Scan barcode
kindaokbean's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia and Alcoholism
leahthebooklover's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.0
I really wanted to like this book. I really expected to like this book. I sorta liked this book. The set up was intriguing - it's about a girl who from her 19th birthday (which happens to be on New Year's Day) onward lives her life out of chronological order. She never knows which year she will "leap" to or what age she will be. She retains her memories from the years she has lived, but they're often out of context so it's almost like having amnesia. Her first leap is from age 19 to age 51, and she has no idea of what has happened to her in the in between years. There is only one constant in her life - her mother, Madeline. From Madeline's (and everyone else's) perspective, Oona ages "normally", at least on the outside. But on the inside, Oona feels her age, mentally, in terms of the number of years she has personally experienced. So when she makes her first leap, she looks 51, and the people around her perceive her that way, but inside she feels like she should have just turned 19, and has only the wisdom of her previous 18 years to guide her. And so it goes. We follow her through 8 leaps, where on the outside she appears anywhere from 19 to 53 years old, but inside, she's lived chronologically less than 30 years. Brilliant premise, right?
Here's the problem, though. Yes, Oona is young. Young people often make poor decisions. But you would think her situation would teach her some caution. Nu-uh. She continually makes rash, self-centered decisions that wreak havoc in her life and the lives of the people around her. She treats her mother, the one person who consistently shows up in every leap and shares the secret of her mixed up reality, like the enemy. She never listens to her. She never listens to anyone, not even herself. The incarnation of herself who lived through the previous calendar year tries to leave notes with advice or at least some slivers of information for her to help her in the year ahead, but Oona either loses the notes or totally disregards them. I have some problems with those notes, and for that matter, with Oona's mother. First, the notes: why does she always wait until the last minute to write to herself? She's caught scrambling about what to say. After her first couple of leaps I would think she would be more intentional about the information she passes on, maybe even say something that is actually helpful. Second: her mother. I don't get the whole "no spoilers" mentality. She could be more helpful, IMHO, but then again, she's dealing with Oona, who is going to do what she wants to do anyway, consequences be damned.
In general, while the concept of this book was compelling, the execution of it was fraught with problems. I kept hoping Oona would wise up, and perhaps in the last minute or so of the book she was beginning to. Hard to say. There were a lot of years we didn't hear anything about, I really hope in those silent years she did (does) redeem herself.
TW: in one of her leaps there is significant drug use. There are a couple of spicy sex scenes.
Here's the problem, though. Yes, Oona is young. Young people often make poor decisions. But you would think her situation would teach her some caution. Nu-uh. She continually makes rash, self-centered decisions that wreak havoc in her life and the lives of the people around her. She treats her mother, the one person who consistently shows up in every leap and shares the secret of her mixed up reality, like the enemy. She never listens to her. She never listens to anyone, not even herself. The incarnation of herself who lived through the previous calendar year tries to leave notes with advice or at least some slivers of information for her to help her in the year ahead, but Oona either loses the notes or totally disregards them. I have some problems with those notes, and for that matter, with Oona's mother. First, the notes: why does she always wait until the last minute to write to herself? She's caught scrambling about what to say. After her first couple of leaps I would think she would be more intentional about the information she passes on, maybe even say something that is actually helpful. Second: her mother. I don't get the whole "no spoilers" mentality. She could be more helpful, IMHO, but then again, she's dealing with Oona, who is going to do what she wants to do anyway, consequences be damned.
In general, while the concept of this book was compelling, the execution of it was fraught with problems. I kept hoping Oona would wise up, and perhaps in the last minute or so of the book she was beginning to. Hard to say. There were a lot of years we didn't hear anything about, I really hope in those silent years she did (does) redeem herself.
TW: in one of her leaps there is significant drug use. There are a couple of spicy sex scenes.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Drug use, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Fatphobia
cumminsn's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Time shenanigans can be tough to get right in a story, but this tale does them fairly well. Jumping from one year to the next, the main character just as confused and surprised as the reader on where, and when, she was going to end up, always keeps you on your toes. The further in the story you get, the more times Oona experiences one of her birthday leaps, the harder the book is to put down. It is a very unique way to experience events, and how even the smallest of things from one point in Oona’s life make appearances in others, all the tie ins, every connection, was quite satisfying. There are twists, and they aren’t the most predictable either. If you’re looking for a tale in a sometimes modern, sometimes past, always mysterious setting but with a good bit of whimsy, can handle some high-highs along with low-lows, this one is a good read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Drug use, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor: Violence and Transphobia
katelynprice's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a really well-done time travel story. I loved seeing how Oona developed as a character as she aged (internally), and I found Montimore's writing to be really resonant. Some of the metaphors she used were just *chef's kiss.* I could've done without the whole 1991 leap, though. It didn't add much of any value to the story or the character for me. Otherwise, it was a fun, propulsive, thought-provoking book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, and Drug use
Moderate: Cancer and Infidelity
Minor: Violence
erin_l's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I really enjoyed this book. It left me feeling very contemplative but also was not too dark and was light and funny at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Death
Minor: Transphobia and Violence
passionatereader78's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's a tragic love story in so many ways. It has an interesting plot, however did not like main character. This book frustrated me because Oona refuses to adhere to the advice she leaves for herself. She starts time traveling on her 20th birthday. Every year on her birthday she has no idea what year she will end up in. The ending left me wanting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Car accident, Infidelity, and Alcohol
Minor: Violence, Car accident, Death of parent, Cancer, and Homophobia
wy_woman's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Dysphoria, Stalking, Grief, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Minor: Car accident, Violence, and Transphobia
lupitaestela's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Violence, Hate crime, Transphobia, Cancer, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
emily_britton's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Very enjoyable. Almost five stars, except for the gratuitous sex and drugs in the first half.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Transphobia, Violence, and Sexual content
cwallace1005's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I wanted so much more 😭 in the best way!
In reading other reviews, I can absolutely see why others didn't like Oona, but I loved her. I just found myself empathizing so much with her. I remember how hard it feels to be 19, and to imagine how it feels to be 19/20/21 and jumping around to different years of your life, where you're in a much older body and have the complications of adulthood without the experience. Whew. It was a ride being with Oona and I would have read 3x the number of pages to see more.
In reading other reviews, I can absolutely see why others didn't like Oona, but I loved her. I just found myself empathizing so much with her. I remember how hard it feels to be 19, and to imagine how it feels to be 19/20/21 and jumping around to different years of your life, where you're in a much older body and have the complications of adulthood without the experience. Whew. It was a ride being with Oona and I would have read 3x the number of pages to see more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol and Death
Minor: Cancer, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Violence