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The Girl from Everywhere #1
The Girl from Everywhere
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Debut Goodreads Author (2016)Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.
As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.
But the end to it all looms closer every day.
Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.
For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.
She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.
Or she could disappear.
As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.
But the end to it all looms closer every day.
Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.
For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.
She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.
Or she could disappear.
454 pages, Hardcover
First published February 16, 2016
About the author
Heidi Heilig
9 books1,332 followersHeidi grew up in Hawaii where she rode horses and raised peacocks, and then she moved to New York City and grew up even more, as one tends to do. Her favorite thing, outside of writing, is travel, and she has haggled for rugs in Morocco, hiked the trails of the Ko'olau Valley, and huddled in a tent in Africa while lions roared in the dark.
She holds an MFA from New York University in Musical Theatre Writing, of all things, and she's written books and lyrics for shows including The Time Travelers Convention, Under Construction, and The Hole. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their pet snake, whose wings will likely grow in any day now.
She holds an MFA from New York University in Musical Theatre Writing, of all things, and she's written books and lyrics for shows including The Time Travelers Convention, Under Construction, and The Hole. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their pet snake, whose wings will likely grow in any day now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,805 reviews
February 22, 2016
If you enjoyed Bracken's Passenger and would like to read that book again, then I recommend The Girl from Everywhere. Otherwise, it's best to just add this to the ever-growing mental pile of "boring time travel books w/ romance". And also pirates (strange trending niche?)
The best thing about this book is Kashmir, and that is probably why I tagged on an extra star. He's a funny, charming, intelligent character that brings a much-needed bright spark to this otherwise slow, plodding, overlong story.
Not that I have a problem with long books, but you can really feel it here. It's almost five hundred pages and, boy, does it draaggggg. As with Passenger, it promises an exciting combination of time travel and pirating (in many ways, it feels like the same book), but it is bogged down by descriptions of ship life and navigation.
It just really lacks a hook. Kashmir is not central enough to carry the story and Nix is so damn boring. Her narrative never pulls you into the story and it's very hard to become invested and care about what's going to happen. Oh, and there's a love triangle that comes swinging in out of nowhere.
There's something about this love triangle that feels so forced. Almost as if the author set out with the intention of creating a love triangle just because... they sell good? In this case, the introduction of a love triangle just made me irritated with Nix.
Kashmir is eligible bachelor number one and - I think(?) - the only real choice. Because he's the only one with an actual personality. The other guy is characterized by his physical description and he's so hopelessly dumb and one-dimensional.
Don't get me wrong, though, I don't think a girl should have to be with a guy because he's nice and he loves her. It's totally fine if Nix is not into Kashmir - she doesn't owe him something for being a good guy. But I also have no interest in her making moon eyes at a bland, beautiful cardboard cutout. Or kissing them both because ANGST.
I'd rather go find something else to read.
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The best thing about this book is Kashmir, and that is probably why I tagged on an extra star. He's a funny, charming, intelligent character that brings a much-needed bright spark to this otherwise slow, plodding, overlong story.
Not that I have a problem with long books, but you can really feel it here. It's almost five hundred pages and, boy, does it draaggggg. As with Passenger, it promises an exciting combination of time travel and pirating (in many ways, it feels like the same book), but it is bogged down by descriptions of ship life and navigation.
It just really lacks a hook. Kashmir is not central enough to carry the story and Nix is so damn boring. Her narrative never pulls you into the story and it's very hard to become invested and care about what's going to happen. Oh, and there's a love triangle that comes swinging in out of nowhere.
There's something about this love triangle that feels so forced. Almost as if the author set out with the intention of creating a love triangle just because... they sell good? In this case, the introduction of a love triangle just made me irritated with Nix.
Kashmir is eligible bachelor number one and - I think(?) - the only real choice. Because he's the only one with an actual personality. The other guy is characterized by his physical description and he's so hopelessly dumb and one-dimensional.
Don't get me wrong, though, I don't think a girl should have to be with a guy because he's nice and he loves her. It's totally fine if Nix is not into Kashmir - she doesn't owe him something for being a good guy. But I also have no interest in her making moon eyes at a bland, beautiful cardboard cutout. Or kissing them both because ANGST.
I'd rather go find something else to read.
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February 14, 2017
I so wanted to love this book, I mean the premise sounds unreal, but I am just so conflicted in my feelings about it. There were things I really liked, but also things I really didn't like. Most of my reading experience was spent trying to figure out what the hell was going on because while the story is descriptive, it doesn't describe what is actually happening, the descriptions just set the scene. I guess my feelings can be summed up fairly easily by saying that I just wanted more. More explanations, more action, more character development, more world building, etc. I'll definitely be doing a video review soon because I do have quite a bit to say about this one.
March 7, 2016
Quick Review: Wow. Just wow! I'm absolutely floored by the brilliantly crafted story of The Girl From Everywhere. My favorite part of the novel is a three-way tie between the aesthetic setting, so perfectly captured in both feel and culture, the relationship between Nix and her father, and the premise of time travel in association with the maps.
Overall this book is truly something special and should definitely be a book you check out.
Full Review:
Let me start by saying what a brilliant author Heidi is. Not only is her story engaging, but her meticulous planning and artful weaving of the plot leaves my mind blown with all expectations hit out of the proverbial park.
"Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. There's only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not."
The majority of this book takes place in late 1800's Hawaii, and I love how well Heidi captures the vibes and feel of the paradisiacal island of Oahu. Her descriptions and tenderness towards the setting has me anxious to visit and feel and experience everything just as these characters did. I also really appreciated how Heidi captured the turning point where Hawaii lost more of its Hawaiian charm, culture, and authenticity and became overrun by foreign influence. It's a sad and tragic past, but someone has to tell it. So often it's written off as inconsequential, but Hawaii was annexed and diminished from its natural peacefulness in such a horrid way.
The main character, Nix is really intuitive and easy to relate to. She struggles with her warring desires and her idea of home and family. Slate, her father, is quite an enigmatic and complex person. I loved his development in the book. Kashmir is dashing and the wittiest comic relief. The secondary characters were fleshed out and each had their own respective backstories. Mostly everyone was likable too. One of my favorite parts of the book was the evolving relationship between Nix and Slate. Slate's monomaniacal obsession with saving Nix's mother in the past really fractured any genuine father-daughter relationship. I loved seeing their relationship grow, and my favorite scene in the whole novel happens between these two.
The romance in this book is kept to a minimum and although it looks like there might be a love triangle forming, it's hardly there at all and won't overshadow the plot or your love for the book. Also this is a duology, so everything will develop and sort itself out in the next book.
I was hooked on this book immediately from the beginning. The idea of this story is so well developed and explained. It was fascinating learning about the time travel and the importance of maps. I love how Heidi mixed various fantasy/myth and historical elements into her story. We get to read of places and elements we're familiar with and other creatures and destinations that are innovative creations. Some parts were a bit confusing at times with the time travel, but everything happens for a reason, and all is revealed by the end. There are so many unexpected events in this novel; the unpredictability of this adventure novel was a definite hit for me. I also love the incorporation of diverse cultures placed in the novel.
This book could read as a standalone, but there's one more book to give us another amazing adventure with this great cast of characters and a phenomenal author. I can't recommend this book enough!
Overall this book is truly something special and should definitely be a book you check out.
Full Review:
Let me start by saying what a brilliant author Heidi is. Not only is her story engaging, but her meticulous planning and artful weaving of the plot leaves my mind blown with all expectations hit out of the proverbial park.
"Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. There's only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not."
The majority of this book takes place in late 1800's Hawaii, and I love how well Heidi captures the vibes and feel of the paradisiacal island of Oahu. Her descriptions and tenderness towards the setting has me anxious to visit and feel and experience everything just as these characters did. I also really appreciated how Heidi captured the turning point where Hawaii lost more of its Hawaiian charm, culture, and authenticity and became overrun by foreign influence. It's a sad and tragic past, but someone has to tell it. So often it's written off as inconsequential, but Hawaii was annexed and diminished from its natural peacefulness in such a horrid way.
The main character, Nix is really intuitive and easy to relate to. She struggles with her warring desires and her idea of home and family. Slate, her father, is quite an enigmatic and complex person. I loved his development in the book. Kashmir is dashing and the wittiest comic relief. The secondary characters were fleshed out and each had their own respective backstories. Mostly everyone was likable too. One of my favorite parts of the book was the evolving relationship between Nix and Slate. Slate's monomaniacal obsession with saving Nix's mother in the past really fractured any genuine father-daughter relationship. I loved seeing their relationship grow, and my favorite scene in the whole novel happens between these two.
The romance in this book is kept to a minimum and although it looks like there might be a love triangle forming, it's hardly there at all and won't overshadow the plot or your love for the book. Also this is a duology, so everything will develop and sort itself out in the next book.
I was hooked on this book immediately from the beginning. The idea of this story is so well developed and explained. It was fascinating learning about the time travel and the importance of maps. I love how Heidi mixed various fantasy/myth and historical elements into her story. We get to read of places and elements we're familiar with and other creatures and destinations that are innovative creations. Some parts were a bit confusing at times with the time travel, but everything happens for a reason, and all is revealed by the end. There are so many unexpected events in this novel; the unpredictability of this adventure novel was a definite hit for me. I also love the incorporation of diverse cultures placed in the novel.
This book could read as a standalone, but there's one more book to give us another amazing adventure with this great cast of characters and a phenomenal author. I can't recommend this book enough!
January 23, 2016
YOU ARE FOREWARNED: There may be spoilers in this review!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
Book One of The Girl From Everywhere series
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: February 16, 2016
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.
In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance.
What I Liked:
This book was such a colossal disappointment - FOR ME. I recognize that the issues that I had with this book aren't issues that everyone will have. There are a slew of super positive reviews on Goodreads that came way before my review. So there is a very good chance that most people will find this book magical and wonderful and whatnot. But me? No. I will write my harsh negative review in hopes of warning others who have preferences like mine about the things that didn't work for me.
Aboard the Temptation with her father as Navigator, Nix has been to many places and many time periods. She was born in 1868, but she's been to modern-day New York and deep into the past as well. Her father is searching for a 1868 Honolulu map to be reunited with Nix's mother. But going back to the past, to the mother that died in childbirth, might mean that Nix's existence will disappear. She doesn't know if this WILL happen, but Nix would rather not take the chance. Nix is determined to make it out alive - but there is more at stake than she knows.
From the synopsis, this book sounds pretty great. Time-traveling fantasy, lots at stake, LINEAR ROMANCE (or so it sounded) -- "If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own." That makes it sound like Nix has one love (Kash, who was mentioned in the line of the synopsis just before this one); WRONG. See next section.
The best part of this book was probably Kashmir (Kash) - I love him so much, and I ache for him, because he does not get what he deserves (a million pounds of gold, a hot bath, and a girl who loves him and only him). He's charming and intelligent and clever and observant and hilarious. And he deserves better.
I honestly thought I was enjoying this book for a bit, with all the interesting historical facts and settings, the weird tales and myths of Hawaii (once the crew reaches Hawaii). It's clear that Heilig really did her research for the story, and it's well-written in that sense. Take away the negatives that I'll list below, and you've got a story of great world-building. And probably a decent, interesting story. But I REALLY did not like certain things, and those things ruined the book for me.
What I Did Not Like:
I'll warn you now that there may be spoilers ahead. I am too f***ing pissed to even think about screening spoilers in this section. Read at your own risk - but if you hate love triangles, you might want to read further regardless.
LOVE TRIANGLE IN THIS BOOK. And it's not a shy one. The synopsis makes the book sound like there is a linear romance! Kash, Nix, riding off into the sunset (or whatever). I LOVE it when the heroine is in love with and/or slowly falls for her best friend! But that's not quite what happened here.
It's obvious that Kash loves Nix. Soooo obvious. He's a flirt and a tease and so charming and wonderful, but he's totally in love with her. Nix has him so friend-zoned though, although she starts to see otherwise as the book goes on. So that's part of the romance - she's seeing that she actually likes him beyond a friend.
But then the second part of the romance is introduced - Leg 2 of the triangle. Blake Hart is on Honolulu (year 1884 - daddy dearest overshot a little). AS SOON AS the author started going into a detailed physical description of a boy "close to Nix's age", I KNEW that he would show up again and he'd make up a love triangle. Why else do we care about his physical appearance? Right, because the heroine is going to fall for him too. YUP.
