Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
might come back to it later but this is losing a bit of steam for me
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
THIS JUST REWIRED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Very interesting and original but oh so complicated! I spent a good chunk of this just barely keeping up with the thread of the story, as it not only jumps back and forward to gradually flesh out the character backgrounds, but there's also time travel and multiple time lines and amnesia, so I found it really hard to follow. The main characters are all quite intense and unpredictable as well, which didn't help my struggle to understand. Joe Tournier arrives at a train station in London in the 1800s with no memory of who he is or how he got there. In his time the French won the battle of Trafalgar and so everyone in Londres speaks French and the English are regarded as inferior, with Joe himself living as a slave. He receives a mysterious postcard with a picture of a lighthouse, sent 100 years ago and waiting for him at the post office all that time, and eventually tracks down the lighthouse and finds a time portal back to the late 1700s, where the English navy is still trying to win against the French, and Joe's engineering talents are in high demand. Very convoluted plot but the overall theme of love triumphing over several lifetimes was heartwarming.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The time travel is really good (all stars are for that), and the whole reason I read the book. However, it was too slow for me. The first half was intriguing and a good read. I disliked the second half of the book because it jumped back and forth between times and perspectives. The writing suffered a bit imo. It was sometimes hard to follow. There were sections where pronouns were used and it wasn't obvious to whom the pronouns referred. I also don't care for Napoleonic War historical fantasy or really war in general. If you are ok with spoilers, I think it was much more enjoyable to read knowing that Joe is Jem and he and Kite are in love. Nevertheless, I skimmed the last half of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Rape