Passenger: Book 1 (Passenger, #1)

by Alexandra Bracken

'Riveting. Romantic characters and an immense world with no end in sight' - Victoria Aveyard

New York City, present day

In one night, Etta Spencer is wrenched from everything she knows and loves. Thrown into an unfamiliar world, she can be certain of only one thing: she has travelled not just miles, but years from home.

The Atlantic, 1776

Captain Nicholas Carter is tasked with delivering Etta to the dangerous Ironwood family. They are searching for something - a stolen object they believe only she can reclaim. But Nicholas is drawn to his mysterious passenger, and the closer he gets to her, the further he is from freedom.

The Edges of the World

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by a desperate thief. But as Etta plays deeper into the Ironwoods' game, treacherous forces threaten to separate her not only from Nicholas, but from her path home - for ever.

• ISBN10: 1786540002
• ISBN13: 9781786540003
• Publish Date: 7 April 2016 (first published 5 January 2016)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 16 January 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
• Imprint: Quercus Children's Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 496
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nessa Luna]

Again, just like with Nevernight, I can't get myself through it.. I tried to get to 100 pages and even made it a little further than that, but it's just not gripping me.. Might try an audiobook but for now it's another DNF, sadly.

[jeannamichel]

I have too many feels right now to actually have any coherent thoughts. Review to come.

I loved this book. The characters were relatable, it has a good story line and some crazy plot twists. The only downside is that some events are a little bit predictable, but not that you can understand the whole storyline before it's explained to you.

[cornerfolds]

DNF @ 28%

Passenger is one of those books. You know, the kind that's hyped up so freaking much that you're actually a little scared to read it? I honestly wasn't even planning to buy Passenger, but I won a January new release giveaway and chose it as the January book I most wanted to read because it DID sound interesting and unique. Not to mention, the book trailer was one of the few that I've really enjoyed! I didn't go into it with super high expectations (as is my general way with super hyped books) and, although I prefer to be wrong about this kind of thing, my gut feeling was actually right on this one.

Etta is the main character of Passenger, and she was just okay for me. Etta is a violinist who is finally getting to make her debut after sacrificing her entire childhood to become famous. Before she actually gets to play, however, she is snatched up by someone who takes her to another time. My first problem with Etta was that I did not find her to be at all relatable. Maybe if I had continued on with the book I would have been able to connect with her more. As it was, I just didn't get her. There were other important characters that were introduced, Nicholas and Sophia, but I honestly didn't stay with the book long enough to learn much about them.

So why didn't I finish Passenger? Well, because I made it 28% in and nothing really happened and I now know that none of the "treasure hunt" business from the synopsis even happens for another 22% so... Yes, Etta was taken to the 18th century, but even that was really dull. Half her time on the ship (that I made it through) was spent giving info dumps and talking about clothes. Another thing that seemed strange to me was how easily Etta accepted that she had time traveled. She's in the middle of the ocean, someone tells her that she's taken a passage through time, and she just goes with it?

I really didn't intend to DNF this book, even though it was doing a terrible job of holding my attention, until I realized how little of it I had actually pushed through so far. I know I'm in the minority. I know that a whole lot of people adored this book and that it apparently does a great job of tackling big issues, but it just was not for me, and that sucks. No, I didn't have very high expectations, but I did expect to like it enough to finish!

[Stephanie]

I... DNF this book.

And I don't think I will. I read a review that encapsulated exactly what I thought: this book is hard work. And not just because "omg reading is tough" but if it's difficult for me to stay interested then it's not something I have time for. I wanted to like this book, honestly, I did. I made it 30% of the way through before I put it down for the final time (of many) and said "Stephanie, you have to let it go."

I tried. I failed. I'm moving on. Sorry.

[Kelly]

Passenger was a vividly imagined storyline with such depth and heart. From the modern day to the high seas of 1776, readers will find themselves consumed with Etta and Nicholas and what seems to be an impossible romance in more ways than one.

There's one aspect of Alexandra Bracken's releases that you can rely on, it'll take you twice as long as any other book to read. It's not the page count, but rather how much is packed into one storyline to lure readers into her world. Readers are introduced to Etta and Nicholas almost within the same breath. Etta is thrown into his world upon the Challenger and it soon becomes apparent that she's not on board of her own free will. Her mother is missing and she leaves behind her violin instructor, a woman she cares more of the welfare of than her own mother. On paper, Etta is your typical young adult heroine but imagined, she's so much more. She's strong, feisty and adaptable which doesn't sit well with her new peers upon the ship. But unfortunately she's also not all that likable.

Nicholas is a young man that pines for freedom. Bought by the ships captain and rescued from a life of slavery, the colour of his skin within the era means he'll always be the target of prejudice. Sailing is all he's ever known. I felt for Nicholas, he was confident in his abilities but doesn't seem to have the fight against his oppressors. Until Etta shows him compassion. The voyage to New York City where Etta is to be delivered to his employer was slowly paced and often lulled in places. It took quite a few chapters for me to immerse myself and I was tempted to skim ahead. Once Etta and Nicholas struck up a tentative friendship, the storyline flowed but unfortunately a little on the side of being dull.

