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The Homeward Bounders Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Homeward Bounders


A twelve-year-old boy named Jamie uncovers a world where spiritual entities are playing a board game with the world. They are controlling situations with people like it's a game. The consequence of discovering the secret world is that Jamie must become a Homeward Bounder. He is forced to become a Homeward Bounder by the spiritual entities that play the game. A Homeward Bounder is a person who must travel from dimension to dimension till the day that he finds the world that he belongs in.
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Jamie begins traveling through the dimensions. In one of the dimensions, he meets a sailor named the Flying Dutchman and his crew. While traveling with the Flying Dutchman, Jamie sharpens his skill at being a Homeward Bounder. He begins studying the clues left by other Homeward Bounders.

Jamie keeps wandering from dimension to dimension, but not finding his home. He meets a girl named Helen. Helen's gift is that she can make her right arm transform into anything she wants. Helen has also became a Homeward Bounder because she, just like Jamie, stumbled upon and discovered the secret world of the spiritual entities which are playing a board game with the world. She is very intelligent and is useful to Jamie during their voyage.

Jamie and Helen begin traveling together. They meet another Homeward Bounder named Joris. They all travel together until they come to a dimension that is very similar to Jamie's. Jamie senses that his dimension is very close to this one, and realizes that he is one smart dimension jump away from home. However, Joris draws up a plan to attack the spiritual entities that play the board game with the whole world. The attack on the spiritual entities goes very badly. The Homeward Bounders are spared by the spiritual entities and return to jumping from dimension to dimension.

Jamie suddenly awakens from a sleep. He discovers that it is one hundred years into the future. Homeward Bounders never age while they are jumping from dimension to dimension. So even though Jamie is still alive, his real family in his home dimension is passed away and gone because it is one hundred years into the future.

Jamie's anger toward the spiritual entities pushes him to rally all the Homeward Bounders together for a final attack on the spiritual entities. All the Homeward Bounders unite, and launch their assault on the spiritual entities.
Best part of story, including ending: What I really liked about this story was that Jamie was jumping from dimension to dimension. It's very adventurous to explore different dimensions. The fact that he had to find his home in the correct dimension made this a very intriguing story.

Best scene in story: My favorite part was when Jamie rallies all the Homeward Bounders together for one final assault on the spiritual entities. The assault goes very well. It was great for Jamie to defeat the evil entities.

Opinion about the main character: What I liked most about Jamie was that he adapted to traveling from dimension to dimension. He sharpened his skills and learned how to travel correctly. His decisions are what brought peace to the other characters.

The review of this Book prepared by Alex Peterson a Level 4 Yellow-Headed Blackbird scholar

Chapter Analysis of The Homeward Bounders

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence 30%planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 30%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places 10% Tone of book    -   suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?    -   science fiction story Explore/1st contact/ enviro story    -   Yes Explore:    -   dimension travel--general Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   student Age:    -   a kid

Setting

Earth setting:    -   20th century Takes place on Earth?    -   Yes

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment scientific jargon? (SF only)    -   some scientific explanation How much dialogue?    -   significantly more dialog than descript

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Diana Wynne Jones Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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