Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/01/2010 *Starred Review* In this spare, swift novel, readers are introduced to a young boy named Michael right before his family moves to Israel. There, he is called Mikha’el, and he creates a tight bond with his grandfather, Raphael, an antiques dealer who knows all about the soul of things. One night, Mikha’el falls asleep next to Grandpa and is astonished to join in on his dream. Soon, the boy spends every night on fantastical journeys with the old man, sometimes having exhilarating adventures, sometimes setting out to sweeten or repair the dreams of others that have faded or become poisonous: When Grandpa was done with each dream, Mikha’el loved to handle it and smell it before returning it to its owner. As his health fails, Raphael bestows his gift upon the boy, so that he may become a dream master in his own right. Washed with a wonderful sense of magical realism and potent lyricism, the narrative is also instilled with delicate family dynamics, many of which Mikha’el is able to recognize, while others hover just outside of his full comprehension. This is also the sort of story that operates on many different levels. It’s a gentle fable of community connection, a penetrating look at the darker sides latent in people and the mutability of different kinds of love, and a heart-tugging tale about passing the generational torch from grandfather to grandson. With a clean sense that less is more, Orlev has crafted a sweetly mysterious and quietly moving read. - Copyright 2010 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2010 Gr 4–6— Michael, 11, has never taken an interest in children his own age. Although he is certainly different, he is not necessarily lonely. He has befriended the old men in his neighborhood who share his interests—a jeweler, a bookbinder, and a junk dealer. When he moves from New York to Jerusalem with his less-than-attentive parents, this pattern continues as Mikha'el, as he is now called, develops a wonderful relationship with his grandfather, a former antiques dealer. Like his grown-up friends in the States, his grandfather pays close attention to details and the souls of things and people. As the two grow closer, his grandfather shares a very special gift with the boy, the ability to take him into his dreams. The two have all sorts of adventures in their sleep, although not all of the dreams are good ones and ultimately Mikha'el is being gently eased into accepting what life will be like after his grandfather is gone. This book is truly a work of art. The subtlety with which Orlev writes is absolutely mesmerizing. He draws readers in, thinking that they are back in the "really real world" until suddenly they realize that they are not at all, and instead are immersed in another incredible dream sequence with Grandpa and Mikha'el. There are additional plot elements involving his parents, the housekeeper, and the question of inheritance, but all of that fades away and becomes secondary when Mikha'el enters the old man's dreams.—Kerry Roeder, The Brearley School, New York City - Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2010 Born in America, eleven-year-old Michael moves to Israel with his family when his parents decide they need to be closer to Michael’s elderly grandfather. While Michael’s sad to leave behind the craftsmen he considers his friends (he doesn’t care much for his age-mates, who fight or break things), he soon finds a boon companion in his grandfather, who’s delighted by Michael’s interest in the creative and mechanical. Michael’s grandfather soon lets his grandson in on his deep secret-he can take others with him on dream journeys-and the two become closer than ever by sharing this mystical gift. Israeli author Orlev is best known in this country for his historical fiction; this is a very different work indeed, operating more in the realm of magical realism with its daytime reality serving as an extension of the fantastical dream excursions. The fantasy outings are, however, variable both in interest level and logic (why does Michael need to learn to ride a bike in real life to work one in the dream when he could operate a dream crane with ease?), and they don’t have much real-life plot payoff (they may have finally garnered Michael a same-age friend, but it’s a pretty mild conclusion for such an elaborate proceeding). There’s little exploration of character or dynamics, despite some complexities that could make for fruitful territory, and scant energy in the realistic part of the plot; as a result, this reads more like an allegory than a tale with its importance on the literal level, but there’s no evidence that a more symbolic reading would garner more payoff, especially for the more junior readers who are the slender volume’s likeliest audience. Youngsters looking for fantastical family traits will be better served by Ingrid Law’s Savvy (BCCB 9/08), and those interested in the dream theme should just reread The BFG. DS - Copyright 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Loading...