Passenger by Alexandra Bracken - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Passenger
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Recent Release Date: January 5, 2016

Synopsis: 
passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

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Review: Passenger is beautifully written. I was captured by the writing at the start. I love the concept of this book. Time travel is coming to YA and I'm loving it! 

I liked trying to figure out the mechanics of the time travel as I read the book, but I had a few problems with the way paradoxes were dealt with. Some things were just never fully explained. I really need to find an excellent article about how exactly the passages work. Or find a book club or group of people who have all read this book. Maybe the time travel will be more fledged out in the sequel. 

I really liked the use of music in this book. The protagonist is a violin prodigy and music also has a role in identifying passages, or time travel portals. 

There's a lot of romance over a short amount of time. And also a thought of inner thoughts. I wasn't a big fan of these aspects of the book. The overall feel of the book reminded me of Divergent. 

I really enjoyed this book, but there were parts that just didn't sit well with me. The romance and the inner thoughts that seemed to repeat themselves often weren't my favorite parts. I also wasn't too keen on all the dynamics of the time traveling. I give this book a 4/5. I recommend it and will definitely be looking for the sequel! 

Now, let's try to figure out this time travel. SPOILERS may follow. All the passages have a set location and a set year, but not a date. I'm guessing that at the end of the year (whether it's lunar or calendar) the year resets and begins again. Passengers can only occupy a time period once. There are only a select group of people who can travel through the passages. Others guard these passages. I'm guessing they just have a very busy year in which the portal is active if it always takes passengers to the same year, although they receive communications in some way. But somehow, time can be changed. And there are effects of that in that people are from lost timelines. I'm confusing myself, again. I just could not get the time travel mechanic down. I think I need to find a twitter chat about this book!


--PAUL