What do you think?
Rate this book
The Search for WondLa #1
The Search for WondLa
Eva Nine is a curious and sensitive twelve-year-old who has existed only in a subterranean home called Sanctuary, cared for by a robot named Muthr. Eva's great desire is to go aboveground, and her wish comes true, though not as she had imagined. On the surface, Eva goes in search of other humans--she has never met one--and soon meets both friend and foe.
484 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2009
About the author
Tony DiTerlizzi
108 books2,072 followers#1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, Tony DiTerlizzi, has been creating children’s books for twenty years. From fanciful picture books like The Broken Ornament and The Spider & The Fly (a Caldecott Honor book), to chapter books like Kenny and The Dragon and The Search for WondLa, DiTerlizzi imbues his stories with rich imagination. With Holly Black, he created the middle-grade series, The Spiderwick Chronicles, which has sold over 20 million copies, been adapted into a feature film, and translated in over thirty countries. He teamed up with Lucasfilm to retell the original Star Wars trilogy as a picture book and his collaboration with celebrated author Mo Willems created the bestseller The Story of Diva & Flea. The Norman Rockwell museum’s retrospective, “Never Abandon Imagination”, featured artwork from the beginning of DiTerlizzi’s career as a contributing artist for Dungeons & Dragons and broke attendance records. He has been featured in Time magazine, USA Today, CNN, PBS, NPR the BBC and The Today Show.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,796 reviews
June 9, 2023
4.5
Lovely and wonderful!
Lovely and wonderful!
November 8, 2013
This book makes me wish I could draw. From the co-creator of Spiderwick Chronicles, The Search for Wondla is a fabulous cross between sci fi and fantasy. A young girl, raised in an underground bunker by a motherly robot, is suddenly forced to the surface and finds that the world is radically changed -- if it's even the planet she thought it was. The story is fascinating by itself, but the illustrations add a whole new dimension to the adventure. Highly recommended.
June 1, 2017
“Welcome to the real world, Mother Robot, a beautiful and dangerous place. Now you can truly begin to live.”
You can find this review and all of my other reviews at Novel Descent Thanks for the support!
I was completely engrossed in this book from the start. The characters, the world, the illustrations - all had me wanting to know and explore more.
The Search for Wondla is about a young human girl, Eva Nine, who is 12 years old and has been brought up in an underground sanctuary by her robot mother. She has never seen another human and knows nothing of the outside world and its beauty and dangers. Eva Nine's house goes under siege by a a large monster-like hunter and everything she knows is destroyed. She must make her way in a new world and find where she came from and maybe make some interesting friends along the way.
I just loved this book. The first book is all about world-building and discovering this strange and mysterious land. Everything is new and dangerous. This book felt like Wizard of Oz meets Star Wars. My little fan girl heart was pretty pumped from the start really. This book is mainly a fantasy and adventure story mixed in with a few science-fiction elements. The genres mesh really well together and the the story was a fast quick read.
I think the strongest element this book has going for it is the detail to the world building. You feel like you are discovering everything right along with Eva Nine. You can feel the wonderment and fear as she's figuring it out herself. I was 100% along for the journey with her. I loved Otto, the water bear - he was so sweet. I wouldn't say he was deep character with all kinds of layers to discover but it was kind of nice that he was simple and safe. Another character we meet is named Rovee, he really wasn't fleshed out at all till the end so he kind of seems to just be there for awhile to play the grumpy side character. By the end though, I felt like I knew him and his motivations and he became much more three dimensional for me overall. I think in the next book we will really see this character develop. Muther, the robot, was a pretty interesting character. I loved the idea of a robot trying to work through emotions and information, despite what her programming was telling them. I wish they would've taken her storyline a little further, there was a ton of potential there. I know the book was already almost 500 pages, but I really think she could've used some more fleshing out. Eva Nine was a relatable and likable protagonist. I think most people will enjoy her character and she still has lots of room for growth. The villain of the story was a hunter named Beestal, he was alright. I thought he was going to be really scary because when we first meet him, he really seems to have no conscience. I found him to be a little one-dimensional in the end though and pretty much everyone else in the story interested me more.
I can't talk about this book without talking about Tony DiTerrlizzi's beautiful illustrations. They are through-out the book and they add such a wonderful element to the reading experience. You get to look at the author's creations through their eyes and I was very happy for it. I wish more books would do this.
This book was't flawless but I'm rating it five stars on pure enjoyment. I will be finishing the series. This book is very family friendly - would be a great book to read to any child probably about eight and over. I highly recommend this book and this is one where it really is worth the price of a hardcover - just for how nice it looks with the illustrations.
November 10, 2020
Personal rating: 3.5
October 9, 2015
Eva Nueve es una niña de doce años que siempre ha vivido en un refugio subterráneo, con la única compañía de Madr, una robot a cargo de su crianza. La pequeña pasa sus días estudiando el mundo exterior y cómo sobrevivir en la naturaleza, para ello cuenta con sofisticadas simuladores y aparatos tecnológicos.
Cuando se ve obligada, por un incidente, a salir al exterior descubre que el mundo no es la misma Tierra que ella ha estudiado y deberá adaptarse a este extraño terreno hostil en su búsqueda de otros humanos.
El libro recuerda a grandes libros clásicos, como Alicia en el país de las maravillas o El maravilloso mago de Oz. Tenemos a una niña buscando el camino a casa, que se cruza en el camino de bizarras criaturas, alguna de ellas potenciales aliados y otros que buscan utilizarla o matarla.
Al ser un libro para niños, hay varias situaciones forzadas y con resoluciones demasiado sencillas. Tampoco se ahonda demasiado en otros personajes que no sean Eva, y la mayoría aparecen y desaparecen luego de haberla ayudado o amenazado.
Aun así, el libro me gusto mucho. Hay mucha ternura en la historia y se le da mucha importancia a la amistad, la familia y la lealtad.
El libro tiene un final bastante agridulce luego de la resolución del misterio de WondLa, que debo decir no esperaba para nada, pero el epílogo arregla bastante las cosas. Y deja una puerta abierta demasiado tentadora.
