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Otherbound

Corinne Duyvis (Goodreads Author)

3.73 · Rating details · 2,309 ratings · 470 reviews

Amara is never alone. Not when she's protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they're fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she's punished, ordered around, or neglected.

She can't be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.

Nolan longs for a life ...more

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Hardcover, 387 pages

Published June 17th 2014 by Amulet Books

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2014 Debut Author Challenge (YA/MG/NA)

429 books — 1,378 voters

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

2014 YA Books with LGBT Themes

193 books — 543 voters

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Average rating 3.73 ·

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· 2,309 ratings · 470 reviews

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Nov 02, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it liked it

Shelves: male-pov, young-adult, read-2014, amulet, june, lgbtqi, poc, fantasy, 2014-publication

3.5 stars A lot of things to admire here--particularly a fantastic premise and a clear commitment to writing about characters that are not the usual white, straight, able-bodied, cookie cutter characters. Fantasy's combined well with more modern POV, and it's nice to have YA that doesn't cater to a typical relationship "norm," even within the heterosexual one depicted. And yet, for all that it's a perfectly well-executed story, is well-written, includes danger and intrigue, and has so many merits, th ...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Corinne marked it as novels-i-wrote · (Review from the author)

Shelves: poc-mcs, disabled-mcs, queer-mcs

As Goodreads is a place for reviews, I want to use this space to share these four starred trade reviews:

“Rich worldbuilding, convincing nonheteronormative relationships, balanced class issues, and nuanced, ethnically diverse characters add to the novel’s depth. The well-paced action builds toward an unexpected, thrilling conclusion that will leave readers eager for more from this promising new author. Original and compelling; a stunning debut.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Debut novelist Duyvis smooth ...more

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Apr 08, 2014 Emily Anne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: princess, gritty, that-ending, old-fashioned-fantasy-world, powers, strong-female, favorites, for-review, high-fantasy, exciting

Sometimes a book just sneaks up quietly behind your back... and then slaps you. Hard. That basically sums up my reading experience with Otherbound. I had been intrigued by Otherbound for some time. So, when I had the chance to read and review the story for free, I gladly grabbed the chance!

However, I never expected to be so immersed in Nolan and Amara’s story. The writing and settings were exquisite. And, at the end of Otherbound, I felt as if I had lost a friend. This book will stick with me f Sometimes a book just sneaks up quietly behind your back... and then slaps you. Hard. That basically sums up my reading experience with Otherbound. I had been intrigued by Otherbound for some time. So, when I had the chance to read and review the story for free, I gladly grabbed the chance!

However, I never expected to be so immersed in Nolan and Amara’s story. The writing and settings were exquisite. And, at the end of Otherbound, I felt as if I had lost a friend. This book will stick with me for a long time, and will definitely make it onto my 2014 favorites list.

Let’s start with the two characters and two settings. Our two main characters are Nolan and Amara. Nolan is from our world. However, he is not your average boy. He is missing a good part of one of his legs, and he has “seizures” and “hallucinations”. Of course, the readers learn pretty quickly that Nolan doesn’t have either of these plights, despite what the doctors might say.

Every time Nolan closes his eyes, he finds himself in another world called the Dunelands. More specifically, he sees through the eyes of a girl called Amara. Amara is not only a mute servant from the Dunelands, she is also a healer protecting a cursed princess. This job is not nearly as glamourous as it sounds, as the healing process causes Amara to inflict terrible harm upon herself. Also, Jorn, her master, cruelly punishes Amara often. And, in turn, Nolan has to suffer through terrible pain as well.

Otherbound had a certain uniqueness that other books lack. Not only does the author evidently have a wildly creative mind, she also incorporates diversity into Otherbound. The characters are LGBT, Hispanic, disabled, mute etc. The character relationships were astounding. Whether it was the relationship between two love interests or between family, Otherbound made the interactions realistic, hopeful, and heartbreaking.

Also, I loved the unpredictability of this novel. I was never sure what would occur next. And two revelations in the novel caught me totally off guard, but, when I reread parts of the book, made total sense to me. Both of these new bits of knowledge were about magic and the two worlds! This brings me onto my next topic, the magic and worldbuilding! For fear of spoilers, I won’t say much except the author had her world, and the awesome magic within, down pat!

Otherbound’s ending is spectacular. Nothing is tied up in a nice red ribbon but the story ends at just the right place. Also, I was impacted tremendously by one of the sentences on the very last page. I may or may not have leaked a few tears.

Corrine Duyvis has truly written a gem. The book has it all: a fantastic plot, a vivid setting, diverse characters, major feels, wonderful themes, and a stunning conclusion. Also, despite the length of this review, I feel as if I have barely touched upon all the amazing aspects of Otherbound! Overall, I cannot recommend Otherbound highly enough.

5/5 Stars
*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review!* ...more

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Aug 02, 2013 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: people-of-color, queer, contemporary, romance, disability, fantasy, novel, bisexual

I think we’ve all seen those posts where some douchebro is like “not every thing needs a bisexual low-income mute woman of color who use sign language or a one-legged epileptic Latino guy”. Those examples are done in the spirit of spiteful condescension, like it would be TOTALLY RIDICULOUS to have a story like that. Which is why it gives me exceptional pleasure to say:

Go home boys, Corinne Duyvis has just pwned you all.

