Monday 3 October 2016

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

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.



-- Goodreads.com --

Passenger was one of my most anticipated 2016 releases and sadly it turned out to be a disappointment. Even though I really loved the time travel aspect of the book, I couldn't get over the writing style. To be honest, it is one of the worst writing styles I've ever read. I hated it. I would have dnf'ed this book if I were in the habit of doing that, but I rarely do. It does get better near the end, as the characters travel to different time periods but I never felt invested in reading it. I couldn't get attached to any of the characters at all, which is something I need in a young adult book.

Even though I didn't enjoy the writing style, I did like the fact that Nicolas was a diverse character and I enjoyed how people reacted to him in different time periods, that was an interesting part of the story and I believe we need more diverse characters like Nicolas in young adult fantasy books!

In the end I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars, but I'm being generous. I do realize not everyone might have the same problems as I do, so if you really want to read this book, I would recommend borrowing it instead of spending a lot of money on the hardback. (The hardback itself is quite beautiful, though).

Note: I read and reviewed Passenger in June but somehow forgot to post it. I would probably rate it less stars now.

Have you read Passenger? Or are you planning to? Leave your thoughts down below!

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