Estaba a punto de darle 3,5 estrellas, pero ese plot twist doble del final me decidió por las 4 estrellas. Mi niña interna esta ansiosa por leer siguiente que promete más respuestas.
Y yo muero por tenerlo entre manos. La edición es una preciosidad, no solo por los maravillosos dibujos del autor, sino por la calidad de las páginas, el grosor de la tapa y el encuadernado.
Recomiendo este libro para quienes aun estén en contacto con su niño interior, encontraran un libro bello y tierno, lleno de enseñanzas y reflexiones. Mi única advertencia es que se trata de un middle-grade, no le busquen profundidad o explicaciones porque no las hay. Al menos por ahora, todo apunta a que el próximo libro será distinto.
Y, por supuesto, para quienes disfruten de estas bellas ilustraciones:
Cuando se ve obligada, por un incidente, a salir al exterior descubre que el mundo no es la misma Tierra que ella ha estudiado y deberá adaptarse a este extraño terreno hostil en su búsqueda de otros humanos.
El libro recuerda a grandes libros clásicos, como Alicia en el país de las maravillas o El maravilloso mago de Oz. Tenemos a una niña buscando el camino a casa, que se cruza en el camino de bizarras criaturas, alguna de ellas potenciales aliados y otros que buscan utilizarla o matarla.
Al ser un libro para niños, hay varias situaciones forzadas y con resoluciones demasiado sencillas. Tampoco se ahonda demasiado en otros personajes que no sean Eva, y la mayoría aparecen y desaparecen luego de haberla ayudado o amenazado.
Aun así, el libro me gusto mucho. Hay mucha ternura en la historia y se le da mucha importancia a la amistad, la familia y la lealtad.
El libro tiene un final bastante agridulce luego de la resolución del misterio de WondLa, que debo decir no esperaba para nada, pero el epílogo arregla bastante las cosas. Y deja una puerta abierta demasiado tentadora.
Estaba a punto de darle 3,5 estrellas, pero ese plot twist doble del final me decidió por las 4 estrellas. Mi niña interna esta ansiosa por leer siguiente que promete más respuestas.
Y yo muero por tenerlo entre manos. La edición es una preciosidad, no solo por los maravillosos dibujos del autor, sino por la calidad de las páginas, el grosor de la tapa y el encuadernado.
Recomiendo este libro para quienes aun estén en contacto con su niño interior, encontraran un libro bello y tierno, lleno de enseñanzas y reflexiones. Mi única advertencia es que se trata de un middle-grade, no le busquen profundidad o explicaciones porque no las hay. Al menos por ahora, todo apunta a que el próximo libro será distinto.
Y, por supuesto, para quienes disfruten de estas bellas ilustraciones:
March 15, 2010
One Sentence Review: I don't think anyone's going to argue that the art is fantastic here, but the story just can't seem to catch up to the premise.
March 24, 2011
Take a little bit of “The Wizard of Oz” and “Alice in Wonderland”, toss in some “Star Wars” and “Planet of the Apes”, mix well by a talented writer and you’ll have an idea of this book. From the fantastic mind of Tony DiTerlizzi, creator of the Spiderwick Chronicles, this is the first of a three part series.
The story concerns a twelve-year-old girl, Eva Nine, who has been raised in an underground sanctuary by a robot named Muthr. When a vicious hunter destroys the sanctuary in search of Eva, she is forced to go above ground for the first tie in her life. Up there, she finds odd creatures, but no one like her. She sets off across the land to find other humans. With the help of kind, though strange, friends, she runs for her life from the hunter and heads for the badlands where it is rumored she may find other humans.
Mr. DiTerlizzi is a master craftsman with this genre. His characterizations, world building, and settings are so well done, you believe there may actually be a world like this one. The story flows well and is enjoyable from page one to the last chapter. According to the information accompanying this pre-pub copy, there will also be an interactive web site so readers can journey along with Eva and her friends, just the sort of thing any young tween would like.
If there are any drawbacks at all for me, it is that the last page leaves you dangling. This is definitely not a stand alone book and it will be necessary to get the other books to finish the story, a marketing ploy that continually frustrates me. But other than this minor, and not unexpected, issue, I highly recommend The Search for WondLa. I am definitely looking forward to the others
The story concerns a twelve-year-old girl, Eva Nine, who has been raised in an underground sanctuary by a robot named Muthr. When a vicious hunter destroys the sanctuary in search of Eva, she is forced to go above ground for the first tie in her life. Up there, she finds odd creatures, but no one like her. She sets off across the land to find other humans. With the help of kind, though strange, friends, she runs for her life from the hunter and heads for the badlands where it is rumored she may find other humans.
Mr. DiTerlizzi is a master craftsman with this genre. His characterizations, world building, and settings are so well done, you believe there may actually be a world like this one. The story flows well and is enjoyable from page one to the last chapter. According to the information accompanying this pre-pub copy, there will also be an interactive web site so readers can journey along with Eva and her friends, just the sort of thing any young tween would like.
If there are any drawbacks at all for me, it is that the last page leaves you dangling. This is definitely not a stand alone book and it will be necessary to get the other books to finish the story, a marketing ploy that continually frustrates me. But other than this minor, and not unexpected, issue, I highly recommend The Search for WondLa. I am definitely looking forward to the others
March 22, 2011
Let me begin by encouraging anyone who is thinking about downloading the e-book edition of this story to go out and buy the real thing. In hardback. Trust me, it's worth it. A book this beautiful is meant to be printed and bound for art-enthusiasts and sci-fi/fantasy nerds everywhere to drool over.
Secondly, I'd like to congratulate DiTerlizzi on producing such a brilliant, original children's story. Not only is each chapter of this book beautifully illustrated by the author, the story itself sucked me in from the very first page, and DiTerlizzi's whimsical descriptions were as rich and vivid as the illustrations themselves. Though I still love children's fiction, it's rare nowadays that a story aimed at pre-teens can demand my attention in the way that classics such as Charlotte Sometimes and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone once could. Reading The Search for WondLa, I felt myself escaping into the world of Orbona the way I used to with my favourite childhood reads. As a huge fan of his work on The Spiderwick Chronicles with Holly Black, I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but DiTerlizzi has exceeded my expectations. I only wish I had half his imagination and creativity.
