Out of the Wild

Into the Wild #2

by Sarah Beth Durst

Ever since twelve-year-old Julie Marchen helped defeat the fairy-tale world of the Wild, life's been about as normal as can be—for a girl whose brother is Puss-in-Boots and whose mom is Rapunzel.

After nearly taking over her hometown, the Wild is safely back where it belongs: right under Julie's bed. Then it suddenly spits out Julie's dad—Rapunzel's prince—and things take a seriously enchanted turn. He's gallant, he's handsome, and he's totally clueless about life in the 20th century! (You try teaching a five hundred year old prince how to text message.)

When Julie's daring dad dashes off to save a kidnapped Sleeping Beauty, she must embark on a magical cross-country adventure to bring him home, protect the family secret, and while she's at it, save the world! Because if she fails, everyone will spend eternity in a fairy tale.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, Juvenile

260 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2008

About the author

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Reviews

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the Wild is one of those incredibly rare sequels that is even better than the first book. The green hungry mass of the Wild has returned to hiding in Julie's bedroom, but her community still feels the effects of having once been swallowed by the Wild. When the Wild swallows one of the Three Blind Mice, Julie and her mother are astonished to see that her father is spit out, returned to her mother after 500 years apart. Her father is confused by this new world, but continues to act as a prince in a fairy tale. He can't be stopped from trying to rescue Sleeping Beauty despite the fact that his beloved is also in some danger. Julie chases after her father on his quest, desperate to continue protecting the secret of the fairy tale characters living in the real world. But her father is impossible to stop even when they realize that they are walking into a trap.

Durst's writing continues to be the same high quality as the original book. Her tone is completely consistent between the books, two halves of a whole story. After the first story, I never expected a sequel. It had been a completely satisfying and complete tale. But now having read the second book, I realize that half of the story was missing though I didn't know it at the time. What an accomplishment - to create a complete tale and then create another book that makes the first even more complete and powerful.

Durst's books are very friendly, filled with humor, and will be enjoyed by many types of readers. This is fantasy that has an ease about it and should be recommended to readers who enjoy fantasy but also to any child who enjoys a great read. Highly recommended for ages 9-12.

[✨Jinglemarco✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought my copy of this book on Abebooks.it and discovered a month later that it is signed by the author! Yay! The authoress is really nice and the cover is cute, but unfortunately I enjoyed the book so and so.
I felt uncomfortable with the world-building. As a fairytale lover I don't like very much when in a fairytale retelling the protagonists hate fairytales. And in this duology they hate fairytales for a reason, I got it. But I don't agree with that reason. To me the characters from fairytales are people who get to keep on living after the ending of the tale (unless they are actually dead); for example, Sleeping Beauty lives with her prince after he reawakened her, and she doesn't know she is a character from a tale, but that she is a real person. Instead at the core of this two books there is the idea that characters from these tale are not real people and are condemned to relive the sequences of the story till the end and then to start over and over again losing their own identity and thoughts. That is what I mean. :)

[Kim (magicsandwiches) Lawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sequel to Into the Wild is not quite as good. What happens when The Wild spits out Julie's dad and he has to try to get along in the real world? How can he go against everything he was made for and try to have a normal life? What is Julie's role in this and how does she accomplish it? Finding the answers to these questions isn't very exciting, but fans of the first book might like to revisit The Wild and all its quirks.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Durst, Sarah Beth Out of the Wild, 260 p. Razorbill (Penguin), 2008.

Since the Wild was banished back underneath her bed, Julie’s life has been fairly tame. Than one day one of the Three Blind Mice goes into the Wild and Julie’s father, Rapunzel’s Prince, comes out, sending the entire world into chaos, strengthening the Wild and sending Julie on a fast-paced trip across the United States, vainly attempting to do damage control.

At times the action is so fast paced that it can be a bit confusing, but at the same time, I felt compelled to read on, working my way to a very satisfying ending.

EL, MS - ADVISABLE
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008...

[Ry Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part, this was a charming follow-up to the charming original. I do think certain parts of it were too much like the first book, and those bits felt a little repetitive. But overall, this further explored and deepened the ideas of the first book. And the twist at the end was both well set up and well executed.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very creative! I love the characters and how the plot comes together! I didn't read the first book but you don't really need too!

[CJ Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to _Into the Wild_, which I've read at least three times and have been unwilling, even after 3 readings, to donate it to the library.
This sequel is just as good.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't love it as much as the first book, but it was still a fun romp.

