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An Ocean of Minutes
An Ocean of Minutes | Thea Lim
For readers of The Time Traveler's Wife and Station Eleven, an unforgettable love story about two people who are at once mere weeks and many years apart. America is in the grip of a deadly flu pandemic. When Frank catches the virus, his girlfriend Polly will do whatever it takes to save him, even if it means risking everything. She agrees to a radical plan. Time travel has been invented; if she signs up for a one-way trip into the future to work as a bonded labourer, the company will pay for the life-saving treatment Frank needs. Polly promises to meet Frank again in Galveston, Texas, where she will arrive in twelve years. But when Polly is re-routed an extra five years into the future, Frank is nowhere to be found. Alone in a changed and divided America, with no status and no money, Polly must navigate a terrifying new world to find Frank, to discover if he is alive, and to see if their love has endured. An Ocean of Minutes is a gorgeous, devastating novel about courage, yearning, the cost of holding onto the past--and the price of letting it go.
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review
sprainedbrain
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Pickpick

Very well written, and very much not what I was expecting. Sort of a love story, definitely a time travel story, absolutely an immigrant story. This audiobook was completely engrossing and has left me with some feelings. 🥺

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

LeeRHarry I enjoyed this one a lot and it has stayed with me - despite Litsy telling me I read it 4 years ago 😊 2y
Chrissyreadit What‘s your latest 5star read? 2y
See All 6 Comments
sprainedbrain @LeeRHarry I think it‘s going to stick with me! 2y
Chrissyreadit @sprainedbrain I have an audio credit and road-trip starting today- is this the one I should get? Or do you have any other recommendations? (This sounds great btw) 2y
sprainedbrain @Chrissyreadit either would be good! Ocean of Minutes was definitely the sadder of the two. The other is pure fun. ❤️ 2y
90 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

If two books I loved, American War and Station Eleven, had a baby, it would be this novel. But Minutes was definitely more #GoodNotGreat.

A deadly flu pandemic has been unleashed in the US. A shady time travel company is offering help saving your loved ones if you become and indentured servant in the future. Polly agrees to travel to save her boyfriend, Frank, but ends up further in the future that she agreed to. Can she escape and find Frank?

TrishB I have this on the pile and another I just haven‘t got to! 2y
TheAromaofBooks I am really digging this cover!! 2y
Megabooks @TrishB this was a random used bookstore find for me. I enjoyed it but it‘s not on my list to reread. 2y
Megabooks @TheAromaofBooks it is quite pretty! 🤩 2y
88 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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Kazzie
Pickpick

Interesting story. More about class than time travel or pandemics, but a cool narrative to look at class and love

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TheSpineView
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#SciFiSeptember @Klou
#12Monkeys

When Frank catches the virus, his girlfriend Polly will do whatever it takes to save him—even if it means risking everything. When she finds out there‘s a company that has invented time travel, she agrees to a radical contract: if she signs up for a one-way-trip into the future to work as a bonded laborer, the company will pay for the life-saving treatment Frank needs.

Klou Sounds like a perfect choice for this one!! 4y
62 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Mehso-so

I...had a hard time with this one. It‘s set during the aftermath of a flu pandemic, but that‘s only partly why I found it stress-inducing. Injustice fatigue + an extremely frustrating main character made this difficult to get through. What I did find fascinating was the book‘s exploration of how the desperate and marginalized are vulnerable to exploitation in the wake of a disaster, and the vast divide between those privileged and those not.⤵️

BarbaraJean I wish it had done more with those themes. I think that was my main problem with the book—the love story & the MC‘s frequently misguided attempts to find her love distracted from the themes that I found far more interesting. The deus ex machina resolution didn‘t help—a quick out from the injustice undercut the deeper themes that had been introduced. The ending ultimately failed to grapple with the issues that the bulk of the narrative had raised. 4y
Come-read-with-me Great review. 👍🏻 4y
BarbaraJean @Come-read-with-me Thank you!! 4y
52 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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BarbaraJean
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A belated #WeeklyForecast:
To Finish: Voices in the Air is poetry I need to finish before the library takes away the ebook. I‘m halfway through Ocean of Minutes and want to be done (so far the main character is annoying me). I‘ll finish my re-read of Life Together over the weekend.
To Start: I saw The Gauntlet on a list of escapist SFF & it sounded like just what I need (eBook from Libby). Same with The Little White Horse, but it‘s from my TBR.