It would be one thing if Blake were one of those boys that falls for Nix, but Nix doesn't fall for him. You know, those "love triangles" in which one of the boys is an annoying pesky fly that won't go away, but you know he's the dead leg of the triangle because he's just annoying and the heroine doesn't care about him. But... she does. Don't get me wrong - Blake IS annoying.
The love triangle represents - wait for it - Nix's choice: Blake is a grounded boy, on the island, a constant guy. Kash is your wanderer, part of the crew on the ship. Choose Blake, you choose a settled life on Honolulu. Choose Kash, you choose the wanderer's life, ever the adventurer. SO F***ING CLICHE. And did I mention that Blake is annoying?
Spoiler -- she kisses them both. This bugs some people, and I know it's a deal-breaker for some. For ME, it just solidified the fact that there is a love triangle, and the type of love triangle that isn't about to go away.
And the ending - HA! The ending is a very clear indication that the love triangle isn't going to go away! We have ALL THREE OF THEM - Nix, Kash, and Blake - in the same space! Going to the same place! Are you f***ing kidding me?! That solidifies the love triangle EVEN MORE - Nix gets to bounce around between the two of them in book two. THIS IS WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS LOVE TRIANGLE.
All caps are totally necessary.
I thought the love triangle would turn out to be mild - at one point in the book, it looks like Nix is going to leave Hawaii (and Blake) forever - but that wasn't the case. So I'm ridiculously angry because the synopsis REALLY had me thinking that Nix's "love" would be Kashmir (and maybe it is, but then her "love" part 2 is Blake?). I love Kashmir. I think Blake is a such a waste of space. Pansy. Idiot. Weak. One-dimensional. A space-filler. The author REALLY wanted a love triangle in this book.
I want to say that Kashmir is the "real" choice, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The heroine gives no indication of a preference, of which boy has more of her affection. Honestly the more I think about it, the more I despise Nix. She's not incredibly astute, intelligent, and decisive. Not that everyone has to be but... the fact that she isn't when she could/should be, bothers me. A lot.
Well this review is rapidly turning into a love triangle rant, so I'll switch gears for a second. This book is LONG - nearly 500 pages - and it really felt that way. Usually long books don't bother me! 300, 400, 500 pages never really deterred me from reading - or finishing - a book. But 10% into this book, and I was feeling the length. I dreaded continuing this book; maybe I wasn't in the mood, but this book took forever for me to get into it, and obviously I never really got invested. Or maybe I got too invested, which is why I reacted so badly to the love triangle.
But anyway, I struggled with this book, especially when I first started reading it. It didn't hook me. It never hooked me. It took me entirely too long to finish this book, longer than it usually takes me. Some parts of it were sooo boring, other parts more exciting.
This book threw me because I thought for a second that I was reading a carbon copy of Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Both deal with ships whose captains/navigators can take you to different times and locations. Weird, no? I didn't like this one nearly as much as I liked Passenger.
So, to recap. Love triangle; dumba** heroine; a struggle to get into the story; eerily similar to Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Mostly - LOVE TRIANGLE with no end in sight. Ew ew ew.
Unfortunately this is a prime example of peer pressure gone wrong - I never would have gotten this book from Edelweiss had a friend not reviewed the book before the book was available from the publisher. I kind of regret ever considering this book! I rarely pick up books based on peer pressure alone - this is exactly why. Go with your instinct/interests, people!
Would I Recommend It:
I so do not recommend this book under any circumstances, especially if you hate love triangle like me, or if ANYTHING I mentioned in the previous section bothered you. If you don't mind love triangles... this is probably going to seem like a jolly good story with lovely world-building and a uniqueness to the locations and whatnot. Otherwise? Steer clear of this one. Far faaaar away.
Rating:
1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars (this is my generosity at its finest, people). I'm rounding up because there is a SLIM chance that I might read the next book, if only to see what happens. If the love triangle disappears quickly into the sequel, then I'll bite. But at the moment, I refuse to think about continuing with the series. SOMEONE COMFORT ME PLEASE.
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
Book One of The Girl From Everywhere series
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: February 16, 2016
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.
In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance.
What I Liked:
This book was such a colossal disappointment - FOR ME. I recognize that the issues that I had with this book aren't issues that everyone will have. There are a slew of super positive reviews on Goodreads that came way before my review. So there is a very good chance that most people will find this book magical and wonderful and whatnot. But me? No. I will write my harsh negative review in hopes of warning others who have preferences like mine about the things that didn't work for me.
Aboard the Temptation with her father as Navigator, Nix has been to many places and many time periods. She was born in 1868, but she's been to modern-day New York and deep into the past as well. Her father is searching for a 1868 Honolulu map to be reunited with Nix's mother. But going back to the past, to the mother that died in childbirth, might mean that Nix's existence will disappear. She doesn't know if this WILL happen, but Nix would rather not take the chance. Nix is determined to make it out alive - but there is more at stake than she knows.
From the synopsis, this book sounds pretty great. Time-traveling fantasy, lots at stake, LINEAR ROMANCE (or so it sounded) -- "If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own." That makes it sound like Nix has one love (Kash, who was mentioned in the line of the synopsis just before this one); WRONG. See next section.
The best part of this book was probably Kashmir (Kash) - I love him so much, and I ache for him, because he does not get what he deserves (a million pounds of gold, a hot bath, and a girl who loves him and only him). He's charming and intelligent and clever and observant and hilarious. And he deserves better.
I honestly thought I was enjoying this book for a bit, with all the interesting historical facts and settings, the weird tales and myths of Hawaii (once the crew reaches Hawaii). It's clear that Heilig really did her research for the story, and it's well-written in that sense. Take away the negatives that I'll list below, and you've got a story of great world-building. And probably a decent, interesting story. But I REALLY did not like certain things, and those things ruined the book for me.
What I Did Not Like:
I'll warn you now that there may be spoilers ahead. I am too f***ing pissed to even think about screening spoilers in this section. Read at your own risk - but if you hate love triangles, you might want to read further regardless.
LOVE TRIANGLE IN THIS BOOK. And it's not a shy one. The synopsis makes the book sound like there is a linear romance! Kash, Nix, riding off into the sunset (or whatever). I LOVE it when the heroine is in love with and/or slowly falls for her best friend! But that's not quite what happened here.
It's obvious that Kash loves Nix. Soooo obvious. He's a flirt and a tease and so charming and wonderful, but he's totally in love with her. Nix has him so friend-zoned though, although she starts to see otherwise as the book goes on. So that's part of the romance - she's seeing that she actually likes him beyond a friend.
But then the second part of the romance is introduced - Leg 2 of the triangle. Blake Hart is on Honolulu (year 1884 - daddy dearest overshot a little). AS SOON AS the author started going into a detailed physical description of a boy "close to Nix's age", I KNEW that he would show up again and he'd make up a love triangle. Why else do we care about his physical appearance? Right, because the heroine is going to fall for him too. YUP.
It would be one thing if Blake were one of those boys that falls for Nix, but Nix doesn't fall for him. You know, those "love triangles" in which one of the boys is an annoying pesky fly that won't go away, but you know he's the dead leg of the triangle because he's just annoying and the heroine doesn't care about him. But... she does. Don't get me wrong - Blake IS annoying.
The love triangle represents - wait for it - Nix's choice: Blake is a grounded boy, on the island, a constant guy. Kash is your wanderer, part of the crew on the ship. Choose Blake, you choose a settled life on Honolulu. Choose Kash, you choose the wanderer's life, ever the adventurer. SO F***ING CLICHE. And did I mention that Blake is annoying?
Spoiler -- she kisses them both. This bugs some people, and I know it's a deal-breaker for some. For ME, it just solidified the fact that there is a love triangle, and the type of love triangle that isn't about to go away.
And the ending - HA! The ending is a very clear indication that the love triangle isn't going to go away! We have ALL THREE OF THEM - Nix, Kash, and Blake - in the same space! Going to the same place! Are you f***ing kidding me?! That solidifies the love triangle EVEN MORE - Nix gets to bounce around between the two of them in book two. THIS IS WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS LOVE TRIANGLE.
All caps are totally necessary.
I thought the love triangle would turn out to be mild - at one point in the book, it looks like Nix is going to leave Hawaii (and Blake) forever - but that wasn't the case. So I'm ridiculously angry because the synopsis REALLY had me thinking that Nix's "love" would be Kashmir (and maybe it is, but then her "love" part 2 is Blake?). I love Kashmir. I think Blake is a such a waste of space. Pansy. Idiot. Weak. One-dimensional. A space-filler. The author REALLY wanted a love triangle in this book.
I want to say that Kashmir is the "real" choice, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The heroine gives no indication of a preference, of which boy has more of her affection. Honestly the more I think about it, the more I despise Nix. She's not incredibly astute, intelligent, and decisive. Not that everyone has to be but... the fact that she isn't when she could/should be, bothers me. A lot.
Well this review is rapidly turning into a love triangle rant, so I'll switch gears for a second. This book is LONG - nearly 500 pages - and it really felt that way. Usually long books don't bother me! 300, 400, 500 pages never really deterred me from reading - or finishing - a book. But 10% into this book, and I was feeling the length. I dreaded continuing this book; maybe I wasn't in the mood, but this book took forever for me to get into it, and obviously I never really got invested. Or maybe I got too invested, which is why I reacted so badly to the love triangle.
But anyway, I struggled with this book, especially when I first started reading it. It didn't hook me. It never hooked me. It took me entirely too long to finish this book, longer than it usually takes me. Some parts of it were sooo boring, other parts more exciting.
This book threw me because I thought for a second that I was reading a carbon copy of Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Both deal with ships whose captains/navigators can take you to different times and locations. Weird, no? I didn't like this one nearly as much as I liked Passenger.
So, to recap. Love triangle; dumba** heroine; a struggle to get into the story; eerily similar to Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Mostly - LOVE TRIANGLE with no end in sight. Ew ew ew.
Unfortunately this is a prime example of peer pressure gone wrong - I never would have gotten this book from Edelweiss had a friend not reviewed the book before the book was available from the publisher. I kind of regret ever considering this book! I rarely pick up books based on peer pressure alone - this is exactly why. Go with your instinct/interests, people!
Would I Recommend It:
I so do not recommend this book under any circumstances, especially if you hate love triangle like me, or if ANYTHING I mentioned in the previous section bothered you. If you don't mind love triangles... this is probably going to seem like a jolly good story with lovely world-building and a uniqueness to the locations and whatnot. Otherwise? Steer clear of this one. Far faaaar away.
Rating:
1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars (this is my generosity at its finest, people). I'm rounding up because there is a SLIM chance that I might read the next book, if only to see what happens. If the love triangle disappears quickly into the sequel, then I'll bite. But at the moment, I refuse to think about continuing with the series. SOMEONE COMFORT ME PLEASE.
February 16, 2017
Time travel. History. Pirates. Three magic words in my book, what could go wrong? I really appreciated the unique premise and there were certainly some enjoyable aspects, but it unfortunately fell a little short for me.
THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE starts with 16 year old Nix aboard the ship, The Temptation. Nix has spent her entire life aboard the ship traveling through time, using maps to navigate through history and mythological places. Her father, the captain, is really only interested in one time and place though. Slate longs to find his way back to Honolulu, 1868, where the love of his life, Nix's mother, died giving birth to her. To get there he only needs to obtain the right map. After years of searching, the map Slate needs seems to fall into his lap but they must go through a series of obstacles in order to get their hands on it. But what will happen if Slate is able to save her mother? Will Nix cease to exist? Slate isn't too worried about this possibility and is willing to do whatever it takes, but Nix is terrified and hopes to learn to Navigate on her own to escape her fathers obsession.
This book had so much potential but sadly, I'm left a bit disappointed. I was really excited starting this book but it didn't hold my interest for long. The pacing was a slow go and some parts were really drawn out. I honestly didn't connect with any of the characters. Kashmir was the best of the lot and I kept wishing for more scenes with him. He was the only one with any type of substance. There's also the dreaded love triangle, I hate love triangles! But this one just seemed so unnecessary and really forced. There is really only one choice in my opinion and I'm not sure why it's being dragged out. My biggest issue though was the time traveling itself. I'm not sure if it was my disconnect from the characters and story but I was a little confused about the entire process.
