Into the Dim

urbangirlreview - 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.

January 4, 2016
Hope Walton, a 16-year-old with a photographic memory, is devastated after her mother disappears on a trip to India and is presumed dead following an earthquake. When her father sends her to Scotland to see her mother’s sister, Hope resists going—she’s claustrophobic and terrified of flying—yet after she arrives, she learns that her mother is likely still alive. What’s more, Hope’s mother is part of a group called the Viators, time travelers who have long protected the sanctity of the time line from another time-traveling family. Debut author Taylor adeptly blends the fantastical and the historical as she sends her reluctant heroine back to the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine in order to save her mother. Taylor’s writing is bright with detail and her plot dense with action as Hope learns to be brave and resourceful when circumstances turn dire. Amid cameos from the likes of Eleanor, Henry II, and Thomas Becket, as well as the exploration of topics including medieval prejudice against Jews, Taylor offers an engrossing start to a planned series. Ages 14–up. Agent: Mollie Glick, Foundry Literary + Media.