on the ground and then you lurch and the ride begins again. What I’m trying to say is that the novel is not predictable. Not in its characters, not in its twists and turns and certainly not in its plot. I liked how Burt keeps me guessing.

The world building is off to a great start. Burt knows how to keep the balance between imagery and action – something that is necessary for the younger readers, I believe – and I think she’ll easily keep younger readers’ attentions as Una meets her new friends and goes on an adventure of a lifetime. I also liked the characterization. There is a lot of spunk in Una and Peter is well created too. I especially like Snow because though, initially, I was scared there was going to be an emergence of the Mean Girls, Burt proves me wrong and shows me a complicated character who can exist beyond the pages of the universe she has created.

This would make a fantastic movie. I hope Disney is listening. Hee. The mythology is intriguing and I cannot wait to see what other morsels the next book gives us. I also was surprised by the big reveal near the ending. I had not expected it and its existence makes the book and the themes in it interestingly complicated. There are heavy questions asked about being the person you are and how much of the person you are is determined by who you are and the things you do and how much of it depends on who sires you. And as you all know, I love questions like these popping up unexpectedly in books that seem, on the surface, relatively simple.

The book ends on the verge of a cliffhanger. Not a cliffhanger but almost a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Now, what I am saying with this overly long review is that you need to put this on your reading list – either buy it as a gift for the middle schooler in your family or buy it for your own self if you like younger characters who kick ass despite their age, adventure and an interesting story.(less)

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Apr 27, 2012 Alyssa (Books Take You Places) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, own

Originaly reviewed here

Be prepared for a review where I squash any negativity regarding this book and sing its praises at the top of my metaphorical mountain!

Una is a child who doesn’t quite fit in. In fact, she feels as if she is an invisible being who even her teachers don’t see. That’s why she hides in the basement; she goes to her quiet corner and reads books that take her away from the drudgery of her daily life. That is, until the day that she finds a book entitled “The Tale of Una Fairchi...more Originaly reviewed here

Be prepared for a review where I squash any negativity regarding this book and sing its praises at the top of my metaphorical mountain!

Una is a child who doesn’t quite fit in. In fact, she feels as if she is an invisible being who even her teachers don’t see. That’s why she hides in the basement; she goes to her quiet corner and reads books that take her away from the drudgery of her daily life. That is, until the day that she finds a book entitled “The Tale of Una Fairchild,” which literally takes her away to the land of Story where she has been Written In to a young man’s final exam in which he must battle dragons and save the damsel..um.. damsels in distress. It is after talking to Peter that Una realizes that she has been Written In to the land of Story, something that has not happened in a very long time, and something that can certainly mean danger or even death for poor Una.

As the story progresses, Una learns a little more about the land of Story and the characters that dwell there. She learns that there are significant differences between those labeled as villains and those who are actually villainous. Most importantly, she learns that she is not invisible but a very important part of this world that she has inadvertently traveled to.

I first added this novel to my “to-read” list because I knew it was a good choice for my debut author challenge, though I have to say that it is no question I would have picked this book up otherwise. I am not a lover of MG novels, though I have fallen in love with one or two, but I was so impressed by this story and the way it crossed the lines that usually define a novel. I want to first touch upon some issues other readers have had with this book. I have read many reviews stating that the book was “too long” to be a middle grade novel, that the point of view changes were too confusing and that readers were disappointed that we didn’t meet fairy tale characters that we knew but were introduced to fairy tale characters in training. First, yes the book is 400 pages long, but it is not at all a “long” book. I did not once find the book dragging or wish for more action. People of all ages can read and love these books, like books that came before (Goblet of Fire, anyone?) this book is one that can bridge the ages and be enjoyed by many readers despite how “long” it is. Second, the point of view changes did not bother me, at all. The author did not start a new chapter with a characters name so the reader knew before starting the first sentence but within the first sentence of the paragraph it was easy to see whose point of view it was. It’s called close reading, people! Finally, its no question that I LOVE LOVE LOVE retellings and the whole modern character in a fairy tale world (see: Once Upon a Time) but the blurb of this story specifically says that the children are learning how to be fairy tale characters, not one thing about how she is transported to the land of Story and meets Cinderella! Okay, rage over, let’s move on to the awesome parts…

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.

