Furthermore

By: Tahereh Mafi

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

The best-selling author of the Shatter Me series takes listeners beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

There are only three things that matter to 12-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappeared from Ferenwood, he took nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him, she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit - and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself - and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

©2016 Tahereh Mafi (P)2016 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"[Mafi’s] prose is as fresh and fragrant as the flowers her characters eat, the descriptions so vibrant that at times one can practically smell the words on the page." (New York Times Book Review)

"A fast-paced, funny, and richly imaginative story that embraces and celebrates individuality." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Rich, luscious, clever prose." (Kirkus, starred review)

Great story but a sudden end

This book was adorable and sweet and odd and fun and thought-provoking. Yes it was all that! I adored Alice - ok I admit there was a point where I was getting annoyed by her because she just wouldn't listen BUT they she turned a corner, and I loved the girl she became. From the start I did feel for her. Here she is - a girl with no color in a world that values color to the point of seeing it as currency. She felt so different from anyone around her, and her one champion, her father, is gone. I wanted to hug her. As story progresses she goes from knowing herself to doubting herself to being able to accept who she is and the gifts she has been given. Wonderful transformation.

I also loved the world of Furthermore. As the story went along I was amazed over and over by Mafi's ability to create such a world! It helped that she described it such reach and unique language that it was almost painted before you. Completely wonderful. But I also liked that you never knew what to trust in the brilliant world of Furthermore. It added this edge to the setting that also kept me, and Alice, on my toes.

My one small issue was the ending. It ended kinda fast! I guess I wanted just a bit more. Not a huge deal but something to note.

Audio Book Thoughts: LOVED the narrator! He did such a wonderful job. His narration truly brought the world and Alice's story together.

A few weeks back I had the chance to meet Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs. I was super excited to hear she is going to write a companion novel to Furthermore! I cannot wait for it to come out!

In short: Check it out. I hope you'll enjoy the world and Alice as much as I did.
Best for: Kids who like books with magical worlds and a bit of topsy-turvy-ness.
Best stick-with-you image: The paper fox and Alice's new dress.

Furthermore Book Review

After reading the Shatter Me series, I look for more works by Tahereh Mafi. I came across Furthermore, and picked it up because I was curios to know more about it. It was so much different than the Shatter Me books that I was fascinated to read something different by this author. 

This story was very different than anything I have read recently. The world Mafi creates for this story is so captivating, and the challenges she has Alice endure just had me speechless. I could not believe how in the world Mafi could have created such a world. It was just so interesting. I found myself continuing to flip the page cause I wanted to know more about this world. Reading this reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Something that took me for a loop is the serious problems the main character undergoes. Her internal and familiar conflicts make her such a relate-able character and one that readers can sympathize with.  To a certain extent the story seemed "dark," and I was worried what was going to happen to her. I found myself really wondering what it was she would find on her adventure and feared for her life. Her personal conflicts and struggles are those that I would expect my younger sisters to encounter and love that Mafi create a novel that expressed a young girl's problems in a way where they could relate to it.  

The ending was surprising. I will not reveal what occurred to avoid any spoilers, but this is the first story that I have read in a long time with that type of ending. It was refreshing to read one like this after having read so many novels with various endings. This is a story that would be great to read together as a family. I can see this a story for both parents and children to enjoy together. 

Audible Review:

Pinchot's narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. Starting at 1.25 speed, I extremely enjoyed his narration. His narration was not over-dramatic or over-the-top. I found his narration to be so well done and as if I were listening to a bedtime story told by a parent to their child. The best speed for me was 1.50. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at at either a 1.50 or 1.75 speed so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator's reading speed. 

Too random

I like fantasy and I LOVED Tahereh's Awaken series...but this was too random. if I zoned out and came back in, I never felt like I lost anything.

FANTASTIC!!!

I have to be honest, when I heard that the main character's name was Alice I thought that this story would be another retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Although the nonsense and magic is definitely there, this is a wonderfully original story line! I absolutely am looking forward to the sequel suggested, and any other books by this author! This is definitely now one of my favorite novels and I'll be purchasing it in hardback as well! ❤💐

Great story!

I'll be honest... I had to start this book twice after having listened to the author's other series because it was SO FAR outside of what I expected... but I am SO GLAD I did! What an amazing story, a great narrator (who doesn't looks cousin Balki, not using that voice but a while lot better?!) I'd definitely recommend this got the fanciful reader or someone looking for a creative deviation with a wonderful message! Stick with the weird.... it's worth it!

Magical story read by an even more magical narrator

The book was made even better by Bronson Pinchot’s performance. He brought out the magic, wonder and whimsy in this wonderful story.

Child logic at its best

I loved the twists and turns of this story. It reminded me in all the best ways of being a kid and how the world can work in their eyes. Highly recommended for kids and adults alike.

Whimsical

Such a happy adventure to listen to. The writing was whimsical and the emotional growth that the characters experienced was a realistic treat to be a part of.

Brilliant

very good. defies all of realty and imagination. Alice is a quarky 12 year old trying navigate the colorful world shes living in while being colorless

All the feels!

The whimsical tale was enjoyable, but for those who could use a family appreciation story, this is it... This is what you seek!