The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi | Audiobook Review

Throwback Thursday Review!

I originally listened to The Search for WondLa in December 2012.  It's a J book; not usually my thing; and I forget who recommended it.  I'm glad they did, though!  I gave this book, the first in the trilogy, 3 of 5 stars but was intrigued enough to go on to listen to the second and third books too.  Reading other reviews of the book, I wonder if my slightly lower rating on this one was due in part to the format.  I listened to it on CD, but other reviews gush about the illustrations.  Illustrations I've never seen.

So no surprise here; in 2012 my reviews on Goodreads weren't much to write home about, if I wrote anything at all.  I wrote nothing about The Search for WondLa.  Bah.  Here's what Goodreads has to say:  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'd imagined.  On the surface, Eva goes in search of other humans-she has never met one-and soon meets both friend and foe.

I do remember feeling like Eva read much younger, more immature, than other twelve-year-olds.  But then, she'd lived her entire life to that point in a very nice little bubble with Muthr, never having to interact with anyone else and never having to do much for herself.  It would be rather a shock to suddenly find yourself outside in the elements after that.  I did like Eva's take-no-prisoners approach to life; she wasn't afraid to approach other creatures, and she didn't let anything or anyone deter her from her goal:  find WondLa.  

I'd definitely hand this book to upper elementary or early middle kids.  It's sweet, touches on learning independence and finding family and friends, and what it means to be a friend.  I hear the illustrations are great.  ;)  As for the audio... well, it's not bad.  But it's not great either.  The pace is a bit on the slow side.  The pro is that you get to hear all the different alien accents.  The con is that it's slow, and you miss illustrations.  Oh, one last thing:  this first book can be read all on it's own.  There's no cliffhanger ending forcing you to read the second book.

*I received my copy of The Search for WondLa from my public library.