Friendship is the heart of this dark, compelling fantasy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
courage, <a href=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/"articles/what-is-perseverance">perseverance, and <a href=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/"articles/what-is-teamwork">teamwork. Aziza is a good leader with creative thinking skills. Leo is loyal and his optimism helps the others believe in themselves and each other. He also models a strong, positive relationship with his younger sister. Tristan models gratitude and self-sacrifice.</p>
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Violence is in the fantasy realm and includes fights pitting humans against magical beings and creatures. Pain is described in detail, and injuries and attacks mention blood and broken bones and stabbing briefly, with mild gore. Characters are in danger from scary creatures like reanimated corpses, a giant kraken, and a dark witch. As part of a magical ritual a character cuts his own hand many times to mark places with his blood.
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One or two incidental mentions of Walmart, Starbucks, and Brita water filters.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Mention of rowdy, drunken tourists and hot chocolate served with liquor at a winter fair. A teen gets a prescription for pain killers but doesn't take them.
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All three main characters model courage, perseverance, and teamwork. Aziza is a good leader with creative thinking skills. Leo is loyal and his optimism helps the others believe in themselves and each other. He also models a strong, positive relationship with his younger sister. Tristan models gratitude and self-sacrifice.
Positive Messages
some
Secrets always come out eventually. Being honest with loved ones, even when it's sometimes painful, is the best way to protect them. It's easier to face the scary unknown when you're not alone. With people you can count on alongside, you can face anything.
Diverse Representations
some
Aziza's parents and grandfather are from Lebanon, and Arabic was their first language. Leo's mom is from Italy and his dad is from Massachusetts. Leo's mom uses American Sign Language to communicate, although she can speak and hear. Tristan has pale skin and platinum blond hair. One character identifies as bisexual and another as gay. There's a same-sex romantic relationship. Aziza lives with her grandfather, Leo lives with his cis-normative nuclear family, and Tristan doesn't have a home.
A few signs in American Sign Language are briefly described. A few words in Arabic with context clues.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Rochelle Hassan's The Buried and the Bound is a fairy tale-type fantasy about teens fighting dark magical forces while forging strong bonds of friendship. Violence is in the fantasy world and includes fights pitting humans against scary magical beings and creatures. Pain is described in detail, and injuries and attacks mention blood, broken bones, and stabbing briefly, with mild gore. Characters are in danger from scary creatures like reanimated corpses, a giant kraken, and a dark witch. Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," and variations. Parental loss and separation are strong themes.
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What's the Story?
THE BURIED AND THE BOUND is the story of teens Aziza, Leo, and Tristan in a small Massachusetts coastal town that straddles borders between magical realms. As the only witch of her kind in the area, it's Aziza's responsibility to make sure that the borders between the human and magical realms stay closed, and the magical creatures who wander into our world are returned home safely. Each member of Leo's family was cursed when Leo was a small child. His fate is to completely forget his one true love on his 16th birthday, and now that it's happened, he wants answers. Tristan is the bondservant of an evil witch and is wracked with guilt over what he's forced to do for her. As the borders between realms start to open more often, letting darker, ever-more dangerous creatures into the human world, the three teens will have to work together to put an end to the pure evil eating away at the forest.
This is an inventive, dark fantasy that combines classic fairy tale elements with spooky settings that deliver chills and thrills with a fresh, modern feeling and a generous sprinkling of humor. Aziza's wry cynicism, Leo's endless optimism, and Tristan's angsty sadness are blended well into an unlikely friendship at the heart of the story. There's a lot going on, and a lot of different elements that weave in and out of the story, but it's well structured and easy to follow. Switching points of view keeps the pages turning, and the open ending will have fans longing for further adventures.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Buried and the Bound. Is it too much? Does it have a different effect if its in the fantasy realm than in the real world?
What about the strong language? Is it realistic or over the top?
How do Aziza, Leo, and Tristan change as their friendship grows? Or do they change at all? Why are friendships so important to us?
Available on:
Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
February 16, 2023
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suggesting a diversity update.
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.
By Andrea Beach
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