Reviews

Time Squared by Lesley Krueger

missteddybearears's review against another edition

2.0

I wanted to love this; there were a lot of elements that are usually “up my alley” but all together it was just ok.

ragelbagel's review

This book is honestly so terrible (but also could be great for someone else!). The summary/description didn’t accurately describe the book so I was also confused for a while because of that

elsie_af's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I really enjoyed seeing Eleanor falling in love, tackling becoming a woman, over and over in different time periods. I'd say the blurb overplays her role in figuring out what's going on, it seems to only happen towards the end. 

My big gripe is there's a character who loves Man U football club because he's a Yorkshireman from Leeds...which doesn't make sense at all really! 

I would also have liked to see the 'twist' explored more, it felt quite rushed towards the end. There were interesting themes around class, queerness and otherness that popped up but weren't fully fleshed out, which felt like a shame when I really enjoyed seeing how they changed over time. 

I also assumed that

the ending would pose another question. Elizabeth mentions it's more interesting for her to make choices when she's wealthy. So I was excited when she woke up in a smaller flat obviously struggling with money more than she has before BUT she is finally marrying Rob/Robin/Robert. I anticipated a second twist where she makes a final choice between the love of her life (who is mentally quite ill) and the life she's built. But ahhh it was not to be!

mermaidsinc's review against another edition

2.0

I just didn’t care. This book tries to be so many genres but doesn’t find its groove and is just a mess. I had to look to see if was a first novel it’s so formulaic it felt like the author had been to a ‘how to write a novel’ course. Over promises and under delivers.

Having struggled to the end (audio book so had it on in the car), there was a great concept buried at the end. I would have enjoyed it more if that had been revealed at the start it would have made more sense of the story for the reader, and given more weight and depth. I much preferred Life after Life by Kate Atkinson in this genre.

feralsquirrel's review against another edition

Gave it a good try but was a DNF for me. It didn't hold my attention for more than the first two chapters, though to be fair, I'm not very into historical-type novels.

brennieree33's review against another edition

3.0

This was a really fun book! It went in a direction I wasn't even thinking of, and the way the author set up the twist blew my mind. Such a cool story, and I loved Eleanor. She was such a fun character to follow.

_ pages
TW: talk of war, grief, PTSD

annacolb's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

noranne's review

slow-paced

3.5

It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize what was happening in this book, probably not aided by listening to it so I didn't have the dates right in front of me. Also I just don't really know when a lot of wars took place apparently. It wasn't until WWII that it twigged. 

I was like, jeez, they really waited over 20 years to get married?? I had also been wondering when we were finally going to get to the time travel stuff hinted at in the prologue.

But then it all clicked into place!

At about 75% I thought I knew what was going on, but it took a left turn I did not expect. It wasn't disappointing, exactly, and I liked the idea, but I thought the execution was a little flawed. 

I also didn't really see Lizzie and Charles as these big antagonists who were doing bad things. They were like PhD students running experiments? And some bit of code is like talking back to them? They can even read her mind! I dunno, I just didn't feel that bad for Eleanor at that point. So what if they pulled the plug on her? Like it's nice that she and Robin got their happyish ending (with a weird sudden class awareness thrown in?) but it's not real. And it's not like I can't feel emotions about characters in books, but maybe two layers of fiction was just a bit too much for me. Also they made Eleanor so terribly unlikable in that era too.

 

dralyrose's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

I actually can’t remember if I finished this one or not, but I remember thinking that the story itself wasn’t nearly as interesting as the synopsis. As I was listening to the audiobook I kept thinking I must have missed something, or kept waiting for the connection between lives described in the summary. I kept getting the impression that this was a historical fiction where some publisher said “we need to make it more unique. I know, go back in and add some time-hopping visions.” But again, I don’t even recall if I finished the book or gave up on it so maybe it all makes sense and I just missed the point.

starmimi's review against another edition

Not in the mood