Rating:3.8 stars
It’s an unusual number but I think it’s fitting.
This was a very interesting take on time travel with interesting, complex characters, well built tension and clever twists.
Back in high school, a friend told me she had no regrets. I don’t know if she still stands by that philosophy but I remember that, at sixteen, I already had a lot of regrets and a lot of things I wish I could go back and do differently. I couldn’t fathom the idea of someone being able to go on not regretting a single thing.
This book is about this, it’s about people trying to fix mistakes, trying to right wrongs, trying to save people. It is also about power, about how it can corrupt, rot and destroy somebody.
This is a fast paced, entertaining read. It’s a great addition to the library of any fan of science fiction.
***
I’d like to thank NetGalley and author Ernie Luis for providing me of an ARC of Alternate in exchange for an honest review.
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This review was originally posted on GoodReads. Link here.
I joined the ranks of people who fell in love with this book.
Found it on a list of books on Pinterest, read a few reviews and decided to give it a try. Ended reading all in less than 8 hours, with pauses.
I guess I can consider myself lucky, every single book aimed at middle graders and up I’ve read recently have been great and deserved a 5 star rating.
When You Reach Me is sweet, fun, touching, engaging and with a great mystery in the form or little notes from some time traveler.
We see the main character, a young girl named Miranda, learning and maturing, making mistakes, living an adventure, finding new friends, expanding her horizon. We see Miranda growing up and it’s a nice thing to witness.
Even though its public is obviously preteen, I found it highly enjoyable.
This is a great read, no matter your age.
***
This review was also posted on GoodReads. Link here.
Some books are special. They make you look at the world around you in a different way. They fill your heart and your mind with ‘what ifs‘. They make you think of possibilities.
This is one of these books.
I recently read James Renner’s first fiction novel, The Man from Primrose Lane and fell in love with his style. Then I learned he was releasing a new book soon and couldn’t wait to read it. I bought The Great Forgetting the morning it was released, and started reading immediately. Unfortunately, it was a busy week and I couldn’t read much during it, but as soon as Saturday arrived, I put all my focus on it. I knew it would be a great ride, I just didn’t anticipate it being so intense – way more intense than The Man From Primrose Lane.
I got attached to one of the main characters, Cole. He grew on me to a point that I was really caring about his future and well being.
Highlight to read spoiler. .[Cole is the main reason this book made me heartbroken. I wish he had a chance to a happy ending, and his demisse broke me. Renner telling me on Twitter that writing Cole’s death made him cry made me feel a little bit better, but just a little. It means I’m not the only one who felt for the kid.] End of spoiler.
There are great characters in this book – it’s not a one person adventure. Nils, for example, brings a bit of much needed comic relief. The Captain is one of the brightest spots. I’m a little ambivalent to Sam. Jake is the appointed hero, the official main character so to speak, but to me, the real star, the real hero, is Cole.
There’s not a real, defined villain in this story. There are mentions of bad guys, sure, and even brief appearances of a few, but what you have is mainly misguided beings. Beings wanting the same thing, but going at it differently because of their own experiences and approaches to life and society.
This book is rich in so many aspects. It is something that needs to be read, needs to be experienced. I highly recommend it.
Congratulations, James Renner on this brilliant work.
Footnote: If you’re a fan of dystopian novels, you should definitely check this out, even thought it’s not one per se, you’ll find many elements that you will enjoy.
This was one of the most fascinating books I’ve read in 2015, and the one that really helped rekindle my love for books.
It was inventive, fast paced, breathtaking and engaging. It played like a movie in my head, and I think it would make a great – maybe not movie but definitely miniseries. Well, it’s actually being made into a movie, and I’m actually excited about this.
It’s hard to talk about The Man From Primrose Lane without getting into details, it’s such a fascinating cross between sci-fi, mystery, whodunnit, dystopian and nonfiction, I fear I’d be spoiling the reader’s experience by mentioning things here. Trust me, this is a book that needs to be experienced. The twists and turns – especially the huge one – will stay with you a long time after you finish the book.
Highlight to read spoiler.[I figured the child abductor was the person responsible for the school photos as soon as it was mentioned how the two photographs looked almost the same, including the background. It didn’t anything from my reading experience, though. I was actually glad it was the FBI guy who figured it out, showing he was not incompetent, he just didn’t have all the pieces.]End of spoiler.
The Man From Primrose Lane is actually one of the rare books I know I’ll be reading again in the future. And to think it’s Jeremy Renner‘s first novel? That’s insane!
All in all, it was a great read, that I finished in one weekend. I hope it gets translated to Portuguese, so I can recommend it to my friends who don’t speak English.
***
This review was also posted on GoodReads. Link here.
Tiny Box of Imagination 