[Ginger Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like it read for school

[Gucifi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very amazing.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a thing about sequels. Usually. Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst is even better than Into the Wild. I couldn’t believe it at first. I got a little bored in the middle of the first, but each chapter either had me laughing or clutching the pages in anxiety for Julie (and a certain other nameless person!).

Julie and the Wild are back in the action packed sequel to Into the Wild. Gillian, my favorite character, dances with the bear. She seems to have forgotten all of her experiences in the Wild just as all the other residents of Northboro, and struts in a t-shirt that says “Northboro: Fairy-Tale Capital of the World.” Everything is getting out of control, with more vactioners in Northboro than Cap Cod. It could not possibly get crazier.

Then Julie’s Dad pops out of the Wild unexpectedly in “exchange” for one of the three blind mice. He doesn’t know one thing about the real world. After over five hundred years in the Wild, Rapunzel’s Prince hardly knows what to do with a car. He insists on going to rescue Sleeping Beauty from an evil fairy godmother because he doesn’t understand his actions feed the Wild. Julie must follow her father, protect the secret of the Wild, and stop the Wild from growing any further.

Julie has some truly amazing experiences, and I’d love to talk about them all. Unfortunately, the book starts to leak spoilers in the second chapter. I want to say so much, but I don’t know anyone who has read it yet…

I found everything about Out of the Wild better than Into the Wild. The romance, the adventure, and the writing outpaced Into the Wild incomparably. I got a little bored in the middle, but never in the sequel. I felt like we got to know Julie so much better, and her character was really fleshed out. Rapunzel and even her Prince (who at first seems a little too disney for me…) became real people to me. I felt like their actions represented what people would really do. Also, Julie’s decisions made more sense to me in this novel. I didn’t relate to her as much in Into the Wild. I love her voice so much, and Out of the Wild just made me appreciate it more.

I’m happy to say that both of my favorite characters are back. I don’t want to ruin the ending for you, so I won’t say who they are. The revelation with one of them- so satisfying. I guessed it once she reappeared in the book. I had one of those “Ah ha!” moments, which barely ever happen to me. I get too caught up in the book to try to think what would happen next.

I did constantly feel in Out of the Wild that this would make a wonderful movie. I kept playing it in my head with dramatic music. Don’t look at the last page of the book first, like I did. I spilled orange juice ALL over my ARC of Out of the Wild, and I had to dry off the last page. Please don’t read the last page if you are one of those kind of people.

Comes out June 2008.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Durst, Sarah Beth. 2008. Out of the Wild.

Out of the Wild is the sequel to 2007's Into the Wild. Linda, the evil librarian, is back in this second volume. Her evil plan? Not so obvious to our young heroine, Julie, but that could be because she's in a state of shock. Julie has grown up without her dad. Her mom, Rapunzel, couldn't rescue her prince of a husband from the Wild. Julie has always wondered about her fairy tale dad. Wondered what it would be like to have him be a part of her life. She's about to have her dream come true. One day--completely out of the blue--her dad stumbles out of the Wild (it's still leaving underneath her bed) to be reunited with his family. They're happy to see him, but also puzzled. The Wild has never ever "let" anyone go before. What could it all mean? Is this good news or bad news? So they're off to see Rapunzel's mum, the former witch, the guardian of the wishing well.

Long story short, Julie's got her dad. However, all is not well. The Wild especially feeds on fairy tale characters reenacting fairy tale scenes. But her dad can't help himself. If he sees a glass slipper on the ground, he's got to try it on a maiden's foot. If he sees a beautiful princess in distress, he must rescue her. If he sees a wolf gobble down a young girl, he must save her. But these events aren't just accidents, aren't just coincidences. Someone has an evil plot. And since her mom and grandmother were turned into pumpkins....it's up to Julie to save the day.

Can she once again battle the Wild without becoming trapped herself? Can she stop the Wild from enslaving, entrapping, all of America? You'll have to read and see for yourself!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

[Jaina Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone else seems to think this book was as good as the first; I did not think so. Part of the problem might be that I didn't absolutely adore book 1, but maybe I've been reading too many fairy tale books lately and these just don't grab me as much. They do grab me, and they're a fun read, but this book was a little meh. Some major things were different in book 2, but I felt like a lot of it was just a rehash of book 1 - including major parts. Some interesting aspects of what it might be like for those who wish they were still in the Wild, but I really just found it all kind of redundant. Yes, Julie's father got spit out of the Wild, but for the majority of the book he was running around doing stupid things, jumping "to the rescue," and doing the prince thing, while she ran after him begging him to stop, to listen to her, and to stop acting out fairy tale events (and so feeding the Wild). This never happened, and he got better, but he just needed a good shaking. His role as father was numero 2. First and foremost he was a prince - Rapunzel's prince.

