Review : Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Published: January 5, 2016

Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home… forever.

Where to begin, where to begin? Passenger was very underwhelming for me. I get very excited with pirates and then throw time travel into the mix. How could you go wrong!? Well…with a really annoying main character and some insta-love. I’m torn between wanting to continue this series or if I just want to give up. I hate giving up.

The premise of the book was interesting. A girl hidden from her true time traveling powers and she finally unleashes them to go on a hunt for the one thing her nemesis is looking for. HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY GO WRONG?! I feel like it’s almost a sin that this book went the way it did.

Etta really frustrated me, it wasn’t until towards the last half of the book where she got tolerable for me. I was much more interested in Nicholas. I really wish I got more of him and am completely debating picking up Wayfarer in hopes of getting more Nicholas backstory and what not. But Etta was too up tight for the most part and my god…the instalove was…it was really annoying. I don’t think I can forgive an insta-love like that. It was almost forced.

The pace was okay, it was fast enough that it kept me interested to keep going till the end, but in all honesty, I just really wanted more pirates, more time travel, and more all around bad ass-ery with a nice touch of romance. I have to say though I’m REALLY impressed by Bracken’s writing and seriously considering picking up The Darkest Minds.

C