Though I don’t usually do this, there were many lines that stood out for me in this novel and I want to share them..

“It became Una’s habit, on days that she felt especially invisible, to retire to the basement of the school library. Most students stayed on the main floor, grouped together at sunny tables, giggling over their math problems and English homework. But Una preferred the lower level, where she could sit undisturbed except for the odd student scurrying down to get some reference book needed for a research paper. She would tuck into her favorite desk underneath one of the high basement windows – half daydreaming, half reading – while the minutes flew by and she wondered what it would be like to live a different life.” – Page 2 of Storybound, completely reminiscent of myself when I was a child

“She turned to go, but Horace pushed in front of her. ‘Ladies last,’ he said.

She took the toe of her boot and knocked the outside of his left foot in toward the right. It was just enough to throw him off balance, and he stumbled to the side. ‘But then, I’m not much of a Lady,’ she said as she pushed ahead of him.” – Page 314 of Storybound, this part encompasses all that I love about Una as a character, it made me smile and high five the book.

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. (less)

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May 01, 2012 Telemachus rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel!

There's so much to enjoy here--the characters, the setting, the themes, the dialogue... the food!

I enjoyed the way the story unfolds, with a few serious, unexpected plot twists. One twist in particular is so good that it's really hard to recommend the book to a friend without wanting to spill the beans. I won't spill it here, but I love the way that particular twist takes a fun, fanciful tale and leads the reader to ponder issues of identity and relationship from unexpected angles.

Plus there's...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Berenice rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Una felt invisible to the world, and life as a foster child only accentuated how much she could phase out. Her favorite place is the school library where she can escape the feeling of invisibility and get lost in a different world every time she opened a book.
One day instead of getting lost in a book she gets sucked into one, here starts the story of Una in the land of Story where kids her age study to become characters of stories we grew to love. Now she must learn not to stand out, be...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Elevetha Houre rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: MG fantasy fans

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: adventure, cute-and-fun, fairytales, fantasy-adventure, magic-and-other-magical-substances, middle-grade, mystery, original, quirky, quite-good, twisty, the-series-of-awesome-quest, 2012

3.5 stars.

Favorite aspects: Heroics practical, Villainy practical, Snow, Professor Thornhill, atmosphere, friendships, WIs, etc.

The atmosphere of the book, as stated above, was one of my favorite things. The fairytale world, the characters within, and the overlying storyline of the Muses and their books, are all nicely woven together with likable characters throughout, a pinch of humor, a smidgen of suspense, and a hint of things to come.

I absolutely LOVED getting into Snow's head. I am sensing...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Kayleigh Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was truly amazing. I got so into it i didn't even wan't to sleep. Iwould totally recommend and i can't wait for the next part of the tale. Plenty was revealed but theres so much more i want to know. My only criticism ... It wasn't long enough :-) I need more adventure and to know more about this amazing world the author has created.

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May 04, 2012 Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean-reads, fantasy, middle-grade

I loved this middle grade book! The story swept me away to another world right from the beginning! Una finds a book and opens it. Inside it says The Tale of Una Fairchild. That is her! She begins to read the book and soon she finds herself in the story! I love the land of Story and all of the characters who live there! The element of mystery was wonderful and I found myself reading and reading! For a 400 plus page book, it went by so fast! There was a twist that I never saw coming and endearing...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Sierra Climaco rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy, books-i-wanted-to-read-so-badly

In short, I thought this book was a nice tale that has originality and a new spin of fantasy to it. I loved the sense of adventure. A few times throughout the book, I felt the story was drained on and rather confusing. I just felt Marissa Burt didn't give too much depth into the back story in which I had to flip a few pages to elaborate on what some of the characters meant.

