Official Review: The Chain That Binds the Earth : 2nd [ F...

[Snowflake]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Chain That Binds the Earth : 2nd [ Forever! ] Edition" by Sean O'Conaill.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Chain That Binds the Earth: 2nd [Forever!] Edition by Sean O'Conaill is listed as a Sci-fi/Fantasy novel. The setting is Derry, Northern Ireland in the current day. The story begins with a nervous Johnny Mullan stepping onto the bus for his first day of secondary school (high school). Even though his family is Catholic, they live on the Protestant side of town. Johnny will be crossing the river that divides the city to attend the Catholic secondary school each day. What follows is an adolescent coming-of-age story that includes personal, intellectual and spiritual growth for Johnny and his new friends. There is a touch of fantasy, but the primary focus is the development of the characters and how they survive their challenging first year of secondary school.

In English class, on that first day, the students are given homework to come up with an application to a real or imagined organization. That evening, Johnny thinks of his day and crossing the bridge to get to school and home again. While he met some students that seemed like they might become good friends, he also came across a few who showed themselves as bullies. As a result, Johnny wishes for an organization that can help people overcome obstacles like the bridge allows the crossing of the river.

After getting to know each other a little better, Johnny, Margaret, Eddy and Mary become fast friends when they work together to form a debate team. The group begins to explore some interesting ideas. They also work to become ‘bridgers’ in their own lives and at school. Will Johnny find a way to connect more with his father? Will Mary overcome her fears and allow herself to share her musical talent? Will Margaret and Eddy learn how to handle bullying in a positive way? How will their idea for the debate team be received? The four friends work together to overcome these challenges and many more that are set in their way in this thought-provoking and well-paced novel.

The setting and characters were quite clearly described. It was easy to picture the surroundings and the people. While having only been in Northern Ireland very briefly, I have been to the Republic of Ireland for several long visits. Reading this story evoked the sights and sounds of my time there, as well as the characteristics of the people. For me, the author effectively captured the way Irish young adults and North American tweens are both more and less grown-up than each other. While unlikely to be the intent of the writing, it clearly explains how well the characters and their situations were described.

I enjoyed the fact that the story is not exaggerated the way many adolescent novels can be. The timeline was realistic and included quiet times in between exciting events. Also, even though there was a focus on bullying, many thoughtful older students and adults were involved in the story. The everyday moments between the intense ones were merely referenced. The book kept an exciting pace and had my attention throughout. In fact, I stayed up quite late to finish it!

There was nothing that I disliked about this novel. It does, however, need a final round of editing. There were a number of minor grammar issues and a few inconsistencies, such as one character entering the room twice without having left it. Aside from that, there is nothing else to say in this category. No profane words or erotic scenes were included in the book. Themes of religion and Christianity were discussed but in an open and inclusive way.

I rate The Chain That Binds the Earth: 2nd [Forever!] Edition 3 out of 4 stars. If not for the required editorial tidying, I would gladly give it a 4. This is a heartening and realistic work of fiction that can inspire both adolescents and adults alike. It gives an excellent example of determining and standing up for personal values while seeking out and considering/exploring the thoughts and ideas of others. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories of humanity with a touch of magic.

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The Chain That Binds the Earth : 2nd [ Forever! ] Edition
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[HusainNecklace52]

Wow! This is a great review! I really enjoyed your summary of the book - it was very detailed and gave a good outline of the story.
Your review has really piqued my interest in the book and I think I'll read it for myself.
Thank you for sharing this!

[FEislandqueen13]

I am tempted to read this interesting book about kids improving themselves and their community. and since there is a dash of fantasy I have a feeling this could be a great read. Nice review .

[Elvis Best]

You got me hooked on the plot.This book seems very interesting, and the touch of fantasy sounds fascinating. Great review!

[NetMassimo]

Probably I'm too old as now I struggle to read stories about students, but with another round of proofreading I'm sure that a lot of people would be interested. Thank you for your great review!

[Sunchris01]

Awesome,the book review really captured my attention,it protaries what young adult go throught and how they handle the issues. This book is a MUST read for me

[Harty Muli]

Johnny first day in high school reminds me the nervousness I had as well as I went for my first boarding school experience. Thanks for the interesting review.

[Priyanka2304]

I cover of the book has a Harry Potter feel to it. I really enjoyed reading your review. Thanks, for it, was amazingly written.

[Valkyrie9]

Many children find it difficult going to a new school, and these coming of age tales can assist greatly with this. Especially heartening are the ones that address bridge-building. Inject a little fantasy, and you have the perfect mix for a young adults fiction novel. Thanks for the review!

[Mbrooks2518]

This isn't the type of book I usually read, but your review and the touch of magic you mentioned intrigued me. So I might give this book a try. Great review!

[Rheandrei]

The Chain That Binds the Earth: 2nd [Forever!] Edition by Sean O'Conaill
Just by reading the review I can clearly say that this will be an interesting book. Great review and summary of plot you put there now I'm gonna read it for real

[vancedragon]

This was a very thorough review that was full of information about the story and feel or flow of the book. Still it didn't make me feel like reading this book was no longer necessary. I like that there were warnings about the religious or bullying aspects of this story and that their was additional clarity on the extent. I found it useful that the setting of the book was described as accurate and realistic. This tends to gain my interest in books especially Fantasy books. Thank you for the review it was awesome!

[Kola+wole]

I like the themes captured by the book. It is thought provoking about the need to become the bridge others need to safely cross the river of challenges they might be facing. I enjoyed reading the review, it was thorough.

[Menace Crypto]

This is just superb. I loved your review, it has really made me want to read this book. Thanks a lot for the well-detailed review. Kudos.