Scan barcode
queer_bookwyrm's review
adventurous
tense
slow-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
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, death, slavery mention, racism
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken is book one in the Passenger duology. This was a duology I picked up at my library's used book sale last summer, and went into it knowing nothing. It's a YA fantasy about time travel, and as you can imagine, it gets pretty wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey (iykyk). Although, it was slower paced than I would have liked, I did enjoy the story.
We follow Etta, a violinist in NYC who finds herself suddenly thrust back in time to 1776, where she learns that her mother is more than she let on, and she has the ability to travel through "passages" to other times. She is thrust into a timey-wimey plot by the Ironwoods where she must decode her mother's clues to find an object the Ironwood patriarch wants within 8 days. Etta travels with sailor/pirate Nicholas Carter, another traveler who is trying to gain his freedom from the hold of the Ironwoods. His task is to keep Etta from absconding with the object and betray her, but falls for her instead.
I did not love all the info dumping we get throughout the book. There is so much information given through dialogue that I felt didn't really need to be spelled out to the reader so much. I did like that we see Etta struggle with her own privilege when she is thrust back in time. She is a white woman from the modern era, and has to figure out the ways things work for women in past eras, and also has to be reminded that black people did not have the same rights and had to worry about different things. Nicholas deals with a lot of racism, and Etta is constantly feeling outraged on his behalf, but I felt like it was glossed over a bit.
I love the idea of the passages to different eras and the scavenger hunt like clues they have to follow. I love a good time paradox. I think the main theme is self-determination, being able to make choices about your own future and the freedom to choose. I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to book two!
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken is book one in the Passenger duology. This was a duology I picked up at my library's used book sale last summer, and went into it knowing nothing. It's a YA fantasy about time travel, and as you can imagine, it gets pretty wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey (iykyk). Although, it was slower paced than I would have liked, I did enjoy the story.
We follow Etta, a violinist in NYC who finds herself suddenly thrust back in time to 1776, where she learns that her mother is more than she let on, and she has the ability to travel through "passages" to other times. She is thrust into a timey-wimey plot by the Ironwoods where she must decode her mother's clues to find an object the Ironwood patriarch wants within 8 days. Etta travels with sailor/pirate Nicholas Carter, another traveler who is trying to gain his freedom from the hold of the Ironwoods. His task is to keep Etta from absconding with the object and betray her, but falls for her instead.
I did not love all the info dumping we get throughout the book. There is so much information given through dialogue that I felt didn't really need to be spelled out to the reader so much. I did like that we see Etta struggle with her own privilege when she is thrust back in time. She is a white woman from the modern era, and has to figure out the ways things work for women in past eras, and also has to be reminded that black people did not have the same rights and had to worry about different things. Nicholas deals with a lot of racism, and Etta is constantly feeling outraged on his behalf, but I felt like it was glossed over a bit.
I love the idea of the passages to different eras and the scavenger hunt like clues they have to follow. I love a good time paradox. I think the main theme is self-determination, being able to make choices about your own future and the freedom to choose. I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to book two!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
2.0
I just finished Alexandra Bracken’s The Passenger. Henrietta “Etta” Spencer is getting ready to give a concert (she is a violinist) at The Met in New York. As she starts her piece she hears what she calls feedback (an awful noise). Etta runs off stage and there is Sophia. Sophia states she hears the noise and drags Etta off to find it. Alice (we are never given her last name) tries to intervene (she has been Etta’s violin instructor since Etta was five), but Sophia pushes Etta through something! A while later Etta wakes up on a ship in the middle of the sea and it is 1776. How did she get on this ship and in this year? Etta is disoriented and runs out onto the ship’s deck into the middle of a fight.
Nicholas Carter is a pirate (technically a legal privateer). He has orders to take the ship Ardent and get the two female passengers on board to New York to Cyrus Ironwood. Cyrus is the head of the Ironwood clan and he wants Etta to obtain an object that her mother, Rose has hidden. Etta has inherited the ability to travel through special passages in time. Etta knows nothing about time travel or the object the Ironwoods are seeking. Nicholas will go with her to keep her safe and help her navigate through the different years (without causing too many time ripples or changing history). Can they find the object Cyrus desires? If they do find it, should they give it to him? Why was this object hidden? Will Etta ever be able to get home? You will have to read Passenger to find out!