Otherbound is heart-pounding page-turner that sweeps you up in a ...more

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Mar 27, 2014 Jim rated it it was amazing

This is an ambitious story. Not only does Duyvis create a believable fantasy world (inspired in part by the Netherlands) with its own messy history, politics, cultures, geography, and rules, but she also grounds Nolan’s story in our own world, then successfully ties them both together. In some ways, Otherbound is a portal fantasy, but it’s a portal fantasy with a lot more challenges and complications.

For one thing, when Nolan’s mind is with Amara, his body remains here with no one at This is an ambitious story. Not only does Duyvis create a believable fantasy world (inspired in part by the Netherlands) with its own messy history, politics, cultures, geography, and rules, but she also grounds Nolan’s story in our own world, then successfully ties them both together. In some ways, Otherbound is a portal fantasy, but it’s a portal fantasy with a lot more challenges and complications.

For one thing, when Nolan’s mind is with Amara, his body remains here with no one at the helm. As a child, he slipped into Amara’s world while crossing the street, which resulted in an accident that cost him his leg. Now, Nolan not only has to deal with his missing leg, but in many ways, his connection to Amara is presented as a neurological disability, one he’s constantly working to manage.

Amara’s tongue was cut out as a child, part of her “preparation” to become a servant. Later, she developed the power to heal from any new wounds, and uses this power to protect her princess … a girl Amara can’t decide if she hates or loves. In the meantime, they’re constantly on the run, guarded by an abusive drunk of a man.

Reading through the past few paragraphs, it sounds like this is a grim, gritty, potentially depressing book, and it’s not. There’s plenty of darkness, but Duyvis presents it all without ever wallowing in despair or hopelessness.

I was particularly impressed with how she handled the growing connection between Nolan and Amara. At first, Amara isn’t aware of Nolan at all. But eventually he learns he can control her. The first time this happens, there are layers of assumptions and misunderstandings on Nolan’s part. Without going into details, Nolan is simply trying to communicate with this person, to try to do something about this connection that’s cost him so much. But in the process, he takes total control of Amara. It’s a violation that has echoes of sexual assault, both in the way Amara loses control of her own body, and in her reactions afterward.

That’s Amara’s first introduction to Nolan, and it’s a hard thing to move past. Duyvis doesn’t shy away from the pain and difficulties there, but she does a good job of making both characters sympathetic and understandable as they try to negotiate and learn to work together.

I did get a little disoriented in the beginning as we were going back and forth between worlds, and I would have liked a little more grounding in Amara’s world, but overall I’m very impressed with everything Duyvis accomplished in this book. There’s plenty of action to keep things moving, along with romance, a diverse cast of characters, and an interesting magical system.

It’s a good book, and doubly impressive for being Duyvis’ debut. ...more

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Feb 22, 2014 Elena rated it liked it

Shelves: lgbtqia, first-reads, young-adult, male-protag, disability, its-not-you-its-me, fantasy, poci, arc, reviewed

I struggled for a long time about how to rate this book and how to write this review, because here's the thing: Even though this book wasn't my favorite, reading this book and seeing things here and there on the internet has made me a huge fan of its author, Corinne Duyvis. And even though this was a "meh" book for me, there are several really awesome things about it that make me absolutely sure I'll be recommending it over and over in the coming years.

Otherbound has two protagonists, Nolan and Amar/> I struggled for a long time about how to rate this book and how to write this review, because here's the thing: Even though this book wasn't my favorite, reading this book and seeing things here and there on the internet has made me a huge fan of its author, Corinne Duyvis. And even though this was a "meh" book for me, there are several really awesome things about it that make me absolutely sure I'll be recommending it over and over in the coming years.

Otherbound has two protagonists, Nolan and Amara. Nolan lives in our world, and from the time he was very young, whenever Nolan closes his eyes he finds himself riding along as a passenger in another person's life. It has cost him a normal life (and, when he was younger, his leg, gone in an accident caused by one of his "seizures" when he blinked), and his entire family has suffered. Nolan's unwitting host is Amara, and she inhabits a completely different world, where she's an indentured servant on the run with a cursed deposed princess. For over a decade, Nolan has been a helpless passenger, tagging along with Amara. But then, something changes, and Nolan is able to take control of Amara's body. Suddenly, Amara becomes aware that not only does she have a shitty, dangerous life, she's got a parasitic person tagging along in her mind, and her body isn't completely her own. As Amara's life takes a turn for the even more dangerous, Amara and Nolan must learn how best to work together to ensure that both of them have safe and happy futures.

The first thing I loved about this book is that it had a new and interesting premise. I've always loved the mental connections trope, and this was a completely different spin on it, with characters who share a mental connection across worlds. I haven't read anything like it before, so that was refreshing.