33 likes1 stack add
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BarbaraJean
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I picked this up off my TBR as I‘m deciding what to read next, and guess what jumped out at me from the flap copy?! 🤒😷😂 This might have to be my next read...

BookNAround Isn‘t it funny how different reactions can be? If I saw this right now, I‘d have to drop it like a hot potato until we‘re on the other side of this mess. 4y
BarbaraJean @BookNAround 😂 That was my husband‘s exact reaction! 4y
41 likes2 comments
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flying_monkeys
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“When someone dies, there‘s no one to share your memories anymore. They become like secrets. A secret life. No one knows you lived it, but you. I didn‘t want it to be that way.”

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flying_monkeys
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“She couldn‘t think like this. She was in the grip of the peculiar but popular idea that if she lacked hope, the cosmic powers would shun her. Believing this was more pleasant than realizing that the cosmos has no preference.”

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Nute
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📖 Going to the bookstore later today for a ‘because of Litsy‘ book hunt for An Ocean of Minutes.

🎥 I watched the adaptation of Their Eyes Were Watching God with Halle Berry & Michael Ealy earlier this year. Some books are better served by a mini-series on television rather than a 2-hour movie production to allow for depth of character development.

🎞 Good Omens. I laughed out loud while reading the book. I can‘t wait to see the film version.

Smrloomis Wait, there‘s an adaptation of Their Eyes Were Watching God??? Was it ok? I can‘t quite imagine how that would work. 5y
54 likes2 comments
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llwheeler
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#bookwormproblems when you have to work but your book is calling you.

#30JuneBooks @howjessreads

StayCurious Or Litsy is calling you lol 5y
llwheeler @StayCurious Lol, that too! 5y
InkedBookworm13 I have this problem with chores or plans with friends as well. 5y
llwheeler @LokiDokey Yes, same, especially chores 5y
45 likes4 comments
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wellreadredhead
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Well guys, I‘m all moved and unpacked in my new home near Nashville TN! Here‘s some eye candy of my new shelf and cart! #ikea #shelfie

wanderinglynn Lovely shelves! ❤️👍🏻 5y
Texreader Fantastic! 5y
Julsmarshall So pretty! 5y
See All 11 Comments
Itchyfeetreader Coongrays on your new home - looks awesome. It‘s a beautiful part of the country (excellent food) 5y
JoScho ❤️❤️❤️ 5y
TheSpineView Nice!💜 5y
Avanders Ooooh 😍😍😍 5y
Karkar King Bob!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 5y
Megabooks Love it!! 5y
CouronneDhiver Jealous! I was just in Nashville yesterday for the first time and I loved it! 5y
jlabombard10315 I LOVE the book cart! I'm now contemplating replacing my nightstand with one... 📚 5y
128 likes11 comments
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Lindy
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In the afternoon, the clouds clear & they go down to see the cherry blossoms. The air is pink-tinted by the invasion of blooms. They are carried along by the crowd, their elbows pinned to their sides by the other long-weekend tourists, nobody able to stop the wash of bodies. A teenager leaps into the air & grabs at a branch. There are gasps of horror as he falls to the ground in a shower of petals.
“Thug!” someone says. “Don‘t you have parents?”

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Lindy
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It looks like pink popcorn.

readordierachel It does! 5y
48 likes2 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

This book ❤️it‘s harrowing and heart breaking and I couldn‘t breathe sometimes and I wanted to shake Polly and I wanted to hug her and I wanted to just sit and cry for her. The CDC makes a horrendous mistake that causes a viral apocalypse and the world changes. Polly makes an enormous sacrifice and this book will haunt you with her story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

40 likes3 stack adds
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mcctrish
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This book is filling me with despair 😩 everything is going so wrong 😢😢😢

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mcctrish
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Starting this today

tammysue I have this on my tbr. It sounds pretty good! 5y
mcctrish @whatshesreadingnow it‘s for one of my book clubs, I‘m really looking forward to it 5y
28 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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closethipster
Ocean of Minutes | Thea Lim
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Spring = reading outside!