Anyway, if you like the first one you'll probably like this one. It's cute, and not entirely horrible. I did enjoy reading it, I really did. Just not as much as, say, James Riley's Half Upon a Time series.

Oh, and she tried to throw in some romance. That was just ridiculous, that stupid teen angst "gosh he's so hot!" stuff that just makes me roll my eyes. So. Obviously. A plot device. 'Cause every fairy tale has to have a happily ever after involving a hot guy, right?

[FalkenHawke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion to Into the Wild comes in the form of another book, Out of the Wild. In a way, it’s synonymous with the way the fairytale characters of this story would live through their stories to its conclusion and then begin again and try to escape the Wild.

This story brings the character of Julie’s Dad to the front in a way that is both unsurprising but also extremely frustrating. The lesson here is knowing full well the consequences of ones actions before doing anything, or in summary, think before you act. Seriously, Admiral Akbar may as well have been sitting on “Dad’s” shoulder yelling the whole time and it wouldn’t have changed things. Oh, and one “Worst Dad Forever” moment.

It was difficult to get past this despite the otherwise redeeming qualities displayed. However, the story itself as well as the underlying plot makes up for this frustration and leads to a surprising twist and of course, the requisite “Happy Ending”.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this one was actually better than the first.

Starting not long after the first book ends, Julie's experience with The Wild has changed how she sees the world and her family. People haven't forgotten what happened before, and now Julie's hometown is none as the Fairy Tale Capital. Unfortunately, not all the fairy tale characters are happy to be mundane, and after Julie's dad pops out of The Wild (after being there for over 500 years), he causes problems simply being himself - he doesn't know the modern world, only how to be a fairy tale hero. And walks right into the bad guys' plans.

Again, this book is a fast read, and is fun and entertaining. I think it was a great finish to the overall story. There is even a bit of romance, bringing it more firmly into the Young Adult territory.

[Cathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

solid middle school, upper elementary
third person narrative
for fans of fairy tales!

Julie is the daughter of Rapunzel, who managed to defeat the Wild (the entity that creates? manages? the fairy tale world where the stories are enacted over and over again)and rescue most of the other characters, who are now living in a small city in Massachusetts.

The Wild releases Julie's father but rapidly expands over the entire country. Julie must find the way to stop the Wild and save everyone (again).

This second volume moves at a faster pace and introduces Rumpelstiltskin's son as a romantic interest for Julie. Has a satisfying conclusion.

The prequel is Into the Wild.

I don't like the covers of either volume so I made color copies of pertinent fairy-tale characters and added them.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst is the sequel to Into the Wild. I, personally, enjoyed Out of the Wild as much, if not more, than the first book. It begins with Northsboro recovering from The Wild taking over and Julie's life finally being back to normal; however, that can't last too long. Next thing Julie knows, The Wild eats one of the Three Blind Mice, but instead of growing, spits out her father! But to Julie's surprise, her dad doesn't want to sit around and be a normal family- instead he wants to continue being a hero and leaves almost immediately to try and save a princess. Julie, trying to stop him, follows and goes on a humorous and action-packed adventure across America.

5 stars!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not long ago, Julie turned her back on her father in order to rescue her small Massachusetts town from the Wild. Now, on a relatively ordinary night (if you don't count the appearance of the Three Blind Mice), from under her bed where the Wild is contained, her father appears. She is overjoyed, but what does this mean?

Very worthy sequel to "Into the Wild." I loved the appearance of so many new characters in this one, especially Julie's father and his complete ignorance of all things twenty-first century. The plot had enough twists to keep me interested the whole way through. Julie is a fantastic heroine for young women, though the introduction of a little romance seemed a bit too forced for me. Overall, very cute fantasy for kids.

[Cherylann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes sequels live up to the greatness of book one; sometimes they fall short. There's a risk reading a sequel because you never know what you're going to get. Out of the Wild is a sequel that lived up to the greatness of book one, Into the Wild. The Wild is back, and it's got a score to settle. Julie Marchen and her princely father set out on two different quests: one's quest is to save Sleeping Beauty, and one's is to defeat the wild. At times they work together, and at times they end up canceling each other out. Through the quest, Julie emerges as a strong female protagonist - the type of protagonist who should be a role model to real-life tweens. Out of the Wild is a rollicking, fast-paced read that lives up to the hype of Into the Wild.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just a sitcom of all the fairytales you've ever read combined, and it's utterly delightful, completely ridiculous, and always hilarious. There is really no point to this series. The whole big struggle between the escaped fairytale characters and the Wilds is too quickly resolved, but no one really cares because you get to see what fairytale characters would be like in the real world. It is what I imagine a hallucination of Walt Disney and the Grimm Brothers would be like.