The other thing I loved about this book--and the reason I wholeheartedly recommend it despite my three stars--is that Duyvis made a clear and conscious decision to write protagonists with racial, ethnic, sexual, and body diversity. In a single book, she's got a Mexican-American boy with Nahua heritage who has one leg, and a bisexual dark-skinned girl who had her tongue cut out as a child and communicates via sign language. And none of those characteristics really define or overwhelm the characters--this isn't an "issue" book, this is just a book with characters who happen to be the most diverse protagonists I've ever read in YA. Amara is bisexual? No big deal, just a fact. Nolan speaks a mixture of English and Spanish with his family and misses out on Nahuatl language lessons because of his disability (the "seizures" that land him in Amara's world, not his leg).

I was so prepared to love this book. And yet it took me two and a half months to read. Yikes. I kept setting it aside to pick up other books. It was easy to set aside. Things were happening, but it felt like they were happening in slow-mo. For whatever reason--and I still can't put my finger on any one thing that was wrong--I just couldn't engage with this book. This isn't a particularly huge book, but when I finished, I breathed a sigh of relief that I was finally--finally!--done with the Book that Wouldn't End.

But despite the fact that this book ended up not being my cup of tea, I will champion it because it represents what I dearly hope is the beginning of a wave of diverse, original speculative fiction written by people who are committed to making the fiction landscape one that is representative of our diverse world.

Thanks to Amulet for providing me with an ARC of this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. ...more

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Nov 04, 2015 Mizuki rated it really liked it

3.75 stars I believe. Otherbound is an outstanding YA fantasy novel with good world building, realistic characters and a fine ending. I also appreciate that the author included homosexual characters in her story and surprise, surprise! She also allows her male and female leads to NOT fall in love with each other.

The main characters in the book have been put into difficult situations and I like how they must face those situations in realistic ways--with no easy way out or shortcut, and I admire ...more

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Mar 07, 2014 Jaclyn rated it it was amazing

An inventive and gripping debut! I was lucky enough to pick this up at ALA Midwinter and it was one of the first books I started reading. I was instantly intrigued by the concept of Nolan seeing another world whether he blinks.

One thing I feel Corinne did so well was conveying both the wonder AND the alienation and trauma of having an ability like this. In that, it brought to mind, of all things, The Time-Traveler's Wife. In the real world, everyone around Nolan thinks he's having se An inventive and gripping debut! I was lucky enough to pick this up at ALA Midwinter and it was one of the first books I started reading. I was instantly intrigued by the concept of Nolan seeing another world whether he blinks.

One thing I feel Corinne did so well was conveying both the wonder AND the alienation and trauma of having an ability like this. In that, it brought to mind, of all things, The Time-Traveler's Wife. In the real world, everyone around Nolan thinks he's having seizures and hallucinations. As the story opens we even find out he's lost a foot/leg because of blacking out. I felt instant sympathy for him, but at the same time, when he wasn't able to travel to the Dunelands for a time and the real world paled in comparison, I understood that too. Probably everyone who has ever gotten deeply lost in a fantasy world of their own making can understand this plight a little bit.

By the way, do you want more diversity in fiction? Well, I order you to buy this. It has disabilities, multiple ethnicities and skin colors, and girls in love, and none of it feels poorly researched or crammed in just for the heck of it. Plus, this book passes my own private test with flying colors: all that diversity adds to the book, but it would STILL BE INTERESTING even if you stripped it all away. Corinne isn't just using these aspects of the characters to add exoticism or angst.

What I also loved about this book was that it was very different. It really tried a lot of things I've never seen before, which made it a great ride that had me constantly wondering "What's next?" The unique world-building did confuse occasionally. I struggled a little to understand how the magic worked, and as the book gets to the climax there is a lot of body-switching and a lot of characters and it's a little head-twisting. But, even if I get a little lost I'd much rather an author try something different. Heck, it gives me an excuse to re-read the book later. Plus, I might have been reading kind of fast because I wanted to know what happened...

The writing style itself feels kind of classic, like the books I read as a fantasy-devouring teen. And I mean that in the best way. I can't wait to see what's next for this author. ...more

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Nov 17, 2013 Kogiopsis rated it liked it

Shelves: author-to-return-to, reviewed, queer-stuff

If I were to write a wishlist for YA, this book would check so many boxes: queer characters, nonwhite characters, non-European fantasy settings, interestingly limited magic systems, multiple portrayals of disability, serious examination of the meaning of individual agency, and a smart reworking of older tropes.

And all of those aspects I loved! Nolan and Amara in particular were fascinating characters; Duyvis has clearly put a lot of thought into the way their life histories affect their perspec If I were to write a wishlist for YA, this book would check so many boxes: queer characters, nonwhite characters, non-European fantasy settings, interestingly limited magic systems, multiple portrayals of disability, serious examination of the meaning of individual agency, and a smart reworking of older tropes.

And all of those aspects I loved! Nolan and Amara in particular were fascinating characters; Duyvis has clearly put a lot of thought into the way their life histories affect their perspective on the world, and it makes them compelling to read about. I had not at all expected the many, many ways Nolan's flashes of Amara's life intruded and limited his ability to function, and was glad that Duyvis paid it such close attention. While his 'seizures' are magical in nature - having lived for years with a close friend who had non-magical seizures, the impact they had rang true to me. Amara's worldview was clearly and constantly shaped by her life of servitude and abuse, and her constant sense of lacking power, and again it was beautifully rendered.