I recommend this story to any reader aged seven and up (including adults who, like me, find it impossible to stop reading books marketed at kids). The Search for WondLa has all the components of a new children's classic in the making, and I look forward to seeing what more DiTerlizzi has to offer from this enchanting new world.
Title: The Search for WondLa
Author: Tony DiTerlizzi
Rating: 5 stars
Secondly, I'd like to congratulate DiTerlizzi on producing such a brilliant, original children's story. Not only is each chapter of this book beautifully illustrated by the author, the story itself sucked me in from the very first page, and DiTerlizzi's whimsical descriptions were as rich and vivid as the illustrations themselves. Though I still love children's fiction, it's rare nowadays that a story aimed at pre-teens can demand my attention in the way that classics such as Charlotte Sometimes and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone once could. Reading The Search for WondLa, I felt myself escaping into the world of Orbona the way I used to with my favourite childhood reads. As a huge fan of his work on The Spiderwick Chronicles with Holly Black, I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but DiTerlizzi has exceeded my expectations. I only wish I had half his imagination and creativity.
I recommend this story to any reader aged seven and up (including adults who, like me, find it impossible to stop reading books marketed at kids). The Search for WondLa has all the components of a new children's classic in the making, and I look forward to seeing what more DiTerlizzi has to offer from this enchanting new world.
Title: The Search for WondLa
Author: Tony DiTerlizzi
Rating: 5 stars
February 5, 2017
3.5 Stars
I wish I read this series as a child!
I wish I read this series as a child!
July 29, 2012
I would have liked more consistency throughout this story. I think the concept is wonderful, though perhaps a bit reminiscent of "Planet of the Apes", and the environment is imaginative and fun. It would be a fantastic romp for 8-13 year-olds.
Personally, however, I was disappointed by the shifting nature of both Eva Nine's and MUTHR's characters and not in a way that showed they were growing and becoming new people. Rather, I felt they had multiple personalities and I never knew which one I'd be dealing with from chapter to chapter. I had a hard time warming up to either of these characters because I couldn't trust them to be themselves.
The one character who never broke stride was Besteel and that was just as irritating as Eva and MUTHR changing their behavior every few chapters. He was a bit of overkill.
I think with some more tweaking, some snipping and cutting and some rearranging, this could be an amazing story. For me, however, it was not.
I don't think any of that will get in the way of a young reader's enjoyment of this story, however. Plus, the illustrations are, per usual, phenomenal and they definitely add another level of interest.
Personally, however, I was disappointed by the shifting nature of both Eva Nine's and MUTHR's characters and not in a way that showed they were growing and becoming new people. Rather, I felt they had multiple personalities and I never knew which one I'd be dealing with from chapter to chapter. I had a hard time warming up to either of these characters because I couldn't trust them to be themselves.
The one character who never broke stride was Besteel and that was just as irritating as Eva and MUTHR changing their behavior every few chapters. He was a bit of overkill.
I think with some more tweaking, some snipping and cutting and some rearranging, this could be an amazing story. For me, however, it was not.
I don't think any of that will get in the way of a young reader's enjoyment of this story, however. Plus, the illustrations are, per usual, phenomenal and they definitely add another level of interest.
October 2, 2022
This was so absurdly good and entertaining!! I can't believe this book isn't more popular than it is. Great characters, excellent writing, and a story that leaves you wanting for more. Tony DiTerlizzi is good at what he does. A new favorite.
May 17, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I feel there isn't that much middle-grade scifi... and I don't get why because this book shows it can be great!
Like for example The Hobbit, this never read like a kids book to me. It was just a great book, in which we happen to follow 12 year old Eva. She has lived in the Sanctuary her whole life, training survival skills with her caretaker robot. When their home gets attacked Eva is forced to go above ground... only to find out she isn't on Earth and her survival skills aren't all that useful after all . Together with her robot mother, a giant water bear, and grumpy alien Rovee she travels through this new world to find other humans, whilst constantly being hunted down.
First of, this book has some beautiful illustrations (although not all very strategically placed and therefore slightly spoiling the story at times). They are very simple in colour scheme, but that doesn't make them any less stunning.
The world building is just great. Some of my favourite parts are just Eva exploring and studying the plants and animals around her. I also really liked all of the characters. Otto is the sweetest, and his communication with Eva is very clever. Something I hope is explored more in the sequels. Rovee is only really fleshed out by the end of the book, yet his bickering and banter with mother robot is a joy to read. Eva is just a normal, relatable, girl... and I love her. The prophecy regarding her was interesting enough, but it didn't add anything to the story so far. That and the fact that this book felt a bit too long are the only elements keeping this from a perfect read for me. Oh, and I didn't really understand the ending... but I'm sure it'll become clear in the sequel. Which I am very excited for!!
Like for example The Hobbit, this never read like a kids book to me. It was just a great book, in which we happen to follow 12 year old Eva. She has lived in the Sanctuary her whole life, training survival skills with her caretaker robot. When their home gets attacked Eva is forced to go above ground... only to find out she isn't on Earth and her survival skills aren't all that useful after all . Together with her robot mother, a giant water bear, and grumpy alien Rovee she travels through this new world to find other humans, whilst constantly being hunted down.
First of, this book has some beautiful illustrations (although not all very strategically placed and therefore slightly spoiling the story at times). They are very simple in colour scheme, but that doesn't make them any less stunning.
The world building is just great. Some of my favourite parts are just Eva exploring and studying the plants and animals around her. I also really liked all of the characters. Otto is the sweetest, and his communication with Eva is very clever. Something I hope is explored more in the sequels. Rovee is only really fleshed out by the end of the book, yet his bickering and banter with mother robot is a joy to read. Eva is just a normal, relatable, girl... and I love her. The prophecy regarding her was interesting enough, but it didn't add anything to the story so far. That and the fact that this book felt a bit too long are the only elements keeping this from a perfect read for me. Oh, and I didn't really understand the ending... but I'm sure it'll become clear in the sequel. Which I am very excited for!!
