Saturday, November 22, 2014

Earth and Sky by Megan Crewe


Published: October 28th
Publisher: Razorbill Canada
Pages: 336
Copy: Netgalley
Summary: Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Skylar has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong. But despite the panic attacks tormenting her, nothing ever happens, and Sky’s beginning to think she’s crazy. Then she meets a mysterious, otherworldly boy named Win and discovers the shocking truth her premonitions have tapped into: our world no longer belongs to us. For thousands of years, Earth has been at the mercy of alien scientists who care nothing for its inhabitants and are using us as the unwitting subjects of their time-manipulating experiments. Win belongs to a rebel faction seeking to put a stop to it, and he needs Skylar’s help--but with each shift in the past, the very fabric of reality is unraveling, and soon there may be no Earth left to save.

Skylar is a fascinating character.  She has managed to conquer a severely debilitating tendency to panic attacks and for that I admired her.  It also made it easier to understand why she didn't go screaming to the authorities when she meets Win.  When you've been coping by yourself for so long, I guess it makes sense to keep going alone.

Time travel is a very sticky subject and Ms Crewe has managed it very well.  Same place, same time conundrum, characters here are 'doxed' (sorry if that is the wrong term.  I couldn't find the exact spot in the book) which means that they are whisked out of the way to avoid meeting themselves.  Changing the future by changing the past - it happens, and Skylar's reaction to it was interesting.

In fact the whole idea of earth being an alien science experiment is totally fascinating.  Come on - don't tell me that thought has never crossed your mind? I particularly loved that there are far reaching consequences to all of these so called 'minor' time changes, and our world is basically unraveling.

Ms Crewe has written a fantastic and believable world, populated with interesting characters.   There is a sense of urgency throughout the whole story, which keeps things moving  and I am looking forward to seeing what is next in store for Skylar and Win. Oh, and where can I find one of those time travel tents? It sounds mighty useful.

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