Review Detail

Hope Walton is understandably crushed when her mother is missing and presumed dead after an earthquake overseas. Hope's mom, Sarah, was her teacher, friend, and ally, and Sarah kept Hope well insulated from the rest of the world as she trained Hope to manage her photographic memory and many anxieties.

Seven months after losing her mom, Hope's step-father plans a getaway with his new girlfriend, and Hope has the opportunity to visit her mother's sister in Scotland--a trip she hasn't made before because of her fear of plane travel. Hope is willing to make it now to learn more about her mom's background and to avoid staying with her step-father's family.

Hope's arrival in Scotland sets the stage for a story that is a time travel thriller with a bit of romance. Sent with two others to 12th century England to find her not-really-dead mom, Hope's photographic memory serves her well as she navigates the time surrounding the coronation of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II.

Although the pacing of INTO THE DIM is slow as the plot and characters develop, the historical details are rich and vivid--they're definitely the best part of this book. It would have been lovely to spend all of my reading time following the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, and whenever she left the scene I wanted to go with her to see what she would be doing rather than Hope. That said, Hope is a good character. She's not perfect and unreasonably strong (in mind nor body), but she's also not a complete weakling who needs to be rescued at every turn. Her resiliency is her best trait, and her personal challenges make her relatable. The romance that develops through the course of the book between Hope and one of the male characters isn't one that captures the imagination, and the accents of the historical and present-day Scots characters don't ring true at all times, but INTO THE DIM is a good addition to the YA time travel/historical fiction genre with a lot to recommend it. It's the first in a series, and I'll happily read more about Hope and her friends as the rest of the books come out.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.