April 8, 2017
I just don't get it.....
I really wanted to love this book and it gets such amazing reviews from literally everyone, but I didn't connect with this story at all.
Part of my problem was that I found Eva's reactions and behavior completely unbelievable. If she had been raised by robots in a bunker, she would not a) talk and act so human, and b) she would not be so relaxed about leaving the bunker which has been her entire world her whole life!
There were such deep psychological issues that could have been explored pertaining to how she was raised and how that would make her see the world, but they were just glossed over to make room for alien-laser-gun-fighting-action.
Am I missing something?
I really wanted to love this book and it gets such amazing reviews from literally everyone, but I didn't connect with this story at all.
Part of my problem was that I found Eva's reactions and behavior completely unbelievable. If she had been raised by robots in a bunker, she would not a) talk and act so human, and b) she would not be so relaxed about leaving the bunker which has been her entire world her whole life!
There were such deep psychological issues that could have been explored pertaining to how she was raised and how that would make her see the world, but they were just glossed over to make room for alien-laser-gun-fighting-action.
Am I missing something?
February 6, 2022
5 stars
I love this book so much now, and I loved it so much as a kid. Of course, when I first got it from the library when I was a kid, it had detergent/bleach spilled on it, and now whenever I read it I always get flashbacks to that smell.
I love this book so much now, and I loved it so much as a kid. Of course, when I first got it from the library when I was a kid, it had detergent/bleach spilled on it, and now whenever I read it I always get flashbacks to that smell.
October 27, 2015
Ay, no sé, no sé... este libro no me terminó de convencer. Creo que lo sentí demasiado infantil y demasiado lento, como que realmente no pasaba mucho y pasaban páginas y páginas y... en fin.
En Busca de WondLa cuenta la historia de Eva Nueve, una chica pequeña que ha vivido toda su vida bajo tierra con la única compañía de Madr, una robot encargada de su bienestar. Eva nunca ha conocido a otro humano, pues aparentemente están viviendo en un futuro en el que todo ha cambiado. Madr y Eva saben que ella es muy importante, pero no saben exactamente por qué... y realmente nunca llegamos a saberlo, al menos en este primer libro. El caso es que, eventualmente, Eva y Madr deben salir a la superficie porque un ser extraño ataca su guarida subterránea y las empieza a cazar. La trama se pone interesante cuando Madr y Eva descubren que, a pesar de toda su tecnología y dispositivos de reconocimiento, que se supone deben saberlo todo, no pueden identificar ni las plantas, ni los animales ni el terreno que están recorriendo... como si no estuvieran en la Tierra.
Quizá de las cosas que más me gustaron de En Busca de WondLa, a pesar de que me pareció un poco lento, fueron las apariciones de dos personajes: Otto y Rovender. Otto me encantó porque, aunque es un animal y no tiene una capacidad de pensamiento y comunicación muy grande, siempre se las arregla para aparecer en los momentos clave, para ayudar a Eva y para decirle pocas palabras, pero con una ternura enorme. Rovender o Rovi, por otra parte, era súper extraño al principio, pero luego le cogí mucho cariño porque se nota que tiene un pasado bastante tormentoso por detrás y que lo quiere olvidar para poder seguir con su vida.
Hablando de personajes, el libro no terminó de gustarme un montón precisamente por Eva. Sencillamente no conecté con ella como protagonista, quizá porque es muy pequeña, no lo sé. Pero no sentía empatía y me daba igual lo que hiciera, jajaja. Otra de las cosas que hacían que el libro me pareciera aburrido por partes es que nos introducen a un montón de personajes (todos los de la Corta de la Reina, sin ir más lejos) y los dejan ahí... como que no tienen propósito, no hacen mucho y fin. Es probable que salgan en las otras dos partes de la trilogía, pero siento que hubiera sido mejor introducirlos un poco más.
En fin, para terminar sólo diré que el epílogo me gustó muchísimo. ¡Por fin algo que me hace querer leer el siguiente! O sea, literal, la última línea fue la que me hizo decidirme a seguir la trilogía en un futuro, jajaja.
En Busca de WondLa cuenta la historia de Eva Nueve, una chica pequeña que ha vivido toda su vida bajo tierra con la única compañía de Madr, una robot encargada de su bienestar. Eva nunca ha conocido a otro humano, pues aparentemente están viviendo en un futuro en el que todo ha cambiado. Madr y Eva saben que ella es muy importante, pero no saben exactamente por qué... y realmente nunca llegamos a saberlo, al menos en este primer libro. El caso es que, eventualmente, Eva y Madr deben salir a la superficie porque un ser extraño ataca su guarida subterránea y las empieza a cazar. La trama se pone interesante cuando Madr y Eva descubren que, a pesar de toda su tecnología y dispositivos de reconocimiento, que se supone deben saberlo todo, no pueden identificar ni las plantas, ni los animales ni el terreno que están recorriendo... como si no estuvieran en la Tierra.
Quizá de las cosas que más me gustaron de En Busca de WondLa, a pesar de que me pareció un poco lento, fueron las apariciones de dos personajes: Otto y Rovender. Otto me encantó porque, aunque es un animal y no tiene una capacidad de pensamiento y comunicación muy grande, siempre se las arregla para aparecer en los momentos clave, para ayudar a Eva y para decirle pocas palabras, pero con una ternura enorme. Rovender o Rovi, por otra parte, era súper extraño al principio, pero luego le cogí mucho cariño porque se nota que tiene un pasado bastante tormentoso por detrás y que lo quiere olvidar para poder seguir con su vida.
Hablando de personajes, el libro no terminó de gustarme un montón precisamente por Eva. Sencillamente no conecté con ella como protagonista, quizá porque es muy pequeña, no lo sé. Pero no sentía empatía y me daba igual lo que hiciera, jajaja. Otra de las cosas que hacían que el libro me pareciera aburrido por partes es que nos introducen a un montón de personajes (todos los de la Corta de la Reina, sin ir más lejos) y los dejan ahí... como que no tienen propósito, no hacen mucho y fin. Es probable que salgan en las otras dos partes de la trilogía, pero siento que hubiera sido mejor introducirlos un poco más.
