Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

Otherbound
Written by Corinne Duyvis
Fantasy, Magic, Science Fiction
Published July 1st 2014
400 Pages
Thank you to Thames & Hudson Australia
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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 uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he's yanked from his Arizona town into Amara's mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He's spent years as a powerless observer of Amara's life. Amara has no idea... Until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious.

All Amara and Nolan want is to be free of each other. But Nolan's breakthrough has dangerous consequences. Now, they'll have to work together to survive, and discover the truth about their connection
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Each time Nolan closes his eyes, his vision, thoughts and movements become that of Amara, a young servant who lives in another world known as the Dunelands. From the age of five, Nolan had been diagnosed with a severe form of Epilepsy, the only explanation doctors could provide for his seizures and hallucinations. His parents are working to make ends meet and cover the cost of his medication, in an effort to give Nolan the normality he so desperately craves. But lately even Amara's life has not been her own. Amara is believed to be a healing Mage, working as a servant under a cursed Princess who invokes death with each drop of her blood. But lately Amara has been experiencing lapses in memory, she panics when confronted by fear... And for the first time since he begun experiencing Amara's world, Nolan is no longer a bystander. With the aide of his new medication, now he can control her.

While Nolan watches her world fall apart, his own life suffers in the process and he finds himself spending more time in the Dunelands. With Nolan and Amara working as one, their lives will intersect and neither will be safe.

My Thoughts


Otherbound is a mixture of contemporary and fantasy, with incredible world building and diversity. Nolan is a Hispanic amputee who suffers from seizures each time he blinks. But behind his eyes he holds the secret of another world, a world diagnosed by doctors as merely hallucinations. From the tender age of only five years old, Nolan was drawn into Amara's world through his dreams, which now occurs whenever he closes his eyes. Amara is a servant who was torn away from her home to protect a cursed princess. She can heal her own injuries, making her valuable as long as she is able to serve her purpose. Even without Nolan, her life has always belonged to someone else. Amara communicates with the use of sign language, her tongue cut out by her owner has left her virtually mute. Two very distinct worlds, where one body is shared.

Corinne Duyvis painted a vivid world in which readers will immerse themselves in. I loved the Dunelands and being thrown into Amara's world. The only light in Amara's life is fellow servant Maart, with the two seeking solace in one another. She was a prisoner, only kept due to the curse and keeping the princess safe. She was incredibly strong, physically and emotionally and knew that if she attempted escape it would be the princess who suffered, so she chose to retain her fate. Although Nolan has endured his own tragedy, his life pails in comparison. He doesn't live wondering if each day will be his last, or what happens if he is captured and taken back to the palace where Amara first served. He could see what Amara endured each day, and still took his life for granted. I couldn't connect to his character at all. Nolan frustrated me, not only was he a voyeur in Amara's life, after discovering he could control her by increasing his medication dosage, he didn't hesitate. And all the while knowing that in her world, she had always belonged to someone else.

Princess Cilla was also taken under duress, and although treated like royalty by Jorn their captor, she forges a tentative friendship with Amara. But not once did she speak up for the servant, supposedly friends, she allowed her to be used and abused. If Cilla put herself in danger, the responsibility and punishment fell on Amara. But as incredible as Amara's world was, it posed more questions than answers. I felt lost at times, as though I had begun reading a book that may have been missing the first few chapters and left me rereading over passages to ensure I hadn't missed an important aspect of the storyline. But the explanation simply wasn't here.

The overall premise was brilliant, two worlds colliding through two teens who are not only diverse, but also worlds apart. But it was too busy. Too many original ideas packed into what was ultimately two separate storylines. I found Amara's world so much more engaging of the two, and desperately wanted to learn more about her life and the Dunelands through her own words, not that of Nolan. The revelations towards the end made for a stunning conclusion. Fantasy fans will enjoy this one, it's still well worth the read to experience the diversity of the characters and incredible world building. I just wish I could have connected with Otherbound more.

20 comments

  1. Ehhh...too busy? Sounds like an exhausting read actually. Gee, reading is like totally an exhausting lifestyle. I know most people take holidays and read books, but I take holidays from books sometimes. YA IS TIRING. *ahem* So yes. I actually have this to read, but I'm not feeling particularly inspired to eat it. Maybe I will attempt a bite or two next month?

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    1. It's good, but it could have been so much stronger if it was stripped back a little or provided a bit more explanation. I actually loved Amara's world so much more, Nolan was just self centered. I wish his storyline wasn't included at all, it would have been pretty epic then. Amara was amazing.

