Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Release Date - January 5, 2016
Publisher Website - Disney-Hyperion
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 496 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Many books start their protagonist's journey with an awakening of sorts. They often find hidden powers within themselves and family secrets long buried. It is a call to adventure that is eagerly answered. Alexandra Bracken takes this immediately recognizable premise, and puts her own delightful twist on time travel to create a romantic, and addicting read.

The romance in this novel is what hooks you. It compels you to keep reading. It's deeply passionate and it's instantly memorable. The pull and connection these two characters have is undeniable to the reader, even as the characters try to deny it to themselves. Their romance is epic feeling, and easily to lose yourself in. The romance, at times, overshadows the plot, but this is the rare instance where it is welcome.

Time travel novels are not new. There are plenty of them out there for readers to enjoy. Passenger sets itself apart from them due to Alexandra Bracken's own unique take on it. She has created a mythology behind her version of time travel, and with it come her own set of rules. This along with her knack for characterization make the world come to life. The story works because of her characters, and they in turn make her premise feel plausible. The most striking part of her created world are the consequences that lay in wait. The idea of time travel is tempting, but this novel is sure to point out the devastating consequences that would come along with it. The risks are very present, and deadly.

The settings are so vivid that they immediately come to life. The research that must have been done to bring not only the locations, but time periods time life is staggering. The inclusion of the characters being a product of their time was also a nice touch. Each of them retain something of the era they were born in, regardless of how much they travel.  Alexandra Bracken weaves in prejudices, racism, and freedom into the plot and makes it feels organic. The plot leaps through various locations and time periods but does so with an apparent ease. This ease is, obviously, the result of a carefully crafted plot and that is a testament to Alexandra Bracken's ability and talent. The novel could have easily felt clunky and disjointed leaving the reader confused, instead it feels seamless. It is time travel for everyone, even those who don't normally venture into this genre.

The ending is delightfully torturous set up for the next part of their journey. This novels has it's share of surprises and the ending is no exception. It masterfully makes you need to read the next book, and takes the storyline in a very interesting direction. It ensures your investment into the remainder of the story and that ties back to Alexandra Bracken's pitch perfect character development.

A wildly romantic, thrilling journey through time that will leave you hooked, and itching to continue Etta and Nicholas' story. Alexandra Bracken has created an incredibly unique twist on the time travel trope which equates to a delightful reading experience.