I found Passenger to be a difficult novel to read. Things are not explained in the novel. We are thrust into this world without any information. We finally get some information in the last three quarters of the novel (way too late). I also found the novel to be unnecessarily long. We have pages full of thoughts and descriptions that are not needed (you can just skip over them). I feel the novel needs a major editing (just my personal opinion) and rewriting. The characters are not very appealing (or likeable). Etta gets more interesting towards the end of the book (but by then most people have already quit reading). Passenger has potential. It has an interesting concept on time travel (and the object they are searching for), but I found the outcome disappointing. I give Passenger 2.75 out of 5 stars. The one thing that really turned me off was the ending. I kept reading the book to see how it would end. Instead of a decent ending, we are given a cliffhanger (spoiler ahead--nothing is resolved). The Passenger is overall a very frustrating book.
I received a complimentary copy of Passenger from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my review for additional information: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/passenger.html
Nicholas Carter is a pirate (technically a legal privateer). He has orders to take the ship Ardent and get the two female passengers on board to New York to Cyrus Ironwood. Cyrus is the head of the Ironwood clan and he wants Etta to obtain an object that her mother, Rose has hidden. Etta has inherited the ability to travel through special passages in time. Etta knows nothing about time travel or the object the Ironwoods are seeking. Nicholas will go with her to keep her safe and help her navigate through the different years (without causing too many time ripples or changing history). Can they find the object Cyrus desires? If they do find it, should they give it to him? Why was this object hidden? Will Etta ever be able to get home? You will have to read Passenger to find out!
I found Passenger to be a difficult novel to read. Things are not explained in the novel. We are thrust into this world without any information. We finally get some information in the last three quarters of the novel (way too late). I also found the novel to be unnecessarily long. We have pages full of thoughts and descriptions that are not needed (you can just skip over them). I feel the novel needs a major editing (just my personal opinion) and rewriting. The characters are not very appealing (or likeable). Etta gets more interesting towards the end of the book (but by then most people have already quit reading). Passenger has potential. It has an interesting concept on time travel (and the object they are searching for), but I found the outcome disappointing. I give Passenger 2.75 out of 5 stars. The one thing that really turned me off was the ending. I kept reading the book to see how it would end. Instead of a decent ending, we are given a cliffhanger (spoiler ahead--nothing is resolved). The Passenger is overall a very frustrating book.
I received a complimentary copy of Passenger from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my review for additional information: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/passenger.html
oracleofoaks's review
4.0
Review originally posted on Jellyfable.weebly.com
I picked up this book purely because of the summary. I loved the play-on-words aspect of the book and how each definition of the word passage played into the plot in a big way.
Time Travel + Historical Fantasy + A Reluctant Hero = Long Set-up
Because of the complicated nature of the set-up, it took me quite a few pages to get into the story and I really didn't feel like I was enjoying the book until chapter five. Etta was thrust into a brand new world and destiny and, although the writing was beautiful in style, it took far too long for Etta to learn about and come to terms with her time traveling abilities. There wasn’t a lot of action in the first half of the book and it was only redeemed by the introduction of interesting characters such as Nicholas and his ship’s crew. However, once the book hit its stride it became far more enjoyable.
Characters and relationships that stole the show
It’s really a shame that the plot elements were so unnecessarily dense because this book could have been held up almost entirely by the characters and relationships. While it took me a while to grow attached to Etta as a protagonist, I started to love both her incredible sass and her big heart. Nicholas was one of the sweetest love interests that I’ve read about in a long time while still having a fully developed personality and character arc outside of his feelings for Etta. Neither he nor Etta suffered from any of the problems I usually find in YA romances and their relationship was cute, romantic, and healthy. The two of them contrasted just enough to make their dynamic interesting and clever.
Excellent writing style
Aside from the problems I had with the organization and pacing of this book, I really did enjoy the writing style. This was the first book I had read by Alexandra Bracken and, having heard mixed reviews about her previous series The Darkest Minds, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I ended up loving it. The metaphors were cute and clever and really added to the emotions of the scenes and the dialogue really solidified my love of the characters. The book switched character perspectives several times to assist with the storytelling and these transitions were both natural and necessary. The ending was action packed and exciting and really solidified my absolute love for this book.
