Book Review: Seefer Elliot and the World Aside Ours by P. Mallon

Seefer Elliot and the World Aside Ours by P. Mallon

Series: Book 1 in Seefer Elliot

Genre: Middle Grade Sci Fi

Publication Date:January 2012

Publisher: Createspace

Pages: 284

One day, this twelve-year-old boy will save the world. For now, he's the one who needs saving.

Seefer Elliot thinks his life stinks. He's at constant odds with his mother. The kids at school relentlessly tease him. And not a day goes by where something near him doesn't break or burst into flames. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, his school is overtaken by an otherworldly foe.

Now the kid nobody wanted around is the most wanted one in this existence. He faces the decision to flee for his own safety, or use his burgeoning superpower to battle the enemy who seeks control over it.

 

 So, I recieved this book as a review copy from the author. Pat Mallon sent me this physical proof (ARC).

The story is about a boy named Seefer Elliot who is picked on by his peers. He's portrayed as a loser and a bully victim of the "popular" middle school kids. But one day something bad happens and he's the only person who can save the world. So, him, along with a girl named Cassy, have to save the world from aliens. It's one of those underdog stories.

I always had a thing about underdog stories because there was this poetry video and one of the lines was "we grew up cheering on the underdog because we see ourselves in them" (Shane Koyczan, To this Day).

I really enjoyed this story in the sense that it was kind of childish but still easy to read. I know a lot of people in my grade would probably like this story more than me, but I found it kind of kiddy, considering I'm readinig hard hitting YA books in my usual time.

Seefer Elliot is the perfect underdog and a character that I didn't really mind all that much. I just didn't get how he was portrayed as a loser in the beginning and a hero in the end. The transition was just too big for me. I didn't get a sense of him changing, just in the moment of danger, him suddenly becoming some level headed hero.

It's also, without a doubt, middle grade. There is just that sense of immaturity that this book embraces. I know I've already said that, but that being said, only specific audiences would like this book. Most of my blogging friends wouldn't read this, because they're like 20 and 25 while I'm 13. They'd most likely think it was something that really isn't their style, but then again, I can't judge all.

I'm going to pass this book to my sister and see what she thinks. She's 8, but it would be good to get her opinion. Mine, however is that this book is good if you want something light, kind of funny and an overall good "family story" about the underdog who proved everyone wrong :)