#19 The Map of Time by Felix J Palma
In Victorian London, Andrew Harrington prepares to kill himself after the murder of his lover, Claire Haggerty desires nothing more 
than to be born in another era, and Inspector Colin Garrett discovers a man who has been murdered by a weapon that hasn't been invented yet. Each of these individuals (along with science fiction author HG Wells) are about to have their lives impacted by time travel, giving themselves the opportunity to right past wrongs, find love, and visit the future.
I picked up The Map of Time for a new book club on goodreads. The book received mixed reviews, which I find understandable. For one thing, The Map of Time is not your typical time travel tale. For most of the novel, it's more focused on crafting a Victorian novel about class, as well as reflecting on how the concept of time travel impacts our characters. As a result, those expecting an exciting time travel adventure novel will likely be put off by the slow pace and historical elements. Those drawn to the novel for these reasons may be turned off by the science fiction aspect. In order to enjoy The Map of Time, I would recommend the readers be fans of both.
The style of The Map of Time appears to mimic that of a Victorian novel, making it quite a door stopper with a wide array of characters with complicated back stories. This can make the book really slow, and is the main reason why I often had a hard time with it. There are sections in this book (such as a chapter on Andrew Harrington's father's past business practices) that could have been removed completely. At the same time, the writing found here can be really beautiful, and the cast of characters is rich and complex. One of the central characters is the writer HG Wells. I think the sections that focus on him are the best part of the book. Also, despite the novel's occasional slow place there are some moments that are more exciting, most which can be found in the final third of the novel. While reading The Map of Time, I couldn't help but feel that the first two sections mainly existed to set up the pieces for the third act, and it was really satisfying to see how everything fit together.
The Map of Time is a fascinating historical fiction novel with sci-fi elements, but it wasn't always the easiest book to like. For this reason, I would hesitate to recommend it to others (unless the storyline really appeals to you) despite my own enjoyment. This is Felix J Palma's first work to be translated into English from it's original Spanish. Depending on it's subject matter, I might be interested in reading his future books.
Rating: three and a half stars
Length: 611 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
Other books I've read by this author: This is my first
Next I will be Reviewing Nursery Rhyme Comics edited by Chris Duffy
xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish, and goodreads
than to be born in another era, and Inspector Colin Garrett discovers a man who has been murdered by a weapon that hasn't been invented yet. Each of these individuals (along with science fiction author HG Wells) are about to have their lives impacted by time travel, giving themselves the opportunity to right past wrongs, find love, and visit the future.
I picked up The Map of Time for a new book club on goodreads. The book received mixed reviews, which I find understandable. For one thing, The Map of Time is not your typical time travel tale. For most of the novel, it's more focused on crafting a Victorian novel about class, as well as reflecting on how the concept of time travel impacts our characters. As a result, those expecting an exciting time travel adventure novel will likely be put off by the slow pace and historical elements. Those drawn to the novel for these reasons may be turned off by the science fiction aspect. In order to enjoy The Map of Time, I would recommend the readers be fans of both.
The style of The Map of Time appears to mimic that of a Victorian novel, making it quite a door stopper with a wide array of characters with complicated back stories. This can make the book really slow, and is the main reason why I often had a hard time with it. There are sections in this book (such as a chapter on Andrew Harrington's father's past business practices) that could have been removed completely. At the same time, the writing found here can be really beautiful, and the cast of characters is rich and complex. One of the central characters is the writer HG Wells. I think the sections that focus on him are the best part of the book. Also, despite the novel's occasional slow place there are some moments that are more exciting, most which can be found in the final third of the novel. While reading The Map of Time, I couldn't help but feel that the first two sections mainly existed to set up the pieces for the third act, and it was really satisfying to see how everything fit together.
The Map of Time is a fascinating historical fiction novel with sci-fi elements, but it wasn't always the easiest book to like. For this reason, I would hesitate to recommend it to others (unless the storyline really appeals to you) despite my own enjoyment. This is Felix J Palma's first work to be translated into English from it's original Spanish. Depending on it's subject matter, I might be interested in reading his future books.
Rating: three and a half stars
Length: 611 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
Other books I've read by this author: This is my first
Next I will be Reviewing Nursery Rhyme Comics edited by Chris Duffy
xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish, and goodreads