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smiley938's review against another edition
3.0
At times, it seems to be trying too hard but overall, it's a good story.
gkcf's review against another edition
mysterious
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
4.75
ecruikshank's review against another edition
3.0
Still processing this one. The writing style is beautiful and somewhat ethereal. I enjoyed the present-day timeline(s) much more than the earlier timeline; the dialogue in the earlier timeline felt caricatured, and it all fell a little flat to me. I think what the author was trying to do was super cool and ambitious, and I actually loved the way the modern plot skipped around and kept the reader off balance. But I’m not sure the book as a whole ultimately succeeded, and I’m still not sure how to think about the theory underlying the novel.
the_booker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
missrrg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
betweenbookends's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
I really liked this literary, historical, time travel mishmash of a novel despite some of its gaping flaws. It opens in the year 2000 in a slightly utopic version of New York. Kate and Ben meet at this boho-chic uptown party and have this electric attraction for each other and they hit-it-off right away. You soon come to realize that Kate has these intensely realistic dreams where she finds herself in Elizabethan England leading a parallel life as a mistress to an English noble, a character speculated to be ‘the Dark Lady’ of Shakespeare's more bawdy sonnets. Every time she wakes up, she finds small details of her life as Kate altered, while every now and then, visions of a burning city plague her. Kate increasingly begins to believe her actions in the past, however inconsequential, torpedo to have far-reaching consequences in the present. As the novel progresses, both timelines increasingly coalesce and Kate’s mental stability gradually deteriorates.
Newman’s novel is a fascinating meditation on the Great Man Theory, a few men of profound significance altering the course of history, as well as the butterfly effect, small acts having far-reaching consequences. These concepts though are slightly heavy-handed. To the extent, that Kate actually mentions them in the initial few pages of the novel. A little subtlety and trust that her readers would understand would have helped? While these ideas are incredibly interesting, the execution is not near as perfect. The historical timeline initially bored me. The logical loopholes seemed too large to ignore, even with some suspension of belief. The character development also felt a little lazy. I didn’t particularly care for any of these characters. But the story was compelling enough to keep me interested. Despite my criticisms, it’s definitely one I’d recommend. A well written, whacky, joy-ride of a novel that keeps you guessing till the end.
I really liked this literary, historical, time travel mishmash of a novel despite some of its gaping flaws. It opens in the year 2000 in a slightly utopic version of New York. Kate and Ben meet at this boho-chic uptown party and have this electric attraction for each other and they hit-it-off right away. You soon come to realize that Kate has these intensely realistic dreams where she finds herself in Elizabethan England leading a parallel life as a mistress to an English noble, a character speculated to be ‘the Dark Lady’ of Shakespeare's more bawdy sonnets. Every time she wakes up, she finds small details of her life as Kate altered, while every now and then, visions of a burning city plague her. Kate increasingly begins to believe her actions in the past, however inconsequential, torpedo to have far-reaching consequences in the present. As the novel progresses, both timelines increasingly coalesce and Kate’s mental stability gradually deteriorates.
Newman’s novel is a fascinating meditation on the Great Man Theory, a few men of profound significance altering the course of history, as well as the butterfly effect, small acts having far-reaching consequences. These concepts though are slightly heavy-handed. To the extent, that Kate actually mentions them in the initial few pages of the novel. A little subtlety and trust that her readers would understand would have helped? While these ideas are incredibly interesting, the execution is not near as perfect. The historical timeline initially bored me. The logical loopholes seemed too large to ignore, even with some suspension of belief. The character development also felt a little lazy. I didn’t particularly care for any of these characters. But the story was compelling enough to keep me interested. Despite my criticisms, it’s definitely one I’d recommend. A well written, whacky, joy-ride of a novel that keeps you guessing till the end.
jemk00's review against another edition
4.0
Fabulous concept executed exceptionally well!! I will agree with another reviewer and say that the 1590s timeline could have been more fleshed out but all in all this was a fun, short and exciting read
areaxbiologist's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
atgerstner's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The idea is great but the execution was . . . odd.