Wayfarer

Passenger #2

by Alexandra Bracken

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Historical

532 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 2017

About the author

Hi! I'm Alex and I write books. Please note that I don't respond to messages here on GoodReads. Please send me a note on twitter or IG @alexbracken. xx A

Reviews

[Alexandra Bracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I like it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Edited to add: If you're in need of a serious recap of PASSENGER before you read WAYFARER, check this out: https://static1.squarespace.com/stati...

[Christine Riccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't love it as much as Passenger, but it was beautifully written and the characters are brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed it! Here's my full booktalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpKAf...

[♛ may · Rating 3 out of 5]

after what felt like 16 years, ive finally completed this book. let it be known your girl aint a quitter.

this book wasn't bad but i just slumped 100 times in between and it was loooooonnnnggg bro.

RTC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

honestly just looking at the cover improves my day.

Buddy read with my big sister, nutella

[megs_bookrack · Rating 2 out of 5]

And the heartiest of mehs to you.



Sadly, Wayfarer, the second installment of the Passenger duology, never truly captured my attention.

In fact, I felt like my mind was more of a traveler than the characters.



Is it my fault because I read this one right on the heels of the first book and got burned out on the whole concept?

I may never know because I am it and will never read it again.



This is the 2nd book in the Passenger duology, following a group of individuals, known as travelers, who can traverse space and time protecting or unsettling the existing timeline depending on their ultimate goals.



This picks up a few months after the first book, where our two main characters have been separated and neither one knows what happened to the other.

The hunt is still on for the mysterious device, known as the astrolabe, and we jump around to a lot of destinations and times, more so than in the first book; at least it felt that way to me. At times, it was hard to keep tabs on where they were.



I did enjoy a couple of the new characters in this one. Most notably, the Belladonna (aka. The Witch of Prague), yes, please. She had me at hello and Mi Lin, a sexy, badass female pirate. Again, yes, please.

They were both strong new additions to the story and I liked the sections of the story they were included in.



Particularly an auction that the Belladonna held; just a unique twist to the story that I thought was fun and great way to bring characters from all over the timeline together into one place.



Overall, for me, I feel like the length didn't help.

This book was too long at over 500 pages. I wonder if it would have worked better broken into a trilogy instead of cramming so much into this one book?



I don't know, for me, it was a disappointment. I didn't love it and I really wanted to.

I definitely will continue reading Alexandra Bracken stories though and I am glad that I read this and get to check it off my HUGE TBR list. Onward and upward!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken
Book Two of the Passenger series
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

What I Liked:

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW. (Unless you haven't read Passenger.)

One-line summary: This book is every bit as fascinating, captivating, and thrilling as its predecessor, and a page-turning, satisfying conclusion to the series.

I was extremely excited when I received this book early for review, but also wary. It's a long book (500+ pages), and the story is at an intense point (from the end of Passenger). I was nervous to read Wayfarer, because there are so many ways that this book could end, and most of them are bittersweet (or just plain cruel). I'm so happy to say that Wayfarer was incredibly engrossing and it ended rather perfectly - Bracken found a way.

This book picks up a little after the end of Passenger. Nicholas and Etta have been separated in time and space. Etta wakes up as a captive of the Thorns, and she meets someone she never thought she'd know. She, Julian Ironwood, and the Thorns set out to secure the astrolabe from Cyrus Ironwood. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia seek help from Rose Linden, only to be turned around several times. Looking for information, the pair accumulate a number of favors they must return. They meet Li Min, a mysterious and secretive traveler who helps them more than once. But Nicholas has one goal, and that is to find Etta. Sophia wants to find the astrolabe. And Li Min knows more than she is letting on.

I'm still reeling a little, so bear with me as I go about this review. I've just finished the book and I'm in a pleasant state of shock, partial numbness, and total satisfaction. This book... I don't remember my exact expectations, before starting it. Hoping that Nicholas and Etta would survive and be together? In any case, I'm so pleased by what was written, and its delivery.