Storybound follows the main character, Una Fairchild who is simply trying to read in her spot at the library. Finding a book...more

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May 26, 2012 Leaf rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 08, 2013 Wanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, ebooks, childrens-books

5 APR 2013 - obtained via Free Fridays at Barnes & Noble for the Nook. Thank you B&N.

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Jan 14, 2013 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, adventure, all-ages, fantasy, favorite-books, girl-heroine, magic, must-re-read, series, supernatural, wished-i-owned

I'm REALLY happy that this book has a girl heroine. Like, super HAPPY! Woo-hoo!Okay, well this book is about a girl who doesn't really fit in her regular life. At the library, she finds this book that catches her eye. Of course, she goes to it, and opens it. What she didn't expect to happen, was to get sucked into the book, into a place called Storybound! With heroes, princesses in distress, magic, wizards, and many other things, what's not to like? Going into this mysterious place, she's more t...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Pat Tierney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-awesome-books, favorites-of-2012

Storybound by Marissa Burt is the story of a girl who loves to read. She is an orphan as so many heroes in todays fantasy literature are and she finds herself retreating to the school library to find a cozy place to curl up with a book. One day a very odd book catches her eye. As she begins to read the book she is suddenly transported to the world of story.

Characters that enter story from the land of readers are called Written In's but Written In's are treated with suspicion. She must make frie...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Una is suddenly swept away when she finds a book that is has HER as a character, and finds herself in Story. Is she a Hero? A Villain? A Lady? Or is she something else? And what does that mean and will she pass her exams?

This is the kind of "children's book" that can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. The themes are universal: the misfit, the oddball, the shy one, each seeking how they fit into life. It also explores the ideas of writing, fear, mass-hysteria, heroism, villains, and stereo...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales

This story was extremely creative and a fast, fun read. Una is an orphan and an avid reader who doesn't really fit in. When she picks up an unfamiliar book at the library and is all of a sudden in the story, she finds herself in a world she can't conceive of. Being "written in" is not something that has happened in Story for decades and as Una makes friends and finally belongs somewhere, she starts a quest to figure out who she is and why/how she was written in. As the story progresses, we disco...more

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May 04, 2012 Sara Grochowski rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fantastic storytelling, a creative premise, and smart dialogue collide in Marissa Burt's Storybound.

Una is a captivating main character that any young reader will identify with... and maybe even wish to switch places with. She's is a smart, sassy young girl that fits into the world of Story surprisingly well... though I have a feeling many bookish people would. I liked that Una quickly got over the "this isn't possible!" phase and moved into the "let's kick some butt" phase. Una - and the reade...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Sylvia rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a Juvenile fiction book and I enjoyed it. It reminds me of a Jasper Fforde book, only written for children. There actually is some violence in the book so you might want to keep that in mind. As always you should read this book before reading it to your kids because then you will know for yourself if it's appropriate. It's about a girl that has been written into a book.

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Jun 27, 2012 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading this to my 6th graders and they were begging me to read it to them all the time. (Because of my awesome reading skills or because they wanted to get out of working?) With school almost out, I let the kids come in PJ's and bring pillows while I finished the book. They requested this... that I finish reading this book as their “end of testing” reward.

So, with that said, they were so disappointed that it ended in a cliff hanger and with so many plot points left unanswered. T...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I was walking through the library trying to pick my next book, I took a chance on Una and Peter. I am so glad that I did. This book is absolutely lovely.

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Mar 28, 2013 Makenna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-authors

This is my favorite book E-V-E-R!! So fun and exciting with its many characters.The plot is great.The book well written.The characters are fun and whimsical and never get too serious. Una Fairchild is the main character and I love her.She is such a bookworm like me and tries to see the rational point of view!! It's very important for a book to be fun but not too serious for the reader. Especially for kids of this age. Anyways I think Marissa Burt totally outdid herself with this book, continue t...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Spiral2007 rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was rather fun, really. I've mostly been reading books where fairy tales appear in the real world, so how interesting to be written into one instead.

Una Fairchild finds a random book in the library one day, then suddenly finds herself in another world. Is she in a fantasy world? Olden times? But wait! They call her a modern? Turns out, she's in a place called Story where all the characters from all genres live and hang out with each other.

