Book Review: Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Title:  Timeless

Author:  Alexandra Monir

Publisher:  Delecorte Books

Publish Date:  January 11, 2011

Source:  Different Area Codes Tours

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives

My Thoughts:

Timeless was a little disappointing to me.  It wasn't a bad book at all, it just wasn't a "blow me away" book.  I loved the historical part and the descriptions were great!  The author obviously did her research there.  I especially loved when Michele met Lily in the 1920s.

It was also a very easy read and kept my attention and interest throughout the whole book.  It wasn't too long (in fact, it could have been a little longer and still kept my interest) and while I had some issues with all the relationships, it hopped to news ones fast enough that you didn't have chance to get bored with any characters! 

The things I had some issues with were the time traveling.  Not the fact that Michele time traveled but the fact that she would physically swirl through time, like Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole, and then land wherever she landed.  I guess I picture time travel as more of an astral projection kinda thing or at least not so awkward.  One example is when her grandparents take her to see Mary Poppins on Broadway.  She is transported back in time and no one notices her "fading" away.  Then, as she is brought back to present time, she lands in her chair and no one notices her "bump" back down.

I also thought it was strange that Michele just accepts traveling back in time so easily.  I would be so excited and freaked at the same time and she was just very calm about it.  Even her friend, Caissie, who at first doesn't believe her, comes around rather quickly after reading just one book.   

One of the other things I didn't care for is how rushed each relationship was.  First, Michele goes back in time and meets Clara.  Clara is adopted and she is struggling with why she was the adopted one and why her adopted father's family doesn't care for her.  So, Michele finds out the reason, urges Clara to talk to her adopted father and that's it.  Over and done.  While I felt there were still issues to resolve with Clara (like did her adopted father's family ever warm up to her?) it just ended. 

Then we meet Philip.  Now Michele has dreamed of Philip all her life.  She meets him and they fall madly in love.  However, Michele finds out something that happens and tries to end things with Philip.  While we do see Philip again in the end, this is where his main story ends.  I didn't like how easily Philip accepted Michele either.  She's dreamt of him all her life and then meets him, tells him she travels through time and he's like "oh, okay, great.  Let's fall in love."  Just a little unrealistic for me.

After Philip, Michele meets Lily.  This was the best time travel character in my opinion.  Again though, Lily readily accepts Michele's explanation of being a "friendly spirit" and followed along with Michele's plans.  However, I did enjoy how the author weaved Michele and Philip's songwriting in with Lily's singing. 

After Michele helps Lily, she moves on to Stella.  Stella's story was heartbreaking!  I wish we could have had a little more history between Stella and Jack and maybe a little more detail into life during World War II, although there is a scene during an air raid drill that was very dramatic.  I liked the way that Stella helped Michele realize how strong she could be and how everyone has a hard life. 

The other character, Irving Henry, was very rushed and not completed.  I'm hoping the next novel really delves into Michele and Irving's relationship and how it can even be possible!  I also really enjoyed how the author brought Philip back at the end and will have to read the next novel to see how this turns out. 

I think that teens will really enjoy this book.  Maybe they won't be as bothered by the fact that the relationships are just skimmed through as much as I did.  It was a very fast and easy read so will even entertain the reluctant readers!  So, while this wasn't my favorite book, it was still okay.  I would recommend it if you want a fast and kinda fluffy read with a little bit of history in it.