**Thank you Penguin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

I've thought quite a bit about how I wanted to start this review, and I've decided upon this: Sunderworld was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I am ecstatic to announce that Ransom Riggs did not let me down.

At many points during my reading of this thrilling adventure of a novel, I found myself thinking "Wow - I am reading the next big series" - and having concluded the book, I have great conviction in saying that I truly feel like I've rubbed shoulders with something special. It is not often I read a book that made me feel the way Sunderworld did, but it's one of those books that reminds you of why you enjoy reading, because boy, there is a lot packed into these pages... It's a rollercoaster of a ride, and it goes fast.

Sunderworld is about a perfectly average kid embarking upon an extraordinary journey, and I feel that my partners in mediocrity will delight in and be warmed by the tale of Leopold, a 17-year-old teenager who is the farthest cry from the Harry Potter-esque "chosen one" trope that you can possibly imagine. And yet, like me, you will find yourself cheering for him every step of the way. There is not a single character in this book that is unlikable, and the world of Sunder takes on a life of its own through Riggs' seamless wordsmithing. I cannot say enough good things about the worldbuilding - you truly have to read it to understand.

I've only just finished this book, but boy, I am hungry for what Vol. 2 has in store. Where's my token to Sunderworld?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

Where do I even begin with this book? First off, I absolutely love anything by Ransom Riggs so I was THRILLED when I was approved to read this. And Ransom Riggs did NOT disappoint with this kooky, weird, supremely fun story about Leopold Berry and his (not really) hallucinations of Sunderworld. I love the battle with the "Chosen One" trope that Leopold must go through, the way he's written so earnestly made it very easy to cheer him on at all times. Ransom Riggs is also a master of intricate storylines, I can tell he's really setting this up to be a fantastic series that really draws you in right from the beginning. All of the characterization and world-building is just phenomenal, I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series!

This is definitely a different type of book in that it reads like a common coming of age book but with a twist of a main character that seems to be going through a psychotic break. The premise seems to be that the main character Leopold Berry your typical boy who doesn't want to grow up starts seeing creatures in the real world that come from a childhood cartoon that his deceased mother would show him. Then he finds away into that world like stepping into Narnia in which he finds himself the hero of his childhood adventure. Several points annoyed me about this story in that the Sunderworld is a generic childhood cartoon of I assume the 80's like fraggle rock or something. The author assumes the reader has prior knowledge of the world and takes their sweet time explaining the mechanics of this. So its a lot like reading the sequel of something in that the new reader feels lost in what going on most of the time. I think this would have been more fun if it explored an actual world of the 80's giving the reader real nostalgia to latch onto.

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

"It was strange; Sunderworld was no longer Leopold's embarrassing childhood obsession. Now it was the only training he'd ever had for a fight that could cost him his life."

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book! Out August 27, 2024. The quote above is from an unpublished edition of the book and may change by final edition.

Leopold Berry's life changed in more ways than one when his mother passed away a few years ago, because when she died, he found VHS tapes of Sunderworld, a one season show, that is virtually unknown. He becomes obsessed with it as a kid, hoping he, may too, be invited to Sunder to escape the reality that is his completely ordinary life with his estranged father, and maybe possess a little magic, like the "Sparks" on the show. He even has moments where he witnesses bizarre things, like what happens in the show, and it's attributed to hallucinations due to grief from losing his mother.

Everything changes when Leopold does find himself in Sunder, with his best friend Emmet. What starts as a dream come true for Leopold, becomes a nightmare when a series of events leads him to being connected to a magical object linking him to an illegal magic dealer and his niece, a damaged best friend that can only be fixed with magic, and becoming a wanted fugitive in not only Sunder, but in Los Angeles.

This is my first book I've read by Ransom Riggs, and I enjoyed his writing so much that I bought Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series. It's been a long time since I've read an urban fantasy, especially with such an ordinary main character who cannot escape Murphy's Law. I adored Leopold and can't wait to see where his character goes in future books. The last 20% of the book was so action-packed, I couldn't put it down. My biggest complaint was that the story wasn't longer and now I have to wait for book two. It really put me in the mindset of Stranger Things and Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, so if you're a fan of these stories, pick this up!