2 likes1 stack add
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BookishTrish
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What a treat to read such personal and insightful comments #GroupU @CouronneDhiver @Lindy @Jazzper2

Lindy Ha! Thanks for reminding me about the cockroaches passage. 🐜 5y
CouronneDhiver 😂😂 We‘re a charming bunch, eh? 5y
BookishTrish I laughed so hard. It‘s the page with the most commentary in the whole beautiful book. 5y
CouronneDhiver I had fun! Great pick too 👍🏽 5y
Jazzper2 It was fun! 5y
81 likes5 comments
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Foragingfantasy
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If you‘ve been to Galveston, TX so much of this story is familiar. It‘s also kinda heartbreaking.

29 likes1 stack add
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llwheeler
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Me: ooh my white blanket will be a good background for this #bookhaul post
Cat: yes this blanket is mine I sit here.
Cat: why would you put books where I sit?
Cat: fine. I sit here with books.
#catsoflitsy

Suuuper excited about these ones! Can't wait to read them! Yay for fun bookish afternoons ❤️ @Andrea4

Andrea4 Oh, Gus! 5y
llwheeler @Andrea4 I swear he was on it like 0.1 seconds after I spread it out lol. He's still there, totally curled up and sleeping now (I moved the books haha) 5y
Andrea4 @llwheeler cat 1 books 0 5y
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Crazeedi His attitude 😍😍 (edited) 5y
llwheeler @Andrea4 Yep 😂 5y
llwheeler @Crazeedi he was very determined! Lol 5y
54 likes6 comments
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xicanti
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Pickpick

Soon as I realized AN OCEAN OF MINUTES is SF marketed to the litfic crowd, I braced myself for disappointment. I needn't have worried; Lim nails the execution. She fully commits to the mechanics of her alternate world, which she builds with such care that it works as its own thing, not just as a reflection of contemporary issues. I was right there inside Polly's horror and desperation as her situation escalated. It's awful but excellent.

StephanieMarie I was really hoping this one would be picked for Canada reads, it sounds so good! I will just have to fit it in somehow 5y
xicanti @StephanieMarie I'm glad I started it right before the announcement. Otherwise, I might've returned it unread so I could focus on the finalists, and missed out on a great book. 5y
Texreader The time travel bit and trying to find someone sounds a lot like Kindred, which was so interesting. Stacking this one even though I‘m not a sci fi fan. Sounds good 5y
xicanti @Texreader I think this is SF of the sort where only the most biased SF-averse readers will have an issue with those elements. I haven't read KINDRED yet, but going by what I've heard of it I'd say if you like that, you'll be fine with this. 5y
60 likes1 stack add4 comments
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xicanti
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Casey's a great patient--except for when he wakes up, can't process his current situation through the painkillers, and freaks the hell out. It's gonna be a long night.

Thank goodness for reading material.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

A global pandemic leads a woman to time travel into indentured servitude to pay for her boyfriend‘s medical care. A great concept coupled with a strong feeling of disorientation in the protagonist make this a thought-provoking read. It‘s different but I really enjoyed it.

#ReadingUSA2019 #Texas

LeeRHarry I enjoyed this one too 😊 5y
Librarybelle That does sound like a different concept...glad you enjoyed it! 5y
readordierachel I really liked this one too! 5y
60 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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scowler1
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Pickpick

Time travel, tragedy, apocalyptic future, love story, what else do you need? Brilliant piece of literature.

