The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

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Author(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
August 27, 2024
ISBN
978-0593530931
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The instant New York Times bestseller from visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs!

Weaving the familiar with the peculiar, this stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, will remind readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born—and when you’re never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself.

Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won’t leave him alone. Every hallucinatory moment seems plucked from a cheesy 1990s fantasy TV show called Max's Adventures in Sunderworld—and that’s because they are. 

Not a good sign.

In the blurry weeks after his mother’s death, a young Leopold discovered VHS tapes of its one and only season in a box headed for the trash—and soon became obsessed. Losing himself in Sunder was the best way to avoid two things: grieving his mother and being a chronic disappointment to his overbearing father. But when the strange visions return—at the worst possible time on the worst possible day—Leopold turns to his best friend Emmet for help. Together they discover that Sunder is much more than just an old TV show, and that Los Angeles is far stranger than they ever imagined. And soon, he’ll realize that not only is Sunderworld real, but it’s in grave danger.

Certain he’s finally been chosen for greatness, Leopold risks everything to claim his destiny, save the world of his childhood dreams, and prove once and for all that he’s not the disappointment his father believes him to be. But when everything goes terribly, horribly, excruciatingly wrong, Leopold’s disappointments prove to be more extraordinary than he ever could have imagined.

How do you battle darkness when no one believes in you—not even yourself?

Welcome to Sunderworld.

Editor review

1 review
Intriguing New Series!
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
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N/A
Leopold and his best friend Emmet grew up watching and re-enacting episodes from Max's Adventures in Sunderworld. But after his mother's death, Leopold struggles because he sees things that nobody else does. He calls them "episodes" and when a flaming raccoon appears, Leopold worries he's having a relapse. Emmet is there for Leopold no matter what and even tries to help him through these "episodes". Their friendship is a true bond that can't be broken even though Emmet is the popular one and Leopold is considered an outcast.

All through his life, Leopold has believed that he was meant for something more. That he has a calling and things start to come true when he discovers a coin from Sunderworld. When Leopold shows Emmet the coin, he's hesitant, but then grows excited that their childhood dreams could come true. However, things don't go as planned as Leopold makes a fool of himself instead of receiving praise. Cast out of Sunderland, Leopold discovers that something went very wrong with Emmet and will do anything to help him. He also learns that his mother has been hiding so much from him.

THE EXTRAORDINARY DISAPPOINTMENTS OF LEOPOLD BERRY is a young adult fantasy that is full of adventure and problem-solving. I love the characters and this story held my interest the entire way through. I can easily see it becoming a movie or tv show. The friendship between Leopold and Emmet is one to be envious of and Leopold's inner strength sets him apart from others. He's determined to see things through no matter how badly they start to go wrong. There's even the possibility of a romance in the future between Leopold and a girl he meets and I'm here for it if it happens.


Final Verdict: Overall, Ransom Riggs hits another ball out of the park with an intriguing start to a new series. It's unique and perfect for fans of fantasy, magic, friendship, and adventure. I love how it's set in modern times and the elements remind me of the City of Bones series.
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