Title: The Here and Now
Author: Ann Brashares
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Pages: 288
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.
This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.
Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.
But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
Prenna's from the future. And the future world is a scary place. I think it was even more frightening because the premise of their (our) future is realistic. It is based on some things that are happening to this day but on a grander scale. Blood borne viruses, mainly transferred by mosquitoes. Those bastards. But it's something that does happen now. Bird flu anyone? Of course there are other things happening in this future world, but we don't see too much of it. Just tidbits here and there. Prenna is all about the present, or is it the past to her?
Regardless, Prenna is committed to today. She and her fellow time travelers have rules and they must be followed to a tee. The consequences are unknown for rule breaking but are distinctly dire according to their leaders. You know, the butterfly effect and all. Not only that, but travelers that don't blend in suddenly disappear. Spooky, eh?
This book moves at a really fast pace. I remember reaching chapter 10 and thinking, wow, what else could possibly happen?! Because so much had happened already. We meet Ethan right at the beginning but really didn't see a lot of him until the middle. Even with all the rules in place, Prenna can't seem to resist Ethan, who's a time native. (How cool is that term!!) She falls for him hard, harder still when he proves his loyalty to her and her mission.
I will admit that there are a lot of plot twists that you see coming. Oh, you'll think, this person is that person and then this is going to happen. And you'll be right. However, I was okay with this because Prenna also sees these twists coming, and while she sees it there and she knows its coming, she still tries to pretend that its not happening. Like if she doesn't pay any attention to this thing that is coming, then it will never happen to her. So I felt okay as a reader that the twists weren't so huge and crazy that would blow up my mind.
As I said before, the pace is super fast so we're carried to the end swiftly. But it ended so suddenly I almost felt cheated.That was what we were waiting for? That's the end, that's it?! Those were my initial thoughts when I'd flipped the last page. Still, I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read this one. Ann Brashares won me over with her Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series, and she hasn't disappointed me with this one.
So what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy Prenna as a protagonist or could she have been more?
Provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!
Regardless, Prenna is committed to today. She and her fellow time travelers have rules and they must be followed to a tee. The consequences are unknown for rule breaking but are distinctly dire according to their leaders. You know, the butterfly effect and all. Not only that, but travelers that don't blend in suddenly disappear. Spooky, eh?
This book moves at a really fast pace. I remember reaching chapter 10 and thinking, wow, what else could possibly happen?! Because so much had happened already. We meet Ethan right at the beginning but really didn't see a lot of him until the middle. Even with all the rules in place, Prenna can't seem to resist Ethan, who's a time native. (How cool is that term!!) She falls for him hard, harder still when he proves his loyalty to her and her mission.
I will admit that there are a lot of plot twists that you see coming. Oh, you'll think, this person is that person and then this is going to happen. And you'll be right. However, I was okay with this because Prenna also sees these twists coming, and while she sees it there and she knows its coming, she still tries to pretend that its not happening. Like if she doesn't pay any attention to this thing that is coming, then it will never happen to her. So I felt okay as a reader that the twists weren't so huge and crazy that would blow up my mind.
As I said before, the pace is super fast so we're carried to the end swiftly. But it ended so suddenly I almost felt cheated.That was what we were waiting for? That's the end, that's it?! Those were my initial thoughts when I'd flipped the last page. Still, I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read this one. Ann Brashares won me over with her Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series, and she hasn't disappointed me with this one.
So what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy Prenna as a protagonist or could she have been more?
Provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!
No comments:
Post a Comment