The Unbound
Common Sense says
- Victoria Schwab
- Fantasy
- 2014
Parents say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that THE UNBOUND, the second installment in The Archived series, has a strong heroine, an intriguing romantic love interest, and interesting side characters. Mackenzie Bishop continues her job of keeping the dead from escaping the Narrows, a limbo-like state between life and death. Now adults and young people are simply vanishing from the world of the living, and she wonders if she has anything to do with it. Along the way, there's some violence (hand-to-hand combat, fighting with weapons, pushing, shoving), mild flirting, a kiss, and minor swearing/crude language, such as "ass" and "hell."
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What's the story?
Amateur sleuth and "Keeper" Mackenzie Bishop is still haunted by the villain in The Archived, the series' first volume, as she moves to Hyde, a private high school. Making new friends and enemies along the way, she continues her budding romance with Wesley Ayers, a fellow Keeper, and gets involved in a bit of a love triangle. Not only does she have to deal with school, a boyfriend, and returning "Histories" (the dead) to the Archives, living people she knows also are starting to vanish -- and her recurring blackouts make her wonder if she's responsible for their disappearances. She's soon in a race against time, trying to discover what's happening to her friends and acquaintances before she gets the blame and loses her job, if not her life.
Is it any good?
Readers will enjoy the recurring and new characters, especially the students at Hyde, in THE UNBOUND, a solid follow-up to The Archived. Mackenzie's ongoing fear of Book 1's antagonist may seem excessive, but as with all elements of the story, there's a good reason for it that makes for fun reading. Readers will cheer this strong heroine, who finds her feelings for Wes tested by a love triangle. A fast-moving tale with exciting action and fighting scenes, The Unbound sets up the next book and leaves readers wanting more.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how stories depict the relationship between the dead and the living. Is it different depending on whether it's a horror story, a fantasy, a fairy tale, or a time-travel adventure?
If you were having blackouts, would you seek help from an adult or try to figure out a solution yourself?
When is it better to work together with other people, and when should you go it alone?
Book details
- Author: Victoria Schwab
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date: January 29, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 368
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.