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froggylibrarian1's review
3.0
Timothy's dad has just started dating Jessamyn's mom and decides to take them on a sailing trip. Timothy is a little freaked out by the whole thing and isn't sure he wants their sailboat excursions intruded upon. Everything is going okay until the two teens decide to prank their parents and unhook the sailboat from the truck. Unfortunately, they are parked on an incline and the sailboat goes downhill through the streets of NYC and finally into a hole at a construction site. Timothy and Jessamyn find themselves in a subterranean maze of water under the city. Who knew there were so many things under the city - thieves, graffiti artists, and oversized rats. While the police are trying to rescue them Timothy and Jessamyn go on an unexpected adventure.
Hmmm...I think I was expecting something more like Gregor the Overlander. The whole thing was a bit odd. The two didn't really want to get rescued...which I get and then there was the whole midget queen of Undertown and her gang of thieves. The story was slow but then sped up a lot at the end. I felt it was unclear what actually happened to Malomi and some of the others. The book was okay, just not fabulous.
mon_ique's review
4.0
I knew. Going into this book, I scrolled the reviews and saw ones and ones and ones. I probably only read this to write a scathing review and see for myself whether this book is that bad.
Bad News
1. I tried to read the first sentence. My eyes crossed and I put it down.
2. I found the description in between annoying until the end where the real action starts.
3. A little bit too long. First half kinda boring.
4. It was amusing when the author tried to put some life meaning into this book (Pg. 34)
5. I hated how he grouped Timothy and Jessamyn's feelings together. I would love different descriptions of their life a little more.
6. And I hate the cover. Why can't the bottom half be all black with a little bit of light from the holes in the ceiling illuminating parts of the ship and kids? So many different ideas that would have been better.
Good News
1. Once everything got going, about 200 pages in, I couldn't put it down!
2. Description was impeccable.
3. Loved the idea of a part time undertowner/rebel artist, etc.
4. What a interesting plot....
5. Loved the artwork, even though I couldn't see it, and the guy with the map.
.
Review
I enjoyed this book! Really a surprise with all those reviews complaining about little tiny things that I didn't notice 'till I went back and thought about it. Only one part, I'd like to know: What happens after the dramatic rescue at the end? Jake goes back to Timothy and reading? Do they ever realize that it's ok for their parents to remarry? Even though it was an awesome ending, there was a lot left unsaid.
Bad News
1. I tried to read the first sentence. My eyes crossed and I put it down.
2. I found the description in between annoying until the end where the real action starts.
3. A little bit too long. First half kinda boring.
4. It was amusing when the author tried to put some life meaning into this book (Pg. 34)
5. I hated how he grouped Timothy and Jessamyn's feelings together. I would love different descriptions of their life a little more.
6. And I hate the cover. Why can't the bottom half be all black with a little bit of light from the holes in the ceiling illuminating parts of the ship and kids? So many different ideas that would have been better.
Good News
1. Once everything got going, about 200 pages in, I couldn't put it down!
2. Description was impeccable.
3. Loved the idea of a part time undertowner/rebel artist, etc.
4. What a interesting plot....
5. Loved the artwork, even though I couldn't see it, and the guy with the map.
.
Review
I enjoyed this book! Really a surprise with all those reviews complaining about little tiny things that I didn't notice 'till I went back and thought about it. Only one part, I'd like to know: What happens after the dramatic rescue at the end? Jake goes back to Timothy and reading? Do they ever realize that it's ok for their parents to remarry? Even though it was an awesome ending, there was a lot left unsaid.
eandrews80's review
1.0
I'm about to give this book one star and rip it to shreds, but before I do, please know that I generally love children's / YA lit, and I have the utmost respect for academics. That said:
Dang, this was TERRIBLE. Somewhere in this absolute mess of a novel is a genuinely interesting (if unrealistic) adventure story. I wish I could hire an excavator to come dig it out. (And by excavator I mean editor. Wow, did this book need an editor.)
The tone of Undertown is, simply put, weird as all get-out. According to the book's jacket, Bukiet is a professor at Sarah Lawrence, and it's like he wanted to introduce a young audience to SAT words and the idea of critical literary analysis, but he does it in such a ridiculously clunky way that you're left shaking your head in disbelief. There are also random sections where he completely drops the plot and gives a chatty history of New York City. Oh, and did I mention the thread of sexism weaving its way through?
If you want to read a book about what goes on underneath New York City, check out the Gregor the Overlander series. It's approximately a million times better than this.
Dang, this was TERRIBLE. Somewhere in this absolute mess of a novel is a genuinely interesting (if unrealistic) adventure story. I wish I could hire an excavator to come dig it out. (And by excavator I mean editor. Wow, did this book need an editor.)
The tone of Undertown is, simply put, weird as all get-out. According to the book's jacket, Bukiet is a professor at Sarah Lawrence, and it's like he wanted to introduce a young audience to SAT words and the idea of critical literary analysis, but he does it in such a ridiculously clunky way that you're left shaking your head in disbelief. There are also random sections where he completely drops the plot and gives a chatty history of New York City. Oh, and did I mention the thread of sexism weaving its way through?
If you want to read a book about what goes on underneath New York City, check out the Gregor the Overlander series. It's approximately a million times better than this.
averytaryn's review
1.0
If you want something borderline racist with a lot of scenes with police abusing power (as well as some really sexist commentary pointed towards kids) then this is the book for you!
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