Despite my issues, this was certainly not a bad book by any means! There were plenty of good things mixed with the not so good. The concept was unique and interesting. I loved the history of the island, the myths, the magic, and the fantasy elements. If the plot holes were filled in I think I would have enjoyed this so much more. This book might not have been my favorite but I definitely think it would appeal to a wide variety of readers.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE starts with 16 year old Nix aboard the ship, The Temptation. Nix has spent her entire life aboard the ship traveling through time, using maps to navigate through history and mythological places. Her father, the captain, is really only interested in one time and place though. Slate longs to find his way back to Honolulu, 1868, where the love of his life, Nix's mother, died giving birth to her. To get there he only needs to obtain the right map. After years of searching, the map Slate needs seems to fall into his lap but they must go through a series of obstacles in order to get their hands on it. But what will happen if Slate is able to save her mother? Will Nix cease to exist? Slate isn't too worried about this possibility and is willing to do whatever it takes, but Nix is terrified and hopes to learn to Navigate on her own to escape her fathers obsession.
This book had so much potential but sadly, I'm left a bit disappointed. I was really excited starting this book but it didn't hold my interest for long. The pacing was a slow go and some parts were really drawn out. I honestly didn't connect with any of the characters. Kashmir was the best of the lot and I kept wishing for more scenes with him. He was the only one with any type of substance. There's also the dreaded love triangle, I hate love triangles! But this one just seemed so unnecessary and really forced. There is really only one choice in my opinion and I'm not sure why it's being dragged out. My biggest issue though was the time traveling itself. I'm not sure if it was my disconnect from the characters and story but I was a little confused about the entire process.
Despite my issues, this was certainly not a bad book by any means! There were plenty of good things mixed with the not so good. The concept was unique and interesting. I loved the history of the island, the myths, the magic, and the fantasy elements. If the plot holes were filled in I think I would have enjoyed this so much more. This book might not have been my favorite but I definitely think it would appeal to a wide variety of readers.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
July 4, 2016
I went into this book with high hopes and sadly i feel a bit let down right now. I thought that this book would have adventurous moments and action but the plot was so bland in comparison. The characters were very interesting though! Especially Kash <3
Kash is a charming Persian thief whose mouth is nearly as sharp as his brain. And literally the first thing i thought of when thinking of Kash was Prince of Persia where Dastan was a thief as well. He is such a nice guy and the sweetest part is the subtle ways in which he tries to show Nix that he loves her like stealing things for her :D
BUT EVERYTHING JUST HAD TO GET RUINED BY THE STUPID LOVE TRIANGLE. LIKE WHYYYYYYYYY. one thing i cannot stand is a love triangle when its not needed.
Overall i expected adventure drama cool fight scenes beautiful descriptions of faraway places but nope. We get a fanatical father, a daughter whose secretly a daddy's girl who just wants her father to love her and a totally irrelevant love triangle. i almost gave it a 3 but nahh the plot was definitely not interesting enough and the "climax" wasn't even good
Kash is a charming Persian thief whose mouth is nearly as sharp as his brain. And literally the first thing i thought of when thinking of Kash was Prince of Persia where Dastan was a thief as well. He is such a nice guy and the sweetest part is the subtle ways in which he tries to show Nix that he loves her like stealing things for her :D
BUT EVERYTHING JUST HAD TO GET RUINED BY THE STUPID LOVE TRIANGLE. LIKE WHYYYYYYYYY. one thing i cannot stand is a love triangle when its not needed.
Overall i expected adventure drama cool fight scenes beautiful descriptions of faraway places but nope. We get a fanatical father, a daughter whose secretly a daddy's girl who just wants her father to love her and a totally irrelevant love triangle. i almost gave it a 3 but nahh the plot was definitely not interesting enough and the "climax" wasn't even good
May 11, 2016
3.5 stars!
"Sometimes a person has to let go of something to take hold of something else. You always have to choose what's more important."
Sooo.....this book was different. Not bad necessarily, just different. I actually had pretty high expectations for this one, based on the premise and the amount of raving I was seeing from those who had read it already. This also happens to be the 3rd book I've read so far this year about time travel (not sure if maybe that's why it didn't quite hit my expectations, I tried not to compare it). This was probably the most unique of those three, but the most confusing as well.
First the main characters:
Nix, our MC. Sixteen year old daughter to Captain Slate. She has lived aboard her father's ship, The Temptation her whole life.
Captain Slate, Nix's father. He is the one who does the time traveling (also called Navigating). He is addicted to both opium and getting ahold of a map of 1868 Honolulu, in order to save his long lost love, Nix's mother and for the latter, he will do basically anything. (Again, more on that in a minute)
Kashmir, a thief and loyal crewmate aboard the Temptation. Nix's possible love interest, but more importantly, her best friend. Kash was, without a doubt, my favorite character.
Blake, who comes into the story once the crew arrives in Hawaii. He and Nix meet by chance and form a sort of friendship, though there is some attration between the two.
There are, of course, other side characters throughout, the most notable being two other crewmates Bee (and Bee's deceased wife Ayen as a spiritual precense) and Rotgut, an old opium dealer by the name of Joss, who introduced Slate and Nix's mother to each other in 1864 Hawaii, and some shady characters in Hawaii, known as Mr. D, Mr. T., Mr. Hart (that one is Blake's father) and Milly.
Now, the time travel theory:
Heidi Heilig has a unique and original premise where time travel is concerned. According to what I've read, in order for Slate to Navigate, he needs an accurate and original map that was penned and dated for the year and place he would like to go and he needs to have a strong belief that the map will work, that the land he's attempting to reach does indeed exist. But he cannot travel to somewhere he's already existed. He cannot use the same map more than once. So like I said, very original concept. But there are still some holes.
·Is it just Slate who can Navigate or can others as well?
·Can Nix Navigate, if it's just something that's unique to Slate, since she is his daughter?
·Why the ship? Is it only possible on the sea or could you Navigate on land as well?
·How is it possible to go to mythological lands, even of you have an "accurate" map of said land? For example, they can Navigate to the land from One Thousand and One Nights...in my head, shouldn't time travel be limited to actual times and events that have without a doubt happened in the history of our world?
^These questions are all brought up at some point in the book, but for me, the answers weren't satisfactory. The time travel wasn't ever properly explained, you just kind of had to put the bits and pieces together yourself.
Finally, the storyline:
So basically, Captain Slate is obsessed with finding his way back to 1868 Honolulu, to when Nix's mother died in childbirth, so that he can save her and be with her still. But Nix has serious doubts. She is worried that this could alter her past completely or wipe out her existence altogether. But Slate will stop at nothing. He's already tried several maps he's acquired throughout the years, but each one has failed to work for him.
Upon finding a new Honolulu map that seems promising at an auction in modern day New York, they make the attempt. Turns out the Honolulu map had been misdated and it brings them to 1884 Oahu rather than 1868, obviously much too late to save Nix's mother. Coincidently, had Slate never taken Nix from Hawaii after her mother's death, this is now the time and place that Nix would be living in. Nix meets both Blake and Joss while exploring in Chinatown.
While in the harbor, they are approached by a man who chooses to go by the name Mr. D, who has a proposition for Slate. He has an associate (Mr. Hart) who has an authentic 1868 map of Honolulu, penned by his deceased brother. Mr. D and his associate's know how badly Slate wants that map and they take full advantage.
Honestly, this book reads like a standalone and I can't imagine what the author has in store for the sequel, though I'm wishing for the sequel to be in Kashmir's POV. The only thing I can see happening in the sequel is a possible love triangle. For this book though, the romance is practically nonexistent, which was nice. Despite this mainly taking place in the late 1800's, the conversation all seemed very modern. This is the only book I can think of that takes place in a historical setting, yet mentions having modern conveniences such as fluoride toothpaste and laundry hampers, and aboard a pirate ship no less. I guess those are just time travel perks.
And my favorite part about this book? Multiple maps!!! I love maps :) For every time they traveled to, there was the map for the place and time depicted. Another thing I really liked was that before the acknowledgments, the author included a brief description of the fairy tales/myths scattered through the book as well as some of the facts that the storyline was in part based off of. It was an interesting and informative part of the book that added to my overall enjoyment.
There are some who are comparing this book to Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, but having read that one earlier this year, I didn't really see many similarities, aside from time travel being the main theme. Both are very unique takes on a similar idea but the thoughts behind the theme and the accompanying storylines are extremely different. Had this one been explained a bit more thoroughly, it would've gone from good to great for me.
"Sometimes fate makes choices for us."
"Sometimes a person has to let go of something to take hold of something else. You always have to choose what's more important."
Sooo.....this book was different. Not bad necessarily, just different. I actually had pretty high expectations for this one, based on the premise and the amount of raving I was seeing from those who had read it already. This also happens to be the 3rd book I've read so far this year about time travel (not sure if maybe that's why it didn't quite hit my expectations, I tried not to compare it). This was probably the most unique of those three, but the most confusing as well.
First the main characters:
Nix, our MC. Sixteen year old daughter to Captain Slate. She has lived aboard her father's ship, The Temptation her whole life.
Captain Slate, Nix's father. He is the one who does the time traveling (also called Navigating). He is addicted to both opium and getting ahold of a map of 1868 Honolulu, in order to save his long lost love, Nix's mother and for the latter, he will do basically anything. (Again, more on that in a minute)
Kashmir, a thief and loyal crewmate aboard the Temptation. Nix's possible love interest, but more importantly, her best friend. Kash was, without a doubt, my favorite character.
Blake, who comes into the story once the crew arrives in Hawaii. He and Nix meet by chance and form a sort of friendship, though there is some attration between the two.
There are, of course, other side characters throughout, the most notable being two other crewmates Bee (and Bee's deceased wife Ayen as a spiritual precense) and Rotgut, an old opium dealer by the name of Joss, who introduced Slate and Nix's mother to each other in 1864 Hawaii, and some shady characters in Hawaii, known as Mr. D, Mr. T., Mr. Hart (that one is Blake's father) and Milly.
Now, the time travel theory:
Heidi Heilig has a unique and original premise where time travel is concerned. According to what I've read, in order for Slate to Navigate, he needs an accurate and original map that was penned and dated for the year and place he would like to go and he needs to have a strong belief that the map will work, that the land he's attempting to reach does indeed exist. But he cannot travel to somewhere he's already existed. He cannot use the same map more than once. So like I said, very original concept. But there are still some holes.
·Is it just Slate who can Navigate or can others as well?
·Can Nix Navigate, if it's just something that's unique to Slate, since she is his daughter?
·Why the ship? Is it only possible on the sea or could you Navigate on land as well?
·How is it possible to go to mythological lands, even of you have an "accurate" map of said land? For example, they can Navigate to the land from One Thousand and One Nights...in my head, shouldn't time travel be limited to actual times and events that have without a doubt happened in the history of our world?
^These questions are all brought up at some point in the book, but for me, the answers weren't satisfactory. The time travel wasn't ever properly explained, you just kind of had to put the bits and pieces together yourself.
Finally, the storyline:
So basically, Captain Slate is obsessed with finding his way back to 1868 Honolulu, to when Nix's mother died in childbirth, so that he can save her and be with her still. But Nix has serious doubts. She is worried that this could alter her past completely or wipe out her existence altogether. But Slate will stop at nothing. He's already tried several maps he's acquired throughout the years, but each one has failed to work for him.
Upon finding a new Honolulu map that seems promising at an auction in modern day New York, they make the attempt. Turns out the Honolulu map had been misdated and it brings them to 1884 Oahu rather than 1868, obviously much too late to save Nix's mother. Coincidently, had Slate never taken Nix from Hawaii after her mother's death, this is now the time and place that Nix would be living in. Nix meets both Blake and Joss while exploring in Chinatown.
While in the harbor, they are approached by a man who chooses to go by the name Mr. D, who has a proposition for Slate. He has an associate (Mr. Hart) who has an authentic 1868 map of Honolulu, penned by his deceased brother. Mr. D and his associate's know how badly Slate wants that map and they take full advantage.
Honestly, this book reads like a standalone and I can't imagine what the author has in store for the sequel, though I'm wishing for the sequel to be in Kashmir's POV. The only thing I can see happening in the sequel is a possible love triangle. For this book though, the romance is practically nonexistent, which was nice. Despite this mainly taking place in the late 1800's, the conversation all seemed very modern. This is the only book I can think of that takes place in a historical setting, yet mentions having modern conveniences such as fluoride toothpaste and laundry hampers, and aboard a pirate ship no less. I guess those are just time travel perks.
And my favorite part about this book? Multiple maps!!! I love maps :) For every time they traveled to, there was the map for the place and time depicted. Another thing I really liked was that before the acknowledgments, the author included a brief description of the fairy tales/myths scattered through the book as well as some of the facts that the storyline was in part based off of. It was an interesting and informative part of the book that added to my overall enjoyment.
There are some who are comparing this book to Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, but having read that one earlier this year, I didn't really see many similarities, aside from time travel being the main theme. Both are very unique takes on a similar idea but the thoughts behind the theme and the accompanying storylines are extremely different. Had this one been explained a bit more thoroughly, it would've gone from good to great for me.
