Book Series Review : The Underland Chronicles
Summary
Recently finished the Underland Chronicles, by Suzanne Collins (yes, the same Suzanne Collins of Hunger Games fame).
When 11-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of his New York City apartment building, he hurtles into a dark Underland beneath the city. There, humans live uneasily beside giant spiders, bats, cockroaches, and rats, but the fragile peace is about to fall apart.
My Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars.
The Chatter
I was not actually a huge fan of the Hunger Games books, so if I hadn’t been handed this entire box set by a friend (which is, by the way, a great way to ensure I actually read a book) I probably wouldn’t have picked it up or finished it.
I’m SO glad I did.
The first book is the weakest of them, and that’s only because it feels the most like a YA/MG series, with some predictable stuff and a reasonably simple plot. By the end of the series, the plot is so complex and the stakes so high that I honestly consider the last two books to be a SINGLE book. They read wonderfully together, and the fourth book doesn’t have a tidy wrap-up at the end the way the first three do.
They’re quick to read, full of adventure and excitement, and I really, REALLY enjoyed them.
The very very ending was not … 100% up to my personal standards, so I mentally tacked a fanfic chapter to the end in order to satisfy myself. The author left it very open for the reader to do this. I’m not going to explain that for fear of spoilers, which I’m going to ask folks to keep out of the comments as well.
The Writing
Writing quality is very high, with pretty great pacing and story structure throughout (excepting the last two books, which I consider 100% forgivable Sometimes you need more space to really let a story unfold).
The Characters
I love love love these characters. Gregor is of course very likeable, but everyone (including the big villain at the end) are understandable and relateable.
Collins is not shy about killing off characters, but almost never did I feel like it was done just to jerk our chains. It was done to make the story feel like it mattered and that there were consequences for decisions. I cried during every book, for various reasons, but often because someone I cared about died or was in danger.
It was a good cry, though. Cathartic.
The World
There were some shaky bits of worldbuilding, but overall I’d say it holds up better than I expected it to. The various giant animals in the Underland all have unique names for themselves, but they call THEMSELVES those names, which makes it better for me than if the humans arbitrarily renamed them. Gnawers, Crawlers, Nibblers, etc. I LOVED the scene where the human’s alternate name is revealed.
I wanted to SEE this world, even with all its dangers. That’s my real yardstick. Collins made me care.
The Trope
The biggest issue I really had through the first three books was actually turned into a plot point for the last two, which is fantastic.
Prophecies. The kind that people follow and believe in and always turn out to be true, even if the full understanding isn’t reached until after the events have passed.
Sometimes, that alone is enough to kill a book. If you’re “the chosen one” who will “lift the land from darkness” or something, then it becomes difficult to really get a sense of urgency for your plot.
This series, as a whole, dealt with that matter VERY neatly, in my opinion.
Recommended for…
Children-at-heart of all ages. There’s some pretty heavy stuff towards the end of the series, so parents of very young children might want to pre-read before offering them.
Fans of fantasy worlds (even if there is almost no “magic” involved), people who love stories with animal characters, and those who like high adventure, adrenaline, and danger in their stories.
9 Comments
Hee hee.
Jacob LOVED the Underland series. He read them when he was in junior high. And in true Book Nazi form,he later threatened pyhysical harm if Nick did not read the series. So, of course, Nick refused to read series, because he does not need his brother to force an agenda on him.
Nick LOVED the Hunger Games. Jacob made fun of Nick for choosing inferior books that were not on the Book Nazi’s list of must reads and refused to read junior high dribble.
Only when I started reading the Hunger Games did I notice that it was the same author as the Underland series. Which, when pointed out, made both of them stop and consider reading the “other guys’ ” series.
I liked both series, although I do not think I read all of the Underland. At some point, I could no longer keep up with the Book Nazi AND his siblings, plus whatever I want to read for myself. But I am not your most critical reader. However, I would like to point out that I probably did not continue the series out of time management issues as opposed to being bored with the books. Those books are still in a pile of Book Nazi reads…it’s a pretty big stack. I am years behind.
Collins does a great job. I like her work. Entertaining, engaging and nicely written and definitely appealing to readers.
That is hilarious. Also, I am amused by how much more like Jacob I am than Nick.
And I totally owe Jacob another letter. =]
I almost hoped it was a Book Nazi type letter, until I remembered that over Christmas break, My Little Pony kept showing up on my TV. And both my sons knew all the characters by name. And my husband turned to me with horror on his face and asked what the hell was wrong with his sons, and I said that at least it wasn’t Hanna Montanna, which seemed to make sense for not being an answer. Later, I was assured by my sons that it was quite alright that they watch My Little Pony…because it is a TamiJean approved activity. In shock, I looked at Jessica, who said she DOESN’T like the show and is not making them watch it with her.
I will admit. One of my letters did suggest giving the opening episodes a try before deciding that they didn’t like the show. =]
this one has been on my list, but I’ll bump it up.
YA/MG = young Adult/What?
Middle Grade. Means young young adult, basically. Hero starts the series at age 9.
Ah, I hadn’t heard of that term/abbreviation before. Thank you
^_^ No problem. I had the same reaction the first time I saw it.
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