The characters were fun to read. Una is underst...more

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Feb 26, 2013 LeAnne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to LeAnne by: Erika

Shelves: children-s-fiction, faith, fantasy, ya-fiction

Inkheart goes to Hogwarts in this story of an orphan girl from our world "written in" to a Tale in the land of Story. The setting is a boarding school where students train for roles in tales that are no longer bound into books--roles like Hero, Lady, Villain, Modern, etc. Even the talking animals mix with the humans in class and the lunchroom. The Muses have been banished after their supposed oath breaking, leaving only predictable formula Tales, while the world is ruled by an inept Tale Master...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Robert Kent rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade-ninja-reviews

Marissa Burt's Storybound is a wonderful fantasy middle grade novel kids will definitely enjoy, but that writers will absolutely adore. There are tinges of Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia, but Storybound is very much it's own thing and the perfect bedtime story for authors everywhere:)

And now, the fantasy of every fiction writer who ever lived and most readers: Imagine one day you're in the library browsing for a book and you find one with your name on it:

“Curious,” Una murmured. She f...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, bullies, community, families, fantasy, friendship, ncbla2013, literacy, reading, school, teachers, travel, writing

Reminiscent in some respects to Inkheart and the related books as well as some elements of the Harry Potter series, this one starts off fast, and the pace never lets go. In the school library twelve-year-old Una Fairchild happens upon a book that has her as a character, and she is transported to the world of Story where she has been written into the storyline. I liked Una quite a lot, especially her insistence that she is not really a Lady. I also liked Snow (White) who longs for her mother's af...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Bonnie at A Backwards Story added it

Shelves: 2012, fairy-tales, fantasy, middle-grade

When I first picked up STORYBOUND, I labored under the misconception that a girl from our world finds a book and is sucked into a world full of fairy tales. I was both right and wrong. While Una Fairchild is indeed sucked into the world of Story, she doesn't run into any fairy tale characters. The princes and princesses and villains of the fairy tales we know and love did in fact live and exist at one point in time, but long before Una arrived in Story. Now, everyone trains to be characters, tak...more When I first picked up STORYBOUND, I labored under the misconception that a girl from our world finds a book and is sucked into a world full of fairy tales. I was both right and wrong. While Una Fairchild is indeed sucked into the world of Story, she doesn't run into any fairy tale characters. The princes and princesses and villains of the fairy tales we know and love did in fact live and exist at one point in time, but long before Una arrived in Story. Now, everyone trains to be characters, taking classes such as Villainy and Heroics. They can train to be heroes, villains, princesses, ladies, sidekicks, etc. Even animals get to train and go to school to learn how to be characters. Like in Narnia, there are both smart and dumb animals in the world of Story.

I'd loved this creative spin on storybook characters. It reminded me a little of the way book characters come to life in the upcoming teen novel BETWEEN THE LINES by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha van Leer, which I'll be reviewing next Friday (Along with--SURPRISE!!--An interview with the authors! I'm super excited to share this book with you, so please come back next Friday!). Having read BETWEEN THE LINES first, the concept of storybook characters coming to life and being different outside the story wasn't a novel concept to me, though the way the two books explore the theme is completely different, and both are captivating in their own way. STORYBOUND also reminds me a bit of INKHEART, which also shows the interaction between our world and a storybook world. With STORYBOUND, I loved seeing the way characters attended class and learned how to become a character for a story. I thought that concept was unique, and was eager to see the topics they studied, much as I enjoy sitting in on Spy Classes whenever I read Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls books. It's always fun to see something so supremely different from our own mundane classes.

Like any good middle-grade novel worth its salt, STORYBOUND isn't all fun and laughter. From the get-go, the story is fraught with danger. Upon realizing that Una is from the world of Readers and has been Written In, training hero Peter tries his best to keep the truth from The Talekeepers, who have the power to wipe a WI out of existence. Ever since the Muses were overthrown, there have been no newly-written stories, and not Written In characters. Una's very existence in the world of Story is a dangerous one. As Una and Peter research how Una came to be in Story, they discover a sinister plot that will change the fundamental world of Story. The book takes a dark turn that will leave readers surging ahead to see what happens next. I didn't even realize STORYBOUND wasn't a stand-alone until I hit the last page and realized that the book was over. I'll be eager to read STORY'S END next year to see how everything pulls together.