"Sometimes fate makes choices for us."
August 1, 2016
The blurb of The Girl from Everywhere whispered sweet promises of adventure, navigation-based magic, and the flair of Victorian Hawaii. Unfortunately, only the latter was delivered properly.
The adventure was as absent as my excitement with the plot boring me to tears. The magic system of time travelling was barely explained, which is a technique I used in math tests, too: To avoid making mistakes, I didn't solve the equation at all, see?
Thank God there was Kashmir to "save the day" (if 2 stars can be considered a save, that is).
Let's clear up a few things before I start my rant: Was this book burdened with the difficult task of impressing me after the epic And I Darken? Yes. Am I easily bored in the face of tedious plot build-ups? Also yes. But nonetheless, do I usually give a book, especially a debut, a fair chance in spite of complaints? Absolutely. I’d read with care until the 50% mark and speed-read and half-skimmed from then on because my patience is not exactly an expendable resource.
The book showed potential, that much was obvious: The marvellous settings, a crew of diverse outcasts, the inclusion of Hawaiian folklore, a touch of colonialization, and, of course, Kashmir (my little cinnamon roll). Heilig’s enthusiasm for history and her own culture was palpable, as the story itself was inspired by a real-event pirate heist. An eye-catching bonus were the black-and-white maps included before every chapter in a new time. Time travelling with a pirate ship (anyone getting any Pirates of the Caribbean: At Wit's End vibes yet?) by using maps of other eras or mythical worlds was a compelling idea, much preferred to good ol’ portals, but – as with most other aspects of this book – it was the execution that failed me in the end.
♆ The first thing that struck me as mediocre about The Girl from Everywhere was the prose. With debuts, I usually turn a blind eye to faults in the writing, but Heilig’s writing style was ponderous, even tedious, especially after And I Darken.
♆ The female lead, Nix, was a cardboard character with whom I could not connect on any level. Heilig merely scratched at the surface of the half-Chinese heroine’s personality and background, which was extremely disappointing. Characters are like the sails of a ship, in a way, as the story cannot advance without them. The captain was an interesting character as were the members of his crew, a scrawny cook and an African tribal woman (who also happens to be gay). Kashmir was by far my favourite character with his turbulent past as a street urchin in ancient Persia, his honey-soaked charm and his cocky retorts.
♆ To my own horror, Heilig introduced an unnecessary second love interest, which was just as ‘cardboardy’ as Nix herself, and voilà: We have a love triangle.
♆ With this ship already struggling to stay afloat, the utterly uneventful plot – save for a few scenes – blew a few additional holes into the ship and finally sunk it to the bottom of the ocean.
♆ And last but not least, the captain’s unwillingness to tutor Nix in Navigation (this particular form of time travel) must be the lamest excuse ever for not having to elaborate on a magic system. I think we can all agree on the fact that explaining the magic system (or simply any system at all) is the ABC to writing a good, convincing fantasy.
At the very least, the book didn't end with a cliffhanger, which leaves me with the option of not having to continue this series without losing a good night's sleep over it. By the looks of it, the sequel will be a love-infested goose chase, so I think I'll pass.
In spite of its potential to be a marvellous read, this magnificent ship ran ashore with a bland female lead, tedious writing, an unnecessary love triangle, and a plot that couldn't keep me hooked for a second.
(Credits to Heidi Heilig for the visual material.)
PREVIEW
I'm opposed to both the heroine's name (I've already encountered a Nyx in Cruel Beauty, why must names be recycled when there's such a diversity of names out there?) and to time-travelling, as there's almost always a hole in the logic. You can experiment with magic but you do not mess with time-travelling.
Despite my objections, the premise has really captured my interest, and to that I applaud. I'm sensing some moral dilemmas, captivating sceneries and whatnot.And a gorgeous Persian love interest, yum.
The adventure was as absent as my excitement with the plot boring me to tears. The magic system of time travelling was barely explained, which is a technique I used in math tests, too: To avoid making mistakes, I didn't solve the equation at all, see?
Thank God there was Kashmir to "save the day" (if 2 stars can be considered a save, that is).
Let's clear up a few things before I start my rant: Was this book burdened with the difficult task of impressing me after the epic And I Darken? Yes. Am I easily bored in the face of tedious plot build-ups? Also yes. But nonetheless, do I usually give a book, especially a debut, a fair chance in spite of complaints? Absolutely. I’d read with care until the 50% mark and speed-read and half-skimmed from then on because my patience is not exactly an expendable resource.
The book showed potential, that much was obvious: The marvellous settings, a crew of diverse outcasts, the inclusion of Hawaiian folklore, a touch of colonialization, and, of course, Kashmir (my little cinnamon roll). Heilig’s enthusiasm for history and her own culture was palpable, as the story itself was inspired by a real-event pirate heist. An eye-catching bonus were the black-and-white maps included before every chapter in a new time. Time travelling with a pirate ship (anyone getting any Pirates of the Caribbean: At Wit's End vibes yet?) by using maps of other eras or mythical worlds was a compelling idea, much preferred to good ol’ portals, but – as with most other aspects of this book – it was the execution that failed me in the end.
♆ The first thing that struck me as mediocre about The Girl from Everywhere was the prose. With debuts, I usually turn a blind eye to faults in the writing, but Heilig’s writing style was ponderous, even tedious, especially after And I Darken.
♆ The female lead, Nix, was a cardboard character with whom I could not connect on any level. Heilig merely scratched at the surface of the half-Chinese heroine’s personality and background, which was extremely disappointing. Characters are like the sails of a ship, in a way, as the story cannot advance without them. The captain was an interesting character as were the members of his crew, a scrawny cook and an African tribal woman (who also happens to be gay). Kashmir was by far my favourite character with his turbulent past as a street urchin in ancient Persia, his honey-soaked charm and his cocky retorts.
♆ To my own horror, Heilig introduced an unnecessary second love interest, which was just as ‘cardboardy’ as Nix herself, and voilà: We have a love triangle.
♆ With this ship already struggling to stay afloat, the utterly uneventful plot – save for a few scenes – blew a few additional holes into the ship and finally sunk it to the bottom of the ocean.
♆ And last but not least, the captain’s unwillingness to tutor Nix in Navigation (this particular form of time travel) must be the lamest excuse ever for not having to elaborate on a magic system. I think we can all agree on the fact that explaining the magic system (or simply any system at all) is the ABC to writing a good, convincing fantasy.
At the very least, the book didn't end with a cliffhanger, which leaves me with the option of not having to continue this series without losing a good night's sleep over it. By the looks of it, the sequel will be a love-infested goose chase, so I think I'll pass.
In spite of its potential to be a marvellous read, this magnificent ship ran ashore with a bland female lead, tedious writing, an unnecessary love triangle, and a plot that couldn't keep me hooked for a second.
(Credits to Heidi Heilig for the visual material.)
PREVIEW
I'm opposed to both the heroine's name (I've already encountered a Nyx in Cruel Beauty, why must names be recycled when there's such a diversity of names out there?) and to time-travelling, as there's almost always a hole in the logic. You can experiment with magic but you do not mess with time-travelling.
Despite my objections, the premise has really captured my interest, and to that I applaud. I'm sensing some moral dilemmas, captivating sceneries and whatnot.
November 7, 2015
Heidi Heilig brings you an epic adventure from your wildest dreams with her debut novel The Girl From Everywhere. Seriously, this is like some Studio Ghibli magic, I swear (and this would make a great movie, so you movie makers better hurry and buy the rights to it because it would be BIG). Take a vacation in Heidi's imagination by reading her sea shanty adventure of a book—you won't regret it, this I promise you. There are so many great things happening in this book but I think that the most compelling thing about it is Nix's tangled relationship with her father, the captain of The Temptation. The emotions in that relationship are really raw and I think my heart shattered a bit while I was in Nix's shoes. There are also two swoony guys for any of you who are looking to add to your list of book boyfriends. Even though there is some romance, it's put on the back-burner because the plot is more focused on the adventure our pirates take on in order to find the one map that will bring either the beginning of the end for everything they know.
Full Review + INTL Giveaway for a *SIGNED* ARC of The Girl From Everywhere, check it out HERE.
Full Review + INTL Giveaway for a *SIGNED* ARC of The Girl From Everywhere, check it out HERE.
September 5, 2015
Intricately beautiful. I never knew I wanted to read a story about a time-traveling pirate ship so bad. I can't get over the elements that make up this book what it is.
The Girl from Everywhere is brilliantly executed from character dynamics to all the freaking heartbreaking plot twists. Fucking loved it!
The Girl from Everywhere is brilliantly executed from character dynamics to all the freaking heartbreaking plot twists. Fucking loved it!
January 4, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t for me.
The characters in this were okay, but I didn’t really feel anything for any of them. I did understand Nix’s worries over what would happen to her if her father went back to the time where she was born, but that was it really.
The storyline in this just didn’t interest me, and I found it quite hard to follow. It did have its interesting moments, but most of the time I just didn’t care what would happen, and I kept putting this down to read something else.
Overall; I think other people will enjoy this book, but it wasn’t for me.
6 out of 10
“No matter how detailed a map, once we’d visited, we couldn’t go back.”
This book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t for me.
The characters in this were okay, but I didn’t really feel anything for any of them. I did understand Nix’s worries over what would happen to her if her father went back to the time where she was born, but that was it really.
The storyline in this just didn’t interest me, and I found it quite hard to follow. It did have its interesting moments, but most of the time I just didn’t care what would happen, and I kept putting this down to read something else.
Overall; I think other people will enjoy this book, but it wasn’t for me.
6 out of 10
February 6, 2017
I thought this was a very unique book. It has great foundations and I definitely want to know more what happens to the characters. I give it a strong 3.5 stars!
February 1, 2018
Beautiful blend of fantastic science-fiction and Hawaii's history and folklores.
March 15, 2017
I really, really wanted to love this book for its interesting and unique premise. First of all, time travel books- I'm a sucker for them! And aside from that, there's pirate ships, maps, adventurous journeys, mythology... I think this book had soooo much potential, but it ended up being a disappointing. This book is just an odd mix of good things and some not so good things.
This story is about Nix and her father, Captain Slate, and their crew as they hunt for a map that will bring them to Honolulu 1868. This is the year and the place Nix's mother died, and Slate is heartbroken and addicted to opium and will do anything to return to her. This is also the year and the place Nix was born, and she questions what will happen when they return. Will history stay the same? Will she be erased? And does her father even care either way?
The first thing I noticed about this book was how wonderfully and eloquently written it was. But the plot really dragged in parts. I found myself skimming some of the more descriptive paragraphs, and I seriously never do that! Like if I think I skipped even one word I usually make myself go back and read it again, but this time? Nope, I just wanted to move along with the story, and didn't feel like I was missing anything by skimming how the Hawaiian shore glimmered like the Milky Way yet again. When I did get to the exciting parts, I found myself confused and not following. Nothing is explained (or maybe I missed the explanation during my skimming, guilty as charged), but the pieces kind of fall together in the end. Kind of. I still have questions, though!
I liked the time travel aspect. Undoubtedly, writing a book that includes time travel and also makes sense is a complex and difficult thing to do. We don't really get an explanation of how the time travel works, just that you need an original and accurate map penned during the time and place you want to go. You can never use the same map twice. Then you basically just set sail and go, envisioning your destination in your mind. Admittedly, this theory leaves room for holes. Can anyone with a unique map time travel or what makes these guys special? Never explained.
The mythology aspect served no purpose at all except to create more dense reading. If you don't recognize or know the mythology (also occasionally classic literature) being referenced then you might miss the point. This happened a few times for me (I'm no mythology expert, but I'm also not totally ignorant of it). I couldn't be bothered to look them up to understand their reference to the story. But that was okay because, like I said, it had no purpose. It added nothing to the story and it was almost like the author occasionally throws in a name just to say "Hey! Look at how much I know about mythology!"
There's a mix of interesting and really flat/pointless characters in this book, and this was where my biggest problem was. I wanted more well-developed characters and relationships. The main character, Nix, just totally fell flat for me. She's certainly clever and talented, but she is also sort of annoyingly indecisive. Nix's father was an asshole, and Nix is so hung up on him (maybe rightfully so) and they were both just kind of weak and pathetic to me. Maybe Nix is supposed to be a more relatable character as she struggles with her relationship with her father, but she has no growth or character development at all throughout the book. She starts off weak and indecisive and she remains that way to the last page.
