Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 Gr 4–8—Eleven-year-old Lina lives with her mother Katya in a Siberian work prison in Stalin's Russia. Her mother arranges her escape with other prisoners, including her friend Bogdan, an amateur cartographer. Lina's goal is to reunite with her grandmother in Moscow and return to help her mother, but trouble ensues. Lina runs afoul of a spirit hunter named Svetlana who uses ghost wolves to trap souls. Lina and Bogdan attempt to continue their journey, escaping from Svetlana while picking up a ghost girl who says only, "Nevertell." Lina's necklace, gifted by Katya, acts as a magical talisman that helps the children and bolsters Lina's burgeoning plant magic. A few surprise twists bring Lina's quest to an unexpected conclusion. Orton's debut novel utilizes an unusual setting for its fantasy adventure. Details of prison life, while age appropriate, seem grimly realistic, as does the frigid Siberian weather Lina encounters. Orton's straightforward style is readable with detailed world-building. Lina and Bogdan's skirmishes with guards, the weather, and Svetlana create an everpresent feeling of danger that gives the plot urgency, despite a journey that leads Lina and Bogdan in loops. There are a few places where the story struggles to explain itself—a few of the action scenes seem inserted rather than organic, and readers may wonder about the characters' complacency when things take a sharp U-turn near the conclusion. VERDICT An intriguing first novel with equal parts adventure and magic; an additional purchase.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2020 The only life 12-year-old Lina has ever known is one trapped inside a Stalinist labor camp. After her mother provides a chance to escape, Lina is tasked with traveling to Moscow in search of her grandmother. But first, she and her best friend, Bogdan, must survive the wilderness, where they encounter ghost wolves, a fish monster, and a mysterious woman with powerful magic. Orton’s dazzling debut is a blend of history and fairy tale, set in an eerie Siberian wilderness, that reimagines the Baba Yaga story. Readers will glimpse the harsh reality of life in Soviet prison camps and root for Lina on her journey of self-discovery, as she finds the inner strength to survive a variety of dangers. The magical adventure is brought to life through lush details and vivid imaginings of ghostly wolves as they stalk through the woods after Lina and Bogdan. A strong choice for anyone who loves adventure, history, coming-of-age tales, magical journeys, or fairy tales. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.