One thing I do recommend is a reread of Passenger, or checking out some sort of spoiler-filled review or post. Bracken has a spoiler-y graphic available on her website. I wish I had reread Passenger, because besides the ending, I didn't remember a ton of specifics. The good thing was, as I continued to read Wayfarer, I realized that I didn't need to remember too many specifics, because more and more came back to me. At first though, not the case.

One of the best parts of this book was the character development and introduction/development of new and smaller characters that had no or little role in Passenger. For example, I thought Sophia played a bigger role in this book - an enormous role. She is the most important "secondary" character (arguably a primary character? She doesn't have a narrative in the books though). I understood and liked Sophia so much more, in this book. She seems ruthless and blunt and sometimes harsh, but she is so determined and driven. She is someone you want on your side, because she is a dirty fighter.

Julian Ironwood, Nicholas's half-brother, is another secondary character who quickly becomes very important in Wayfarer. He betrayed his grandfather and sought refuge with the Thorns, which is how he and Etta meet. When she wakes up, she tries to escape, and she runs into Julian. Julian is a coward and a runner, but we get to understand him better in this book. He is an idiot and a poor brother, but he learns this and matures a lot, over the course of this book.

I enjoyed the presence of Li Min and Henry Hemlock. I won't say much on either of them, but both are vastly important in this book, and play critical roles in pivotal points in the story. I didn't love or hate Li Min, but I adored Henry Hemlock. His interactions with Etta were wonderful.

Etta shows her fight and her tenacity in this book! She keeps moving, with grief, guilt, even pain weighing her down. She knows that Nicholas is out there, and she knows that the astrolabe must be found and taken out of the Ironwoods' grasp. Her goals are lofty but she never quits.

The same can be said about Nicholas. He wants to find Etta and never stops hunting for information and leads. He and Sophia travel to so many different places and times, and make various (terrible) deals for information, to find Etta. Finding the astrolabe is important but to Nicholas, finding Etta is everything. Nicholas has such a pure and good heart, such upstanding morals. He's a good guy who considers everything, weighs everything, and questions everything. I liked seeing how his mind worked, and I liked seeing him push through pain and doubt.

Etta and Nicholas are separated from much of the book, so I can't really say much about physical romance, but their relationship is strong through space and time. It's amazing how they never cease thinking about each other, hoping that the other is alright, and fighting for each other. They do interact at points toward the end of the book, I will say that.

I died emotionally no fewer than seventeen times while reading this book. There were times when I actually teared up (my Goodreads statuses are proof). There were some painful parts in this book! Bracken took me on an emotional roller coaster. But for the better!

I love the varying settings that Bracken takes us through! Between Etta and Nicholas, we are introduced to so many different times and places. The most interesting, in this book, was probably Carthage, 148 B.C. How intriguing!

By the climax of the book, you'll be wondering how on earth Bracken can end this book with something happy or positive. There seems to be no way, with certain revelations about the astrolabe, and a darker force that is at play, and certain deals with devils that are very unfair. But Bracken made the ending worth all of the anguish and agony! I promise.

What I Did Not Like:

I don't really have much to say here, other than I do wish there had been more Nicholas/Etta interaction! I don't want to spoil anything, but the romantic in me would have loved more interactions. Of any kind.

Not really a dislike, but I do recommend a Passenger reread, if that one isn't fresh. For example, I read Passenger over a year ago. A reread might have helped, at least initially. After a certain point in Wayfarer though, some things started to come back.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book, and series! Time-traveling novels can be tricky, and very messy. I haven't read a ton of them, but one of my favorite series of all time happens to be a time-travel series - the Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier. I can safely add this Passenger duology to those ranks. This is a wonderful, fascinating, and imaginative series! With a very satisfying ending.

Rating:

4.5 stars. I'm still trying to decide if to round up or down. But rest assured, I loved this book, all 532 pages of it. It is worth the full spectrum of emotions that I experienced! I look forward to reading more from Bracken in the future.