Read just for the entertainment factor. It is a fairy-tale retelling/twist that feels good and is okay with making fun of itself. Rock on, Sarah Beth Durst! Give us another wild ride with these characters!

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book yesterday and read it in practically one sitting. It was really good. I, personally, don't think it was as good as Into the Wild but that's just because this book was a little more... adventurous. I like character development and, while this book was still the wonderful twisted fairy tale, it really jumped into the plot. I preferred ITW's slow meeting of all the characters. Granted, to anyone who had read ITW, this exposition would not be necessary. And I have read ITW so... what's my excuse? ;)

Anyway, I really did love it. It was fast-paced, full of fairy tale wonder, and I'm SO glad I got to read it.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

After fighting back the Wild, Julie thinks she and her mother, Rapunzel, are safe from the controlling entity intent on forcing the fairy tale characters to live out their stories over and over. But one Saturday, one of the blind mice falls into the Wild, Julie's dad (and Rapunzel's prince) is freed, and a dastardly plot is afoot.

Julie is an amazingly resourceful teenager--probably better at dealing with crises than I would be. The world of fairy tales actually being a sinister world devoid of free will continues to be intriguing. I thought there was a bit too much crammed in too fast; I found myself glazing over as I read, since there was so much happening and it was hard to take it.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just as the fun as the first one! I feel like the cover doesn't do it justice although the brighter colors on this may attract more attention than the darker cover of the first book. When you're mom is Rapunzel, your dad is the prince who rescued her, and your brother is Puss n' Boots, you are not a typical teen with normal problems and Julie needs to fight against The Wild to keep her family safe once again. This time it's a rollicking cross-country journey on an enchanted broomstick and a flying bathmat which take her along the way.

[Brooke Shirts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romp of a novel that neatly ties up the loose story threads from its predecessor, Into the Wild. While the premise of fairy-tale characters on the loose and wreaking havoc in the modern world seems a little tired (the scene involving Rapunzel's prince in Times Square feels ripped off from Enchanted), Durst gives her plot enough surprising twists and funny details to keep the story compelling. A clever climax redeems fairy tales at the end, giving the requisite sweet and happy ending.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sequel to Into the Wild. As you might guess, the Wild escapes again and begins to takeover the world, but not before releasing Rapunzel's Prince.

While the first book I felt was more utopian literature, I felt that this one was an extremely strong book about self-identity. This is most clearly seen in the Prince, who feels obliged to go around rescuing maidens, often at the expense of Rapunzel and his daughter. He feels truly called to be "The Hero".

However, an equally strong point is made that you can't really be free if you have to spend all the time hiding who you are.

[Meg McGregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

My feelings are bittersweet after reading this book! It was such a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I am sad though because the series is over, it seems. I really would love to read more adventures involving Julie, and her Mom, Rapunzel, and her Father, the Prince.

Wouldn't it be so great to live in a fairy tale world? I wouldn't want to be a Princess or be rescued. What I would like to be is someone who wields magic to help others.

I loved how the story ended - in such a romantic and fairy tale way!

Read this series of two. You are in for a treat!

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a fantasy novel about fairy tale characters living in modern day life. I thought that this book was a fun read that preyed upon the fanciful emotions of the reader. The book was narrated from the perspective of Julie, who is Rapunzel's daughter. I thought that the young narrator made the story more appealing for readers close to her age. I also liked the twist in the book about the villian... it is definitely not one of the classic fairy tale antagonists! I also liked that this book is part of a series about the Wild.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Into the Wild , and it is every bit as fun and imaginative. This time the Wild spits out Julie's father, the prince, for no apparent reason. Before Julie and her mom can figure out why, he is off to rescue Sleeping Beauty who is asleep once again, setting off a chain of fairy tale moments, which feeds the wild. Julie must figure out who is setting these traps for her father and stop them before the Wild demolishes the whole country.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Beth Durst is to clever I just can't stand it! Here's another thrilling trip through fairy tales gone horribly wrong, as Julie's father is spit out of the Wild into a world he doesn't understand-- just as all heck breaks loose! This is really a continuation of Into the Wild, though, revealing precisely who set it loose in the first book, and why, and wrapping it all up very satisfactorily.

Three cheers for Sarah Beth!