En fin, para terminar sólo diré que el epílogo me gustó muchísimo. ¡Por fin algo que me hace querer leer el siguiente! O sea, literal, la última línea fue la que me hizo decidirme a seguir la trilogía en un futuro, jajaja.
June 15, 2012
WondLa = Wonderful?
Meh, not so much.
I had a really hard time rating this book about Eva Nine, possibly the last human girl alive in an alien world.
There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about The Search For WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi: the main character, Eva, is very engaging, as is her "Muther" robot and many of the creatures she meets on her quest to find other humans and to escape the evil huntsman, Beesteel.
The story started as strong as any I've ever read. I recall--explicitly--saying out-loud, "Oh, yay! It's going to be good!" after reading the first chapter. Even through the first hundred pages of character introduction and world building, I was seriously feeling the five stars.
And then, the "middle".
YAWN.
Two hundred pages of repetitive world-building. I found myself asking, "Okay...is something, ANYTHING significant going to happen any time soon?
And then, when the odd thing did, it was over so fast and so anti-climactic (Oh, look! She escaped Beesteel, again....), that frankly, I started getting annoyed.
Fortunately, I kept at it and was rewarded with a satisfactory ending. Over-all, though, I feel this book held such great promise but for me, was cumulatively underwhelming.
I give the first 100 pages five stars, the next 200 pages, 2 stars, and the final 100 pages, 4 stars. Add to that a hearty five stars for the illustrations (I loved those--all of them), and we eek out a weak 3 stars on the whole.
Meh, not so much.
I had a really hard time rating this book about Eva Nine, possibly the last human girl alive in an alien world.
There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about The Search For WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi: the main character, Eva, is very engaging, as is her "Muther" robot and many of the creatures she meets on her quest to find other humans and to escape the evil huntsman, Beesteel.
The story started as strong as any I've ever read. I recall--explicitly--saying out-loud, "Oh, yay! It's going to be good!" after reading the first chapter. Even through the first hundred pages of character introduction and world building, I was seriously feeling the five stars.
And then, the "middle".
YAWN.
Two hundred pages of repetitive world-building. I found myself asking, "Okay...is something, ANYTHING significant going to happen any time soon?
And then, when the odd thing did, it was over so fast and so anti-climactic (Oh, look! She escaped Beesteel, again....), that frankly, I started getting annoyed.
Fortunately, I kept at it and was rewarded with a satisfactory ending. Over-all, though, I feel this book held such great promise but for me, was cumulatively underwhelming.
I give the first 100 pages five stars, the next 200 pages, 2 stars, and the final 100 pages, 4 stars. Add to that a hearty five stars for the illustrations (I loved those--all of them), and we eek out a weak 3 stars on the whole.
May 5, 2016
Eva Nueve nunca había salido a la superficie hasta que un accidente ocurre y ella se ve obligada a sobrevivir en un mundo que no había visto antes y que ella conoce como su planeta Tierra pero cuando la realidad la golpea se da cuenta de que no hay nada que ella haya estudiado antes con ayuda de la tecnología, no reconoce ningún ser vivo, ninguna planta, ningún árbol...// La historia para mí, al principio la sentí lenta, y creí que no me gustaría pero... las cosas se ponen muy padres pasando la página 100, sus personajes son muy hermosos :') sobre todo Rovender, para mí es la sabiduría personificada, y el tema del calentamiento global es palpable y hay mucho respeto por la naturaleza, por los animales y por las costumbres. En realidad este libro es MUY BUENO y además cuenta con ilustraciones realmente hermosas que complementan la historia a la perfección! Estoy ansiosa por leer la segunda parte de lo que será una trilogía inolvidable <3
January 30, 2014
***may contain a minor spoiler without revealing any plot information***
My 8 year old and I really enjoyed reading this book together...it combined the elements of science fiction that I like; being plunked down in a completely different realm and trying to figure it out with the character, some clues and connection to biology and astronomy. This is good dystopian fiction for those who may find the genre dark, or for younger kids who might be interested in the genre but not ready for the YA/Adult themes that are found in most of the texts on the subject - there is one somewhat graphic description of the butchery of a "water bear"...it is within context and sets up the characterization of the main "villain", and it is not gratuitous, but it may be a little unsettling for those under 8 or 9 (or even older); even my son and I took pause and talked about the scene and how the other characters reacted. Some reviewers complained that the plot was predictable and/or that the language was repetitive; I think for the intended audience that this holds a lot of suspense and has lots of "aha" moments, and I didn't find too many repetitive elements. In order to read this book aloud, the reader has to get used to the author's style of joining dialog to the action of the speaker, but this is minor. If anything, I didn't care for the "prophesy" part of it, but it was such a minor part of it that it didn't really distract. WE are on to book two with great enthusiasm!
My 8 year old and I really enjoyed reading this book together...it combined the elements of science fiction that I like; being plunked down in a completely different realm and trying to figure it out with the character, some clues and connection to biology and astronomy. This is good dystopian fiction for those who may find the genre dark, or for younger kids who might be interested in the genre but not ready for the YA/Adult themes that are found in most of the texts on the subject - there is one somewhat graphic description of the butchery of a "water bear"...it is within context and sets up the characterization of the main "villain", and it is not gratuitous, but it may be a little unsettling for those under 8 or 9 (or even older); even my son and I took pause and talked about the scene and how the other characters reacted. Some reviewers complained that the plot was predictable and/or that the language was repetitive; I think for the intended audience that this holds a lot of suspense and has lots of "aha" moments, and I didn't find too many repetitive elements. In order to read this book aloud, the reader has to get used to the author's style of joining dialog to the action of the speaker, but this is minor. If anything, I didn't care for the "prophesy" part of it, but it was such a minor part of it that it didn't really distract. WE are on to book two with great enthusiasm!