Pre-read squees:

WHY DID I NOT HAVE THIS ADDED TO MY TBR SHELF AHHHHHHH.

My only issue with reviewing/reading ARCs is that you read a book in November, it publishes in January, and you'll be stuck waiting until the next January to read its sequel. -_-

Come oooooon, January 2017!!!!!!

[Beth Hudspeth]

Y'all, look at this beautiful cover!!!


Why did I read Passenger so soon?! I know better than that!
NOW, I need to know what happens! Spongebob says please hurry up!

[Trina (Between Chapters) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me 2 months to read this and it was such an up and down ride. This was my experience:
1. Actively reading it and skimming because SO MANY DESCRIPTIONS.
2. Taking a break from the book for weeks at a time.
3. Dreading picking it back up.
4. Picking it back up and being surprised that I was really into it!
5. Got bored again and started skimming.
6. Repeat.

As far as the ending of this series, I have mixed feelings. I enjoyed the new elements added in this book which added some intrigue to the story, and the ending was pretty satisfactory (although kinda abrupt), but overall I felt the book was just far too long for what actually happened.

Honestly, the story is fine, I just hated the writing. I can't even tell you what about the writing didn't work for me, it's just that my eyes glazed over every time I was reading and I wanted to fall asleep. This is the 3rd book by Alexandra Bracken that I've read and I've had the same experience with all of them. Her writing is just not for me.

[alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ✩ full review to come!

i love love love this ending but found the first half of the book confusing. but still, SO GOOD!

[✨ jami ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But we are, all of us, also wayfarers on a greater journey,this one without end, each of us searching for the answers to the unspoken questions of our heart. Take comfort, as I have, in knowing that, while we must travel it alone, this journey rewards goodness, and will prove that the things which are denied to us in life will never create cages for our souls"

honestly not to spill the tea immediately but people who say this duology isn't good bc it's slow are like, missing out on so many good discussions about how poc/lgbt/women have been oppressed throughout history and how the effects of this oppression continues today :))) OH, and lets not forget Alexandra also chucked in a few little things about how historical narratives disregard the influence of poc/lgbt/women :)))) u missed that too

When I read Passenger I really fucking liked it. Passenger was super fun, it was basically a treasure hunt through time ! Wayfarer kicks it up like 50 fucking levels. PLEASE KNOW WAYFARER IS MUCH BETTER THEN PASSENGER

honestly the representation was so ...... *wipes a tear* beautiful. Imma break it down character by character.

“Mind the hour, mind the date, and find that path which does not run straight.”

• NICHOLAS CARTER

In Passenger, race and how Nicholas dealt with systematic, ingrained and institutional racism in his time period and society in general was an obvious theme and I LOVE that it continued in Wayfarer. Bracken's books are careful to note the way race forces us to move and interact with society in different ways, the alienation and oppression of poc in history, and then how that oppressive history is still making waves today. The way certain characters I won't mention bc spoilers were forced to confront their racism - even if it wasn't overt racism but was more subtle .... 100/10 loved it.

Also, the way that privilege was discussed ?? im shook. Like, how it was made so obvious the privilege white travellers had because they were not forced into spaces and times that lawfully, systematically oppressed them like the people of colour. Just aaaaaah.

• LI MIN & SOPHIA

I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT TO SEE SOPHIA GET W/ LI MIN I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT TO READ THAT WITH MY OWN TWO EYES JGHF NIICE

But anyway. SOphia is my GIRL and i love her. the world has tried to kill her and render her powerless over and over and over and she gets up and gets stronger and gets back AND I LOVE HER. I LOVED how gender was discussed, and the contrast between Etta's power in the 21st Century and Sophia's in her timeline.

Li Min ... deserved more. Like I WISH she had been in it more because ,, she was an awesome, kickass character and it's a shame we didn't see more of her ??

