DREAMTIME

In Arnett’s debut fantasy, a boy who becomes a seaman in the early 1800s somehow finds himself in the mid-20th century, where he befriends a young Aussie girl.

A mute boy discovers a wounded girl on the beach in 1820s England. With her throat slashed, she seemingly transfers her essence to the boy before dying. Mr. Douglas, father to now deceased Annie, names the boy Mick and gets him a job aboard the Ariel, where Douglas also works. After a decade, Mick, about 18 years old, is still a crewman on the ship, which regularly transports convicts to Australia. His only source of friction is crew member Mallar, who has a disturbing affinity for young children and a hatred of most people, particularly those of color. Mick is suddenly alone in Australia, where he meets Maddie, an Annie look-alike. It’s 1955, and Mick can’t explain how he got there or his newfound healing ability. The novel subsequently toggles between time periods as Mick and Maddie become close friends. Unfortunately, Mallar somehow crops up in both centuries as well, planning a mutiny on the ship and harboring deadly intent toward Maddie. Although Arnett drops a few hints to explain Mick’s time travel, the author concentrates on a multifaceted cast. Mick is a sympathetic protagonist, but others on the Ariel are equally memorable, especially Douglas and Jimbo, an African whom Capt. Roy helped get out of slavery. In the 20th century, however, Mick can’t quite steal the spotlight from endearingly bossy Maddie or her canine companion, Miss Judy, who practically demands people shake her paw. Though Arnett’s prose is simple and unadorned, descriptions of violence perpetrated by Mallar are unquestionably harrowing. But the novel is also frequently charming, especially when exploring Mick’s fascination with 1955 automobiles and cinema.

The plot is imaginative and otherworldly, but the biggest draw is the down-to-earth, indelible cast of characters.