Her main love interest/best friend, Kashmir, was my favorite character. Charming, funny, charismatic... Why couldn't he have been the main character? To be honest, I couldn't understand what he saw in Nix. Lack of other females around, probably? And then Blake (another love interest) is introduced into the story for absolutely no reason whatsoever. He's unlikeable, has no personality, he has no purpose except to just create a love triangle? Ugh. On a positive note, the romance aspect of this novel is very, very secondary (to the point of almost being meaningless and thrown in just to complete the YA novel formula).
Despite my complaints, this really wasn't a bad book. It was well-written, unique and entertaining. I just had higher expectations for it. I probably won't read the sequel because I'm not even sure what the point of the sequel is. Either Nix and her dad are good now or they're right back where they started. Either way, I don't care.
This story is about Nix and her father, Captain Slate, and their crew as they hunt for a map that will bring them to Honolulu 1868. This is the year and the place Nix's mother died, and Slate is heartbroken and addicted to opium and will do anything to return to her. This is also the year and the place Nix was born, and she questions what will happen when they return. Will history stay the same? Will she be erased? And does her father even care either way?
The first thing I noticed about this book was how wonderfully and eloquently written it was. But the plot really dragged in parts. I found myself skimming some of the more descriptive paragraphs, and I seriously never do that! Like if I think I skipped even one word I usually make myself go back and read it again, but this time? Nope, I just wanted to move along with the story, and didn't feel like I was missing anything by skimming how the Hawaiian shore glimmered like the Milky Way yet again. When I did get to the exciting parts, I found myself confused and not following. Nothing is explained (or maybe I missed the explanation during my skimming, guilty as charged), but the pieces kind of fall together in the end. Kind of. I still have questions, though!
I liked the time travel aspect. Undoubtedly, writing a book that includes time travel and also makes sense is a complex and difficult thing to do. We don't really get an explanation of how the time travel works, just that you need an original and accurate map penned during the time and place you want to go. You can never use the same map twice. Then you basically just set sail and go, envisioning your destination in your mind. Admittedly, this theory leaves room for holes. Can anyone with a unique map time travel or what makes these guys special? Never explained.
The mythology aspect served no purpose at all except to create more dense reading. If you don't recognize or know the mythology (also occasionally classic literature) being referenced then you might miss the point. This happened a few times for me (I'm no mythology expert, but I'm also not totally ignorant of it). I couldn't be bothered to look them up to understand their reference to the story. But that was okay because, like I said, it had no purpose. It added nothing to the story and it was almost like the author occasionally throws in a name just to say "Hey! Look at how much I know about mythology!"
There's a mix of interesting and really flat/pointless characters in this book, and this was where my biggest problem was. I wanted more well-developed characters and relationships. The main character, Nix, just totally fell flat for me. She's certainly clever and talented, but she is also sort of annoyingly indecisive. Nix's father was an asshole, and Nix is so hung up on him (maybe rightfully so) and they were both just kind of weak and pathetic to me. Maybe Nix is supposed to be a more relatable character as she struggles with her relationship with her father, but she has no growth or character development at all throughout the book. She starts off weak and indecisive and she remains that way to the last page.
Her main love interest/best friend, Kashmir, was my favorite character. Charming, funny, charismatic... Why couldn't he have been the main character? To be honest, I couldn't understand what he saw in Nix. Lack of other females around, probably? And then Blake (another love interest) is introduced into the story for absolutely no reason whatsoever. He's unlikeable, has no personality, he has no purpose except to just create a love triangle? Ugh. On a positive note, the romance aspect of this novel is very, very secondary (to the point of almost being meaningless and thrown in just to complete the YA novel formula).
Despite my complaints, this really wasn't a bad book. It was well-written, unique and entertaining. I just had higher expectations for it. I probably won't read the sequel because I'm not even sure what the point of the sequel is. Either Nix and her dad are good now or they're right back where they started. Either way, I don't care.
Read
July 23, 2017DNF - I couldn't get into this and have decided that if I'm not feeling a book to just let it go, so that's what I'ma do.
January 18, 2017
I don't want to bit around the bush, so I'll start from the exciting part at once.
KASHMIR. A thief. A tutor. A dancing instructor. The guy has many talents. And Mister . . . ?”
“Firas,” Kashmir said, folding his handkerchief neatly and making a crisp bow.
Blake’s brow furrowed as he took in the fine clothes. “A sailor?”
“Her tutor,” Kashmir said smoothly.
Blake cocked his head. “You’re much younger than any of my tutors.”
“Baleh, I am wise beyond my years,” Kashmir said. “And of course I have a natural inclination to
it. My people did, after all, invent algebra. Including the zero.”
This is one of the best male characters I've encountered in a book. It wouldn't hurt to say that he was the most developed character in this book as well. The guy is smart, witty, charming - one word: adorable. Every scene he was in alighted with color and life. Plus almost every wise word in this book comes from the guy's mouth. He is a wisdom in the flesh... spiced with humor, of course.
“The laws of the jungle remind me of the laws of the street. When I came abroad, I had to learn a
different set of laws. Everywhere we go there is a different set of laws. Most of them unwritten.”Who said it was thieves who know the price of everything and the value of nothing?”
“Oscar Wilde,” I said. “And it’s cynics, not thieves.”
“Ah! That explains it, then.”“There has to be a line, Kashmir,” I said angrily. “A person can’t do just anything for love.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I would.”
“Yeah, well, you’re a thief. Your relative morality is already suspect.”
“Ah,” he said then, standing. “Well. I’ll leave the morality for those that like the taste of it.
I always preferred bread.”
It was obvious from page one that he likes the heroine a lot. Duh, only a blind man could not see that and someone like the heroine, of course, because she treated the guy abominably. She used him, because he was near and he was a friend, but when she didn't need his help or his company, she just brushed him off. And the worst part is Kashmir never complained about it, never said a word to make her feel worse. It makes me hate the girl!“Amira?”
For a moment, we were both still. The silence was stifling. “Yes?”
“Can I . . . I wanted to talk to you. About last night.”If I hadn’t been nearly nose to nose with
Blake, I wouldn’t have seen it, the tightening around his eyes. “I . . .” I cleared my throat,
trying to keep my voice light. “There’s nothing to talk about, Kash.”
He was quiet so long I thought maybe he’d gone. “As you say,” he said, finally. I didn’t hear his
footsteps as he left, but I did hear his door open and close.
Right at that time she was with another man! THAT BITCH! What worsens the matter even more - love triangle. It's one of those that makes it absolutely - ridiculously so - obvious that love interest #2 was inserted into book just for the sake of the existence of love-triangles. You know, they are in fashion these days, so... But love interest #2 is so bleak, so average, I can't see one reason that would attract a woman to him after she has already met Kashmir. So as you can see, the love triangle is utterly unrealistic and one of the stupidest I've encountered in a book.
And that leads me to our MC - Nix. She is just another bland girl, whose voice wasn't distinctive among the rest like her. True, she didn't annoyed me a lot, but I can't find any good words to say about her either. Even her mixed heritage wasn't presented to us in full image. We know that she's half Chinese and has brown eyes and chestnut hair with red streaks (?). But what of her facial features? I was intrigued by what features she inherited from which parent, but she wasn't even described to us, and in my head there's just a picture of your average YA heroine with no distinctive features.
One more thing that bothered me - the magic system. We have a world where some people can travel through time and dimensions with the help of a map. A map of any land - imaginary or real, but a person can travel with the help of a map only one time. One time - one map. But rather than that we know nothing of how exactly the system works? How did it appear? Just anything that would help us understand the principle of navigation. The author gave us an explanation, but it's really hard to call it an explanation, in my opinion, because it basically explains nothing:“What do you mean, you just let go?”
“Once you know where you’re going, and you’re sure it’s there, you have to let go of where you’re
from. You look straight forward, you keep the land ahead in sight, and you don’t look back.”
“Literally or metaphorically?”
“Both. Once you sight your shore, you keep an eye on it. But you’ll never see it if you’re still
in port.”
“Running away and running to.”
“Sort of, yeah.”
Just "yeah" and that's it?!
The world-building, though, was more vivid than the magic system. It shows that the author lived in Hawaii and knows a lot about it culture. I really liked every description, every historical detail, myths, legends - it created an unforgettable image of the 19th century Hawaii. So partly this book can definitely be announced as a historical fiction.
I am going to read book #2 as this series is a duology, and I am really curious about Kashmir's fate. But I feel that the love-triangle won't go anywhere and maybe it'll become heavier and angsty, but I hope Kashmir will save the book for me like he did with The Girl from Everywhere. That is definitely something to look forward to!
September 4, 2021
3.5
Great world building and some unique characters and locations. I was pulled right into this modern (kinda, sorta) pirate tale complete with an interesting father-daughter dynamic.
As a YA entry, I was pretty impressed. However, a little too much moping around from our motherless young heroine. And her explorer Dad? There were times I would have given him the proverbial heave ho myself!!
Despite some flaws, this magical tale pulled me in. I am certainly reading the next installment… But, man, I needed a chart— lots of time hopping and a ton of characters to keep track of… and maps. Oy vey, the maps!!
Overall it works, but at times it really was a bit too complicated. May there be another book with just a slightly more logical plot. (Yeah, I said logical. You’d know what I meant if you read this!)
PS— half star for the cool nod to Asian mythology!!
Great world building and some unique characters and locations. I was pulled right into this modern (kinda, sorta) pirate tale complete with an interesting father-daughter dynamic.
As a YA entry, I was pretty impressed. However, a little too much moping around from our motherless young heroine. And her explorer Dad? There were times I would have given him the proverbial heave ho myself!!
Despite some flaws, this magical tale pulled me in. I am certainly reading the next installment… But, man, I needed a chart— lots of time hopping and a ton of characters to keep track of… and maps. Oy vey, the maps!!
Overall it works, but at times it really was a bit too complicated. May there be another book with just a slightly more logical plot. (Yeah, I said logical. You’d know what I meant if you read this!)
PS— half star for the cool nod to Asian mythology!!
October 29, 2017
i was confused 65.4% of the time but it was weirdly entertaining. also the narrator's voice on the audiobook was 10/10
i'll think of something semi-funny to write here in the morning, im tired rn ;-;
RTC
3.5 stars!!
i'll think of something semi-funny to write here in the morning, im tired rn ;-;
RTC
3.5 stars!!
March 6, 2017
Rating:
3.5/5 stars.
(Torn about that extra half star, though, but I'm leaving it for now.)
I always love a good time travel story. But add in myths, legends, ships and pirating, and it becomes even more irresistible to me. I held off reading this book last year because the mixed responses got to me (I know, I should see for myself but reviews can be helpful when you're unsure). But this month - right after the sequel's release - I decided to give it a try, especially since I remembered that my friend, Nastassja, had read it recently and wrote a review that made me curious about the book and especially about certain characters! (click on her name to read her awesome review).
What I discovered in the book is that, more than all the fun themes I just ticked off, this story is mostly about family, love, and loss. When you have the ability to change time and bring back a loved one, how far would you go? And what are the consequences that could affect the loved ones you have with you?
In this book, our main character, Nix, is constantly living in frustration and fear over her father's neverending attempts to travel back in time to save her mother - who died when Nix was a baby. His life long obsession scares Nix because she doesn't know what will happen to her if her father changes the past- will she just disappear from existence, or have her life rewritten - what will she lose?
World-building: For the traveling to work, all the captain needs is an authentic map dated in the exact time period he wants to take his ship. This is an ability Nix's father has - though why and how is still a mystery. What's interesting, though, is that they are not just able to travel through history -- but through mythical places and legends as long as they have a map for it. So, their ship - "the Temptation" - holds all kinds of fantastical items they've collected in their travels. But not just souvenirs - each member of the small crew comes from a different place, real or imaginary.
But as much as the fantastical aspect is fascinating, there isn't that much time traveling occuring in the book. Most of the story is set in Honolulu around the mid 1880's and the island's own legends and history are more prominent to the plot.
Still -- the magic and rules to the time-traveling system are still vague. We eventually get some clarifying answers but it still feels like we don't know enough to truly grasp the conflict that Nix is facing because of her father's decision to reverse her mother's - and her - history. It's still not entirely clear what would happen to her. That vagueness made some parts (conversations, internal character struggles) a bit difficult to get into.