September 19, 2012
This book was one of my favourite books! I loved the whole fairy tale story going with it and I think they should make a second one! It was amazing and had little grammar errors. I enjoyed this book because I love to read fairy tales so I think that those who enjoy fairy tales would enjoy this book. I recommened this book for those who like adventure and fairy tales.
Rating: 7.5/10
Parental Rating: PG
Rating: 7.5/10
Parental Rating: PG
March 27, 2018
Excellent! This book had everything I think a middle-grade read should have: an interesting/relatable MC, detestable baddies, slightly suspenseful action while escaping from said baddies, warm friendships, life lessons learned, intriguing storyline, and cool inventions. And to top it all off, the author is also an amazing illustrator. Perfection!
December 10, 2017
Freundschaft und Familie muss nicht immer an Blutsbande gebunden sein. Das zeigt Tony DiTerlizzi in »Die Suche nach WondLa«, dem Auftakt seiner SciencefantasyReihe »The Search for WondLa«.
Eva Neun lebt als einziger Mensch in einem unterirdischen Refugium. Ihre einzige Gesellschaft sind ihre Kuscheltiere und der Roboter Mudrr, welcher sie wie eine Mutter aufzog und nun ihr Überlebenstraining überwacht. Als das Refugium plötzlich von einer fremden Kreatur überfallen wird, muss Eva an die Oberfläche fliehen. Sie findet sich in einer Welt wieder, die ihr völlig fremd erscheint und auf die ihr Überlebenstraining sie nicht vorbereitet hat. Ganz unerwartet findet sie jedoch in der lebensfeindlichen Umgebung einen Freund in Wanderlin, der ihr hilft, Spuren anderer Menschen zu finden.
Das Buch ist ein Kinderbuch. Dementsprechend angemessen ist die Sprache und es liest sich sehr schnell weg. Trotz der fünfhundert Seiten kann man sich damit durchaus auch einmal einen Nachmittag in die Hängematte lesen und das Buch am Stück verschlingen. Es lohnt sich auch, denn die Geschichte ist liebreizend und lesenswert.
Eva sucht andere Menschen auf dem ihr vermeindlich fremden Planeten. Dabei lernt sie, dass man Familie und Freunde nicht anhand des Blutes oder der eigenen Artzugehörigkeit festmachen muss, sondern sich auch seine eigene Familie wählen kann und das eigen WondLa, das eigene Wunderland, überall verborgen sein kann, wenn man nur will.
Das Buch kommt mit wunderschönen Illustrationen des Autors einher, welcher bereits die Spiderwick-Serie illustriert hatte. In der Erzählung stützt er sich jedoch etwas zu sehr auf seine Illustrationen, sodass Beschreibungen im Text manchmal etwas zu knapp geraten. Hinzu kommt, dass in der deutschen Fassung, die mir vorlag, ein paar Zeichen verloren gingen.
Der Roman ist dennoch ein malerisches Märchen mit einer starken Aussage. Trotz der manchmal etwas knappen Beschreibungen schafft es der Autor, seine Leser in den Roman zu ziehen, sodass sie zusammen mit Eva und Wanderlin eine schillernde Märchenwelt erkunden können. Er schafft dabei eine kreative und ausgefallene Umgebung für seine Charaktere, die auch für den Leser zahlreiche Wunder bereithält, ohne völlig fremd und abstrakt zu wirken.
»Die Suche nach WondLa« besticht durch eine kreative Welt und einen gefühlvollen Umgang der Charaktere miteinander. Ein wenig schwächelt der Roman allerdings bei seiner Sprache und insbesondere bei den Beschreibungen. Er bietet dennoch einige vergnügliche Lesestunden.
Eva Neun lebt als einziger Mensch in einem unterirdischen Refugium. Ihre einzige Gesellschaft sind ihre Kuscheltiere und der Roboter Mudrr, welcher sie wie eine Mutter aufzog und nun ihr Überlebenstraining überwacht. Als das Refugium plötzlich von einer fremden Kreatur überfallen wird, muss Eva an die Oberfläche fliehen. Sie findet sich in einer Welt wieder, die ihr völlig fremd erscheint und auf die ihr Überlebenstraining sie nicht vorbereitet hat. Ganz unerwartet findet sie jedoch in der lebensfeindlichen Umgebung einen Freund in Wanderlin, der ihr hilft, Spuren anderer Menschen zu finden.
Das Buch ist ein Kinderbuch. Dementsprechend angemessen ist die Sprache und es liest sich sehr schnell weg. Trotz der fünfhundert Seiten kann man sich damit durchaus auch einmal einen Nachmittag in die Hängematte lesen und das Buch am Stück verschlingen. Es lohnt sich auch, denn die Geschichte ist liebreizend und lesenswert.
Eva sucht andere Menschen auf dem ihr vermeindlich fremden Planeten. Dabei lernt sie, dass man Familie und Freunde nicht anhand des Blutes oder der eigenen Artzugehörigkeit festmachen muss, sondern sich auch seine eigene Familie wählen kann und das eigen WondLa, das eigene Wunderland, überall verborgen sein kann, wenn man nur will.
Das Buch kommt mit wunderschönen Illustrationen des Autors einher, welcher bereits die Spiderwick-Serie illustriert hatte. In der Erzählung stützt er sich jedoch etwas zu sehr auf seine Illustrationen, sodass Beschreibungen im Text manchmal etwas zu knapp geraten. Hinzu kommt, dass in der deutschen Fassung, die mir vorlag, ein paar Zeichen verloren gingen.
Der Roman ist dennoch ein malerisches Märchen mit einer starken Aussage. Trotz der manchmal etwas knappen Beschreibungen schafft es der Autor, seine Leser in den Roman zu ziehen, sodass sie zusammen mit Eva und Wanderlin eine schillernde Märchenwelt erkunden können. Er schafft dabei eine kreative und ausgefallene Umgebung für seine Charaktere, die auch für den Leser zahlreiche Wunder bereithält, ohne völlig fremd und abstrakt zu wirken.