SassyBookworm Beautiful cover! 😍 5y
10 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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youneverarrived
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Mehso-so

Sorry @Pricel101 but this didn‘t really work for me 😔 there were parts that were interesting and I like the concept of the book (time travel, pandemic etc.) but l just wasn‘t invested/connected to either of the main characters at all and I felt the pacing of it could have been better. Maybe it would have worked better in print? ⭐️⭐️ #newyearwhodis

monalyisha I like the cover, at least! 🌊 5y
youneverarrived @monalyisha it is pretty! 💙 5y
BookishTrish I read it in print and really connected with it. 5y
See All 6 Comments
samjmitchell It‘s on the Canada Reads long list! It just came out. Popular over here :) 5y
youneverarrived @samjmitchell I‘ve seen loads of good reviews for it 😊 it just didn‘t do anything for me. 5y
Pricel101 Not a worry @youneverarrived 🤗 this is why I LOVE sharing books! so we can talk about what we like & don‘t!! @samjmitchell @bookishtrish @monalyisha (edited) 5y
73 likes6 comments
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Lindy
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Pickpick

An amazing, lyrical and intellectually stimulating novel. Time travel, dystopia, romance and refugees. It reminds me somewhat of Exit West, in the way science fiction elements are used as a shortcut to get to the real issues of displacement, social inequality, and the human heart. I raced through this in 2 days.

TrishB Great review 👍🏻 I started this, then spilt a cup of tea all over it 😱 hubby brought me a new one but I haven‘t restarted yet. (I‘d like to say in my defence that the dog jumped up on me....) 5y
Lindy @TrishB Ha! Accidents happen. 5y
42 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Lindy
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You cannot put life on hold to have a moment of grief, so every second, half the people in the world are split in two. This is what they mean by life goes on, and the worst is that you go on along with it too.

(Author photo from book jacket.)

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Lindy
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There was the lathe and the band saw and the sanding station, in whose languages she was familiar. There were the coils of reed spline, fibre rush, and sea grass, as identical to the layperson as homophones to a foreigner.

(I love encountering specialized language in novels. These words are like treats.)

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Lindy
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Later, Polly makes the mistake of telling Donna about Frank. “There‘s a dishy bartender who works around the corner.”
“And?”
There isn‘t really anything else to say. She edits the story. “Today I sneezed and he gave me a napkin.”
“He. Likes. You. Quick, go back now. Where‘s your coat?”
“You‘re not serious. I‘m in my Ziggy pyjamas.”

(Internet image)

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Lindy
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One car behind them honks. The voice of their driver, made tinny by the intercom, says, “You gotta go.” They squeeze each other‘s hands so hard the skin of his suit bites the web between fingers and there‘s no way they can touch skin to skin and the seat of her heart falls away and so does her resolve. But there is no more time. All the cars honk like the end of days.

33 likes1 stack add
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Pricel101
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“It would be awful to talk to someone who understood how she felt. Only indifferent listeners tighten the seal that keeps sadness inside.” 📖

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Pricel101
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First snow day of the year ❄️📚 staying warm with coffee & a book!

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Pricel101

“All the trapped air in her chest condensed into water and trickled away.” My heart is breaking for Polly right now 💔

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BiblioNyan
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Current library swag that I really need to get off my arse & tackle! 😹😹

Not shown: Dead Set by Kadrey, Heavy Vinyl Graphic Novel, & The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Shimada. Those are my current reads & are buried in the my bed somewhere... oopsy. 😽

#libraryloot #litsygram

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readingjedi
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Mehso-so

The time travel aspect of this novel is a metaphor for the immigrant experience so don't come looking here for your fix of sci-fi cos you ain't getting it. The world building of the post-apoc setting is already I suppose but the 'romance' aspect is as dull and depressing as a wet Wednesday in January. It WAS well written and the topics addressed WERE worthy and effectively explored but I just didn't engage with the characters. My bad.🤦🏼‍♀️

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PNWBookseller85
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Work #shelfie. If you haven‘t yet discovered the book An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim, I highly recommend checking it out. First time author and the book was rock solid. It‘s packed full of ideas and the world building was fantastic and I just really really loved it.