Yet... I can't rate this book higher. I want to, but it doesn't feel right. Because here's the thing: as much as I loved the concepts of this novel, there just wasn't enough execution. I mean that quite literally in terms of quantity; had there been more of the book, especially more exploration of the world of the Dunelands and of the relationships between characters there, I think I would have come away much more satisfied. As it was - the narrative wrapped up tidily at the end, but I still found myself looking for a sequel, because there's so much more to explore!

"I just want more" is not, in the grand scheme of things, the worst reason to feel unsatisfied with a book. I'm certainly interested enough in the world that I would buy a sequel, and I'm going to keep picking up Corinne Duyvis's other works as they come out. But I did have such high hopes for this, and there's something very sad about ending it with them unmet. ...more

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Jun 11, 2018 autumn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: disabled-ch, lgbt-author, disabled-author, ch-of-color, lgbt-ch

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!! genre-saving ya fantasy!!! great premise, outstanding worldbuilding, lovely characters. corinne duyvis has a wonderful way of incorporating diversity in a way that doesnt seem awkward or token-y at all, but just natural, like real life. i liked this even more than her other book, on the edge of gone, and now i cant wait for her next one!

representation: one main character, nolan, is disabled (prosthetic foot and fantasy epilespy) and has indigenous mexican herita ...more

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Oct 24, 2017 Robyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: to-read-priority, 2017, to-read-sff

What an interesting book - a quite unusual fantasy that I’m struggling to sum up quickly, but that was wonderfully written.

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Jun 04, 2015 Sue (Hollywood News Source) rated it liked it

Shelves: lgbtqiap, young-adult, non-western-setting, characters-of-color, interracial-romance, non-white-pairings, diverse-books, girls-like-girls, magic, high-fantasy

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

I wanted to rate this four stars, but the last thirty percent dragged. I couldn't bring myself to. Even though that is the case, Otherbound have a lot of selling points. I would still heartily recommend it to YA readers.

Compared to its peers, this book is distinctly progressive. The premise is quite unique. It reminds me of Sense8’s cluster, except they are only filled by two people.

Meet Nolan, the disabled, Latino main character who resides at the contemporary world. And Amara, who ireaders.
Compared ...more

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Dec 17, 2013 Robin Herrera added it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, 2014, debut

This book was SUCH a joy to read. I loved all the way the characters were described, and the clothes, and the way this didn't feel like any other fantasy book I'd read. I also really loved the way a romance between two people of different statuses actually took into account how the status difference affected their relationship. (I'm a fan of "Unequal Pairings," as they're known by TV Tropes.)

The way it ended, too, made me really happy. I refuse to give anything away, but the way it was written, ...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Tara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, ya

Wow. Where to begin when discussing this book? It's part fantasy, part contemporary, and with the possession-of-other-people's-bodies element, I'd even say it could claim to be part horror. It's got real-feeling characters of many ethnicities, sexual orientations, and abilities/disabilities. It's got beautiful, evocatively descriptive passages as well as sections full of action and revelations that had me flipping pages with bated breath.

In short, this book has one of the more origin ...more

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Dec 22, 2017 ✨ jamieson ✨ added it

Shelves: 2017-reads, contemporary, queer-side-characters, f-f, lgbtqiap, sapphicathon, young-adult, fantasy

overall the concept was soo interesting and I really liked how it manifested in the book. This is kinda like sense8 in a way? I also really enjoyed Nolans chapters, but I found Amara's not as strong. The worldbuilding was also not all there for me

rtc

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Sep 11, 2013 Soumi rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, books-i-reviewed, amulet, owned-arcs, diversity, owned-copy

Such promises. Such intriguing plot. Otherbound had everything I’d been looking for quite a long time.

Physically disabled leads (Goodness, I’m tired of perfection).

A lead of colour.

Bisexuality.

The book had what should have been an engrossing storyline. A disabled boy from Arizona, Nolan, had power to switch into the mind of a girl every time he blinked, Ammara, from the otherworld, tasked to protect the cursed princess she serves. At first Nolan could see through her ey ...more

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Aug 12, 2013 Kayla Whaley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-reads

I knew I was going to love this book (because, I mean, look at the summary--how could I not?), but I LOVED this book. LOVE. Hearts in my eyes forever love. The world, the characters, the relationships, the premise, the plot, the execution, the language, the everything were all excellent and endlessly fascinating. PLUS! DIVERSITY! People of color (as main characters), people with disabilities (as main characters), queer people (as main characters). WHAT?! So much love. So yeah. Loved. (Full discl ...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Mary Summer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-debut, young-adult, fantasy

OTHERBOUND twists a contemporary fantasy and a high fantasy into a thoroughly satisfying pretzel of awesome. What I like best is how unique the story is. The plot, the characters, and the setting are all unlike anything I've ever read before, and I've read a metric ton of fantasy. For one of those elements to be unique is impressive. For all three to be unique? That takes work, and vision, and talent. Corinne Duyvis clearly has these things in spades.