»Die Suche nach WondLa« besticht durch eine kreative Welt und einen gefühlvollen Umgang der Charaktere miteinander. Ein wenig schwächelt der Roman allerdings bei seiner Sprache und insbesondere bei den Beschreibungen. Er bietet dennoch einige vergnügliche Lesestunden.
November 6, 2018
There's so much I objectively love about The Search for WondLa, but it didn't quite grab me—I'll definitely be continuing with the series, though!
Set in a mystery world and accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, I loved a lot of things about the construction of the novel. I loved that one of the three main characters is a robot mother, but one with emotions, who cares a whole lot about her human 'assignment'. I loved the depiction of Eva Nine, and thought that her twelve-year-old emotions were done really well. I loved the role of technology, the small hints about where and when the story is set, and the many creatures that populate the world. The story includes light-hearted moments and moments of loss, there's no romance, and it's got a dynamic main trio who I really enjoyed reading about.
This is a strong middle grade fantasy novel. It may not have quite captivated me, but it certainly did more than enough for me to want to continue the series. Like many trilogies, the story is set to radically expand in the second instalment, and I'm excited to see where it leads, because there are still so many questions unanswered about this world.
Set in a mystery world and accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, I loved a lot of things about the construction of the novel. I loved that one of the three main characters is a robot mother, but one with emotions, who cares a whole lot about her human 'assignment'. I loved the depiction of Eva Nine, and thought that her twelve-year-old emotions were done really well. I loved the role of technology, the small hints about where and when the story is set, and the many creatures that populate the world. The story includes light-hearted moments and moments of loss, there's no romance, and it's got a dynamic main trio who I really enjoyed reading about.
This is a strong middle grade fantasy novel. It may not have quite captivated me, but it certainly did more than enough for me to want to continue the series. Like many trilogies, the story is set to radically expand in the second instalment, and I'm excited to see where it leads, because there are still so many questions unanswered about this world.
March 16, 2016
Este fue otro libro que adquirí por instinto, después de enamorarme de él en una librería. ¿Cómo no hacerlo, con esa sinopsis y esas ilustraciones maravillosas? Parecía tener todos los ingredientes para que la historia me encantara. Y bueno, fue más o menos así. Más o menos. Es muy fácil convencerme de leer algo si me dicen «che, Sofi, esta historia tiene fantasía Y ciencia ficción». Ahí me hago pichí y salgo a buscar el libro, básicamente. Sépanlo.
La historia comienza en el Santuario, un refugio subterráneo en el que Eva Nueve, la protagonista, vive con su robot, Madr, quien la ha criado y cuidado desde que tiene memoria. Nunca, en toda su vida, visitó el exterior. No tenemos muchas explicaciones sobre su pasado. Como nos dice la sinopsis, no es sino debido a amenazas externas que Eva debe abandonar el Santuario. Lo que descubre afuera es un mundo fascinante, primitivo y a la vez civilizado. La flora y la fauna le son ajenas a todo lo que conoce, ya que en el Santuario solo había conocimientos sobre la Tierra. Aquí es cuando uno empieza a plantearse algo que se volverá a preguntar durante la narración: ¿están en la Tierra? Y si es así, ¿qué pasó? Como no soy amiga de los spoilers, no voy a decir nada más al respecto. Solamente que es un mundo muy bien construido, hasta en los detalles pequeñitos.
Al abandonar su refugio, Eva se encuentra con multitud de personajes, de todo tipo. Por supuesto, ninguno es humano. ¿Por qué? ¿Acaso no hay más humanos en ese lugar? Eva no lo sabe y eso la desespera. Es una constante en la ciencia ficción el temor y la presión de ser el único en su especie. Eva lo lleva como podría hacerlo una niña de doce años.
Volviendo a Eva, está muy bien caracterizada. Muchas veces los niños en la literatura actúan como personas mayores, pero Eva responde bien a su entorno y a su edad. Le creo cuando habla y se mueve. Es entrañable, inteligente, valiente, pero también vulnerable y temeraria en más de un momento. Tiene esa madurez propia de los niños que pasaron mucho tiempo solos.
Los otros personajes principales son Madr, la robot que la crio, y Rovender Kitt, el cerúleo con quien se encuentra durante su huida. Ambos son figuras más bien paternales, que cuidan y enseñan a Eva. Con ambos vive momentos sumamente emocionales y adorables. El perseguidor, Beesteel, no fue de mi agrado. Me pareció un poco flojo como personaje. Los demás, son importantes para desarrollar la historia, pero no muy memorables.
Vi por ahí que la gente compara esta historia con Alicia en el país de las maravillas o El mago de Oz, pero para mí la influencia más grande (y esta vez estoy casi segura de que tiene que ser una influencia y no cosa mía) es Nausicaa del Valle del Viento. Si no me creen, véanla.
Lo único que no me terminó de convencer es la prosa. Esperaba algo que me dejara más sensaciones en el cuerpo. Obtuve una historia bonita, un mundo fascinante, personajes entrañables e ilustraciones fabulosas, pero la narración se me hizo bastante plana. Entiendo que es un libro orientado a niños también, pero no me parece que por eso se deba decaer en el lenguaje.
En resumen, En busca de WondLa es un libro precioso, una historia que maravilla y personajes que calan hondo, con una narración sencilla. Necesito leer la continuación YA, porque el final es un cliffhanger terrible.
Recomiendo.
La historia comienza en el Santuario, un refugio subterráneo en el que Eva Nueve, la protagonista, vive con su robot, Madr, quien la ha criado y cuidado desde que tiene memoria. Nunca, en toda su vida, visitó el exterior. No tenemos muchas explicaciones sobre su pasado. Como nos dice la sinopsis, no es sino debido a amenazas externas que Eva debe abandonar el Santuario. Lo que descubre afuera es un mundo fascinante, primitivo y a la vez civilizado. La flora y la fauna le son ajenas a todo lo que conoce, ya que en el Santuario solo había conocimientos sobre la Tierra. Aquí es cuando uno empieza a plantearse algo que se volverá a preguntar durante la narración: ¿están en la Tierra? Y si es así, ¿qué pasó? Como no soy amiga de los spoilers, no voy a decir nada más al respecto. Solamente que es un mundo muy bien construido, hasta en los detalles pequeñitos.
