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?