Plot and pacing: The crew's current stop takes place during a time of political turmoil for the island - which our crew gets involved in, in a deal to get the map Slate needs. The book's plot was interesting, bringing together history and legend, and there was some suspense near the end. But I think that despite all that, the book had a very mellow vibe to it. Also, there was a sense of melancholy and bittersweetness that I liked. But at times the book felt slow moving. Not slow enough to be boring, really. But there were lots of descriptions of the island and its stories - which eventually proved important. It was a nice and easy read, but not the most compelling plot-wise.
The characters: I really liked the characters - one of them already becoming of my favorites. But let's start with the MC first -- Nix. Her struggles with her father, her loyalty and bravery despite her constant fears, her moral center, all make her likable and easy to understand. Her voice doesn't feel that distinctive or especially memorable, but her emotions feel real. Like the novel itself, her impact on the reader is subtle but its there.
My favorite character - and favorite part of the book, really - is Kashmir. He's a crew member, a talented and unapologetic thief, Nix's best friend, and witty and charming enough to make this story all the more interesting.
He's apparently from a fairytale world (author's notes say somewhere from A Thousand and One Nights - exciting!), where he got by stealing until he joined Nix's crew. But he still picks pockets and speaks multiple languages, switching from one to another. And it's a lot of fun how he slips into different roles when needed, or sometimes just to amuse Nix.
And he clearly loves Nix, but shows his feelings subtly. Plus, he steals jewelry as gifts for her, philosophizes smoothly about his ideas of morality when she disapproves, and is an all around great character I wanted even more of in the story!
Nix's father, Slate, the captain of the ship, is troubled, lost in his past, addicted to opium, and is the reason Nix is the way she is - wary of love. The father-daughter conflict is an important part of the book. He thinks he can have both, but to Nix it feels like he has to make a choice between preserving his present (Nix) or fixing his past (for her mother). And Nix is resigned to his decisions but still constantly hurt by his recklessness.
And there's Rotgut and Bee - the other two members of the crew - who have been on the ship before Nix was even born, and are like family members to her.
That said, I'm hoping the sequel gives more answers to the mysteries of this book's time traveling and magic.
Also I'd like more insight into Kashmir's character - I hear he gets chapters from his point-of-view in the sequel, so that's promising!
As for the "love triangle" in this - ((this isn't really spoilery but it's a conclusion I came to past the mid point of the novel - so maybe avoid it if you want to be totally unspoiled)).
-
-
-
I actually thought it fit well with Nix's character development. The way she saw Blake - as a fleeting and adventurous flirtation with nothing to fear of losing - is very different from her feelings for Kashmir, who is dear enough to her that she's afraid losing him will have her end up like her father.
-
-
-
Love triangle aside, I liked Blake as a character, and his role in the book isn't just as a second love interest. He has his passion and devotion to the island he grew up in, his artistic talent, all proving important to the plot. As for his crush on Nix - it was kind of cute. And his and Kashmir's dislike for each other made for some fun banter!
All in all -- it's not the most exciting fantasy or impressive time travel story so far, but its an easy read with enough magic, emotion, fascinating concepts and likable characters to make me enjoy the book and want to read the sequel.
(Torn about that extra half star, though, but I'm leaving it for now.)
Everything must come to an end. In every myth, paradise is meant to be lost.
I always love a good time travel story. But add in myths, legends, ships and pirating, and it becomes even more irresistible to me. I held off reading this book last year because the mixed responses got to me (I know, I should see for myself but reviews can be helpful when you're unsure). But this month - right after the sequel's release - I decided to give it a try, especially since I remembered that my friend, Nastassja, had read it recently and wrote a review that made me curious about the book and especially about certain characters! (click on her name to read her awesome review).
What I discovered in the book is that, more than all the fun themes I just ticked off, this story is mostly about family, love, and loss. When you have the ability to change time and bring back a loved one, how far would you go? And what are the consequences that could affect the loved ones you have with you?
In this book, our main character, Nix, is constantly living in frustration and fear over her father's neverending attempts to travel back in time to save her mother - who died when Nix was a baby. His life long obsession scares Nix because she doesn't know what will happen to her if her father changes the past- will she just disappear from existence, or have her life rewritten - what will she lose?
Why did the stories I knew best never end well?
But why too did I feel at home among them?
I could never give up the myths, the maps, the ship that had shaped me. Blake’s home might be paradise, but my home was the Temptation.
World-building: For the traveling to work, all the captain needs is an authentic map dated in the exact time period he wants to take his ship. This is an ability Nix's father has - though why and how is still a mystery. What's interesting, though, is that they are not just able to travel through history -- but through mythical places and legends as long as they have a map for it. So, their ship - "the Temptation" - holds all kinds of fantastical items they've collected in their travels. But not just souvenirs - each member of the small crew comes from a different place, real or imaginary.
But as much as the fantastical aspect is fascinating, there isn't that much time traveling occuring in the book. Most of the story is set in Honolulu around the mid 1880's and the island's own legends and history are more prominent to the plot.
Still -- the magic and rules to the time-traveling system are still vague. We eventually get some clarifying answers but it still feels like we don't know enough to truly grasp the conflict that Nix is facing because of her father's decision to reverse her mother's - and her - history. It's still not entirely clear what would happen to her. That vagueness made some parts (conversations, internal character struggles) a bit difficult to get into.
Plot and pacing: The crew's current stop takes place during a time of political turmoil for the island - which our crew gets involved in, in a deal to get the map Slate needs. The book's plot was interesting, bringing together history and legend, and there was some suspense near the end. But I think that despite all that, the book had a very mellow vibe to it. Also, there was a sense of melancholy and bittersweetness that I liked. But at times the book felt slow moving. Not slow enough to be boring, really. But there were lots of descriptions of the island and its stories - which eventually proved important. It was a nice and easy read, but not the most compelling plot-wise.
The characters: I really liked the characters - one of them already becoming of my favorites. But let's start with the MC first -- Nix. Her struggles with her father, her loyalty and bravery despite her constant fears, her moral center, all make her likable and easy to understand. Her voice doesn't feel that distinctive or especially memorable, but her emotions feel real. Like the novel itself, her impact on the reader is subtle but its there.
My favorite character - and favorite part of the book, really - is Kashmir. He's a crew member, a talented and unapologetic thief, Nix's best friend, and witty and charming enough to make this story all the more interesting.
"Who said it was thieves who know the price of everything and the value of nothing?”
"Oscar Wilde,” I said. “And it’s cynics, not thieves.”
"Ah! That explains it, then.”
I stuck out my tongue at him.
He's apparently from a fairytale world (author's notes say somewhere from A Thousand and One Nights - exciting!), where he got by stealing until he joined Nix's crew. But he still picks pockets and speaks multiple languages, switching from one to another. And it's a lot of fun how he slips into different roles when needed, or sometimes just to amuse Nix.
“And Mister . . . ?”
"Firas,” Kashmir said, folding his handkerchief neatly and making a crisp bow.
Blake’s brow furrowed as he took in the fine clothes. "A sailor?”
"Her tutor,” Kashmir said smoothly.
Blake cocked his head. “You’re much younger than any of my tutors.”
"Baleh, I am wise beyond my years,” Kashmir said. “And of course I have a natural inclination to it. My people did, after all, invent algebra. Including the zero.”
And he clearly loves Nix, but shows his feelings subtly. Plus, he steals jewelry as gifts for her, philosophizes smoothly about his ideas of morality when she disapproves, and is an all around great character I wanted even more of in the story!
Nix's father, Slate, the captain of the ship, is troubled, lost in his past, addicted to opium, and is the reason Nix is the way she is - wary of love. The father-daughter conflict is an important part of the book. He thinks he can have both, but to Nix it feels like he has to make a choice between preserving his present (Nix) or fixing his past (for her mother). And Nix is resigned to his decisions but still constantly hurt by his recklessness.
I bit my lip to keep it from trembling; he’d let me go a long time ago. After all, you can only hold one person tight if you’re holding on with both hands.
And there's Rotgut and Bee - the other two members of the crew - who have been on the ship before Nix was even born, and are like family members to her.
That said, I'm hoping the sequel gives more answers to the mysteries of this book's time traveling and magic.
Also I'd like more insight into Kashmir's character - I hear he gets chapters from his point-of-view in the sequel, so that's promising!
As for the "love triangle" in this - ((this isn't really spoilery but it's a conclusion I came to past the mid point of the novel - so maybe avoid it if you want to be totally unspoiled)).
-
-
-
I actually thought it fit well with Nix's character development. The way she saw Blake - as a fleeting and adventurous flirtation with nothing to fear of losing - is very different from her feelings for Kashmir, who is dear enough to her that she's afraid losing him will have her end up like her father.
The beauty of the ephemeral was in its impermanence; I couldn’t have let myself feel for Blake had I not known there would be an end. And I could admit it now: I did feel for him. There was safety here, at the end of our short story, and it made me bold.
Had I been too selfish? I had never known my mother, but I knew my life as it had been without her: the ship, the sea, the myths, the maps . . . and, yes, Kashmir. The pain I felt at the thought of losing him—the same pain that kept me at arm’s length—gave me a hint of my father’s own struggle.
-
-
-
Love triangle aside, I liked Blake as a character, and his role in the book isn't just as a second love interest. He has his passion and devotion to the island he grew up in, his artistic talent, all proving important to the plot. As for his crush on Nix - it was kind of cute. And his and Kashmir's dislike for each other made for some fun banter!
All in all -- it's not the most exciting fantasy or impressive time travel story so far, but its an easy read with enough magic, emotion, fascinating concepts and likable characters to make me enjoy the book and want to read the sequel.
Read
November 29, 201511/29/15
So I'm reading it again, for one last look, in the purported final form, and i have the maps now and omg.
11/17/15
LESS THAN THREE MONTHS TILL LAUNCH OMGGGGGGGGGG
So I'm reading it again, for one last look, in the purported final form, and i have the maps now and omg.
11/17/15
LESS THAN THREE MONTHS TILL LAUNCH OMGGGGGGGGGG
March 12, 2021
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Looking for a different take on the time travel theme? The Girl From Everywhere is not your typical time travel book. This novel incorporates maps into the time travel theme and is set in the lush, historical Hawaii. Despite the fact that I loved most of the elements in this book, the pacing was too slow for me to fully enjoy the novel.
The Girl From Everywhere is a time travel book that is unlike the others in its genre. In this book, the characters travel through time using maps. The way that this concept is described is very believable and creative. The characters basically sail to their destination, picturing where they want to go and they are transported there. However, in the eARC version, the maps aren’t available, which was pretty disappointing. I look forward to seeing the maps in the published version so that I can get a better feel for this book.
I adored the setting in The Girl From Everywhere! This book takes place in beautiful Hawaii, in the year 1868. The lush depictions that Heidi Heilig provides in the book will make all of its readers wishing to be whisked off to Hawaii. Heilig is a master of description and her ability to provide such amazing detail to her story is an asset to the book.
Although I enjoyed so much about The Girl From Everywhere, I found that the plot was really lacking in places. It took me a while to read this book because many events just seemed to drag on. This was really disappointing because I had such high hopes for this book. I really enjoy following Heidi on social media and she is a kind, quirky person that can make you laugh out loud. However, this book needed to be a little more action-packed and faster paced for my taste.
The Girl From Everywhere is a unique time travel book set in Hawaii, which brings a different and interesting point of view to the genre. I enjoyed so much about this book, but found the plot to be a bit too slow-paced for me. However, if you are a fan of the time travel genre, do not hesitate to give this book a try!
Looking for a different take on the time travel theme? The Girl From Everywhere is not your typical time travel book. This novel incorporates maps into the time travel theme and is set in the lush, historical Hawaii. Despite the fact that I loved most of the elements in this book, the pacing was too slow for me to fully enjoy the novel.
The Girl From Everywhere is a time travel book that is unlike the others in its genre. In this book, the characters travel through time using maps. The way that this concept is described is very believable and creative. The characters basically sail to their destination, picturing where they want to go and they are transported there. However, in the eARC version, the maps aren’t available, which was pretty disappointing. I look forward to seeing the maps in the published version so that I can get a better feel for this book.
I adored the setting in The Girl From Everywhere! This book takes place in beautiful Hawaii, in the year 1868. The lush depictions that Heidi Heilig provides in the book will make all of its readers wishing to be whisked off to Hawaii. Heilig is a master of description and her ability to provide such amazing detail to her story is an asset to the book.
Although I enjoyed so much about The Girl From Everywhere, I found that the plot was really lacking in places. It took me a while to read this book because many events just seemed to drag on. This was really disappointing because I had such high hopes for this book. I really enjoy following Heidi on social media and she is a kind, quirky person that can make you laugh out loud. However, this book needed to be a little more action-packed and faster paced for my taste.
