For teens grappling with how past choices shape the future, this gripping story explores destiny, sacrifice, and the profound impact of one's actions across time.
A parent might reach for this book when their teen is exploring complex ideas about destiny, free will, and the weight of their choices. This gripping sci-fi thriller follows Em, who is sent back in time to kill the boy she loves, Finn, to stop him from inventing a time machine that will destroy the world. The story unfolds in two timelines, revealing a tangled web of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. It tackles mature themes of moral ambiguity, violence for a greater good, and perseverance in the face of impossible odds. Best for older teens (14+), this novel is more than just an adventure; it's a powerful conversation starter about how our actions define us and shape the future.
The dystopian future setting is bleak and oppressive, with a constant sense of dread.
Sad ThemesModerate
Themes of loss, betrayal, and sacrifice are central to the story.
Moral AmbiguityIntense
The central conflict is whether it's right to kill someone to prevent a terrible future.
Sensitive Topics
The book features significant violence, including torture (both physical and psychological), imprisonment, and murder. Death is a central, direct theme, as the protagonist's mission is an assassination. The approach is secular. The resolution is bittersweet and realistic within its sci-fi context; a sacrifice is made, but it offers a hopeful, altered future.
Ideal Reader
An older teen (15-18) who loves intricate plots, mind-bending twists, and moral quandaries. This is for the reader who enjoyed "The Hunger Games" for its stakes and "The Maze Runner" for its mystery, but is ready for a more complex ethical puzzle box. It's perfect for a teen who likes to debate "what would you do?" scenarios.
Parent Prep
Parents should be aware of the intensity of the violence and torture scenes, particularly in the "Then" (future) sections. These scenes are not gratuitous but are emotionally impactful and describe suffering. A preview of chapters describing the "Then" timeline would be wise. The central premise revolves around a teen planning to commit murder, which requires contextual understanding. The teen might say something like, "Is it ever okay to do a bad thing for a good reason?" or express fascination with time travel paradoxes and the concept of changing the past. They might be drawn to stories with strong, morally complex characters.
Age Experience
A younger teen (13-14) will likely focus on the thrilling plot, the romance, and the shocking twist. An older teen (15-18) is more likely to grapple with the deeper philosophical questions: the nature of evil, the ethics of pre-emptive action, and the idea that good intentions can lead to catastrophic outcomes.
What Makes It Special
While many YA dystopians focus on a rebellion against an established evil system, this book's uniqueness lies in its tightly-woven, dual-timeline narrative that explores the origin of that evil. The time travel element is not just a device but a complex moral engine, making the story a personal, ethical thriller rather than a large-scale revolutionary tale.
Read plot summary
A dual-timeline YA sci-fi thriller. In the "Now" timeline, Em, a time traveler, is imprisoned by a mysterious boy named James. Her mission: escape and assassinate Finn, the boy she once loved, who will grow up to be a dictator and destroy the world with his time machine. In the "Then" timeline, we see the backstory of Em and Finn's relationship in a horrifying prison-like future. The timelines converge to reveal a shocking twist about the true identity of the future tyrant, forcing Em to make an impossible choice.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
The story is told in two timelines, 'Then' and 'Now'. How did seeing Em and Finn's past change how you felt about her mission in the present?
2
At the end of the book, Marina says, 'Some people are born to be heroes.' Em disagrees. What do you think the book is trying to say about what makes someone a hero?
3
The big twist reveals that James, not Finn, becomes the Doctor. Did you see any clues beforehand? How did this revelation change your understanding of James's actions in the 'Now' timeline?
4
If you were in Em's position and knew for certain that someone would cause immense suffering in the future, would you be able to do what she planned to do? Why or why not?