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Jan 20, 2014 Richard Cardenas rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf, dnf-did-not-finish

129 pages in and I just can't do it anymore. It's really laggy and nothing really seems to be picking up for me. I really wanted to enjoy this one but alas NOPE. :(

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Oct 15, 2016 Kirstine rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, ebooks, young-adult, 1-women, r-2016, reviewed, fantasy, lgbtqia

I'd actually started reading a different book, which I honestly liked. It had a cool setting and premise, but about 30 pages into it, I realized I'd have to deal with yet another predictable heterosexual romance. And I just didn't want to. At that point the girl the hero was clearly gonna fall in love with, hadn't even been introduced, but I knew it wouldn't be long. I could be mistaken, of course, maybe the romance will be great! But I couldn't handle it.

So I picked this up instead. And god, a I'd actually started reading a different book, which I honestly liked. It had a cool setting and premise, but about 30 pages into it, I realized I'd have to deal with yet another predictable heterosexual romance. And I just didn't want to. At that point the girl the hero was clearly gonna fall in love with, hadn't even been introduced, but I knew it wouldn't be long. I could be mistaken, of course, maybe the romance will be great! But I couldn't handle it.

So I picked this up instead. And god, am I glad I did. It's unique, it's fresh, and it was exactly what I needed.

It's the story of Nolan who, every time he closes his eyes or even blinks, is sent into the mind of someone else: Amara. Who lives in a world so different from his own, a world of magic and fantasy. She's the servant of the princess Cilla, who's on the run, and she's tasked with keeping her alive. She has no idea Nolan is there, sharing her life, until one day, when he suddenly manages to take over her body. Suddenly they can communicate. And it quickly turns out they might need each other way more than either thought.

I loved the idea of a young, ordinary (and disabled!) boy who shares the life of a black, magical girl. It's not always pretty, and the fact that he's essentially trespassing and violating her body by posessing it is not taken lightly.

And I loved the romance. I loved the way Cilla and Amara felt something for each other that went way past their uncertain friendship and their obvious roles as mistress and servant. Both are trapped by the parts they have to play, the roles the world has forced them to inhabit. It's also their search for some measure of freedom from that life, for a future that could, perhaps, contain something else, a little bit of happiness.

Nolan, Amara and Cilla soon realize there are greater powers at play, and that the answer to their riddles is a lot more complicated than first assumed. And none of them are obvious heroes. None of them are chosen, or all-powerful. Their power comes from wanting to do the right thing, and not quite knowing what the right thing would be.

It also asks a very interesting question: if you could chose between your own, ordinary world, or a world full of magic, fantasy and out-of-this-world excitement. Which would you choose? It's so easy to get lost in fictional (or, in this case, real) worlds, and forgot our own, but we shouldn't.

And honestly, it's an exciting book. It kept taking turns I didn't expect, things kept happening I didn't would work, but then they did, and suddenly the story was another one, than the one I expected. I was on the edge of my seat at the end of it. It's a clever book. With an interesting plot, that I've certainly never seen before (seriously, if you read it and think "this is too familiar" then keep going).

Just a really unique book with great, non-traditional characters and a romance and plot that was definitely neither boring nor one I'd seen a million times before.

Love, love, love. ...more

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Dec 04, 2013 Kip rated it it was amazing

OTHERBOUND is a fantastic YA debut by Corinne Duyvis. I’d already wanted to read it when I first heard the blurb–about a boy transported into the mind of a girl living in a different world–but I never thought I’d be so lucky as to get my hands on an ARC. Everything about this book was done amazingly well. I was immediately drawn in to Nolan’s Earth-based life and his urgent struggles to appear “normal” in spite of his apparent seizures, a consuming side-effect of his travels. Likewise, Amara’s w ...more

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Mar 11, 2014 Rachael Allen rated it it was amazing

Corinne Duyvis is phenomenally creative, and I want to steal her brain. Or, you know, just borrow it for a day when I'm plotting my next book. I loved the idea of Nolan's traveling to another world taking the form of epilepsy. I loved how the story alternated between Nolan in our world and Amara in the other world (the way Duyvis did this in the text is particularly clever!). And the world - so well done. I loved Cilla, Amara, Maart, and Jorn (well, I hated Jorn, but you know what I mean). The c ...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Lori added it

I loved every single thing about this book. The characters are fascinating and complex and their growth and change is PHENOMENAL. The plot is twisty and thrilling and compelling. The world building is amazing and rich, and I want at least five more books set in the Dunelands.

Read this book at your earliest convenience. You will not regret it.

More detailed review to come if I ever manage to pull my thoughts together. Or I'll edit this with a longer version of OMG THIS BOOK ...more

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May 09, 2013 Kristen Lippert-Martin rated it it was amazing

You will not want for world-building in this amazing, unique, genre-blending tale! I mean, if you're going to genre-blend and challenge reader assumptions, you'd better make sure you get both genres you're bending exactly right and make sure those assumptions you're challenging are conveyed in a spot-on voice. There is not a feeling/portrayal/word in this book that doesn't ring true. A deeply emotional, thrilling, beautifully written, and utterly believable (especially the fantasy!) novel.