The Girl From Everywhere is a unique time travel book set in Hawaii, which brings a different and interesting point of view to the genre. I enjoyed so much about this book, but found the plot to be a bit too slow-paced for me. However, if you are a fan of the time travel genre, do not hesitate to give this book a try!
August 9, 2015
Wow, this was some mind-bendy, myth-nut candy!
Okay, so let me start this by saying, I've weirdly been in a fantasy slump so while this book sounded amazing from the get-go, I was worried now would not be the time to fall in love with it. My slump kept trying to pull me away, but in the end, this book conquered it. YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHERE THIS ENDS UP.
I won't give any spoilers but I'll say this: the back third of the book, for me, pulled everything from the front 2/3s in and then made it explode in a burst of brilliant fireworks. The time travel element is SO fun and crazy, and I loooooove how Heilig wound together the histories of so many characters into this trippy time-stream knot. Those of you who love trying to sort out the paradoxes of time travel are going to be obsessed.
The settings were beautiful, lush, and real. The relationships developed at an EXCELLENT, organic pace. It's so cool how most of these characters know each other when the book starts, but the places where the relationships end up feel like the exact right amount of growth for everything they go through together. Kash was so incredibly charming and I maaaaay have a little bit of a book crush on him, but the character I most loved had to be Joss. UGH! Like I said, so much of the fire and color come later in the book (It really works because the stage is so well set when stuff gets insane) so I don't want to say too much, but I just came to be SO intrigued by her.
OOH, and I loveloveLOVE how so much history and mythology are tied together in this. By the end, when Heilig really shows what she can do, I was dying for a sequel. I want to explore all these other worlds The Temptation can take us to.
Verdict: by the end, there were moments that were like... Harry Potter-levels of magic and intrigue. A++++
Okay, so let me start this by saying, I've weirdly been in a fantasy slump so while this book sounded amazing from the get-go, I was worried now would not be the time to fall in love with it. My slump kept trying to pull me away, but in the end, this book conquered it. YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHERE THIS ENDS UP.
I won't give any spoilers but I'll say this: the back third of the book, for me, pulled everything from the front 2/3s in and then made it explode in a burst of brilliant fireworks. The time travel element is SO fun and crazy, and I loooooove how Heilig wound together the histories of so many characters into this trippy time-stream knot. Those of you who love trying to sort out the paradoxes of time travel are going to be obsessed.
The settings were beautiful, lush, and real. The relationships developed at an EXCELLENT, organic pace. It's so cool how most of these characters know each other when the book starts, but the places where the relationships end up feel like the exact right amount of growth for everything they go through together. Kash was so incredibly charming and I maaaaay have a little bit of a book crush on him, but the character I most loved had to be Joss. UGH! Like I said, so much of the fire and color come later in the book (It really works because the stage is so well set when stuff gets insane) so I don't want to say too much, but I just came to be SO intrigued by her.
OOH, and I loveloveLOVE how so much history and mythology are tied together in this. By the end, when Heilig really shows what she can do, I was dying for a sequel. I want to explore all these other worlds The Temptation can take us to.
Verdict: by the end, there were moments that were like... Harry Potter-levels of magic and intrigue. A++++
March 7, 2016
Another book where the story has promise, but the execution didn't do it for me.
There were moments where I was starting to connect and waiting for it to all snap together for me...but it never happened. I kept with it for the entire book, almost DNFing so many times. There were parts of the story that held so much promise, but I never connected. The author has talent, but the big picture was a little too all over the place.
1. I think the story had too many elements for it's own good. A lot of things could have been fleshed out, but instead more pieces kept coming out of the woodwork. I would have loved to connect more with the ship's crew, the love interest, the friendships, the little dragon, or the villain. Everything was sort of hazy and just there rather than making a connection with the reader. Just dial down the breadth of the story a bit.
2. The story goes too long between moments of tension or excitement. Too much meandering.
3. The moments of revelations were not clear enough. You know that sucker punch moment you had while watching the reveal in "The Usual Suspects"? That's my standard for a reveal and this didn't even come close.
3. To me, the ending was completely anticlimactic. What the hell?
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
There were moments where I was starting to connect and waiting for it to all snap together for me...but it never happened. I kept with it for the entire book, almost DNFing so many times. There were parts of the story that held so much promise, but I never connected. The author has talent, but the big picture was a little too all over the place.
1. I think the story had too many elements for it's own good. A lot of things could have been fleshed out, but instead more pieces kept coming out of the woodwork. I would have loved to connect more with the ship's crew, the love interest, the friendships, the little dragon, or the villain. Everything was sort of hazy and just there rather than making a connection with the reader. Just dial down the breadth of the story a bit.
2. The story goes too long between moments of tension or excitement. Too much meandering.
3. The moments of revelations were not clear enough. You know that sucker punch moment you had while watching the reveal in "The Usual Suspects"? That's my standard for a reveal and this didn't even come close.
3. To me, the ending was completely anticlimactic. What the hell?
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2016
4.5 stars
I went into this with low expectations because everyone I knew had the shouty caps sort of love for it.
I loved Nix. She's smart and strong and wants to learn everything she can. However, when it comes to her dad, she's like a little girl, trying to figure things out. Her vulnerability makes her real and extremely relatable. There are some excellent secondary characters. I loved the crew and the little glimpses we got of their personalities. Of course I adored Kashmir and the quiet way he adores Nix.
There are a lot of myth and fairy tale type aspects to the plot and that is where I started to get lost. At times it felt a bit dense and overwhelming, but it made for a unique and captivating story.
Overall, it was fun read with characters I really enjoyed. I will definitely be reading more in the series.
**Huge thanks to Greenwillow Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
**Squishy hugs to the staff at MG for letting me take a physical arc from the super secret back room**
I went into this with low expectations because everyone I knew had the shouty caps sort of love for it.
I loved Nix. She's smart and strong and wants to learn everything she can. However, when it comes to her dad, she's like a little girl, trying to figure things out. Her vulnerability makes her real and extremely relatable. There are some excellent secondary characters. I loved the crew and the little glimpses we got of their personalities. Of course I adored Kashmir and the quiet way he adores Nix.
There are a lot of myth and fairy tale type aspects to the plot and that is where I started to get lost. At times it felt a bit dense and overwhelming, but it made for a unique and captivating story.
Overall, it was fun read with characters I really enjoyed. I will definitely be reading more in the series.
**Huge thanks to Greenwillow Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
**Squishy hugs to the staff at MG for letting me take a physical arc from the super secret back room**
Shelved as 'dnf'
December 2, 2015DNF at 22%
This is perfect example of „it’s me not you“ kind of book. I tried. I started this novel three times but I always ended up putting it away until I faced the reality and moved it to my DNF shelf. It just simply wasn’t holding my attention and I wasn’t feeling it. There was zero connection between me and narrator during those 22% I forced myself to read. (I wasn’t big fan of writing either.)
I’m not sure whether call this combination weird or fantastic but I had very hard time connecting with heroine who has no problem navigating pirate ship traveling in time and simultaneously knowing how to use cell phone and Google. If you are a fan of mish-mash genre, than this book is for you. Contemporary, magical realism, adventure, history…this book had it all in those 22% I read. Unfortunately, this combination didn’t work for me.
*ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review*
This is perfect example of „it’s me not you“ kind of book. I tried. I started this novel three times but I always ended up putting it away until I faced the reality and moved it to my DNF shelf. It just simply wasn’t holding my attention and I wasn’t feeling it. There was zero connection between me and narrator during those 22% I forced myself to read. (I wasn’t big fan of writing either.)
I’m not sure whether call this combination weird or fantastic but I had very hard time connecting with heroine who has no problem navigating pirate ship traveling in time and simultaneously knowing how to use cell phone and Google. If you are a fan of mish-mash genre, than this book is for you. Contemporary, magical realism, adventure, history…this book had it all in those 22% I read. Unfortunately, this combination didn’t work for me.
*ARC provided by publisher as an exchange for honest review*
October 6, 2015
OHHH. YOU GUYS. This book. My review cannot express how magical it is. The words are beautiful, the settings so lush and real, I felt deeply rooted no matter their time and place. And as someone who loves myths and legends, I am so thrilled by how they're weaved into this story. The Girl from Everywhere is unlike any book I've read, and I'm very ready to spend more time with these characters! GET EXCITED ABOUT IT.
Also, you should know that Kashmir is my new book crush. Maybe more. I don't know. It's pretty serious!
Also, you should know that Kashmir is my new book crush. Maybe more. I don't know. It's pretty serious!
November 16, 2016
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
Oh, where to begin? This book was everything I loved all mushed into one glorious debut. Time travel is usually fun for me, because I like the idea, as a rule. But sometimes it can confuse me. And then I don't like it. But in this case? It was perfect! It was explained well, without being info-dumpy (totally a word, yes?) and worked quite well- save for one tiny instance toward the end that I was a bit lost on, but that's okay. One thing out of a whole 464 page book, yes, I can live with it.
Nix, our main character, is fabulous. I mean, she's smart, and she's strong, but she's also so confused and vulnerable- because yes, you can be all those things. Like, she is awesome at figuring things out. But that also means that she knows that she could very well cease to exist if her father succeeds in going back in time. She'd played along because she didn't think it would ever be possible, but when there's a chance that it could happen? Well, can you even imagine? Especially when your father is barking about how the only thing he wants in the world is his true love. Harsh.
Speaking of Dear Old Dad, he was a real ass for a large majority of the time, and I wanted to basically punch him. He had this amazing, loving daughter, good friends, and he was willing to sacrifice it all. That said, he was still very well developed. It was clear what his motivations were, and why he was making certain choices. The other characters were pretty amazing too. Kashmir... I adore. We will be needing more Kash, please and thank you. He's just that charming type of character that you can't help but love. It was almost like he wanted to be seen as a "bad boy", but in his heart, he so wasn't. The other characters we meet along the way are really great too, but I certainly don't want to spoil anything, so we'll leave it at that.
Now. There is one character I could have lived without. Blake. He needed to go away so that Nix and Kash could just start falling in love. I was really over him. Leave, Blake.
So yeah, there is kind of a love triangle. Although not a lot of one because there isn't a ton of romance at all anyway. Just like, little pockets here and there, but nothing serious. Which is good, because I don't want any romance between Nix and Blake. Zero. See, there are two reasons: First, I love Kash and I think he and Nix are a good pair. Second, I don't like Blake. In fact, I thought he was boring and dull and boring. So that's where I stand.
Let's talk about other great things!
Hawaii! Yes, people, there is Hawaii involved, as you'd likely have figured out. And any book that even mentions Hawaii has to be a win, right?
All the history. It's very clear that the author did a huge amount of research for this book. The history is amazing. There are politics, myths, legends, maps, and all kinds of fun things involved. I kind of live for this stuff, so I loved every minute. I do see how some people who aren't as excited about that type of thing would perhaps feel less enthusiastic. But I am not those people.
Dragons. SMALL dragons. See, I would not want a dragon. Because they're big and scary. But. A little dragon and I could absolutely be best friends.
I know I already touched on this, but I loooooved everyone aboard the ship. Except when Slate (Nix's father) made me want to throw him overboard. But yeah, like, if I had to live on a ship? This would be the one.
Bottom Line: I need the sequel so, so badly. Like, now. While there may have been a few small things that I didn't completely love, the book as a whole blew me away. I am in love with the characters, the settings, the history, and I have definitely found a new favorite book! In summation?
Oh, where to begin? This book was everything I loved all mushed into one glorious debut. Time travel is usually fun for me, because I like the idea, as a rule. But sometimes it can confuse me. And then I don't like it. But in this case? It was perfect! It was explained well, without being info-dumpy (totally a word, yes?) and worked quite well- save for one tiny instance toward the end that I was a bit lost on, but that's okay. One thing out of a whole 464 page book, yes, I can live with it.
Nix, our main character, is fabulous. I mean, she's smart, and she's strong, but she's also so confused and vulnerable- because yes, you can be all those things. Like, she is awesome at figuring things out. But that also means that she knows that she could very well cease to exist if her father succeeds in going back in time. She'd played along because she didn't think it would ever be possible, but when there's a chance that it could happen? Well, can you even imagine? Especially when your father is barking about how the only thing he wants in the world is his true love. Harsh.
Speaking of Dear Old Dad, he was a real ass for a large majority of the time, and I wanted to basically punch him. He had this amazing, loving daughter, good friends, and he was willing to sacrifice it all. That said, he was still very well developed. It was clear what his motivations were, and why he was making certain choices. The other characters were pretty amazing too. Kashmir... I adore. We will be needing more Kash, please and thank you. He's just that charming type of character that you can't help but love. It was almost like he wanted to be seen as a "bad boy", but in his heart, he so wasn't. The other characters we meet along the way are really great too, but I certainly don't want to spoil anything, so we'll leave it at that.
