The Game of Sunken Places

Kept somewhat afloat by Anderson's really deep and powerful creativity, this book seems to have self-imposed limitations that keep it from rising above boring. Anderson's "Feed" is one of my favorite modern books, so I will keep looking for his awesomeness, but this book didn't click for me. Opening with a disastrous "prologue" and being the first of a series where one book would suffice. Middle-grade, YA readers might love it, and there's still flashes of brilliance.

When Brian and Gregory receive an invitation to stay at a distant relative's strange manse . . . well, they should know better than to go, since this is a middle-grade adventure novel. But they go anyway. Why not? Once there, they stumble upon The Game of Sunken Places, a board game that mirrors a greater game in which they have suddenly become players. Soon the boys are dealing with attitudinal trolls, warring kingdoms, and some very starchy britches. Luckily, they have wit, deadpan observation, and a keen sense of adventure on their side.

The Game of Sunken Places is a scary book. Opposite but complementary friends, Gregory and Brian, are invited to Strange Uncle Max's creepy mansion for a two week vacation. Though the audience yells at them not to go, they go. Though the villagers warn them away, they step into the quickly locked carriage. Though they are asked to change into clothing better suited for an earlier century and their own clothing is incinerated, they do no more than ask a cursory question.

Things get stranger. The boys are drawn into an unexplained game where they must choose and complete different tasks while competing against a creepy stranger who plays with knives. Sweet Cousin Prudence seems to something of what is happening but is unable to aide them. show more The game is a mix of fairy and techno with a little horror thrown in; there are trolls, world gates, different alien species battling, and time travel. Will they survive the game? Can they rescue Prudence from the drudgery of Uncle Max' house?

I would recommend this to middle school readers who like solving puzzles and don't mind the creepiness and tension of a knife weilding villain chasing you over the rain slicked roof of a mansion. show less

Grade Levels: 5th- 9th
Category: Fantasy
Read-Alouds: Pg. 132-134 [Uncle Max tells too much] Pg. 255-257 [The boys find out Prudence was behind the game]
Summary: Gregory and Brian are 13-year old boys who go to visit Gregory’s Uncle Max after receiving an invitation from him. When the boys get to the house they are told to wear old fashioned clothing. The boys find a game board in the game room. The game corresponded to the woods and the boys soon discovered they were a part of the game. They met a troll, and soon found out that he wasn’t real, he was mechanical. They worked together to play against Mr. Stimple, an evil man who tried to throw them off course. At the end of the story, the boys realized they were pinned against one show more another. Gregory being used for the Thusser Hordes and Brian being used for the Norumbegans. Because the boys friendship was so strong, Gregory let Brian win, giving another victory to the Norumbegans. The boys found out that Prudence, Gregory’s cousin, created the game and all of the creatures (including Uncle Max), and now it was Brian’s turn to create a game, the very last game deciding who will win the woods behind Uncle Max’s house, and who will have to leave the world.
Themes: Friendship is a common theme throughout the story. The game is designed so that Brian and Gregory play against one another. However, their friendship is too strong to break. On pg. 245 Gregory says, I’m glad all this happened to us. I mean, to you and me. An adventure…Friends for life.” I would say the major theme in the story is the importance of the game. The Norumbegans and the Thusser Hordes decided to create a game and humans would be the playing pieces. One person would represent the Norumbegans and one would represent the Thusser Horders. There would be 20 games altogether and whoever won overall, would be able to stay in the woods, and the other would have to leave. The Norumbegans had been in the woods for centuries, and the Thusser Hordes invaded the Norumbegans and forced them to live underground.
Discussion Questions:
If you could create your own game, what would it be?
How did Brian overcome his weaknesses?
Response:
I am not much of a fantasy type person; however, I really enjoyed The Game of Sunken Places. I felt that M.T. Anderson spent some time thinking about Brian and Gregory’s relationship and how their power of friendship can overcome even the most difficult obstacles. I also liked how Anderson made Gregory seem ‘out of Brian’s league’. What I mean is Gregory seemed like a boy who would be really popular, whereas, Brian is kind of chubby and quiet. I liked how despite their differences, they were able to maintain such a strong friendship. I felt bad for the Troll, when he found out he was only a mechanical object created by the Elf. I almost didn’t believe he was fake because of how his emotions took over his actions. He was actually sad, and moped around when he found out. Overall, the story was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone, despite your age. show less

High school friends engage in a quest that recalls Jumanji fused to Ender's Game. Within Anderson's oeuvre, it falls between the M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales books and Feed in terms of whimsy and emotional realism. As in those books, absurdity intermingles with sudden moments of poignancy. The relationship between the boys was not as tense (or intense) as I would have liked for greater emotional and plot complexity and payoff. Anderson does better in the first person; his third-person stories tend toward an excess of awkward exposition.

Brian and Gregory visit Gregory's uncle during a school break and end up caught in the middle of a magical game.

It's rather Jumanji-esque in some ways. The writing is great, I'd expect nothing less from the author of Thirsty and Feed, but it's far too open-ended for a book with no sequel.

I listened to this on tape, and while it feels like an early go at his later, better composed Jasper Dash books, it is a fine mix of adventure, mystery, fantasy and humor. ("The forest was silent. Except for the screaming.")