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hannalliem's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mcmendez's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
c1nah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
spyralnode's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Pim Wangtechawat's prose is awe-inspiring. Throughout I was stopping to take the sentences in, to seep into the beautiful images that she creates and delight in the emotions she expresses.
This is a family epic, a time travel story, and one that is deeply heart-wrenching with an intense tone of grief. Joshua and Lily, in their 30s, travel through time with their twins, Tommy and Eva, aged 12. They each possess this ability, but each with their unique quirk. Joshua can only travel to Hong Kong, Lily only in England, Tommy only between 1900 and 1950 and Eva only where she has a family member. Joshua would like to extend his skillset, and as such pushes himself and Lily to try to get further past than 1900, which is a constraint for all of them, as well as to other parts of the world. But following one such experiment Joshua and Lily disappear.
The chapters alternate between different characters at different moments in time. We come to understand how Joshua and Lily met and their challenges through life, for example Joshua emigrating from Hong Kong, where he lived in the Kowloon Walled City (an architectural feat I've always been fascinated by for its insane density) and meeting racism in the UK, or Lily facind disapproval from her family because of Joshua's financial prospects. After losing them, Tommy becomes even more closed within himself, living more deeply in the past that he travels to than the present he is anchored to. And Eva seeks to form more intimate bonds with her remaining family, while being given access to exclusive moments through her abilities.
The feelings explored here read incredibly personal, and often offer a different perspective on an experience I may have already had, for example:
'He never says, or even considers, the word "love".
To him, the word is
too crass, too crude,
too inadequate
for all she means to him.'
And I understand perfectly what the author intends to say with this, when our vocabulary just isn't enough for how overwhelmed our senses get. This was told so gracefully, so charmingly and yet so clearly and to the point.
By the way, some of the book is formatted in prose, some in poetry. It didn't change my impression of the text I was reading, and the verses didn't seem forced to fit a certain style.
I really appreciated the writing style, the time travel mechanism and how much was told yet how little, as well as the historical context that navigates England and Hong Kong. The characters were developing throughout, learning more about their universe, their possibilities and thereby themselves. I got frustrated on occasion when they made life difficult for themselves, and I was beaming when they encountered happiness.
This read very original to me with the themes it brought together, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
This is a family epic, a time travel story, and one that is deeply heart-wrenching with an intense tone of grief. Joshua and Lily, in their 30s, travel through time with their twins, Tommy and Eva, aged 12. They each possess this ability, but each with their unique quirk. Joshua can only travel to Hong Kong, Lily only in England, Tommy only between 1900 and 1950 and Eva only where she has a family member. Joshua would like to extend his skillset, and as such pushes himself and Lily to try to get further past than 1900, which is a constraint for all of them, as well as to other parts of the world. But following one such experiment Joshua and Lily disappear.
The chapters alternate between different characters at different moments in time. We come to understand how Joshua and Lily met and their challenges through life, for example Joshua emigrating from Hong Kong, where he lived in the Kowloon Walled City (an architectural feat I've always been fascinated by for its insane density) and meeting racism in the UK, or Lily facind disapproval from her family because of Joshua's financial prospects. After losing them, Tommy becomes even more closed within himself, living more deeply in the past that he travels to than the present he is anchored to. And Eva seeks to form more intimate bonds with her remaining family, while being given access to exclusive moments through her abilities.
The feelings explored here read incredibly personal, and often offer a different perspective on an experience I may have already had, for example:
'He never says, or even considers, the word "love".
To him, the word is
too crass, too crude,
too inadequate
for all she means to him.'
And I understand perfectly what the author intends to say with this, when our vocabulary just isn't enough for how overwhelmed our senses get. This was told so gracefully, so charmingly and yet so clearly and to the point.
By the way, some of the book is formatted in prose, some in poetry. It didn't change my impression of the text I was reading, and the verses didn't seem forced to fit a certain style.
I really appreciated the writing style, the time travel mechanism and how much was told yet how little, as well as the historical context that navigates England and Hong Kong. The characters were developing throughout, learning more about their universe, their possibilities and thereby themselves. I got frustrated on occasion when they made life difficult for themselves, and I was beaming when they encountered happiness.
This read very original to me with the themes it brought together, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
jsrogers123's review against another edition
5.0
Stunning. There were several points where I had to stop reading to sit with a particularly beautiful passage. Just so lovely and original.
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Beautifully written, but I was hoping there was going to be more historical depth and that I would learn more than I did about historical events.
little_miss_book_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, War, and Deportation
emiliagrala's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
theocbs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
I enjoyed reading this mostly because of the style and the depth of the characters. Also thought it was very well executed, the time travel didn’t make it feel like a wild sci fi book or anything, it managed to fit very naturally into what was otherwise just a normal world. There was nothing about the plot that completely blew me away, but a nice ending and just an enjoyable read