-urban fantasy
-YA
-ordinary hero
-magic
-third person POV
-MMC

**Thank you to Penguin Teen for the eARC. This in no way changed my rating**

I have to believe the high ratings from other users before release are largely due to good will left from Miss Peregrine cause this was not it. I really liked the ide of the book and the COVER! The 80s video cassette was a cool idea! But it felt like a novella that got streeeeeeeetched out to be a series (although I’ll give that the chapters are so short that it took me a while to realize I was more than halfway in and barely anything had happened).

I found Leopold very whiny. He’s upset he’s not a chosen one. He’s upset about his dad (which, fair. He’s a jerk). He’s upset about his junk car. He’s upset about his mom dying. He has siblings who might as well not be in the book for all they matter (I don’t know their names. They don’t matter at all). He’s upset his bestie has other friends. He just spends a lot of the book being upset about everything.

The “Sunderworld” part is so short, I thought I was mistaken when it started. The initial visit is like 5-6 chapters. And then he’s on the run the rest of the time, so you never get to really explore Sunderworld or what makes it appealing in the first place. Wish I could tell you why there’s a mechanical wolf on the cover but that wolf never shows up. That raccoon they mention in the synopsis? Also not part of the plot. Most of the “weird things” Leopold sees before going have no bearing on anything.

Also, the plot changes multiple times from “We need to get to Sunderworld” to “I’m on a scavenger hunt from my dead mom!” to “I need to save my friend.” He doesn’t have a straight forward goal of the book, so it feels aimless.

I’ve also heard a lot about this “twist that’s going to make you want book two immediately.” I finished the book. The twist is not that big a deal. I don’t think I care enough about the “world” or the lack of plot to read another book in this series.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like many folks who picked up this book, Ransom Rigg's Miss Peregrine's series holds a special place in my heart. I can still remember how transporting it was, how desperately I wanted to live in the world that he'd crafted. At fifteen, I thought I was past childhood whimsy, but Riggs' series cracked that door wide open again. Now, getting my hands on Riggs' new series a full decade later, he's managed to conjure up that magic once more.

The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry is Miss Peregrine's darker, stranger cousin. Leopold, like Jacob from Miss Peregrine's, is an ordinary eighteen year old boy living an extremely ordinary life. His mother died years ago, leaving him with a cold and overbearing father, and only memories of the world he and his mother used to share: Sunderworld, a crappy 90s TV show about a boy whisked off to a life of adventure. Though Leopold sees Sunder everywhere he goes, he knows Sunder isn't real, just a coping mechanism. Until a chance encounter on the worst day of his life lands him directly in Sunder Hill, battling monsters and having enchanted slices of pie with his best friend, Emmet. Leopold will do anything to stay and be the hero Sunder needs...but what happens when the world decides he's too average to be the hero? And what can Leopold do to prove Sunder Hill wrong?

As always, Riggs' worldbuilding is absorbing and his writing is cinematic. I loved the friendship between Leopold and Emmet, which is beautifully drawn. There's a perfect blend of humor and darkness, and it's compulsively readable. I think my biggest complaint is Volume I doesn't feel incredibly complete; much of the story is exposition, and it feels as though it ends just as it's getting started. Cliffhangers don't particularly bother me--and my appetite is definitely whet for the sequel--but I would've loved a bit more resolution. That, for me, stops this just short of being five stars. Still, it's weird, it's wild, and it's sure to thrill those new to Riggs' writing and delight old fans of his work.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Ransom Riggs for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! I can't wait for Leopold's journey to continue in Volume II!

Fantasy is such a hard genre for me, but you know what sub genre’s I love? Magic and magical realism (they are nuanced but different). So, when I read the blurb for this one, I was excited, but leery. Oh boy am I glad I read this book because I loved it and had so much fun with it. I ended up finishing this one in one sitting because I just devoured it. I didn’t realize until I picked this up to write the review that this was the start of a new series, and that makes sense, I feel that we got a lot of information about the characters, and it set up a new series so perfectly. The ending made me super excited to keep reading. I ignorantly thought that it just ended on a cliffhanger and was a little perturbed with it but am not pleasantly surprised that I will get some more answers – YAY! The balance between magic and the real world was really a lot of fun and I enjoyed how the author portrayed it. I feel that certain things scratched the surface, but I think that just leaves the door open for the next few books of the series.

I think that this series is going to appeal to YA readers and those who enjoy the genre. It really is a fun and enjoyable read.

