Reviews

An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim

savannahsteedley's review

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

secanno's review

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

lsparrow's review against another edition

4.0

One of those books that I read because of the author without knowing anything about the book. I was surprised and loved this story about the journy of love through time travel in dystopian(?)/post pandemic society. This is one of those stories that will circle around in your mind as you revisit the themes and scenes and questions of this book.

goneabroad71's review

adventurous 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? No

2.75

This book combines two things I love: a post-apocalypse setting and time travel. And yet, it just didn’t work for me. Polly’s story becomes an immigration tale (they even use real US visa categories for the indentured time travels!) and gets bogged down in a mundane situation. 

karmstrong_'s review against another edition

2.0

I'm rarely unable to finish a book - however this is one of them. Thoughts and sentences were quite disjointed and many paragraphs lacked any cohesive concepts. There was far too many description and unnecessary back story. A book about the future should be exciting, not droning about the past. While I cared for the main character, I didn't feel enough for her to want her to escape. I gave this read 2/5 stars instead of 1/5 because the theme of immigration was strong. Polly is an immigrant in the future and was mislead by her previous country, the past. This theme is what births care for Polly. Overall, this is not what I expected and was very difficult to read in terms of cohesion.

ayeshat99's review

fast-paced

3.0

allisonjoneshunt's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

beckicw's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

charlie_pearson's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

whatkatiemariereads's review against another edition

3.0

An Ocean of Minutes elegantly combines time travel and post-apocalyptic fiction in an unconventional yet uniquely fascinating tale.

What would it be like to travel to the future to save the one you love?

I was hooked from the opening chapter and premise; the scene is set but not as you may expect. The rest of the novel twists and turns and keeps you wanting more; a delicate combination of feeling subtly unsettled mixed with heightened anticipation for what happens next.

The characters are well portrayed and the writing flows, carrying you through the different moments, deftly intertwining past with present.