by Diana Wynne Jones

Greenwillow Books, January, 2002.
Hardcover, 265 pages.
ISBN: 0060298863

Jamie is a curious boy, and his curiosity has led him to find out a terrible secret about his world that no one else knows. When he finds a hidden building with some strange aliens who appeared to be playing with a map of his world, he is shocked. Then the aliens inform him that he is to be thrown out to the Boundaries, and he is then thrown right out of his own world, with only a few instructions to guide him in his quest. He has been told he could go Home if he finds the way himself. Jamie then finds himself in a succession of parallel worlds, some of which are delightful, and some of which are terrifying. He also meets some other Homeward Bounders, such as Ahasuerus, the Flying Dutchman, the grumpy but talented Helena and Joris the demon hunter. Together, Jamie and his companions must find out the rules of the Boudaries, and do their best to find their way Home.

The Homeward Bounders is classic Diana Wynne Jones: it's intriguing, thought-provoking and quite entertaining. Although written ostensibly for the young adult audience, the book can be enjoyed by either children or adults. Fans of Harry Potter will certainly enjoy the works of the talented Diana Wynne Jones.

The Homeward Bounders is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the June, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.

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