Review Detail

COSTUMES FOR TIME TRAVELERS is a young adult book geared towards ages 14 and up. Calisto has lived in Pocket all their life. It’s the place where every traveler first reach after leaving their time and it is all Calisto knows. Fawkes rarely visits Pocket, being able to travel between times without stopping in regularly. After a chance meeting, the two are thrust together and must travel through time as a duo. If they don’t hurry Pocket, and travelers, may cease to exist.

What I Loved:
Calisto and Fawkes are both very well-written characters and they are exciting to follow. Calisto is hesitant to jump into the times, never having thought that they would leave Pocket. Watching as they grow in confidence and understanding is heart-warming. Fawkes is a more chaotic presence in the book. He’s been travelling since he was young and he’s good at it, even if he doesn’t follow rules that Calisto believes to be set in stone.

The romance between the two is unique. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before. The book balances the adventure and action of the book with a romance subplot that is woven in well. The two characters just seem to fit together. While there are similarities that tie the two characters together, the differences between them are what truly allows their bond to shine.

The action in this book is riveting to read. It’s multi-faceted with different antagonists and different ways of handling the situations. At time the action is straight-forward, a fight between two or more people. Other times the characters have to use their wits to get out of a sticky situation. It draws readers into the story and leaves them wondering how the characters will solve the problem this time.

The representation in this book was wide and seamless. The town of Pocket specifically was a haven for all it seemed. Calisto is nonbinary, their parents are in a polyamorous relationship. There aren’t large discussions regarding a character’s identity, they just are allowed to be unapologetically queer/nonbinary/etc. I appreciate simplistic representation where characters are just allowed to be.

The blending of time periods was a unique element that added a lot of flavor to the book. Especially in Pocket. The author's descriptions of the buildings and people and costumes can pull a reader right into the town and make them feel like they are somewhere out of time.

What Left Me Wanting More:
While the book is primarily focused on Fawkes and Calisto, there are some chapters and segments told from the view of other characters. It’s interesting to get other views in this book, but it felt both too much and not enough at the same time.

The writing of this book may be off-putting to some readers. Due to the nature of time travel, and Fawkes, the story can seem to jump around and be unable to sit still. I found that after a quarter of the book it no longer phased me, but other readers may struggle more with getting used to it.

Final Verdict:
COSTUMES FOR TIME TRAVELERS is a fast-paced novel. The weaving of fantasy elements and historical elements is wonderful and engaging. The characters are fleshed out and a joy to follow, interesting from the very start. The romance is a bit of a backbeat to the story but it holds up well under pressure. The adventure and action shines in this book.

COSTUMES FOR TIME TRAVELERS is a young adult fantasy book that, with a captivating plot and interesting characters, takes readers on a journey through time.