I was impressed with the world-building and the way characters aren't always as they seem. I can't wait to see the development of certain characters continue in the next book. I'm also impressed with the way Marissa Burt reveals how and why Una came to be in Story. It wasn't anything I expected, and the answer isn't like anything I can recall seeing. It is, however, impressive that Burt goes where she does to create this answer, and I can't wait to find out what happens next!(less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Ohhh, the deliciousness of finding a book that when you finish it you can't wait for the next installment! Delightful. Fans of Inkheart, the Emerald Atlas, and dare I say Harry Potter, are in for a treat with this great debut novel by Seattle author Marissa Burt. Una is the kind of girl no one notices or sees...she lives in foster care and spends her lunches eating alone reading a book in the 300-400's at her library. Until, one day, when she finds herself in a a story-book world where the entir...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Jill Furedy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh no...I had a bad feeling this book couldn't possibly wrap up everything, but to end with 'to be continued..." was really annoying. I love fairy tale books, like the similar ideas of Inkspell and Neverending story (book and movie!) really liked the twist on those concepts and so ordered it in. My husband picked it up looking for an easy read as opposed to the textbooks for his masters program, and only got about 50 pages in before he gave it back to me and told me it was too silly. We don't al...more Oh no...I had a bad feeling this book couldn't possibly wrap up everything, but to end with 'to be continued..." was really annoying. I love fairy tale books, like the similar ideas of Inkspell and Neverending story (book and movie!) really liked the twist on those concepts and so ordered it in. My husband picked it up looking for an easy read as opposed to the textbooks for his masters program, and only got about 50 pages in before he gave it back to me and told me it was too silly. We don't always share tastes, he prefers epic sci-fi, so this younger reader stuff might not amuse him like it does me. This one was a bit too simple for me though, which was a shame because it had such potential. I didn't feel like I knew anything about the characters, the action wheeled around too quickly to really understand why things were happening or what the motivations were, the world itself needed more development, though there were some decent settings.
To start with, I didn't understand the characters jobs: they act out the tales and it's implied they do so when their tale is read. So do they do this every time it's read or just when it's written originally...I didn't understand. There were adult characters...teachers, parents, etc...why did we never see how they actually live out their tales instead of just seeing the kids studying to become those characters. Who were the heroes among the adults...no one was fighting dragons in reality, only in exams, no one was going on quests, just plotting secret meetings that involved the world and bureaucracy of Story not some other book. We're told Thornhill is a Villian, but other than teaching the Villiany class and dressing the part, she's not truly a villian...so does she play one in some book? Does everyone is Story appear in a book, because I don't get if they are born and given a part, or if they are created at the writing of the story (which can't be, unless Peter and his siblings were written into his parents story?). I think I've illustrated my confusion there.
I never connected with Una. She does all this 'brave' stuff, but something about her personality never said brave to me. Maybe that was on the set up (which only took two pages) where she wants to sit quietly, be alone, read, daydream, etc, none of which strikes me as a brave person. Granted she told some random hooded kid he was in her spot, which is a little nervy of her in a public place, and imagined throwing him out of it, but that seemed more random daydreaming than as something she might really do. Then she runs away upon first seeing Peter and Snow in the cave. She just never fully development any definable trait...she's alone on the beginning but is she lonely...doesn't seem to be. She's been through 5 foster families...that must have some effect, but all we see is that she kinda wishes she had a family. What is her relationship with Peter...are they friends, putting up with each other for a common goal, they clearly don't have the "crush" type of interactions they try to use with the teachers. And Peter...he seemed to just run frantically from one place to another, giving the same urgency to school tests and the fate of the world or danger to his friends and family. Snow talks about laughing and joking with him, but he didn't seem like fun to me, and his only friend appeared to be a semi-annoying talking cat. Snow on the other hand, displayed some actual emotion and conflicted feelings. But she wan't in the book nearly enough to connect with her as much as I would have liked. If Indy is supposed to be a love interest, then we need to know more about him..so far all he's got going for him is 'mystery' and that's not all that appealing.
And for the action...every place was easy to break into, there were never consequences (spying on a meeting in the woods and got away, eavesdropping in a restaurant and only caught by the chef, lying about where Una came from and no one presses for details, stealing a key to get into a bank box...and so on). I never fully understood the Tale Keepers job, the Tale Masters role which seemed more elected than dictatorial, the pseudo-revolution and the Servents of the King which was never explained well. Then the Muses role was a mystery...okay, so Story is torn as to whether they were good guys or bad guys...but they seems to be the 'gods' of the world so for the characters to turn their backs on them with no real consequences, and the Muses who write the tales seem clueless about what's happening in Story. Then in the end there's this random magic ink that shows up momentarily. In the exams, I sort of understood Peter fighting dragons and saving the Lady to a e a Hero exam, but what the heck was the goal of Una, Indy and Horace's exam? They said something about understanding the Villian, except Horace was the Villian so who was supposed to be doing what on their quest? Nothing about the rules of reality in the world came together for me.
All that being said, I still wanted to know about the interactions between our world and Story...why were people written in from our world at all? The Muses appear in our mythology, so did they leave our world for Story (and if so, why?) or do they straddle the two worlds; did they come on Story or did the create it? If the concept wasn't so interesting, this would go into the 'donate' pile for sure. As it stands, I'll see if the next book fulfills any of the promise of the series and then decide whether to keep this one or toss it...I just wish I had enjoyed it enough to be looking forward to the next one.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Carey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: age-10-and-11-older-elementary, age-9-third-grade