Much like Leopold Berry, this book was also a disappointment. Maybe I just had higher hopes as this was supposed to be a YA novel. But aside from some profane language, it reads more like a pre-teen novel. Not only that, it pretty much copies Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, down to having a "hidden" magical world existing right next to the real world, only this time in Los Angeles. There's also a trio of "friends", two mediocre boys, and a somewhat exceptional girl. And even though they are supposed to be a bout 17 years old, they act more like 10 year olds who can drive. None of them were likable or despicable. Basically, none of them elicit any emotion from me.
The magical world building was equally poor. While there was a lot of name dropping of LA sites, they seem random, and the descriptions were not accurate. There's mention of a magical dust shortage, but people seem to be using magic like there was no shortage. Aside from some items that seemed like they could have come from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, there was nothing really magical about Sunderworld. Disneyland may even be more magical.
I managed to finish the book only because I was pleasantly surprised at the progress I was making every time I picked it up. While nothing significant was moving the story along, I was getting closer to the end, so I just kept plugging away. It is definitely one of the most unexciting fictional stories I've ever read.
Definitely not reading Volume 2.

Thank you for the ARC!
I gave this book about 20% and unfortunately I can't seem to get a grasp on Leopold. Usually by then you either root for or abhor the main character but Leopold seems to live up to his reputation, he was just meh... and it's disappointing. I'll try to revisit this book at a later time, maybe when the whole series is out. For now, it definitely has potential, it's just not the right book for me right now.

I don’t think this is something I would normally pick up but I gave it a shot and boy am I glad I did! Such a wonderful read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC.

I was not expecting much. The title was a total turn-off for me. I think it's because there are an overwhelming amount of books being titled "The (adjective) (noun) of (first name) (last name)." For example, "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue," "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," "The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep," et cetera. The only reason I read it is because I have a deeply felt love for the characters that people Ransom Riggs's works.

I am so happy I didn't judge the book by its title. We're launched right into the action of Leopold Berry's life. While there are many familiar characteristics to Leopold, the one that I most identified with was his averageness. Paraphrasing here: The most extraordinary thing about him is how perfectly average he is. Y'all, I felt that in my soul.

The people of Sunderland (a sort of parallel world that has access to magic) are looking for a channeler. Someone who can help defeat the monsters plaguing them and help bring back the Aether (magical energy.) They are not having much luck. Leopold has a .. let's say interesting history with Sunderland, having spent a long time believing it was a tv show, and then using it as a coping mechanism when his mother passes. So when he gets to Sunderland and hears of their search, his bestie Emmett convinces him to go be tested.

What comes next is a rollercoaster ride that forces Leopold to finally stand up for himself and become the type of person he was always meant to be.

I finished this book over the course of 3 days, and it would have been faster if I didn't have my kids this week. You know how everyone recommends Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" for Harry Potter fans? (Yeah, see my review for why that's a terrible suggestion.) Sunderworld is a much more appropriate selection. Granted the book takes place in LA so it's a little bit more gritty than Hogwarts, but this book had tones of Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere" and Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat series.

It's frustrating starting a series that sets up so much in the first book with the knowledge that it will be a long while before continuing. I like to wait until all the books are out in case there is an extended delay (*ahem* Tomi Adeyemi) and knowing how Riggs can spin a series, it may take longer than originally planned. The great thing is, this first book is short and engaging enough that I'll want to re-read it for clues anyway.

This book was do much fun to read. Looking forward to continuing the series. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Sunderworld, Vol. 1! WOW. I haven’t read a novel this intriguing in quite a while. While I am somewhat familiar with Riggs’s Miss Peregrine books, I feel wholly captivated by this new series. It’s hard to describe what makes this novel so interesting without spoilers, but nevertheless, I’ll try. The world building was, frankly, great—while we get enough context regarding Sunder and its magic, there are just enough gaps to keep the reader intrigued and following along with the mystery. Additionally, the characters feel so fleshed out and lived in. I particularly enjoyed Isabel and Norm, though the titular Leopold Barry is full of surprises as well. That was probably my favorite aspect of this book—it kept me surprised and on the edge of my seat. I never knew where we were going to go or how things were going to end up, which was an incredibly refreshing experience. I can’t wait for the next installment of Sunderworld, but, until then, make sure you check out this first entry!