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Feb 19, 2013 Meredith rated it it was amazing

This book is unlike anything I've ever read. It blew me away. It's wildly creative and set in one of the most richly imagined worlds I've ever encountered. Seriously, the world building in this book is just mind-blowing. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that this book is dark and twisty, and I recommend it to anyone.

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Oct 12, 2012 Amy Parker added it

This book blew me away. The characters were wholly real and so well constructed. The plot had me gasping in parts. A fantasy that will appeal to readers of tons of other genres. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

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Jun 03, 2014 Angie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: recommendations, young-adult, library-overdrive, read-2015

Otherbound was a hard book to rate. There's a lot of stuff that I loved and that it does really well, but then there's some other stuff that left me confused and needing more. When it starts, we're with Nolan as he attempts to buy more notebooks. He writes down everything he sees when his eyes are closed, which is everything that Amara is seeing, hearing, and thinking. He has no clue who Amara is, but he's been in her head for a long time, and she shows no signs of being aware of him. But then s Otherbound was a hard book to rate. There's a lot of stuff that I loved and that it does really well, but then there's some other stuff that left me confused and needing more. When it starts, we're with Nolan as he attempts to buy more notebooks. He writes down everything he sees when his eyes are closed, which is everything that Amara is seeing, hearing, and thinking. He has no clue who Amara is, but he's been in her head for a long time, and she shows no signs of being aware of him. But then suddenly Nolan is able to take over Amara's body, then he's able to leave her head, which should be a relief. It isn't, since Amara needs him to stay alive.

The premise and set up of Otherbound is beyond cool. It alternates between our world with Nolan, and some other world that Amara inhabits. This is one thing that I did want to know more about, because I kept wondering if this is some alternate, fantasy world or just a different planet. I suppose neither character would know that though, but I'm still curious. In Amara's word things aren't exactly peaceful. She's a healing mage and servant who is on the run with a cursed princess and the man who is suppose to keep the princess safe, but takes out his anger on Amara. Obviously there are exciting times ahead as they try to stay ahead of those who want the princess dead.

Otherbound also has an amazingly diverse cast, which feels natural and doesn't fall into any annoying or problematic tropes. Nolan is Hispanic and has a prosthetic leg. When he was a kid, he got sucked into Amara's head while riding his bike and got run over by a car. His missing limb is mentioned throughout, but it's never something that keeps him from doing what he needs to do. Yes, it causes some discomfort and makes certain things more difficult, but it's never turned into this huge deal or obstacle. Nolan is just going about daily life. Then there's Amara who is mute and bisexual. Servants in her world have their tongues cut out, because they're not meant to be heard. She does use sign language to communicate though. Her bisexuality is never a plot point, it's just who she is, and yes that means there's romance with the princess!

As for the plot, that's where Otherbound gets a bit iffy for me. As I said, I loved the cursed runaway princess bit, and Nolan helping the girls out in the only way he can. However, some of the twists and reveals are slightly puzzling. Nolan randomly has these revelations where he knows exactly what's going on, which I found hard to believe, even with his collection of notebooks. No one knows exactly why anything is happening, but Nolan suddenly does out of nowhere! This made things feel rushed after a lot of slow build up.

Then there's the answer to the "why is this happening" question, which wasn't fully answered. At least, I didn't think so. Power is not a satisfying motive. Something had to lead the bad guys to this chain of events, otherwise it's super random. Also, if they need a certain someone to be alive, why make it harder to keep them alive, even if they did it to make sure that this someone required someone else with them to keep them alive? It's an unnecessary loop. It's also not explained how these people got together in the first place.

I did enjoy Otherbound. The first half is really great, and I loved getting to know Nolan and Amara, and watching them learn to work together to keep the princess safe. Some of the world building did feel incomplete, but I think that had to do with Nolan having a very limited perspective in the first pace, and Amara just not knowing much because of her station. However, the plot holes were less forgivable. It's still definitely worth a read.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews. ...more

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Nov 22, 2014 Chiara rated it liked it

Shelves: read-own-physical, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-bisexual, young-adult

I had wanted to read Otherbound for a VERY long time. I’d heard great things about it, and it’s a fantasy featuring a bisexual main character (and lord knows we need more diversity in YA fantasy).

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one as much as I hoped I would. I’m going to break it down into the things I really liked, and the things I wasn’t a big fan of, just to give some more insight into why this one didn’t quite reach its potential for me as a reader.

There were two main a I had wanted to read Otherbound for a VERY long time. I’d heard great things about it, and it’s a fantasy featuring a bisexual main character (and lord knows we need more diversity in YA fantasy).

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one as much as I hoped I would. I’m going to break it down into the things I really liked, and the things I wasn’t a big fan of, just to give some more insight into why this one didn’t quite reach its potential for me as a reader.

