Leopold "Larry" Berry is "remarkably unremarkable. Average absolutely to the decimal." Which pretty much sums up this book.

It starts off strong—Larry’s seeing things no one else can: a flaming raccoon, a parking lady with wings, a tooth-activated parking meter, glowing trapdoors—all ripped straight from a bizarre fantasy TV show called Max’s Adventures in Sunderworld.

Then, Larry manages to stumbles into Sunder and discovers it’s not only real, but he might just be the one to save it from destruction due to a dwindling supply of Aether. But here’s the kicker: shortly after entering Sunder, Larry finds out he’s NOT the chosen one. He’s too average for the job, so they kick him out. So now we’re left with a "hero" who has zero clear motivation.

From there, the story felt aimless— there was suddenly a treasure hunt subplot, a save-your-friend-who’s-suddenly-in-danger (but it doesn’t really make sense why) subplot, and a maybe love interest subplot thrown in for good measure.

It was also hard for me to root for the characters. They’re supposed to be in their late teens, but they act more like 9-year-olds. Larry? Forgettable. Emmet? Gone too soon. Isabel? Shows up too late to even matter.

Nothing stood out about Sunder either, except for the fact that they had some cool weapons. None of Larry's "visions" were in this world. There’s talk of an Aether shortage, but no one seems all that concerned about it. Plus, there's only one notable creature, which was hyped up as a threat but turned out to be not much of a problem at all.

It felt like the author set up a bunch of interesting parts but forgot to tie them all together. I was really hoping for something along the lines of Miss Peregrine’s or Stranger Things, as some other reviewers suggested, but sadly, this didn’t come close.

Leopold Berry is just your average teenager living an average life, except for his strange visions that distract him from everyday life. He is either losing touch with reality or discovering that maybe he is extraordinary and not just average.

I’m not going to lie, I was a big fan of the Miss Peregrine series, so maybe I just had really high hopes for this one. It definitely gives a Stranger Things vibe (which I love). However, I just struggled getting immersed in this one. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t pick it up in the future and give it another go!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the chance to read this eARC! Receiving this in no way changed my review.

I fucking adored this book. Much more than expected as well. I mean, I love the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series by this author so I was hoping to really like this one as well, but the amount of love I have for it was just completely unexpected for some reason. I just immediately fell in love with this one. There was just this thing about it that immediately gripped me, and it did not let me go until the very end.
I absolutely adored our cast of characters. Leopold was such an interesting main character. I thought his personal journey throgughout this book was absolutely incredible. I can also tell it is only the very start of his journey though, so I am extremely excited to see him grow even more throughout the series. On top of that we have an amazing cast of side characters. Not including Leopold's dad though, he can choke but that is his purpose in the story so I guess that's greatly done then. The friendship between Leopol and Emmet is everything to me. They just have such a great dynamic, and I love how they could joke around with each other so much but also looked out for each other in a deep meaningful way. There are also some other side characters I really loved but can't really discuss because they came out pretty late in the book, and I don't want to spoil anything.
Sunderworld is also just so incredibly interesting. I feel like we get such a small part of it in this book, but the magic is so whimsical and fun. However, through the journey of this book you can tell some things are not right either. This first book feels very much like an intro though, so I am extremely excited to learn more about the world in upcoming books. Especially with the cliffhanger that this book ends on. It opens up so many interesting things, and I can't wait to see how they are going to play out. Ugh, I need the second book like right now.

I had extremely high hopes for this book since I loved the Peculiar Children series, and this story was super unusual but just not as fun and addicting as the PC series. This is definitely more for the YA audience, which there is nothing wrong with that, I do enjoy a good YA, but as an adult wanting a story that’s super addicting, keeping me on the edge of my seat and not wanting to put it down, this just wasn’t that for me.

This idea was super unique and I loved about the first 50% but then the story fell flat for me and became a little less entertaining than the first half. I would say give this book a chance because this may be for you, this is just my opinion. I’m also assuming this will turn into a series, but I probably will not be continuing this series if it does continue.

This is my first Ransom Riggs book and definitely won’t be my last. In fact, I am going to read the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children series next.

Leopold (Larry) Barry is just an average kid with a lot of teen angst. He has recently lost his mother and his father considers him to be an extreme disappointment. Some time after his mother dies, Larry discovers a box with old VHS tapes of a ‘90s fantasy TV show called Max’s Adventures in Sunderworld. Larry along with his best friend Emmet fall in love with the one season show and recreate episodes in their spare time.

Larry begins to see strange things in his daily life, like a raccoon on fire in a tree, which seem to be glimpses of Sunderworld. These hallucinations become more frequent and he is starting to believe that Emmet is right - that he needs to get help again with his mental health. While Sunderworld is an escape from his ordinary and unhappy life and grieving his mother, it suddenly becomes a real place and Larry finds himself in Sunderworld with Emmet. Larry believes that this is the moment he has waited for his whole life - he has finally been chosen for greatness. But is he right?