88 likes1 stack add
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Pricel101
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Pickpick

#thealim will be at #ottawawritersfest next week! Can‘t wait to hear her read from this exciting dystopian love story. If you enjoyed #stationeleven you‘ll love this book! 🌊📚🕛

Chelleo Welcome to Litsy! Hope these #Litsytips by @RaimeyGallant http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: goo.gl/UrCpoU are helpful. There‘s so many fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more! Check out @LitsyHappenings for details. #LitsyWelcomeWagon 5y
RaimeyGallant Welcome! 5y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📖💙 5y
See All 11 Comments
Lel2403 Welcome to Litsy 📖📖 5y
Pricel101 Thank you! 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🙌🏻😊🌼 5y
CarolynM Welcome to Litsy 🌼 5y
Pricel101 Thanks! I‘m going to like it here! 5y
CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 🎉 5y
Jee_HookedOnBookz Welcome to Litsy!! 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🤗🌼 5y
9 likes11 comments
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RealLifeReading
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Just saw this in an email. Have you read any of these finalists?

Annl So many books, so little time! 5y
scowler1 And they all sound so good. 5y
94 likes1 stack add2 comments
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alisonrose
Pickpick

This is definitely an interesting story, particularly in what it‘s trying to tell you beneath the surface. The time travel element is just that — an element of a larger story about love and loss and change, about the immigrant experience and how easily we fall into the trap of categorizing people based on where they‘re from, what they can do, etc. It did feel a little distant at times, and I wish there was more to the last 30 pages or so. 3/5 ⭐️

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alisonrose

You cannot put life on hold to have a moment of grief, so every second, half the people in the world are split in two. This is what they mean by life goes on, and the worst is that you go on along with it too.

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alisonrose
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Ummmmmmmm these aren‘t mutually exclusive? I don‘t know if this is meant to show ignorance on the characters‘ part or if it‘s a sign of the author‘s. But PSA, Judaism is a religion, not a race. I am, in fact, Caucasian and Jewish. #themoreyouknow

zzz I just got this from the library for my kindle👍 6y
32 likes1 comment
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alisonrose
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This is one of the books I got from the @bookriot TBR subscription box! Sounds really interesting and timely (haha no pun intended since it involves time travel). #nowreading

51 likes1 stack add
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readordierachel
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Pickpick

I thoroughly enjoyed this loosely dystopian/sci-fi novel. A pandemic hits in the 80s & a shady corporation offers people a vaccine for their loved one(s) in exchange for traveling forward in time to work for them. Naturally, the shady corporation lies/takes advantage. Polly travels to the 90s to save her boyfriend... ⬇️

readordierachel Things go awry & she tries to navigate the strange new landscape and reconnect with her love. A poignant story, and an interesting (sometimes heavy-handed) commentary on capitalism and immigration. 6y
88 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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Lauren.Archer
Pickpick

This was a solid novel. Dystopian with time travel with just a bit of sadness throughout. Lovely writing and story.

71 likes4 stack adds
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Lauren.Archer
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Next up....I am kind of on a dystopian kick.

Rissreads I always am! 💛 6y
PacingTheCage Love that cover! 6y
108 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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readordierachel
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Synchronicity!

kricheal Love when that happens! 6y
LeahBergen Cool! 6y
merelybookish The Universe is speaking! 6y
See All 6 Comments
readordierachel @kricheal @LeahBergen @merelybookish I was very excited about it 😆 6y
RaimeyGallant Love! 6y
readordierachel @RaimeyGallant It's the little things 😊 6y
81 likes6 comments
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Audrey
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Pickpick

This dystopian love story is both timely and relevant. Polly time travels to become an indentured servant in the future to save her boyfriend's life. When she arrives years later then expected, she is alone&confused by her new time and the never ending bureaucracy. Because of her lack of status in this new world, she is constantly struggling to pay off her debts and to find her place in the unfamiliar world.

Audrey One really gets the feeling of migration and displacement as Polly navigates her circumstances. 6y
19 likes1 comment
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The.Intentional.Reader
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Getting the DeLorean prepped for this time travel novel. Time travel has been invented to escape a deadly flu pandemic but not everyone has access to it and the destination is not always what was planned. Started it today and it‘s good...