This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 Otherbound is the story of two people whose lives are inexplicably bound - Amara and Nolan. But their bond is different. They are not friends, partners, co-workers etc. In fact they have never met. They don't even live in the same world. 
 Nolan is just a young boy living in Arizona. He has a mom and a dad and a sister. He goes to high school. But when he closes his eyes, even for a second, her see's Amara's world through her eyes. This ability keeps him from living a normal life and he is diagnosed with epilepsy to account for his behaviour. But eventually he grows tired of watching from the sidelines and he takes control of Amara to let her know he's there. This obviously doesn't go over well with Amara (would you be happy to find out someone has been watching everything you do and can take over your body at will?) 
 And it's not as though Amara doesn't have enough to deal with already. She is a member of the servant class in the Dunelands. She can't speak, only sign and she's on the run with the cursed Princess Cilla. She's often made to endure the pain of the curse for Cilla, and suffers beatings from Jorn, her master. Her life has never truly been her own but she's always kept her head down. Until she finds our about Nolan. That's the final straw that pushes her to fight back for herself and the people she cares about. 
 Amara and Nolan are both such compelling characters. Similar in a lot of ways - they're both quite stubborn and determined. They both suffer from disabilities. Amara is mute and Nolan is missing a foot. But neither of them let their disabilities hold them back. They're fighters and won't give up until they find a way to accomplish their goals. But despite sharing the same memories/experiences, they're still quite different as well. Though I would be hard pressed to choose which one was my favourite I will admit that Nolan felt slightly more developed than Amara. This is likely because he appears in both Earth and Duneland chapters, whereas Amara is only in the Duneland. Their connection does not go both ways. 
 Blending two very different worlds together is no easy task, but it is so seamlessly done in Otherbound it really speaks to Duyvis's world building abilities. My fear before reading was that Duyvis would spend so much time developing the Dunelands that Nolan's world would be neglected. But those fears were unfounded. In particular I loved how well you get to know Nolan's family, especially his sister, and what life must be like for them living with Nolan's "seizures." Duneland was also well developed. I loved the magic system and the politics. I would gladly read more novels set in this fascinating, complex world. 
 There were a few times I felt like the pacing wasn't quite right. Sometimes it would change in an instance and I would have to go back because I was afraid I had missed something. I would recommend reading this book when you have the time to devote your full attention to it. It's a complex story, with complex characters existing in multiple worlds. If you're only reading a chapter or two a day it would be very easy to get lost in the shuffle. 
 Otherbound is a unique fantasy read. Not quite other-world fantasy, not quite portal fantasy, it stands on its own. And I loved its cast of diverse, compelling characters. This is how you write diverse fiction. There was different races, genders, body types and even a female/female relationship. None of this is the focus on the novel, simply a reflection of reality in fiction. Despite some pacing issues I found Otherbound to be a fascinating read wrapped up in masterful world building and skillful writing. It's a distinctive read that may not appeal to everyone but that I for one really enjoyed.