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adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I cannot understand how this book is so popular. It tries to be every genre (romance, science fiction, historical fiction, mystery) without effectively being even one genre. It offers way too many details during the most disturbing parts of the book at the end and uses some of the most well-worn time travel tropes indiscriminately, throwing in plot twists that seem used only to try and distinguish this book from other time travel books (and make up for the whole “this book is about time travel and makes no sense, so we won’t bother trying to explain it to you” disclaimer in the first 10 pages, which is nothing if not lazy writing). The conclusion makes no sense and answers no questions, and the main protagonist somehow both is impacted severely by generational and current day traumas that define her character throughout the book and somehow “cured” via one internal monologue that lasts slightly over one page in the last five pages. The protagonist also bashes therapy multiple times, which I found hugely distasteful.
I should end with this books sole redeeming qualities, which were: (1) the author’s investigations into the multifaceted nature of identity, which were unfortunately too scarce throughout the book to make a read worthwhile; and (2) the commentary on immigration, which while shoehorned in felt important for the year 2025.
In short, don’t waste your time, and consider rewatching Dr. Who if you want to ponder time travel.
I should end with this books sole redeeming qualities, which were: (1) the author’s investigations into the multifaceted nature of identity, which were unfortunately too scarce throughout the book to make a read worthwhile; and (2) the commentary on immigration, which while shoehorned in felt important for the year 2025.
In short, don’t waste your time, and consider rewatching Dr. Who if you want to ponder time travel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
A wonderfully, poetically written story about love, longing, and introspection.
An intriguing debut novel, with obvious self insterts by the author and an unusual obsession with an obscure Arctic explorer (but who am I to judge anyone’s obsessions?). This was the second book I reserved at the library, and I had to wait a month to get my hands on it. (I'm still waiting in line for the first one.) Although I can’t remember why I placed the reservation, it must have been because this novel was voted Readers' Favorite Science Fiction at the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards.
My point is that, in terms of sci-fi, I would classify this novel as "sci-fi light." It didn’t exactly fulfill my sci-fi cravings.
Still, I found myself mesmerized by the unusual metaphors and the quiet longing between the two main characters, although I wouldn't exactly call it a romance either. What I appreciated most about this story weren’t the advertised themes of romance and sci-fi, but the careful examination of contemporary issues like the modern workplace and present-day racism, which I found quite insightful.
This wasn’t the perfect story, and I feel slightly melancholic about that because it seems like the author was so close to writing a truly poignant one.
An intriguing debut novel, with obvious self insterts by the author and an unusual obsession with an obscure Arctic explorer (but who am I to judge anyone’s obsessions?). This was the second book I reserved at the library, and I had to wait a month to get my hands on it. (I'm still waiting in line for the first one.) Although I can’t remember why I placed the reservation, it must have been because this novel was voted Readers' Favorite Science Fiction at the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards.
My point is that, in terms of sci-fi, I would classify this novel as "sci-fi light." It didn’t exactly fulfill my sci-fi cravings.
Still, I found myself mesmerized by the unusual metaphors and the quiet longing between the two main characters, although I wouldn't exactly call it a romance either. What I appreciated most about this story weren’t the advertised themes of romance and sci-fi, but the careful examination of contemporary issues like the modern workplace and present-day racism, which I found quite insightful.
This wasn’t the perfect story, and I feel slightly melancholic about that because it seems like the author was so close to writing a truly poignant one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism, Cannibalism, Murder
Minor: Genocide, Homophobia, Slavery, War
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Deportation
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I found myself laughing at the conversations between the characters and the observations of the expats. It was more layered than I expected, with twists I certainly did not see coming.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Cannibalism
Minor: Death, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Murder
Minor: Vomit
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting premise with piss poor execution and very boring
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Colonisation
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual content
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was interesting, but definitely was nothing close to what I was expecting and it felt like I got lost in the plot a bit because it went all over the place very suddenly about halfway through. I think I was expecting this to be more romance forward and it definitely was not. It felt more like a science fiction category book with a romance subplot. The time travel was really interesting in the beginning and vague enough for me to follow with ease and as the story went on it felt like everything went off the rails in an effort to make the plot more intense, which felt pretty unnecessary to me.
I didn't dislike the book, but I also didn't love it, hence the 3 stars.
I didn't dislike the book, but I also didn't love it, hence the 3 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Murder
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the slowest, most boring books I've ever read. When the plot does finally start (last 100 pages) its incredibly pretentious.
I honestly found the whole book quite creepy and pathetic
I honestly found the whole book quite creepy and pathetic
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Blood, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Classism, Deportation