Last Bus to Everland

by Sophie Cameron

Overview

From Sophie Cameron, the author of Out of the Blue, comes a novel of magic, adventure, and what it means to truly belong.

Brody Fair feels like nobody gets him: not his overworked parents, not his genius older brother, and definitely not the girls in the projects set on making his life miserable. Then he meets Nico, an art student who takes Brody to Everland, a “knock-off Narnia" that opens its door at 11:21pm each Thursday for Nico and his band of present-day misfits and miscreants.

Here Brody finds his tribe and a weekly respite from a world where he feels out of place. But when the doors to Everland begin to disappear, Brody is forced to make a decision: He can say goodbye to Everland and to Nico, or stay there and risk never seeing his family again. Will Nico take the last bus to Everland?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250149930
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	06/18/2019
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	905,424
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	NC740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Sophie Cameron is a Scottish writer and author of Out of the Blue. She attended the University of Edinburgh and is now based in Spain, where she spends her time reading, running, and learning lots of languages.

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/10/2019

In this absorbing contemporary fantasy, a gay Scottish teen finds a refuge from his everyday life in Everland, a magical realm that draws visitors from all over the world, opening at 11:21 p.m. each Thursday. Here, Brody can escape tormenting bullies, his father’s agoraphobia, and his family’s financial issues, and follow his dreams to be a musician. But strange developments in Everland threaten both his happiness and his increasing connection to a new friend, handsome and artistic Nico. Caught between the real world and the fantasy, Brody may lose everything he cares for. Cameron (Out of the Blue) paints a compelling picture of a fantasy world that acts as both playground and haven. The true strength of the story, though, lies in the diverse cast of relatable characters, including Kasia, an acerbic lesbian; hijabi Zahra, an avid cosplayer; and Jett and Jett, a music-savvy, pansexual guitarist who uses a wheelchair. Brody’s need to escape the mounting pressures of the real world contrasts nicely with Everland’s myriad temptations, such as a stage where he can perform with a band, setting the scene for tough choices and emotional breakthroughs. Portal fantasies have a long and rich history, and this is a worthy addition to the genre. Ages 14–up. Agent: Hellie Ogden, Janklow & Nesbit UK. (June)

Publishers Weekly

2020 Rainbow Book List: GLBTQ Books for Children & Teens

"With empathy, Cameron (Out of the Blue, 2018) creates a cast in which every character is prone to being misjudged and has depth beyond their face value. She seamlessly weaves the two worlds together, creating a story that is deeply emotional and evocative. For the lost and misunderstood." - Kirkus, Starred Review

"Everland is a lovely conceit amid beautifully realized worlds and wonderfully individual, empathetic characters. The result is a memorable fantasy to occupy a proud place on the shelf beside Peter and Wendy." - Booklist, Starred Review

"Cameron paints a compelling picture of a fantasy world that acts as both playground and haven. The true strength of the story, though, lies in the diverse cast of relatable characters." - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Readers longing to flee their own unsatisfactory circumstances are given food for thought." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

Narrator Joshua Manning transports listeners from Edinburgh, Scotland, through a green door with a unicorn knocker. On the other side is a parallel dimension called Everland, described as "a knockoff Narnia," where time does not exist. This audiobook is told in the first person, so Manning does the majority of his work in the main character’s Scottish accent. But because characters arrive in Everland from all over the world, Manning must speak in Polish, Spanish, Japanese, Australian, and South African accents as well. Listeners will lose themselves in his performance as he transports them to a magical place in this touching YA fantasy novel. A.R.F. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2019 - AudioFile