While I was reading, I wanted to like this. Common sense media gave it 5 stars for age 8 and up. The best thing about this book are the creative ideas - a place called Story, where characters are training to be a Hero or a Lady or a Villain, or someone can be Written In as a new character. But other than a few fun moments, to me, the book did not capitalize enough on this strength.

The main character is a 12-year-old girl named Una. Her reactions and emotions were not always believeable for me. F...more While I was reading, I wanted to like this. Common sense media gave it 5 stars for age 8 and up. The best thing about this book are the creative ideas - a place called Story, where characters are training to be a Hero or a Lady or a Villain, or someone can be Written In as a new character. But other than a few fun moments, to me, the book did not capitalize enough on this strength.

The main character is a 12-year-old girl named Una. Her reactions and emotions were not always believeable for me. For example, in a strange new place, having just survived a dragon attack, she starts yelling at a boy that she has just met, whom she suspects may be a character from a story that she was reading. It didn't seem like a believeable reaction to the situation. It felt like tween-sitcom writing. The interactions were less jarring as the book progressed.

It was easy to read and exciting, despite the length of the book. There were some inconsistencies, and it was hard to understand the way things work. The actual villains of the story aren't particularly distinguishable from other similar books. The biggest negative point is that, after reading 400 pages, the story ends right in the middle of the action. This book doesn't stand alone at all. If I don't read the next book, it will be the same as putting this one down in the middle and walking away.

I wish I could take the ideas in Storybound and rewrite it myself, because it's almost there. It just feels like it needed more editing, a tighter plot, and yet expansion of the elements that set it apart from similar books. The characters and the writing style are more appealing, to me, than something like "Inkheart" or "Down the Mysterly River." But in the end, I felt disappointed and I would not necessarily give it to my 10-year-old daughter. With that said, she really liked "The Emerald Atlas" - another book that was well-reviewed on commonsense media, but which I found disappointing. She loves creative ideas over writing style and has a higher tolerance for iCarly-level character interactions, so she might enjoy this more than me. I will put it on her shelf and let whatever happens happen.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Sherri rated it 5 of 5 stars

When orphan Una Fairchild has gone to her retreat in the basement of the school library she is surprised to find someone at her favorite desk. Forced to find a different place to sit she discovers an unusual book hidden behind a row of books. Upon opening the book she was startled to discover the title of the book was “The Tale of Una Fairchild” after all how many Una Fairchilds could there be? She began to read about Lord Peter and Lady Snow when she was approached by the hooded figure who had...more

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May 01, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children, fantasy

First in the Storybound fantasy series for children.

My Take
Burt has a cute idea here that I would have enjoyed more if she'd been a bit more intelligent with it. There were too many spots where I felt Burt was being condescending. I think Burt is hoping to create the next Harry Potter with this, but the story is too simplistic and doesn't provide enough credit to children's intelligence. The drama is there, but there's no depth to it. It's more that Storybound has some great bones, but Burt did...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Okay, so I thought that since it said Neverending Story on the back, that I would NOT like it. Because I thought the movie (I think that's what it was) for the Neverending Story was weird and annoying. But when I finally got past the beginning and all the boring stuff and it got to the action I really liked it! It was kinda cheesy how the main girl's name is Una Fairchild... like, that's kinda weird. But the character in general was cool. She was brave, smart, kind, and clever, and she always ca...more

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title link	preview: Storybound
avg rating	preview: Storybound Goodreads rating: 3.74 (865 ratings)
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Storybound (Storybound #1)

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