Reading the description for the The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry, I was instantly intrigued. As the description states we follow Leopold as he starts to see weird occurrences in his daily life that bring him to think that Sunderworld is colliding with his life and is calling him to enter this world. When Leopold's mom passed away he found video recordings of a 90s series called Sunderworld, that his mom worked on. This tv series took him into another world that involved monsters, called noxum, and magic to defeat them. Becoming obsessed with the series he starts to see things occur in real life, stating that these are episodes. He encounters these episodes for about a year until they subside...that's until now. With stress building up in his life he starts to see these strange occurrences, such as a raccoon on fire, a subway train that isn't actually there, and a man putting a tooth into a parking meter.

We then follow Leopold as he enters Sunder and finds out that all of these episodes are real occurrences that he's meant to see to lead him to this world. The thing guiding him, is a map left by his mom. Intrigued by this magical map he follows it to uncover something his mom has left behind for him after all these years. Leopold encounters new people in Sunder and we get to come along on this trippy adventure that's really unique and exciting.

This book was unlike any other book I read and really had me intrigued. The first book in the series left me with some unanswered questions and I'm excited to read more from this series. It was such a quirky and adventurous book with a writing style that was easy to read. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers--Dutton Books for Young Readers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A madcap ride thru an alternate world laid over LA's landscape.

Larry (Leopold) grew up loving a standard 80s live-action kids show called Sunderworld... the problem is, since his Mom died, he keeps seeing snippets of Sunderworld showing up in real life.

Convinced that he's losing his mind, he turns to his best friend, who supports him, tries to talk him out of it... and accidently stumbles into the Alterate World.

Confronted by his wildest childhood dreams coming true, Larry finds that, as always, he may not be the hero he thinks he is...

...or is He?

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is highly unusual. It takes you all over L.A., in increasingly bizarre ways. You will be left to wonder if Larry Leopold Berry is important…or not.

You will probably have the same opinion about Leopold’s father that I do.

Although it’s strange, not unlike how I would imagine a profane Harry Potter on LSD, it’s an intriguing ride on a rickety trolley car, and I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for Young Readers for gifting me an eARC. My review is entirely voluntary.

Ebook was received for free through NetGalley

Absolutely adored this book. Loved the premise and love the characters. Feels unique and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

I’ve had an interesting history with Riggs’ books. The first three Miss Peregrine’s books saw me through a really rough time in high school, and Map of Days proved to me that Riggs was an author who wasn’t content sticking to what had worked in the past, who was willing to take risks and take characters to new places.

But then Conference of the Birds came out and restored the exact status quo I had praised Map of Days for moving away from. I still haven’t finished that series.

Regardless, the discussion here is about Sunderworld, not Peregrine, though in the confusion lies the problem. While the concept sounded fresh, intriguing, and exciting on paper, the execution worked out to a near beat for beat retread of the first Miss Peregrines.

That said, Riggs still knows how to build a parallel world that is genuinely interesting. The few Sunderhoods we get to see are vibrant, the characters are unique, and the magic is exciting. I think a lot of teens are going to relate to Leopold the same way I once related to Jacob, and even ordinary LA is rendered with loving attention. Readers who haven’t read Riggs’ other work may even praise this story for originality, which isn’t underserved: this flavor of portal fantasy still manages to be fresh.

I’ll be back for the next entry. I have hope that the story will take some turns I’m not expecting and set itself apart from its predecessors. But I’ve been burned before, and I try not to make a habit of it.

Read this book if you would love to see a combination of the magic of The Never-Ending Story with the drama and puzzles of The Inheritance Games.
Sunderworld V1: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry is a fast-paced, world-building adventure. It begins with Leopold "Larry" Berry trying to find his place in the world, only to realize that his place is perhaps in another world that he may or may not be hallucinating. This is YA, but the language and violence makes it less suitable for early YA readers, in my opinion. I loved the imaginative world Riggs creates for us here. It feels like what I hoped Miss Peregrine's would turn out to be from the first chapter: dark, mysterious, but also somehow realistic and fanciful too.
This book is the first in a series, and it unfortunately does not answer a single question within itself. I think that is a weakness of this novel as an introduction to the series. I would like there to be at least something to feel satisfaction in understanding here, but the multitude of remaining questions are still extremely compelling, enough so that I will definitely be returning for more.
Massive thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers - Dutton For Young Readers for this ARC!