Sophia is responsible for the position Etta finds herself in. She shares a connection to Nicholas, but is headstrong and determined to work her way into a position of power despite the oppression of woman and people of colour during her time. I loved the diversity. It wasn't added as an afterthought but felt as though it had been well researched and true not only to the era, but also the character development. That feeling of being worthless and knowing that even determination seems hopeless. To hope, to dream of a life that is free from prejudice. Etta introduces both Nicholas and Sophia to the concept of equality for women and people of colour, a future neither character could have imagined. The forbidden romance was barely there at times, but still lovely in places, but sadly I didn't feel a genuine connection between the two.

He would not surrender to the disaster of loving her.

What surprised me most was how lyrical the writing was in bursts, especially from Nicholas' point of view. It added a romanticism and softness to a storyline that needed a warmth and likability. The first half felt slightly underwhelming, too much information squeezed into a storyline that offered very little fanfare, but then slowly the action adventure starts to emerge. The real challenge for readers will be to read through the initial storyline to find the crux of the action.

Although drawn out in the beginning, Passenger feels a true to the era historical science fiction based on time travel elements. Feisty female characters with a mutual respect for one another, seeking power and freedom from the oppression of 1776. A cast of diverse characters who are multilayered, but unfortunately disconnected. I couldn't grasp the connection as to why Etta was explored as a music prodigy only to go on a time travelling adventure. It felt unnecessarily drawn out and the storyline could have been condensed into an exciting read, that has sadly fell a little short despite the hype.

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4.5 ★ Audiobook⎮This was my first Alexandra Bracken story. I haven't gotten to The Darkest Minds series yet, but reading Passenger encourages me to move it up on my TBR. I'm no stranger to time travel fiction. In fact, it kind of seems like that's all I've been interested in lately. Bracken's take on time travel was unlike anything I've experienced before. It was a wee bit confusing and I'm still not sure I have completely grasped her concept of time and the rules of traveling through it, but I am intrigued enough by its uniqueness to carry-on. Fondness for this audiobook sort of creeped up on me. I wasn't immediately hooked, nor was I ever on the edge of my seat with excitement, but that is not its style. This story doesn't need cheap thrills because it has quality. It has so much promise that I don't blame Bracken for not giving away all of the goods at once. Overall, I felt this was a very balanced story. There wasn't a ton of action and it wasn't super fast-paced, but I was never bored with it. There was so much to digest, that I came to appreciate the slower pace. It gave me time to develop genuine interest in the plot and tethered me to the welfare of the characters. By the end of the novel, I had developed pretty strong opinions on each of the characters (one way or the other), except the main character Etta. My indifference towards her began to worry me as the story progressed until Rose described her as "a blank slate" near the end of it. It dawned on me that Etta is probably supposed to be somewhat underdeveloped at this point in the story since it's only the first installment (I had to keep reminding myself of that). This allows the author to develop Etta along the way and let future events in the series mold her further. Although the romance in this story did have me swooning at times, I'm not in full "shipping mode" just yet. I won't say it was "insta-love" (thank goodness) because it seems more like lust than love right now anyway. However, I can see how it could develop into a great romance in the coming installments. I am oh so grateful to Alexandra Bracken for not forcing a gag-worthy romance down our throats. I'm even more grateful to her for rejecting an all too common YA plot device, the love triangle. Nicholas is a very well-developed character and I appreciate how the author uses his race both as means of propelling the "forbidden" angle of the romance forward (in earlier centuries) and using the social injustices done to him to give his character extreme depth. There is so much room for exploration on that front alone. Of the other characters, I am most interested to learn about Rose's backstory. The tiny tease of her we were given at the very end only left me wanting more of her in future installments. Her sheer badass-ery makes me hope that Etta's character will mirror it (at least somewhat). And, just spitballing here, I wouldn't complain about a spinoff series or at least a novella from Rose's POV...

Narration review: Saskia Maarleveld did an outstanding job narrating. Her character voices were so distinct that I never had any trouble distinguishing points-of-view. Her accents were also very enjoyable and not at all overdone. Just with this one story, she has proven herself to be a very diverse narrator and I am looking forward to hearing her again! ♣︎

[girlinthepages]

First Impressions:

I want more time travel to more exotic places and less romance with angsty Nick. I love the strong female characters and the time traveling family legacy. The details and description were lush and beautiful, although sometimes the narrative got bogged down by superfluous prose. Full review to come!

[Leigha]

A young woman fights to keep an ancient artifact from a tyrannical leader and falls in love with her companion.

Let me just tell it to you straight - I did not like this book because of the time travel. Ugh, I can't stand time travel! While the book explains in detail the mythology and principles of time travel, it made no sense to me.

However, this book was not necessarily bad. The characterization was great (and can we get a slow clap for a POC perspective?). While I enjoyed Etta, it was Nicholas that drew me into the story. A main reason I tolerated the time travel was watching his reaction to the social customs of each era. I do think the author did a remarkable job of historically reconstructing each setting, and I highly enjoyed the diversity of locations. The plot tended to drag in places, mostly to make room for developing the tepid romance.

tl;dr If you are a time-travel fan, you are going to love this novel showcasing unique settings, a great male protagonist, and an interesting plot twist.

[chrssym]

Enjoyable story. Took a while to get into.