There were two main aspects of this novel that I loved:

The first is the diversity. Not only is one of our main characters (Amara) bisexual, but our other main character (Nolan) is Spanish-Mexican. And Amara’s female love interest is a girl of colour. The racial diversity in this book is on point, and it was beyond fabulous to read about. There was also physical diversity (I don’t know if that is the right word, but hopefully you know what I mean) in Otherbound: Nolan uses a prosthetic foot and crutches, and Amara cannot speak and signs her speech throughout the whole book. Neither Nolan nor Amara were wealthy, either. Amara is a servant, and Nolan’s mum has to work two jobs to try and pay for his ‘epilepsy’ (he doesn’t actually have epilepsy) drugs.

I want more books like this. Books that don’t just pick race or sexual orientation or physical diversity or economic diversity, but include them all. I don’t think I have ever come across a book (either contemporary or SF/F) in YA that has so much intersectional diversity.

The second aspect I liked about Otherbound was its premise. I loved the idea that there are other worlds besides ours, but we just don’t know about them. Otherbound weaved Nolan’s contemporary story with Amara’s fantasy one really well, and it was incredibly interesting to watch how they melded together over time.

These are the few aspects I wasn’t so sure about:

The second half of the novel is a lot better than the first. The first half takes a while to really get into the heart of the story, and there’s the introduction of a lot of magical aspects in Amara’s world that need deciphering.

I didn’t emotionally connect to any of the characters. Even when bad shit was happening. I didn’t have any kind of emotional response when Amara or Nolan were threatened, and even though I wanted a happy ending for both of them (because that’s just the kind of reader I am), I wasn’t investing any kind of hope into it. Which is probably the main reason I didn’t love this book as much as I thought I would. Because even though it was enjoyable, and, at times, entertaining, I didn’t really care about what was happening.

The ending moved extremely quickly, and I don’t really feel that it was wrapped up all that well. To be entirely honest, I thought there was going to be a sequel, because there was just so much that had to happen in such a short time, and I didn’t think it would all come to a close. It did, to an extent. I have to warn that the ending was extremely open, which probably added to my dissatisfaction.

~

So, there were aspects that I was a huge fan of in Otherbound, and aspects that I wasn’t completely on board with. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable read, and if you’re looking for an incredibly diverse YA fantasy that introduces a unique idea, then Otherbound is definitely worth your time.

(Also, I really have no idea why this book is called Otherbound. The word ‘oathbound’ was used once, and had no kind of description or explanation attached to it, either. This annoyed me. I like titles to make sense. But it didn’t impede on my enjoyment of the book, though. I just had to mention it!) ...more

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May 20, 2014 Melissa (i swim for oceans) rated it really liked it

View the full review here:
http://www.iswimforoceans.org/2014/05...

Otherbound is a book unlike most of my normal reads. Fantasy is a genre that, at times, might seem all-encompassing, but it's only when an author tests the limits and bounds do we see what the story can really accomplish. Author, Corinne Duyvis, has created a masterful fantasy story that offers readers a glimpse at two different worlds, one of which is View the full review here:
http://www.iswimforoceans.org/2014/05...

Otherbound is a book unlike most of my normal reads. Fantasy is a genre that, at times, might seem all-encompassing, but it's only when an author tests the limits and bounds do we see what the story can really accomplish. Author, Corinne Duyvis, has created a masterful fantasy story that offers readers a glimpse at two different worlds, one of which is fantasy, and one of which is reality. Neither is without its faults, and the connection between these two worlds, harnessed involuntarily by Nolan is messy, unpredictable and dangerous. It's the perfect setup for a dramatic story that will cleverly weave us into a complicated and tangled web we're not sure we'll want to escape.

Nolan was both a tragic and engaging character. There is a deep, gritty and inherent sadness to his character that makes us understand and empathize with the depth of his connection to Amara. But while it might seem like an intriguing gift from an outsider's perspective, Otherbound quickly replaces that intrigue with a horrific sort of fascination. Nolan's gift is tedious. When he takes over Amara's mind, he leaves his body an empty shell - something that has inevitable repercussions that ground him in a painful reality. I found it intriguing that the author actually manages to progress his gift though, and up the ante, making it so he can take over Amara's body, as well. There was a dirty sort of connotation to it though, and the feeling left me uncomfortable and as vulnerable as Amara.

For Amara's part, she's never had an easy life. She was born into servitude, and it's all she's ever known in her entire life. But Amara's never been aware that Nolan can take over her mind either. It's only a reality on his end. We don't understand the depth of the violation until we watch as Nolan, simply trying to communicate with Amara, takes over her body, as well. There are undertones of physical assault, and watching Amara become powerless to both her actions and the fallout makes us uncomfortable. It was a clever way to better express the depth of Amara's loss of self though, and it made me want even more so for her to find an eventual freedom.

Otherbound was cleverly set in two very distinct worlds. Ms. Duyvis gives us a fantasy world that's tangibly intangible through Amara's eyes, then offers up a state of reality that mirrors our own by giving us Nolan. I enjoyed the polarity of the two, and I appreciated the fact that one world was so rich and vivid, while the other was painted in gray areas - allowing us to see the true dichotomy between both the worlds and our characters. I found it a bit confusing in the beginning when we transitioned between the two worlds, but it became easier as the story progressed.

