Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, Bk 1)

Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, Bk 1)
ophelia99 avatar reviewed on + 2527 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4


I liked the book Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins that I got the first couple books in her Underland Chronicles. This is the first book in that series and this series is definitely focused to a younger age of child than the Hunger Games was.

In this book Gregor is forced to skip summer camp to watch his 2 year old sister. Gregor's dad went missing and his grandma is kind of neither here nor there and it is really hot and they don't have air-conditioning...so basically it looks like his summer it going to suck. Or so he thinks. Then it gets even worse when him and his sister (Boots) are sucked down an air vent into the Underland. The Underland is full of giants bugs, spiders, and rats as well as a race of humans that are trying to survive down there. They think Gregor is the warrior of their prophecy.

This is a solid kid's fantasy book. I didn't think it was super original or exciting; a lot of the ideas and the book can be found in other stories. It was well written though and I think a younger kid would enjoy it. A quick, easy read.

By the end of the story, I found that I was enjoying the story. This is definitely a lower level of reading though than Collins second series. The story was a bit tedious at times too. Overall I liked the book but I wasn't ecstatic about it. I will read the second book and see what I think about that one...then I will decide it I want to read the rest of the series. Definitely not as well-written and creative as The Hunger Games though.