This is a coming of age and search for self story with a fantasy element that includes magic. Larry is a likable and relatable character as is his bestie Emmet. You will root for these two to succeed on their extraordinary adventure. We also meet some interesting characters in Sunderworld, who I expect will be back in future stories. All of the characters are likable except for Larry’s judgemental dad but he doesn’t seem to figure too prominently in the story. I read Sunderworld quickly — it was a captivating read that will hold your attention. I can’t wait until Volume 2 but I will be busy in the meantime reading Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin YA Reading Group/Dutton Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ransom Riggs has a talent for creating complex worlds that feel real set within the boundaries of our own world. Sunderworld was one such place and being able to become lost in the wonder, and terror, was an unforgettable experience.

At times I felt like the pacing was off in the book and I would have to push through certain sections. Overall though, this is a solid read that readers will end up falling in love with once they take a trip to Sunderworld.

As a long time fan of Ransom Riggs I was so excited to see that he was publishing the first book in a new series. This book may be called "The Extraordinary Disappointments" but it was far from disappointing.

We follow Leopold - unfortunately nicknamed Larry by everyone in his life - still navigating the grief of his recently passed mother and coming to terms with the lack of relationship with his father. After his mom passed he found a mysterious box of video tapes which unveiled a place of solace for young Leopold - Sunderworld.

Enter Emmett, Leopold's best friend. Throughout their childhood and early teen years, Leopold & Emmett recreated their favorite Sunderworld scenes and stretched their imagination to hope one day to enter Sunder.

Cut to several years later, Leopold is at a forced job interview with his dad (who doesn't hide his distain for Leopold by the way) when he looks out the window and sees a flaming raccoon. Madness, of course, ensues.

Sunderworld Vol. I was a beautiful introduction to this new universe Riggs is sharing with us, I honestly forgot it was the first in a series until the insane cliffhanger at the end. I cannot wait to see where this story goes and hope that we get to see Leopold come into himself like never before.

My thanks for the ARC goes NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Dutton Books for Young Readers. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy
Language: There are f-bombs and more, but it's not anything high schoolers don't say and hear
Representation: Diverse races
Themes: Coming-of-age

*SUNDERWORLD, Vol. 1: THE EXTRAORDINARY DISAPPOINTMENTS OF LEOPOLD BERRY* is a wild ride! I seriously can see it as a rollercoaster with the ups and downs, and twists and turns.

Does Sunderworld have a Harry Potter vibe? (Noting this because it seems to be the touchstone for children's literature.) It's similar only in that there is magic and regular folks who are kept out of the magical world. No magical schools or houses thus far. And there are plenty of quirky characters.

I DO NOT want to give away any spoilers.

Here's the main plot: Leopold (aka Larry) sees weird stuff happening and is convinced Sunderworld must exist—otherwise he's hallucinating. Larry is trying to find where he fits in the world, but the world keeps smacking him down.

This book truly feels like it's written for a young adult audience. Feelings of not quite knowing who you are and trying to fit in are so much a part of being a teen. This is one of the best ya fantasy books I've read in a while.

Even though I HATE f-bombs, it is on point to have swearing in the book because teens often swear as a form of rebellion—and now days, most everyone uses vulgar language. Thankfully, there's not sex or spice on the page. This journey really focuses on Larry/Leopold's life and his problems.

It ends on a cliff hanger. Will I be here for the next book? ABSOLUTELY!

Happy reading!

What a wild adventure! This story takes us all over L.A. but not in the way you’d expect.

Leopold “Larry” is setting out on an adventure to better understand his “hallucinations” and following the treasure map his mom left him.

There is an entire magical world within the universe that lives parallel to the natural realm.

The ending, now that had me shocked. I’m desperately needing the next book!

5 stars.

If you are a millennial and have nostalgia for what it was like growing up in the '90's and early 2000's , and for things like Jim Henson movies....you need to pick this one up. It is almost like if you took Stranger Things, made it more fantasy and less sci-fi horror and shifted it to being set in like 2001 you would get this book. It evokes the nostalgia many of us grew up with dreaming that we would be whisked away to a magical world coexisting with out mundane existence expertly, but also with a more sinister edge I have come to love and expect from Ransom Riggs. This book also had me surprisingly up in my feels as the main character dealt with his emotionally abusive father, it hit a little close to home in some places. All in other this story has wormed its way into my heart and I can't wait to see what's next for Leopold and friends.


Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for sending me a review copy.

First, I want to say I freaking LOVE this cover. The crazy thing is Barnes and Noble has an exclusive edition that somehow looks even cooler! This was made for my generation and I am eating it up. I saw it on Tiktok and immediately went to NetGalley to see if I could apply. I was so excited when I was approved.
I've never read anything from Random Riggs but I've heard of his other series, so I was expecting something more geared towards kids. This was YA and on the older side of YA. I was grateful. Several f-bombs and while the MC didn't drink or do drugs there were mentions. No sex or sexual tension either.
I felt so much for Leopold. I hate his dad. I'm soooooo glad that his friend plays a role in the story and isn't forgotten and thrown away. I want only good things for him, but it's clear that's not going to happen anytime soon.
My only complaint about the book was it felt a bit short. The ending was a cliffhanger and I want MORE! This book doesn't come out until the end of August so who knows when I'll get the next one 😭 ...I hope the covers match...