The bottom line
Although I initially had trouble getting into this book, I ended up loving it. I became fully enamored with the characters and now I can’t wait for the sequel that is planned for 2017. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who can get past a bit of info-dumping and hold out for the amazing characters and dialogue. It is absolutely worth it.
I picked up this book purely because of the summary. I loved the play-on-words aspect of the book and how each definition of the word passage played into the plot in a big way.
Time Travel + Historical Fantasy + A Reluctant Hero = Long Set-up
Because of the complicated nature of the set-up, it took me quite a few pages to get into the story and I really didn't feel like I was enjoying the book until chapter five. Etta was thrust into a brand new world and destiny and, although the writing was beautiful in style, it took far too long for Etta to learn about and come to terms with her time traveling abilities. There wasn’t a lot of action in the first half of the book and it was only redeemed by the introduction of interesting characters such as Nicholas and his ship’s crew. However, once the book hit its stride it became far more enjoyable.
Characters and relationships that stole the show
It’s really a shame that the plot elements were so unnecessarily dense because this book could have been held up almost entirely by the characters and relationships. While it took me a while to grow attached to Etta as a protagonist, I started to love both her incredible sass and her big heart. Nicholas was one of the sweetest love interests that I’ve read about in a long time while still having a fully developed personality and character arc outside of his feelings for Etta. Neither he nor Etta suffered from any of the problems I usually find in YA romances and their relationship was cute, romantic, and healthy. The two of them contrasted just enough to make their dynamic interesting and clever.
Excellent writing style
Aside from the problems I had with the organization and pacing of this book, I really did enjoy the writing style. This was the first book I had read by Alexandra Bracken and, having heard mixed reviews about her previous series The Darkest Minds, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I ended up loving it. The metaphors were cute and clever and really added to the emotions of the scenes and the dialogue really solidified my love of the characters. The book switched character perspectives several times to assist with the storytelling and these transitions were both natural and necessary. The ending was action packed and exciting and really solidified my absolute love for this book.
The bottom line
Although I initially had trouble getting into this book, I ended up loving it. I became fully enamored with the characters and now I can’t wait for the sequel that is planned for 2017. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who can get past a bit of info-dumping and hold out for the amazing characters and dialogue. It is absolutely worth it.
manoukreviews's review
3.0
It took me a while to read this book. It was a bit hard to start with this book in the beginning, but when I came closer to the end I wanted to know more. I love the time travelling and the different places the characters go to and I am curious for the second book. It gets a 3,5 star.
astheplotthickens24's review
3.0
Am I the only one who see the resemblance of this book to the Precious Stone Trilogy? All the crossing with yourself in time, grandfather who wants to control it and use it for his own benefit and stuff? But I suppose there's nothing unusual about it because both of the books are about time travelling. The overall factor is that this book is amazing, I love how the male protagonist fought for his right, though it took me a little while to get into the world of this book it was definitely worth it once you're in.
Sophia got what she deserve. Hahahahaha the ending is so unexpected! cliff hanger at it's best.
Sophia got what she deserve. Hahahahaha the ending is so unexpected! cliff hanger at it's best.
sccrethistory's review
4.0
“It's our choices that matter in the end. Not wishes, not words, not promises."
Yes, It have been 1 month since I started the book. The book was one of the most anticipated books in 2016 and even I liked it, it wasn't what I expected.
I liked the story that Alexandra Bracken wanted to show us but I don't like the love story, why? I felt that it was insta-love and I don't like that happend. Etta is the main character and I don't hate her but I don't love her.
Although, I will read the next one and I will try to think about the book a little bit more
4/5 stars and a 7/10
Yes, It have been 1 month since I started the book. The book was one of the most anticipated books in 2016 and even I liked it, it wasn't what I expected.
I liked the story that Alexandra Bracken wanted to show us but I don't like the love story, why? I felt that it was insta-love and I don't like that happend. Etta is the main character and I don't hate her but I don't love her.
Although, I will read the next one and I will try to think about the book a little bit more
4/5 stars and a 7/10
teeggzz's review
3.0
*3.5
So after absolutely loving TDM by Alex and all the hype around Passenger I thought I would really enjoy it but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed.