Al abandonar su refugio, Eva se encuentra con multitud de personajes, de todo tipo. Por supuesto, ninguno es humano. ¿Por qué? ¿Acaso no hay más humanos en ese lugar? Eva no lo sabe y eso la desespera. Es una constante en la ciencia ficción el temor y la presión de ser el único en su especie. Eva lo lleva como podría hacerlo una niña de doce años.
Volviendo a Eva, está muy bien caracterizada. Muchas veces los niños en la literatura actúan como personas mayores, pero Eva responde bien a su entorno y a su edad. Le creo cuando habla y se mueve. Es entrañable, inteligente, valiente, pero también vulnerable y temeraria en más de un momento. Tiene esa madurez propia de los niños que pasaron mucho tiempo solos.
Los otros personajes principales son Madr, la robot que la crio, y Rovender Kitt, el cerúleo con quien se encuentra durante su huida. Ambos son figuras más bien paternales, que cuidan y enseñan a Eva. Con ambos vive momentos sumamente emocionales y adorables. El perseguidor, Beesteel, no fue de mi agrado. Me pareció un poco flojo como personaje. Los demás, son importantes para desarrollar la historia, pero no muy memorables.
Vi por ahí que la gente compara esta historia con Alicia en el país de las maravillas o El mago de Oz, pero para mí la influencia más grande (y esta vez estoy casi segura de que tiene que ser una influencia y no cosa mía) es Nausicaa del Valle del Viento. Si no me creen, véanla.
Lo único que no me terminó de convencer es la prosa. Esperaba algo que me dejara más sensaciones en el cuerpo. Obtuve una historia bonita, un mundo fascinante, personajes entrañables e ilustraciones fabulosas, pero la narración se me hizo bastante plana. Entiendo que es un libro orientado a niños también, pero no me parece que por eso se deba decaer en el lenguaje.
En resumen, En busca de WondLa es un libro precioso, una historia que maravilla y personajes que calan hondo, con una narración sencilla. Necesito leer la continuación YA, porque el final es un cliffhanger terrible.
Recomiendo.
July 6, 2018
This book was certainly full of wonder and adventure. The characters under went quite the experience on a very daring trip full of curious and dangerous creatures in a completely new world. Or at least one unknown to us and our main character Eva.
Many questions arose for me while reading this book, and I know they will be answered soon, and that makes me even more excited to see where this story goes.
I loved the characters and how they grew to know each other and rely on one another. I loved how Eva grew, going from a secluded young girl who couldn’t pass a simulation to being suddenly thrust upon a world totally new to her and not at all like what she thought it was supposed to be. Muthr certainly did act like a mother figure, helping to guide our characters along the way in this journey and keep them on the right path.
It was a very entertaining story, and the only thing left to do, is see where this adventure takes us.
3.5/5 stars
Many questions arose for me while reading this book, and I know they will be answered soon, and that makes me even more excited to see where this story goes.
I loved the characters and how they grew to know each other and rely on one another. I loved how Eva grew, going from a secluded young girl who couldn’t pass a simulation to being suddenly thrust upon a world totally new to her and not at all like what she thought it was supposed to be. Muthr certainly did act like a mother figure, helping to guide our characters along the way in this journey and keep them on the right path.
It was a very entertaining story, and the only thing left to do, is see where this adventure takes us.
3.5/5 stars
June 27, 2015
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con éste libro y no estaba muy seguro de cuantas estrellas ponerle. La primera mitad del libro se me hizo medio aburrida, pero la parte final me pareció buena.
Lo que no me gustó:
- Como es un libro de fantasía/ciencia ficción a veces es muy difícil imaginarte lo que el autor te esta describiendo.
-Tiene muchas descripciones.
-En algunas partes esta aburrido.
Lo que me gustó:
-Las ilustraciones están HERMOSAS. Me gustaron mucho. Te dan una idea del mundo de Orbona.
-La parte final
-El Plot-Twist al final, cuando se revela el significado de WondLa. La verdad me gustó mucho, nunca lo hubiera imaginado.
Probablemente lea los siguientes dos libros
Lo que no me gustó:
- Como es un libro de fantasía/ciencia ficción a veces es muy difícil imaginarte lo que el autor te esta describiendo.
-Tiene muchas descripciones.
-En algunas partes esta aburrido.
Lo que me gustó:
-Las ilustraciones están HERMOSAS. Me gustaron mucho. Te dan una idea del mundo de Orbona.
-La parte final
-El Plot-Twist al final, cuando se revela el significado de WondLa. La verdad me gustó mucho, nunca lo hubiera imaginado.
Probablemente lea los siguientes dos libros
August 12, 2018
This book was such a pleasant surprise. The story reads like the old Oz stories with the writing styles simplicity. The story doesn't try to be too much all at once, but eases you into the world that DiTerlizzi is creating through the changing worldview of Eva Nine. Often I can only read roughly 50 pages at a time of any book, regardless of genre, but I found myself devouring larger chunks in one sitting because I would lose track of time. The ability to lose yourself in a story is a good benchmark to me if a story is good and this one is. I definitely want to get my hands on the next book!
July 29, 2017
I first read Search for Wondla nearly a year before my gullbladder (that almost killed me along with a bleeding ulcer) operation, when my fibro combined with all my other problems was making me particularly miserable, and I had yet to be diagnosed. Books are always more special to me when read during a difficult period in my life, and I'll always hold this series dear.
Read
August 27, 2016To see the review visit: http://libriago.blogspot.com/2010/12/...
July 18, 2019
Wow just wow! What a great book. I loved everything about this book. It has an amazing world with so many cool and interesting creatures. The characters were all amazing and I fell in love with them and loved their development. I also enjoyed the illustrations within, which really helped envision this world. I am so ready to get to the sequel because it ends on such a cliffhanger. Great book please read!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,796 reviews