I fell into a familiar trap with The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry. I saw the cover (designed to look like an old VHS tape) and couldn’t resist picking it up. The plot was so intriguing: a boy who can see into another world… but finds he’s less than special. As always, he’s just a disappointment. I loved it. Now, having finished The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry, I found something that is very difficult to describe. I found a book that I, despite loving every plotline, character, and worldbuilding element, would struggle to recommend to anyone.
Weaving the familiar with the peculiar, this stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, will remind readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born—and when you’re never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself.
Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won’t leave him alone. Every hallucinatory moment seems plucked from a cheesy 1990s fantasy TV show called Max’s Adventures in Sunderworld—and that’s because they are.
Not a good sign.
In the blurry weeks after his mother’s death, a young Leopold discovered VHS tapes of its one and only season in a box headed for the trash—and soon became obsessed. Losing himself in Sunder was the best way to avoid two things: grieving his mother and being a chronic disappointment to his overbearing father. But when the strange visions return—at the worst possible time on the worst possible day—Leopold turns to his best friend Emmet for help. Together they discover that Sunder is much more than just an old TV show, and that Los Angeles is far stranger than they ever imagined. And soon, he’ll realize that not only is Sunderworld real, but it’s in grave danger.
Certain he’s finally been chosen for greatness, Leopold risks everything to claim his destiny, save the world of his childhood dreams, and prove once and for all that he’s not the disappointment his father believes him to be. But when everything goes terribly, horribly, excruciatingly wrong, Leopold’s disappointments prove to be more extraordinary than he ever could have imagined.
How do you battle darkness when no one believes in you—not even yourself?
Welcome to Sunderworld.
World, Character, and Plot
The plot of The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry revolves around a secret world that only Leopold can see… Sunder. This hidden universe, overlapping his own, is eerily similar to an old 90’s television show he used to watch. I really love how the author built this world. We begin to truly understand the magic systems and characters at the same time as Leopold. From focusers that can shoot magic to creatures that can rip you to shreds, Sunder is unlike any world you’ve read. I also love that it seems to draw upon old video games and fantasy shows for the magic system.
Leopold’s character is definitely a highlight in this book. He perfectly fills a role that so many teenagers struggle with… the feeling of never being good enough. Even when he does something unheard of, defeating a magical monster with a lunchtray, he’s still deemed a failure. His dad, his friends, and even the government of Sunder bring Leopold down. I think the author really grasped that feeling of inadequacy in a way that tied me to the character. Emotionally, I was there with him as everyone ignored his efforts to meet their expectations.
These emotional ties to the character really kept me hooked to the plot. The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry is truly a page-turner.
If only I could stop the review here.
PAGED IN: Honestly, this is the area where I really struggle with The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry. Despite writing a good story and world, the author added intense amounts of serious profanity throughout the book. Every chapter I found at least two uses of such profanity… sometimes more. The cursing often didn’t fit the extremity of the scenes, either. For example, a character might drop the f-word after reading a menu in a restaurant. It made no sense, and the constant overuse of such words often pulled me out of the otherwise immersive world. Sadly, the excessive profanity made The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry truly grow to fit its title: an extraordinary disappointment.
Conclusion
If you love stories like Ready Player One (among other video-game worlds), I’m certain you’ll enjoy Sunderworld. But you need to be aware of what you’re reading before you buy this book. I loved the plot. I loved the characters. I loved the world. I didn’t love the language. As the author would say, “enter at your own risk.”
You can buy The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry here.
Marie
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