Lacks the dramatic pizazz expected from a science-fiction thriller
Violations of time-traveling laws in the year 2123 threaten Ryan and Eden’s relationship.
Their story began in After Eden (2013), when Ryan time traveled back from 2123 to 2012 to complete a mission to save the human race. Success required enlisting the cooperation of 16-year-old Eden, whose knowledge of the future later made her a target of a “clean up” assassin from 2123. This sequel begins as Ryan frantically—and illegally—returns to 2012 to save her. But when the future officials realize what’s happened, they send another operative back to 2012 to retrieve the pair. Upon arriving back in 2123, Ryan is imprisoned and eventually sentenced to life in a lunar mining camp for illegal time travel. But Eden soon becomes something of a local celebrity, enjoying parties and outings with Ryan’s school friends, which readers may feel is disappointingly like life in 2012. This socializing undermines the sense of desperation she claims to feel about Ryan’s fate. In fact none of the characters—including Ryan’s friends and family—seem inclined to do much beyond accepting his fate and moving forward with their lives. Unfortunately, the dull characters and social interludes slow the novel’s pace. Eventually Eden rallies, concocting some escape plans that seem fairly simplistic considering the security technology readers would expect to be available in 2123. Interestingly, Eden and Ryan were depicted as white teens on the cover of After Eden, but this sequel depicts Eden as ethnically ambiguous and with dark hair rather than the red the text describes.
Lacks the dramatic pizazz expected from a science-fiction thriller . (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: July 19, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61963-410-7
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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