My reading conditions for this book were not ideal. Let’s start with that. First of all, it’s science fiction – a genre I’ve dabbled with, but not too deeply. Secondly, I rushed through it, reading it all in one day so I could return my library books on time. I will readily admit that I did not give this book the time or attention it deserves. So take my review with a grain of salt.
My general impression of this book is that it’s confusing. It involves time travel, which is becoming big in the world of YA and contemporary fiction. But this is the science fictional spin on it, so it’s rather more technical than a simple plot device. The main character is a time travel technician. He fixes people’s broken time machines. He’s a bit of a loner, preferring to hang out outside of time in his own time machine. His father has gone missing, and the overarching theme of the book is this tortured father-son relationship. Then he gets stuck in a time loop and things get even more complicated.
I found many similarities to Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but with less humor. Douglas Adams crossed with Jean-Paul Sartre, with a dash of Jasper Fforde thrown in (in the science fictional aspects of the world). The author seemed to be confused about exactly what style of writing he was aiming for.
If I had more time to read this book, I probably would have liked it better. I could have reread and actually tried to understand the more technical aspects of the world. I could have dived deeper into examining the relationship between the father and the son. I have no doubt that this is a book that holds truth about our world and our relationships. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have the time to find it.
My general impression of this book is that it’s confusing. It involves time travel, which is becoming big in the world of YA and contemporary fiction. But this is the science fictional spin on it, so it’s rather more technical than a simple plot device. The main character is a time travel technician. He fixes people’s broken time machines. He’s a bit of a loner, preferring to hang out outside of time in his own time machine. His father has gone missing, and the overarching theme of the book is this tortured father-son relationship. Then he gets stuck in a time loop and things get even more complicated.
I found many similarities to Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but with less humor. Douglas Adams crossed with Jean-Paul Sartre, with a dash of Jasper Fforde thrown in (in the science fictional aspects of the world). The author seemed to be confused about exactly what style of writing he was aiming for.
If I had more time to read this book, I probably would have liked it better. I could have reread and actually tried to understand the more technical aspects of the world. I could have dived deeper into examining the relationship between the father and the son. I have no doubt that this is a book that holds truth about our world and our relationships. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have the time to find it.
 Meaning |
RSS Feed