Now. There is one character I could have lived without. Blake. He needed to go away so that Nix and Kash could just start falling in love. I was really over him. Leave, Blake.
So yeah, there is kind of a love triangle. Although not a lot of one because there isn't a ton of romance at all anyway. Just like, little pockets here and there, but nothing serious. Which is good, because I don't want any romance between Nix and Blake. Zero. See, there are two reasons: First, I love Kash and I think he and Nix are a good pair. Second, I don't like Blake. In fact, I thought he was boring and dull and boring. So that's where I stand.
Let's talk about other great things!
Hawaii! Yes, people, there is Hawaii involved, as you'd likely have figured out. And any book that even mentions Hawaii has to be a win, right?
All the history. It's very clear that the author did a huge amount of research for this book. The history is amazing. There are politics, myths, legends, maps, and all kinds of fun things involved. I kind of live for this stuff, so I loved every minute. I do see how some people who aren't as excited about that type of thing would perhaps feel less enthusiastic. But I am not those people.
Dragons. SMALL dragons. See, I would not want a dragon. Because they're big and scary. But. A little dragon and I could absolutely be best friends.
I know I already touched on this, but I loooooved everyone aboard the ship. Except when Slate (Nix's father) made me want to throw him overboard. But yeah, like, if I had to live on a ship? This would be the one.
Bottom Line: I need the sequel so, so badly. Like, now. While there may have been a few small things that I didn't completely love, the book as a whole blew me away. I am in love with the characters, the settings, the history, and I have definitely found a new favorite book! In summation?
September 15, 2020
I'm not big on science fiction per se, especially of the time travel variety. I am, however, a sucker for maps, part of the major basis for how the time travel in this book works, and it didn't disappoint. The characters who inhabit the Temptation have been to all different times and places, some of them even mythological (and (spoiler) there's a tiny dragon to prove it).
This was really excellent. One of the things that stood out to me as far as characterizations was how Nix switched between calling her father "Captain" and "Dad" when speaking directly to him, and "the captain", "Slate" and every once in awhile "my father" when speaking of him. It really lent credence to the idea that maybe they're not extremely close -- I don't know that I've ever thought or spoken of my dad by his first name. And the time travel was handled beautifully. I'm not sure why, but it was a shock to my system when the book started and Nix was using modern technology: Google and a cell phone in particular, but as I'm pretty sure she was in modern-day New York, I don't quite know why that felt so jarring. Probably because I just wasn't expecting it. I never expect modernity in anything time-travel related; it's either way in the past or more futuristic, so that was cool to see.
The last few chapters were unexpectedly poignant, and I adored the inclusion of the huaka'i pō (Nightmarchers) mythology throughout. Gave me goosebumps every time they were mentioned. I'm really excited for book two!
This was really excellent. One of the things that stood out to me as far as characterizations was how Nix switched between calling her father "Captain" and "Dad" when speaking directly to him, and "the captain", "Slate" and every once in awhile "my father" when speaking of him. It really lent credence to the idea that maybe they're not extremely close -- I don't know that I've ever thought or spoken of my dad by his first name. And the time travel was handled beautifully. I'm not sure why, but it was a shock to my system when the book started and Nix was using modern technology: Google and a cell phone in particular, but as I'm pretty sure she was in modern-day New York, I don't quite know why that felt so jarring. Probably because I just wasn't expecting it. I never expect modernity in anything time-travel related; it's either way in the past or more futuristic, so that was cool to see.
The last few chapters were unexpectedly poignant, and I adored the inclusion of the huaka'i pō (Nightmarchers) mythology throughout. Gave me goosebumps every time they were mentioned. I'm really excited for book two!
February 27, 2016
4.5 stars rounding to 5!
You guys this book. I loved loved it.
If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to fall in love with you definitely are going to want to give this one a read.
Nix is sixteen and was born in Honolulu in 1868… But when her father brings her aboard his ship The Temptation her entire life changed. She’s been to places we can only imagine… both the past and the future, real and imaginary. As long as they have a map, her father can sail them where they need to go. He’s been on a mission to acquire a map that will take him to the one place he can’t forget… 1868 Honolulu… before Nix’s mother gave birth to her and died. The very idea of this raises so many questions for Nix and they have no idea what will happen if they can make it happen. How can Nix help her father with this task when it could possibly erase her existence… her hopes and her dreams?
I like that this story wasn’t so much about the time travel… sure they go to some incredible places, but ultimately this book is about the relationships between the characters and the consequences of the traveling and the sort of life that it leaves these characters with. The relationships between father and daughter… friend and lover… they are all explored in depth here and I loved it.
The relationship Nix has with her father is complicated to say the least. The only good thing he’s done for her was bring her aboard the ship. She’s built a family with the crew and has decided how she’d like to see her future. She just needs her father to teach her how to travel, but the only time he’s capable is when they have a map in their hands a plan in place to get him back to 1868 Honolulu. I totally understood Nix’s frustration with her father… and sadness. The idea that he was so stuck in the past that he was willing to give her up just to have her mother back is heartbreaking.
Nix has bonded with her friend Kash… he’s her best friend, even though it’s obvious he would love to have more from her. From his very first appearance on the page I fell for him. He’s just enough scoundrel and just enough swoon and sweet to make you fall in love and I couldn’t figure out why Nix was ignoring what was going on between them. But then I realized that it’s hard to make that leap from friend to lover when the person is basically the only person you can count on in life. I thought the evolution of their relationship was lovely and I’m excited to see what happens next.
There is a bit of a triangle here. I’m just going to get it out of the way. In my opinion, it doesn’t last quite long enough to make a huge impact and even though the end maybe hints at something different, in my heart and head I don’t think it’s going where it seems like it might. At least I hope. I’ll be honest. I thought the relationship that started between Blake and Nix felt forced and I just never really felt like it was genuine. I guess maybe that’s why I’m not all that worried about the next book and where this one left off. I don’t know… I guess if triangles aren’t your thing, maybe wait, but like I said, I’m not worried and I don’t feel like the romance is the main story here… there’s so much more going on.
While there are some definite slow parts, I thought the pacing was well done and there was definitely a lot of action to make this a page turner. I loved that Heilig quite obviously researched and spent a lot of time making me as a reader feel like I could imagine each and every place Nix and her crew were. From the lush unexplored forests of Hawaii to the imaginary and mythic lands that are explored each was described in a way that I couldn’t help but picture as I read.
I think what many will love is that this can be read as a standalone. There is definitely room to expand and I for one am excited to see what the future might hold for Nix and her motley crew, but if you aren’t in the mood for a series, you can read this and get a full and complete story and not have to commit to anything more… though why wouldn’t you in my opinion. For me, if Heidi Heilig is writing it, I’m going to be reading it.
Fans of historical fiction, fantasy and time travel will definitely want to pick this one up upon release.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
You guys this book. I loved loved it.
If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to fall in love with you definitely are going to want to give this one a read.
Nix is sixteen and was born in Honolulu in 1868… But when her father brings her aboard his ship The Temptation her entire life changed. She’s been to places we can only imagine… both the past and the future, real and imaginary. As long as they have a map, her father can sail them where they need to go. He’s been on a mission to acquire a map that will take him to the one place he can’t forget… 1868 Honolulu… before Nix’s mother gave birth to her and died. The very idea of this raises so many questions for Nix and they have no idea what will happen if they can make it happen. How can Nix help her father with this task when it could possibly erase her existence… her hopes and her dreams?
I like that this story wasn’t so much about the time travel… sure they go to some incredible places, but ultimately this book is about the relationships between the characters and the consequences of the traveling and the sort of life that it leaves these characters with. The relationships between father and daughter… friend and lover… they are all explored in depth here and I loved it.
The relationship Nix has with her father is complicated to say the least. The only good thing he’s done for her was bring her aboard the ship. She’s built a family with the crew and has decided how she’d like to see her future. She just needs her father to teach her how to travel, but the only time he’s capable is when they have a map in their hands a plan in place to get him back to 1868 Honolulu. I totally understood Nix’s frustration with her father… and sadness. The idea that he was so stuck in the past that he was willing to give her up just to have her mother back is heartbreaking.
Nix has bonded with her friend Kash… he’s her best friend, even though it’s obvious he would love to have more from her. From his very first appearance on the page I fell for him. He’s just enough scoundrel and just enough swoon and sweet to make you fall in love and I couldn’t figure out why Nix was ignoring what was going on between them. But then I realized that it’s hard to make that leap from friend to lover when the person is basically the only person you can count on in life. I thought the evolution of their relationship was lovely and I’m excited to see what happens next.
There is a bit of a triangle here. I’m just going to get it out of the way. In my opinion, it doesn’t last quite long enough to make a huge impact and even though the end maybe hints at something different, in my heart and head I don’t think it’s going where it seems like it might. At least I hope. I’ll be honest. I thought the relationship that started between Blake and Nix felt forced and I just never really felt like it was genuine. I guess maybe that’s why I’m not all that worried about the next book and where this one left off. I don’t know… I guess if triangles aren’t your thing, maybe wait, but like I said, I’m not worried and I don’t feel like the romance is the main story here… there’s so much more going on.
While there are some definite slow parts, I thought the pacing was well done and there was definitely a lot of action to make this a page turner. I loved that Heilig quite obviously researched and spent a lot of time making me as a reader feel like I could imagine each and every place Nix and her crew were. From the lush unexplored forests of Hawaii to the imaginary and mythic lands that are explored each was described in a way that I couldn’t help but picture as I read.
I think what many will love is that this can be read as a standalone. There is definitely room to expand and I for one am excited to see what the future might hold for Nix and her motley crew, but if you aren’t in the mood for a series, you can read this and get a full and complete story and not have to commit to anything more… though why wouldn’t you in my opinion. For me, if Heidi Heilig is writing it, I’m going to be reading it.
Fans of historical fiction, fantasy and time travel will definitely want to pick this one up upon release.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
July 26, 2016
So here are the things I really liked:
- time traveling pirates who use maps to travel to real and mythological places.
- diversity (Nix is half chinese, Kashmir is Persian, lots of reference and description to Hawaiian myths and folklore)
Here are things I didn't like:
- characters are really bland...personally i just didn't connect emotionally to any of them. most of them were really one dimensional. the only one i really thought was interesting was kashmir
- so the characters can travel anywhere or mythological as long as they have an original map right? this could have been used to alot more in terms of story. i loved the beginning when they were in 1774 calcutta and stole this mythic bird that when it looked you in the eye it healed your illness and i'm like THIS IS AWESOME LET'S GO STEAL MORE MYTHOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS but that didn't happen.
- then they ended up in hawaii most of the time which was nice and i liked when i got to read about some historical places from 1884 but that got boring pretty quick
- also i didn't understand the whole using maps to time travel concept completely until 300ish pages in so better explaination could have happened
- romance was so bland. i just didn't care...and i think i was supposed to
the saving grace? the ending. i really doubted that i would like the ending but i actually did. and now despite my rating, i find myself curious about book 2.
overall, i think this is just a case of "it's me, it's not you" and i think a lot of people could really enjoy this. this was only okay for me. 2.5 stars
- time traveling pirates who use maps to travel to real and mythological places.
- diversity (Nix is half chinese, Kashmir is Persian, lots of reference and description to Hawaiian myths and folklore)
Here are things I didn't like:
- characters are really bland...personally i just didn't connect emotionally to any of them. most of them were really one dimensional. the only one i really thought was interesting was kashmir
- so the characters can travel anywhere or mythological as long as they have an original map right? this could have been used to alot more in terms of story. i loved the beginning when they were in 1774 calcutta and stole this mythic bird that when it looked you in the eye it healed your illness and i'm like THIS IS AWESOME LET'S GO STEAL MORE MYTHOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS but that didn't happen.
- then they ended up in hawaii most of the time which was nice and i liked when i got to read about some historical places from 1884 but that got boring pretty quick
- also i didn't understand the whole using maps to time travel concept completely until 300ish pages in so better explaination could have happened
- romance was so bland. i just didn't care...and i think i was supposed to
the saving grace? the ending. i really doubted that i would like the ending but i actually did. and now despite my rating, i find myself curious about book 2.
overall, i think this is just a case of "it's me, it's not you" and i think a lot of people could really enjoy this. this was only okay for me. 2.5 stars
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