The Unnameables Hc

by Ellen Booraem and Frank Keating

Book Overview

Medford lives on a neat, orderly island called--simply--Island. Islanders like names that say exactly what a thing (or a person) is or does. Medford Runyuin is different. A foundling, he has a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152063684
• ISBN13: 9780152063689
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 318 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

very enjoyable read

I'll be honest. When I picked this book I did so because I thought it had an intriguing message of being yourself in midst of society's attempt to define. After ordering it, but before receiving it, I began to get worried. Because it had an intriguing message of being yourself in midst of society's attempt to define. That, I thought, is a sure recipe for a book that is beloved by teacher's organizations, book award clubs, and other such fine folks who tend to see a message being much more important than story, writing, or imagination. In other words, where the moral of the story is so obvious it's pretty much a given a book should be called unreadable. I was wary. And I was pleasantly surprised. Booraem has accomplished a brilliant task, offering a story with a clear moral without being overbearing or blatant about it. Indeed, she helps create a unique world that echoes aspects of our own, but certainly has rather strong differences. Indeed, these strong differences make The Unnameables more of a fairy tale story rather than an attempt to show a direct picture into our society. As the story went on it we are pushed deeper into this world, caught up in the characters, some usual and some wholly unique. We quickly move past the expected "Footloose" plot where young, creative teenagers show the adults about having fun. Instead, the story moves deeper, where there is no generational line, and where we see a wonderful creative exploration of a society's tradition, history, and culture. Booraem has a moral to the story, but is not preaching, nor is she drawing lines in the sand against religious, cultural, or other societal standards. What she is saying is be true to who you are, and this goes for those religions, cultures, and standards. It is when these standards have lost sight of their own foundations there is distortions, distortions which sadly then take over the whole movement. But even as I write that last paragraph I feel awkward, because that sounds so dry and 'full of message' like a heartwarming episode of our favorite family sitcom. It's not that. It's so much more enjoyable. Booraem has walked a very fine line in her writing giving us both a message while avoiding becoming overbearing. More than that, she has penned a very readable book. That's why I gave it five stars. I realized not too far in that I kept wanting to come back to it, I couldn't put it down, and I was for a long while absolutely lost in this story that has a wonderful mix of identity crisis, detective story, fantasy, and even humor. Honestly, this is one of those books that I think was marked as young adult fiction more because of the age of the main characters. It is directed towards those 10 and up, though I would suspect the emphasis would be more on the 'up', and probably would be more enjoyed by kids and adults who themselves have a creative, introverted, side they have felt punished for. Indeed, it's a great book for arti

'The Unnameables' is fantastic!

I will be forever glad that I was introduced to and fortunate enough to read and own the 'The Unnameables'. When this book starts to really get going (it picks up after chapter one which is fortunately short) it becomes hard to put down. I know that's cliche to say but it is true. The delightful style of writting and powerful message make this book beautiful. The book takes place on an isolated island (self isolated) where all the people only do usefull things and get kicked off for doing not so usefull things such as creating peices of art. It's better described beforhand but I don't think anybody really describes how many passions this book can arise. It stirs up great anger at the right moments and makes you laugh when it wants to but the book is a little to short to make you very attached to any of the characters. Dont get me wrong, the book is the perfect length and if ever there was a sequel you could definitly become attached. But the message against surpressing art and creativity is perfectly conveyed and any creative souls out there will definitly find a place in their heart and library for this very excellent and worthy contribution to literature. I now wonder what the painting that inspired it looks like?

A New Classic!

I received this book four days ago. I finished it last night, while feeding my fifth child, a three week old. That's just to show you how much I enjoyed it. I'm a busy homeschooling mother, and have my own business, but I just HAD to find out how this book completed itself. I will be holding on to this one as required reading for my own children (all 6 and under right now.) The book immediately grabbed me with the Map in the front, and the interesting introduction. The first chapter bogged me down a bit, as there were so many characters introduced with several different Names (a very important theme in the book) that I wondered how much time I would be devoting to it. But Chapter 2 began, and WOW, did it take off! I have never gasped aloud reading a book. I did with this one, SEVERAL times. I have never hurriedly turn a page, as the main character, Medford, was making a heavy-hearted decision, and I was SO anxious, I couldn't jump to the top of the next page fast enough. The words used are often Old English, and you get the feel of the Classics like The Hobbit or any of the Lord of the Rings or Narnia style. I am SO thrilled to have come across this book. A classic is something you read again and again and can apply new lessons or a new perspective to (in my definition) and this book excellently fits the bill with its laugh-out-loud moments, shocking turns, saddening scenes, and uplifting hope. The descriptions allow you to be on Island, and Medford's words help you to understand an outsider, if by some miracle you've escaped ever feeling that way. Thank you, Ellen Booraem, for sharing this story with my family! I can NOT wait until my 6 year old is old enough to enjoy and learn from The Unnameables. Sra. Gose Author of Spanish Fun Activity Calendar & Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1

Great read!

'The Unnameables' works on two levels; a fascinating story, and some social behaviors tossed in. On the story level, it's about a society on an island that has and creates nothing except what is useful and can be named as such. The main character is Medford, whose parents were killed in a storm at sea, but managed to get him to the island. All last names reflect what the person does: Farmer, Weaver, Carver, Cook, Tanner and others. It's an interwoven society, but with a lot of secrets. People do make carvings, and useless pottery, and weave with beautiful colors, but it is all hidden. When a very smelly 'goatman' who can control wind, (kind of), and his equally smelly dog, comes to Medford everything begins changing. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed every word of it.

Good solid fiction that moves along quickly

At first I thought a story about strange conservative society living by some book would be an attack on religion but Ellen Booraem's "The Unnameables" has nothing to do with relgion in fact religion and deities aren't even mentioned. The book is instead a lesson in social control and fear and the undeniable artistic drive in some of us. The language is simple enough for the age group 10+ but the ideas are complex enough that they kept me, an adult, interested without the need for magic or major world events. I would definitely give this to any young person I knew.