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  2. It's a shame that this felt too crowded with ideas but I'm really glad that it was an enjoyable read as a whole. I am actually starting this one soonish and was a little unsure whether I'd like it or not but I love the sound of the characters and how much diversity is in this book.

    Fabulous review, Kels! <33

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    1. It's packed with diversity, A Hispanic teen with one leg and supposed Epilepsy and a mute tongueless girl who can heal herself. Although it was far too busy, it's worth the read for the diversity alone. Looking forward to seeing what you think of it.

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  3. It still sound like it's going to be an interesting read. Incredible world building is something that I really love in a book. I'm probably going to add this to my TBR SOON list.

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    1. The world building was awesome, that's the most enjoyable aspect of the book. It would have been incredible if it only had of been Amara's world without Nolan altogether. I just couldn't connect with him.

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  4. New follower via bloglovin. Not every book is right. Sometimes we find that we are drawn to one character more than another. Good solid review.

    Grace @ Books of Love
    http://gracebooksoflove.com

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    1. Thanks for following Grace.
      It's difficult also when once character is so much more likable with a stronger personality too. Amara was verging on an incredible and strong kick ass heroine, but I felt having Nolan's storyline held her back.

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  5. I didn't know anything about Otherbound until now, but it sounds really good! I'm glad you really liked it Kelly! I'm not sure how I feel about the whole too much information, but I'm willing to give it a try! Thanks Kelly!!!

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    1. if you're a fantasy fan, I'd take a chance and give it a go. The world building is awesome, and Amara is a brilliant heroine despite her setbacks. It's really only Nolan I felt let the book down. Looking forward to seeing what you think of it, I don't think many have read this one as yet.

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  6. So it's kind of like Afterworlds, with the two different stories? I got this one from Thames and Hudson as well, buuuuuut I have a crap-ton of books to read first. But it does looks interesting :D

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    1. That's actually a really good comparison. But instead of Nolan writing Amara's story, he just tells it through his blinking. That sounds ridiculous. I mean, he sees her world through his eyes, but retells it in his own words.

      I have no idea what I'm saying any more.

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  7. This sounds like an interesting read, and it's nice to find a book with diverse characters as well. I can see how it could have been packed with a bit too much going on, but the premise itself of having two separate worlds with a link and great immersive descriptions sound good. Great review as always Kelly! <3

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    1. It's interesting, and the world that the author created is an incredible mix of fantasy and dystopian, with an oppressive regime. I want more Dunelands! I wonder if the author would consider bringing out a book just with Amara. THAT I'd fall in love with.

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  8. Wow, this book truly sounds complicated, like the author had a lot of brilliant ideas and refused to cut some out. PUT THEM ALL IN!!! It takes a good editor to be able to filter out the unnecessary plot points, and unfortunately this doesn't seem to have occurred with this book. Awesome premise though, I can see why you'd not like Nolan. I dislike him already just from the way you explained him to be. Amazing review Kelly, not sure I'll pick this one up but it sounds really interesting!

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    1. Yeah, that's basically how I felt Joy. Awesome and unique ideas, but if it had of been a little more restrained, it might have allowed for more character depth. Poor Nolan, I'm completely rubbishing him, but I just couldn't connect to him at all. I felt sorry for him at the beginning, but when he started pulling away from his family after all they'd done for him and seeing how hard Amara's life was, I wanted to smack him into another time zone.

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  9. Hmm...I'm not sure what to think Kelly! I absolutely adore the premise and the multiple world storyline, but it's a shame you found it to be a bit too crowded with ideas (in the end, though, I guess that's better than having too few ideas, right?) I'll definitely put this on my TBR, but I can't say it will be at the very top of my priorities. Thanks for sharing Kelly and, as always, BRILLIANT review! <3

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    1. Thanks Zoe. Exactly, if only there were a happy medium. Amara's world was incredible, I really enjoyed it and wanted more. The diversity is equally as incredible, just had issues with Nolan and the overall crowding of too many aspects thrown in and some without explanation sadly. It really has potential though and I'll be interested to see what the author brings out next.

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  10. Diversity for the win! Sounds kind of like a hectic book though . . . lots going on and not enough development on each thing. I think it'd give me a bit of a headache :P

    Still though, I LOVE the idea behind this!

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    1. Exactly Allie, it just needed stripping back to basics. So much going on didn't really allow for even the characters to truly spread their wings. But still worth the read.

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