The Girl From Everywhere

Nix is a time-travelling pirate, she's a crucial member of her father: Captain Slate’s crew. Together they magically travel through maps all over the world and to different times. However their adventures are coming to a close, Nix’s father is finally closing in on the one map he needs, a map that will take him back to Honolulu 1868; the year his wife died giving birth to Nix. The Captain is fueled by his love and loss of his wife, but Nix is worried about her own fate, if the Captain manages to save her mother, just what will happen to her?

Nix, her father and the crew embark on a impossible adventure in order to retrieve this magical map, they must travel through time, steal a royal treasury and quite possibly irrevocably change the future of Hawaii. Nix was a nice protagonist but I felt she was outshone by so many extraordinary character's, especially the incredible Kashmir, however this didn’t ruin my reading experience it only made my love for Kash grow and look forward to his and Nix’s interactions more and more.

There’s a wonderful and thrilling sense of adventure with this debut, I could have followed these pirates around the world and back again, they’re such a unique crew and I loved getting to know them and their backgrounds and how they came aboard The Temptation. Nix has a strained relationship with her father, which was interesting to read about, I could really see why they clashed but I also understood why they had such strong convictions.

The Girl From Everywhere is beautifully written and the slow introduction of myths and magic only heightened my interest and enjoyment. Ultimately time-travelling pirates just sound all types of awesome and now I'm eagerly awaiting book two!

The Girl from Everywhere is one of my favorite reads from December. I have one disclaimer that I was immediately drawn to the premise of the book due to the fact Nix was born in Hawaii in 1868. My mother was born in Hawaii and her family is native to the islands. I couldn't help put picture my ancestors possibly walking down the streets and shoreline while Nix's boat sailed in to port. I am also a big fan of time travel stories, going back to growing up with Quantum Leap, Sliders, and Back to the Future, to making sure I DVR Timeless on TV.

First I love the concept of time travel on a ship and the power built into maps. Heilig also does an incredible job of world building. The descriptions are beautiful and vivid. The prose is poetic. The characters are complex and intriguing and every time I felt I understood each character's motivation I was pleasantly surprised by their actions. The relationships between all the characters are well thought out and help move the plot at a good pace. I found myself reading some parts slowly just so I could enjoy the ride.

What I liked best: All of it. There is too much to mention without giving away important surprised. The best part of The Girl from Everywhere is the journey and it is best if you just put on your life vest and jump right in.

I’m really not sure why but I kept on putting this book down for a long time. I guess I was just too drawn into reading contemporaries that I forget how great fantasy novels can be.

This book was super interesting, the first few chapters were cool especially the part where the world and the concept of traveling were being established but somehow the pacing fell apart in the middle.

The characters were really interesting as well. I love Nix and her whole personality. Her relationship with his father is a little rocky and it often shifts from daughter to a first mate kind of relationship. Aboard Temptation, her father was the Captain. I really enjoyed the major conflict of the book, wherein Nix’s father was trying to get the map that could ultimately erase her existence and I’m so amazed on how it was resolved.

Kashmir was definitely my favorite. He’s pretty smooth and I found him really lovely yet boldly brave at the same time. I definitely enjoyed the chemistry between him and Nix. I also adored Bee’s character and the fact that this book didn’t shy away from queer characters makes me love it more.

Heidi Heilig’s writing style is one of a kind. I definitely enjoyed the cultural aspects and historical backgrounds tackled in the book. I’m just a little sad that I wasn’t able to see the maps since I read the ARC but luckily, I won a swag giveaway which included one of the maps and I TOTALLY LOVED IT!!

Also, the book totally reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean movies which I really loved! I really can’t wait to read the sequel of this book!

Sixteen-year-old Nix is more traveled than most. For years, she has sailed with her father, a Navigator who can travel through time. Nix has seen both history and myth in action, and someday, she hopes to Navigate on her own. When a deal for a map puts everyone at risk, Nix will have to chart surprisingly familiar waters to find the answers she desperately needs.

What I Loved:

Though Nix’s story takes readers through a variety of times and places, Hawaii is a center point of the book, particularly the time of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Heilig gives lush descriptions of the land and the people, both native and foreign, who inhabit the islands. The explanations of history and the fictional elements in the author’s note is especially helpful for readers who want to know more.

Nix and her father’s relationship is a fascinating and complex element. Nix is determined and fierce, and she faces many difficult decisions when it comes to her father who is often distant with thoughts of Nix’s dead mother. Heilig skillfully shows Nix’s battle of her own wills as she struggles to understand her father and find her own place in the world.

What Left Me Wanting More:

The premise of a time-traveling Navigation skill is exciting and intriguing, but some may have a difficult time understanding the logistics of it, as only a little is fully explained. However, those who are as caught in the myth as well as the plot may enjoy the added mystery. With the confusion behind the Navigation and certain building blocks of the plot, I personally had a difficult time connecting to the story and being invested in the characters. However, the puzzle behind Nix’s family history and Hawaii kept me reading, as well as the beautiful writing.

Final Verdict:

Though I had difficulty connecting with the story, the lush descriptions and almost lyrical writing are sure to keep readers turning the pages for more to discover just where Nix’s journey will take her.