Do you like historical fiction with time traveling and a smidge of romance? If that sounds like you don't bother reading my review any farther and just go pick up Into the Dim and enjoy it. I'd give Into the Dim 3 1/2 stars. At first, Hope (main character) was a claustrophobic, fearful, jittery mess that would have a panic attack at the thought of closed spaces. For me it didn't work - I was annoyed at the beginning when it seemed like every other thought was about how fragile she was. Finally, the panicky thoughts toned down and Hope got a little moxie. My other problem was that Hope didn't ask any questions. There were lots of strange things going on such as a secret room in the broom closet or her mom in a picture wearing a toga and she just shrugged them off like it's totally normal. When she did try to ask a question the other characters would change the subject or ignore her. She would not push for an answer even when it was obvious they were lying. This brings up my other issue - predictability. Hope didn't find out about time travel until about 50% into the book. Readers know about the time travel aspect from the beginning thanks to the book's summary, "...also a member of a secret society of time travelers." Having read Into the Dim, I can tell that the author has spend a great deal of time on researching the eras and infused the book with interesting facts such as kings and queens weren't called "your Majesty" until Henry VII's reign they were just referred to as "your Grace". I also enjoyed the romance between Hope and Bran. It was very cutesy and wasn't the main focus of the book. I would say that it wasn't insta-love only because of the backstory at the end of the book. Intrigued? Read the book. My favorite character was Phoebe, I wish she would have been the main character instead of Hope. She had a much better personality (so much more spunk) and I love her blue hair. Last problem with Into the Dim was that some of the scenes seemed cheesy, especially the fight scene with Eleanor in her bedroom. Might have just been me but... Anyway Into the Dim is worth reading. I was entertained and I enjoyed it which is what you look for in a book. *Thank you to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read this book.
Into the Dim
By Janet B. Taylor
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 6 - 8 | Grades 3 - 6 | n/a | 5.1 | 96244 |
"Instantly engaging, constantly suspenseful, ultimately poignant and satisfying. Loved it!"--Diana Gabaldon, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Outlander series
When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. And she's alive, though currently trapped in the twelfth century, during the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Passing through the Dim, Hope enters a brutal medieval world of political intrigue, danger, and violence. A place where any serious interference could alter the very course of history. And when she meets a boy whose face is impossibly familiar, she must decide between her mission and her heart—both of which could leave Hope trapped in the past forever.
When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. And she's alive, though currently trapped in the twelfth century, during the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Passing through the Dim, Hope enters a brutal medieval world of political intrigue, danger, and violence. A place where any serious interference could alter the very course of history. And when she meets a boy whose face is impossibly familiar, she must decide between her mission and her heart—both of which could leave Hope trapped in the past forever.
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9781328696038
ISBN-10: 1328696030
Published on 4/11/2017
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 448