There are many aspects of Otherbound that impressed me, but I must say that Ms. Duyvis's embracing of minorities and LGBT storylines was one of them, as well. Too often books like this give us tropes and don't offer any real substance. Though subtly scattered throughout, I found myself appreciating the author's style and finesse more and more. I think this was a solid, powerful debut novel, and it definitely leads me to want more from the author in the future! I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA and upper YA, especially those who enjoy fantasy.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book. ...more

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Apr 15, 2014 Krystianna rated it it was amazing

I have never read anything like this before... It was absolutely amazing. I'm so thankful that I got sent this for review out of the blue by Amulet; I am forever grateful! I will have my full review up soon, because right now I don't know how I can put how I feel about this book into words.

Updated June 2, 2014

Thank you to Abrams for sending me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review!

Otherbound was such a unique book. One of the greatest things about it is t I have never read anything like this before... It was absolutely amazing. I'm so thankful that I got sent this for review out of the blue by Amulet; I am forever grateful! I will have my full review up soon, because right now I don't know how I can put how I feel about this book into words.

Updated June 2, 2014

Thank you to Abrams for sending me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review!

Otherbound was such a unique book. One of the greatest things about it is that it is told in two, entirely different worlds. One world is Nolan's world. Nolan lives on Earth, and whenever he closes his eyes, he's placed in Amara's world, which is a fantasy world. Nolan lives with his parents and his sister, Pat. Since Nolan is constantly in Amara's world, it seems as if he is unconscious or out of it most of the time, so Nolan is diagnosed with epilepsy. He must keep switching medications until they find one that sorta works-at least by what Nolan tells the doctors. The truth is, Nolan's new medication allows him to control Amara, and actually be in her world.

Amara lives in a world where there are such thing as mages, and she just so happens to be one. She's also a servant, though mages usually aren't servants. She's only one because nobody knew that she was a mage yet by the time she became a servant. Amara has the power of healing, which is really awesome. When she was young, the castle that was working at wasn't doing well, and the young princess left, with a guy named Jorn as well as Amara. This princess' name is Cilla, and she has been cursed. It's not good when she's wounded or is hurt... nothing good comes of it, so that's why Amara is told to stick around.

I really loved the many characters in this book. Nolan was really interesting. I liked how he actually wrote down all of the things he saw as they happened, so that if he ever wanted he could actually go back and read them over again. The stories were written when he was younger because his doctor had told he and his mother to write down all the "hallucinations" he was seeing. His sister, Pat, is really into plays and musicals, and she's always there for Nolan. They definitely have a nice bond throughout the story which was really sweet.

Amara was fun to read about. Since she lived in the fantasy realm, her world was much cooler than the normal Earth. Her powers were pretty awesome as well. She and Cilla had been pretty good friends since they were younger since they had run away together, though they weren't supposed to be friends. Cilla is supposed to be above Amara, as Amara is just a servant and a mage. They used to always play games together when they were younger, so they definitely were good friends with one another. Jorn was a real pain in my butt. I mean, I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be, but he just really was! If you read the book, you'll definitely understand.

Amara has a love interest, Maart, who is also a servant. They have had a thing for as long as Maart had come to help serve. They are deeply in love, and nothing would ever tear them apart. I really loved Maart; he was really sweet and caring.

This entire novel was just so captivating. The entire idea was just something completely new and fresh, which made me not want to stop reading once I started. The characters, the adventure... just all of it. It's definitely worth a read. This book also made me want to get into reading more fantasy, because I haven't been reading much fantasy lately at all. ...more

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About Corinne Duyvis

Corinne Duyvis

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To prevent my Goodreads friends list from becoming unwieldy, I only accept friend requests from people I know.

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A lifelong Amsterdammer, Corinne Duyvis spends her days writing speculative MG and YA novels. She enjoys brutal martial arts and gets her geek on whenever possible.

She also sleeps an inordinate amount.

Books by Corinne Duyvis

Guardians of the Galaxy: Collect Them All

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens

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Quotes from Otherbound

“I don’t know who I am when I’m not trying to pretend everything’s OK,” — 5 likes

“That would make it easy for Amara. Not having a choice was always easy. It was always safer. However bad things were, you kept your head down and did as you were told in order to avoid worse.

The world always wanted people like her to believe those lies.

You were never safe as long as you were at someone else’s whim.

Amara’s eyes met Cilla’s, dark and beaten and haunted.

Not having a choice was the worst thing in the world.

Amara pushed the knife down. Nolan didn’t stop her. And in that moment, with her enemy’s knife in her own hand, a point pressing on Cilla’s arm, Cilla’s skin familiar against hers, relief sneaked up on her and refused to let go. Because what she’d told Cilla wasn’t true. It wasn’t that she couldn’t go back to her old life; she could. If she went back, she’d hate herself, but it meant survival. It might be worth it or it might not be, and she’d never have to find out because it would never happen. She wasn’t going back.

It wasn’t because of what Maart wanted, or because of what Cilla asked, or because of what Jorn said. She’d made the choice. It was hers alone. This or nothing.

Blood welled up from Cilla’s arm. Amara let the knife clatter to the ground. She reached for the cut. She was almost smiling now, a desperate smile that had her lips trembling, that came with tears burning her eyes.

This or nothing.” — 3 likes

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