So let's start with the writing. Holy crap Alex's writing is so different compared to the writing in TDM. The book is also in third person which kinda made me feel disconnected from the characters. The pacing seemed like it was slow but it actually wasn't. Everything was at a good speed but I felt like the endless amounts of descriptions is what made it feel so slow. Sometimes it was a struggle to get through a chapter because they were so bulky and some summing up to around about 50 pages or more. There were also A LOT of info dumps, especially at the start. For the first 100 pages I was like, "wtf is going on?". I think because the world and time travel aspect was so complex it made it very hard to absorb in only a few pages. I'm also not up to date with my history so I had to google some things more than once.
The characters were alright to say the least. Etta I feel like didn't really have too much personality or quirk to her. I think her whole character was just built up from the fact that she's a violinist and that's about it. As with Nic had a bit of a backstory but I didn't really like him immensely. He had an annoyingly hot temper and was VERY over protective. He wouldn't let Etta have free rain to do what she wanted. For example in the jungle she wanders off for two seconds and then he's yelling at her and is like, "you promised you wouldn't run off without telling me again!" It's like, okay buddy calm down you've only known each other for a couple weeks.
Speaking of the romance I did kinda enjoy it. It was a well-rounded relationship even if it was a bit insta-lovey. You could tell they really cared about each other and they did have some fallout's which made it realistic. Although I felt like this book revolved around the romance and the "adventure" aspect was on the side. Yes, I know they were travelling through time and that's classed as "adventure" but I felt like all they thought about was how much they loved one another and each scene they were making out. Going into this novel I didn't expect it to be so romance heavy.
When Nic got stabbed I didn't cry, even though it looked as if he was about to die. When Etta DID die (supposedly) I didn't really feel anything either because I wasn't very invested in the characters. I mean they're average but I don't die hard love them.
And when we find out Rose killed Alice?! WTTFFFFFF. ALICE WAS MY FAVE CHARACTER!
I also predicted from the very start that Henry was Etta's father, it was just plain obvious.
Over all it was an alright book that was enjoyable in most parts although I was slightly let down. Definitely different from TDM and I might pick up Wayfarer.
So after absolutely loving TDM by Alex and all the hype around Passenger I thought I would really enjoy it but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed.
So let's start with the writing. Holy crap Alex's writing is so different compared to the writing in TDM. The book is also in third person which kinda made me feel disconnected from the characters. The pacing seemed like it was slow but it actually wasn't. Everything was at a good speed but I felt like the endless amounts of descriptions is what made it feel so slow. Sometimes it was a struggle to get through a chapter because they were so bulky and some summing up to around about 50 pages or more. There were also A LOT of info dumps, especially at the start. For the first 100 pages I was like, "wtf is going on?". I think because the world and time travel aspect was so complex it made it very hard to absorb in only a few pages. I'm also not up to date with my history so I had to google some things more than once.
The characters were alright to say the least. Etta I feel like didn't really have too much personality or quirk to her. I think her whole character was just built up from the fact that she's a violinist and that's about it. As with Nic had a bit of a backstory but I didn't really like him immensely. He had an annoyingly hot temper and was VERY over protective. He wouldn't let Etta have free rain to do what she wanted. For example in the jungle she wanders off for two seconds and then he's yelling at her and is like, "you promised you wouldn't run off without telling me again!" It's like, okay buddy calm down you've only known each other for a couple weeks.
Speaking of the romance I did kinda enjoy it. It was a well-rounded relationship even if it was a bit insta-lovey. You could tell they really cared about each other and they did have some fallout's which made it realistic. Although I felt like this book revolved around the romance and the "adventure" aspect was on the side. Yes, I know they were travelling through time and that's classed as "adventure" but I felt like all they thought about was how much they loved one another and each scene they were making out. Going into this novel I didn't expect it to be so romance heavy.
When Nic got stabbed I didn't cry, even though it looked as if he was about to die. When Etta DID die (supposedly) I didn't really feel anything either because I wasn't very invested in the characters. I mean they're average but I don't die hard love them.
And when we find out Rose killed Alice?! WTTFFFFFF. ALICE WAS MY FAVE CHARACTER!
I also predicted from the very start that Henry was Etta's father, it was just plain obvious.
Over all it was an alright book that was enjoyable in most parts although I was slightly let down. Definitely different from TDM and I might pick up Wayfarer.