Book Review: Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

You know what I hate about books like this? They make me want to read about history. I hate history. Honestly, if I ever go back in time and am expected to profit from my knowledge of events, I’m totally screwed. I think it’s interesting that people who get sent back in time in books always seem to know what the hell is going on… I mean, seriously. Eleanor of Aquitaine? As far as I know that name is completely made up!

But I digress. This was another book I read for my Rochester Teen Book Festival challenge. (I’m almost done talking about that for a while, so hang in there y’all!)

 Goodreads Summary:

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. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission . . . or the key to Hope’s undoing.

My two cents:

So, this book is about an adopted girl whose mother allegedly died several months ago. The whole thing has never really settled well with her despite that fact that her father has already gotten engaged to someone new. To get away from all that hubbub and the increased feelings of disconnection, Hope goes to spend the summer with her mother’s sister in Scotland. As any teenager would do in their first week living in a Scottish castle, Hope wanders into secret rooms and passageways and stumbles onto the a world of time travel amazingness. Her family is part of a group that has basically become time cops against another group of time travelers set on taking over history the world. Obviously there is a boy who is cute and gives Hope the squishees. Actually, there are two boys, because of course. Obviously, there are other family secrets, and obviously there is some overlap with actual events that I really have no idea whether they really occurred or not.

The book is well written and interesting. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the inevitable question about which boy can Hope really trust. This is great YA literature, fast paced and engaging. I'm looking forward to following Hope into book 2. 

According to Wikipedia, which is a completely credible source, Eleanor of Aquitaine had a remarkable life. If I were into historical stuff, I would totally read about her. 

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