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kaileigh87's review against another edition
4.0
This reminded me of the Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer. It was the same whimsical fantasy ride with memorable characters and new places. It went a bit fast and it seemed like it was over before it really began. But I really enjoyed it.
ellemnope's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
This was a cute and really imaginative middle grade read that took me on quite a ride. The beginning was a little bit of a slow start for me, but once the story gained some speed it became a book I didn't want to put down.
The characters are cute and I loved the little twists and turns with touches of evil. There is a great sense of mystery throughout the narrative and the atmosphere of the world is a lot of fun. There is a lot of action packed into this little story and it was just a great time. I'll be picking up the sequel for sure.
This was a cute and really imaginative middle grade read that took me on quite a ride. The beginning was a little bit of a slow start for me, but once the story gained some speed it became a book I didn't want to put down.
The characters are cute and I loved the little twists and turns with touches of evil. There is a great sense of mystery throughout the narrative and the atmosphere of the world is a lot of fun. There is a lot of action packed into this little story and it was just a great time. I'll be picking up the sequel for sure.
chriskoppenhaver's review against another edition
3.0
An exciting adventure into fantastical worlds. Lots of fun.
stellabookishart's review against another edition
3.0
The fantasy world-building in this book is superb, and at first I really really enjoyed this book. I love the idea of a postal train that delivers packages to many fantasy realms and I was so so excited. But then as I read on, there are several things that just don't add up and the last quarter feels messy to me, everyone is lying and hiding something and I feel like if I were a kid, I would just be confused as hell. The thing that bugged me most is that there is only one train that picks up and delivers all the packages. And just one staff, Wilmot. It just doesn't make sense. At page 185: "We are lucky to get a thousand messages a day now, and there are barely a hundred staff left to manage them." So that means they have to deliver about hundreds of packages in a day, right? With only Wilmot to pick up and deliver??? HOW??? It makes a bit more sense if they just deliver letters, but no, they deliver packages too, like the first package Suzy had to deliver! And there are a lot of staff at the HQ, why not just give him a few staff?? Or at least have a couple other trains?? And if Wilmot is the only Postmaster who do all this pick up and delivery, why is the HQ receptionist didn't treat him like he's so damn important?? He needs support from the HQ! And then it's also ridiculous the way Wilmot didn't realize that Suzy changed the next destination to The Ivory Tower. The tower is SO important to the Impossible Places so Wilmot must have remembered if they have to deliver something to there, it's just laughable to read how easily Suzy deceived him. Also not making any sense how Wilmot easily had Suzy to deliver package to Crepuscula, a very important lady in the universe, ALONE. At least he needed to be with her to teach her! But I'm glad that at the end Wilmot realized this was a total mistake. And then at first the train crews are so against a human child learning their existence. But then it's easily approved and no one really question how did she end up there again, instead she got praised because she's the first staff Wilmot has. And then at the ending scene, what's the point of Fletch going to the tower with H.E.C.? Just for distraction? And some other little things that just doesn't add up to me. I KNOW this is a children book BUT STILL, I don't really want children to read about it's ok to just lie (to parents maybe) and not telling the truth because they are too afraid to get scolded (Suzy lied to Wilmot because she's afraid Wilmot will be mad). Also the characters aren't really stood up to me too, the main characters are quite distinct, but other than that, the supporting characters are just fine. Pretty good debut but disappointing to me since the general concept and world-building are SO SO GOOD.
heggs's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
important_idiot's review against another edition
3.0
I was supposed to finish this yesterday, but I don't know what happened. It seems that I didn't finish it then, so I'm finishing it today, Monday. Oh well.
This book was full of positive reviews but I didn't think it was amazing at all. I'm definitely reading the next in the series but it's not the 5 star read everyone seems to think it is.
This book was full of positive reviews but I didn't think it was amazing at all. I'm definitely reading the next in the series but it's not the 5 star read everyone seems to think it is.
ses1978's review against another edition
5.0
Suzy ends up on the train to impossible places in the moon! She ends up getting everyone in trouble when she steals a package she was assigned to deliver. Find out more about her adventures when you read this book.
chroniclesofabookmum's review against another edition
4.0
"Do you solemnly swear to uphold the ideals of the Impossible Postal Express, risking life, limb and sanity in the execution of your duty?"
I love a middle-grade book to build up a heavy based run of fantasy books. The Train to Impossible Places was definitely exactly what I needed.
Firstly, I want to say the illustrations in this book are wonderful. I love them so much! I found myself looking at the edge of the pages to see where the next illustration was going to be. With each one I came across I feel like it just got better and better, honestly they were so good and definitely added to my reading experience.
I love reading middle grade books as an adult but can't help but feel disappointed when there is not a lot of adult humour within it. This book did not disappoint me. There was so much adult humour within it that really had me laughing at points. I loved the idle chat about retirement, taxes and staff cuts within the workplace. This is something I could 100% relate to and it definitely helped me build more of a connection with the book because of this. I feel like the author has to have a special talent to appeal and cater for its intended child audience and then the adult audience also, whether the adult is reading it for fun in their own time or reading it to their child. This was all audiences can thrive on and enjoy the story.
I also really enjoyed all of the characters and following their journey throughout the story. P.G.Bell really has a way of developing his characters in a way that the reader can build up a connection. Leaving them wanting more and more. There is normally a character in a book, especially a middle-grade that tends to irritate me. Not in this book. Obviously I didn't like the bad guys but the other characters I really enjoyed.
The snippet for the next book in the series made me want to read more. This is such a fun and light-hearted book which I think is aimed at an audience of all ages for different reasons. I definitely recommend that you pick up this book.
I love a middle-grade book to build up a heavy based run of fantasy books. The Train to Impossible Places was definitely exactly what I needed.
Firstly, I want to say the illustrations in this book are wonderful. I love them so much! I found myself looking at the edge of the pages to see where the next illustration was going to be. With each one I came across I feel like it just got better and better, honestly they were so good and definitely added to my reading experience.
I love reading middle grade books as an adult but can't help but feel disappointed when there is not a lot of adult humour within it. This book did not disappoint me. There was so much adult humour within it that really had me laughing at points. I loved the idle chat about retirement, taxes and staff cuts within the workplace. This is something I could 100% relate to and it definitely helped me build more of a connection with the book because of this. I feel like the author has to have a special talent to appeal and cater for its intended child audience and then the adult audience also, whether the adult is reading it for fun in their own time or reading it to their child. This was all audiences can thrive on and enjoy the story.
I also really enjoyed all of the characters and following their journey throughout the story. P.G.Bell really has a way of developing his characters in a way that the reader can build up a connection. Leaving them wanting more and more. There is normally a character in a book, especially a middle-grade that tends to irritate me. Not in this book. Obviously I didn't like the bad guys but the other characters I really enjoyed.
The snippet for the next book in the series made me want to read more. This is such a fun and light-hearted book which I think is aimed at an audience of all ages for different reasons. I definitely recommend that you pick up this book.