With a charming magical system and excellent world building, Ransom Riggs gives reader of his other works a novel that is both familiar but vastly different. Leopold is a complex and misunderstood protagonist who wishes for a fantasy…until it becomes real life.

This is an excellent first step for any young readers into urban fantasy. If I have a criticism, it’s just that first novels take a lot of world building and by the time, I was getting invested into the novel, it needed. Looking forward to a second volume!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

70/100 or 3.5 stars

I liked the world Riggs has created, and I am interested in reading more!
Part of this story did feel a little long, but overall, I think readers will like this!

Sunderworld is a fun and quirky read that blends reality with nostalgia by way of a forgotten 90s fantasy TV show. The story follows Leopold Berry, a relatable teen dealing with grief and strained relationships, who discovers that the magical world from his favorite show is actually real. The world-building is super cool, very unique and dripping with nostalgia making it super easy to get immersed into.

Leopold’s friendship with Emmet adds a lot of heart to the story, and I loved how the book explores deeper themes like loss, self-worth, and choosing your own path. If you enjoy fantasy with a bit of nostalgia, you should definitely check this one out!

I received this book from the publisher but my opinions are my own and completely unbiased. 👾

Sunderworld Vol. 1, out August 27th, was definitely a surprise for me! The book follows Leopold (Larry) Berry, whose obsession with his favorite television show, becomes more than the normal escape that it tends to be usually.
The world that Riggs sets up through this book is frightening and threatening and thrilling. I have read the first three books of the Ms. Peregrine's books by Riggs so I knew I was in for some craziness, but nothing like this. From page like 10, the Sunderworld leaking into the real world becomes engrossing and very interesting.
I also loved the friendship between Emmett and Larry. It reminded me of some of my adventurous buddies that I had in high school and the adventures that we would have together.
I cannot wait for Vol. 2 and will probably now go read the rest of the Ms. Peregrine's books.
Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group, Dutton Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Sunderworld Vol. 1: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry hits shelves August 27th! Keep an eye out for it!

I really wasn’t sure if this book was for me. I opened my kindle expecting very little. Wow. I was totally wrong. Leopold and Emmet grabbed me and wouldn’t let go! I am amazed by the world building in this first book. My only complaint was that the book ended in a bit of an abrupt way. I need more of Leopold and Sunder. Now, please. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/Dutton for letting me read and review this book. My review is my honest opinion and I wasn’t compensated in any way.

Sunderworld Vol 1: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry follows Leopold, a perfectly average teenage boy who occasionally has odd visions akin to Max’s Adventures in Sunderworld, a television program from the 90s that he found on VHS in his late mother’s belongings. As he continues to disappoint his father, Leopold soon learns that his hallucinations may be more real than he thought.

When I read ARCs, I write the reviews as I go so I capture my feelings better and don’t forget information. With Sunderworld, though, I was far too engrossed in the pages to exit my reading app. Seriously, I adored this book. I was hooked from page one. I instantly connected with Leopold’s voice, and the pacing was great in my opinion.

The worldbuilding in Sunder is very well done, and I love the little quirks of the magic system. It’s not so complex that you would need a glossary, but not so simple that you would find it boring. The tone of it all definitely leans more fantasy than magical realism, but I felt the same awe as when I read MR.

Leopold is great main character. The story subverts the chosen one trope in a really interesting way, and he’s a kid anyone would root for. He has an adorable friendship with his classmate Emmet, and a truly awful relationship with his dad.

The book explores themes of grief and expectations, as well as the idea that heroes are made. It has magic, friendship, mystery, and puzzles—something for everyone.

I was so shocked when the book ended. I need a sequel yesterday. I really recommend this one!

I absolutely devoured this book! The world building was just out of this world and I really love a MC that represents the underdog in all of us. I loved how Leopold was able to connect with his mother through relived moments. This book was executed so well and I can’t wait for the next one!

Having read and enjoyed most of Ransom Riggs’ other works, I had high hopes for this book, and for the most part, it didn’t disappoint.

Leopold (Larry) is a fun protagonist to follow, as are his adventures in a land that may or may not be all in his mind.

Sunderworld was a nostalgic trip of a read, and I’d definitely be interested in Vol. 2.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Larry (Leopold) adored a classic 80s live-action children's show named Sunderworld while growing up. However, ever since his mother's passing, he has been experiencing glimpses of Sunderworld manifesting in real life. Feeling like he's losing his sanity, Larry confides in his loyal best friend, who tries to reassure him but inadvertently stumbles into the Alternate World. Facing his childhood fantasies turning into reality, Larry discovers that he might not be the hero he always believed himself to be... ...or is he?

This was such a strange and unusual book. I really had a hard time not to compare it to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. I'll admit I had some doubts in the beginning, though the promise of the concept kept me going, and I did get a little lost around the middle.

The more I read, the more I realised this wasn’t for me.

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.