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dennistraub's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, just wow! I picked this book up last night and read it in two long sittings with just a break for a little sleep and a few hours of work in between. I'm completely blown away. I literally could not stop reading and on the final pages I had tears running down my face. The last book that touched me this much was Replay by Ken Grimwood.
sevaspeto's review
5.0
For as wonky as time travel has the potential to be, Here And Now And Then has a really fresh and interesting perspective on the nature of relationships and some practical considerations that are often untouched. It's written pragmatically, but with heart, and tells an incredibly compelling story of loss, love, and what we're really willing to put on the line for the people we care about. Absolutely loved it =0)
aeviternus's review
5.0
Every once in a while there’s the rare book that skillfully blends science fiction with complex emotional dilemmas that engage the reader intensely with the characters presented on the page. Rather than using sci fi as an allegory or overt social commentary, Chen uses it to dive into deep human emotions that left me uncertain about how the protagonist should feel and what he should value above all else.
Perhaps it’s because I’m a new father myself, but this book struck parts of my heartstrings as it revealed and artfully explored the depth of love that a father has for his daughter. No matter the distractions, impediments, or personal sacrifice, Kin was bound by a love more powerful than trivial obstacles like time. This was a book that was so good it hurt to put down.
Perhaps it’s because I’m a new father myself, but this book struck parts of my heartstrings as it revealed and artfully explored the depth of love that a father has for his daughter. No matter the distractions, impediments, or personal sacrifice, Kin was bound by a love more powerful than trivial obstacles like time. This was a book that was so good it hurt to put down.
humanignorance's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. The plot was acceptable and moved along relatively briskly, but that’s about all that this book had going for it. The emotional buildup the author was aiming for didn’t feel effective, there was too much internal thinking about possibilities that never came to pass, and the issues with paradoxes and timelines that make time travel novels interesting were criminally underexplored.
jelliclecax's review against another edition
Library loan was over and other books were more interesting. Might enjoy better as a physical copy? Didn’t love the narrator.
arielsage's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a beautiful book about the love a father has for his families and, because there are *two* families, his struggles to maintain those relationships. It’s a bittersweet tale with lots of uncertainties and lots of goodbyes.
This is the second book I’ve read by Mike Chen. Like the first I read, Light Years from Home, this was a story of families and love and loss. There’s a lot of anger and feelings of resentment and bewilderment at being abandoned, but there’s also tolerance and a willingness to try to understand.
It reminded me a bit of the movie Cast Away, where Tom Hanks is gone for so long that Helen Hunt remarries, though the movie only briefly addresses Helen Hunt’s confusion. The pain of these characters is wrenching and it was sad to see how conflicted Kin was when torn between his two families.
The book is a reminder that both time and love are precious. I know I sound sappy but this was a really powerful story. I’ll be thinking of it a long time.
This is the second book I’ve read by Mike Chen. Like the first I read, Light Years from Home, this was a story of families and love and loss. There’s a lot of anger and feelings of resentment and bewilderment at being abandoned, but there’s also tolerance and a willingness to try to understand.
It reminded me a bit of the movie Cast Away, where Tom Hanks is gone for so long that Helen Hunt remarries, though the movie only briefly addresses Helen Hunt’s confusion. The pain of these characters is wrenching and it was sad to see how conflicted Kin was when torn between his two families.
The book is a reminder that both time and love are precious. I know I sound sappy but this was a really powerful story. I’ll be thinking of it a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Grief
cathyatratedreads's review against another edition
4.0
Here and Now and Then is a story about time travel, but it’s mostly about family and the parent-child bond. The interactions between Kin and his past family and future fiancée and friends feel real and exhibit the mix of fun, closeness and difficulties that exist in any relationship. His love for his daughter is the driving force of much of the story, and how everything plays out is sweet and poignant and fits together so nicely.
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/the-ingenious-fiction-book-review/
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/the-ingenious-fiction-book-review/
wordyanchorite's review
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I didn't think there was much left to be done with time travel stories. Chen keeps the well-worn setup from feeling stale by centering the book on relationships and the conflicts the protagonist faces in choosing between two time periods.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Grief, and Abandonment
jwrosenberg69's review
3.0
I like Time Travel books; I liked this one. Held my attention all the way through. Good book. 3 stars for me is a good book.