But I loved how the lgbt+ elements of this book weren't angsty or demonised I liked that they were allowed to exist without prejudice and suppression from those around them (I mean, no I take that back bc Sophia was suppressing her sexuality for her entire life) but in Wayfarer at least I liked that the characters were able to just ... exist and be happy without dealing with the hatred

THE CHARACTERS and discussions of race/sexuality/gender were great ! But there was sooo much more I just loved about this

• THE PLOT !!!

we took it from 0 to 100 in this book. The plot of Passenger just massively blows out, and Wayfarer is incredibly complex and broad compared to passenger. the nuances of the story and how they organically grew from the roots planted in Passenger was !! so good !!

The plot was so much faster moving than Passenger, and much more twisty. While Passenger felt like a fun romp through time, Wayfarer was more twisty, more sinister. It felt like going from the kiddie roller coaster to the adult one. There was so much deceit and back stabbing and double crossing it boggled my poor little mind.

THE TIME TRAVELING BOGGLED MY POOR LITTLE MIND. It's so confusing, but in the best way. Love that about time travel novels, it's so difficult to wrap your head around.

THE PLACES THEY VISITED were stunning and the descriptions of history had me shook. I've mentioned before I'm a massive history nerd, right? BUT GOD, we had them in Carthage during the Roman siege, we had fights in the vatican catacombs, we had IMPERIAL RUSSIA !!! THE ROMANOVS !! fucking lost my mind when Nicholas II showed up honestly. Imperial Russia is my EVERYTHING

Also this had, such a massive and satisfying conclusion. I'm so wary of series conclusions, but I LOVED how this went and the choices the characters made and where it left off.

• HENRY HEMLOCK i love you. WHAT A COOL DAD. Anyway, I loved his character and his and Etta's relationship. thankgod he didn't die bc i would have been so angry. I loved the extra dynamic he and his family brought to Wayfarer which was missing in Passenger

• REMUS AND FITZHUGH AND THE WHOLE CARTHAGE CHAPTERS IN GENERAL

-- first of all, elephants
-- second of all, MARRIED !!!!! GAY !!! COUPLES !! im so shook
-- third, DRUNK ELEPHANTS
-- I can't believe I got to read about the punic wars with my own two eyes IT WAS MY FAVOURITE WHEN I USED TO DO ANCIENT HISTORY

• THE COVER

shut up it's stunning.

• OTHER SATISFYING THINGS

no love triangles. Not one in sight. IN fact, the romance was just the perfect amount and I loved it

complicated parent/child relationships I love that Rose Linden was a fully formed person, because I hate when parents in books whole character is that they are a mother/father. I loved Rose was a complicated, nuanced individual apart from Etta, and I loved that the relationship between the two was complex and a little broken, a little twisted but still important and respected

GREAT writing the writing flows so well, really carries the story and is super easy to read. It's descriptive and rich without being too dense, it finds that perfect medium. The narrative drifts from fights, chases, to private inner monologues, to tense conversations to rich descriptions and to subtle human moments but all of it is written perfectly and doesn't seem jarring when it switches. Also, the dual narration is handled well and I equally enjoyed Etta and Nicholas' chapters

• JULIAN. WHAT A GUY. honestly, really liked him but also wow wee he wasn't what I expected. ALSO HOW COOL HE TRAVELLED W/ ETTA AND THERE WAS NO STUPID LOVE TRIANGLE AND ALL THAT

GUYS I JUST REALLY LIKED THIS

look, maybe at times it was slow. and maybe at times I think it was a lil vague and I got confused. But .... the positives SO outweigh the negatives, I really, really like these characters and this world and the worldbuilding and I will SERIOUSLY MISS this duology !! I wish there was more honestly

4.5* overall !!

"this book is dedicated to all those time has forgotten

[Dannii Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review is available on United by Pop.

Be still, my beating heart!

This contains the tangled stories and twisted histories of the youngest generation of the existing time travelling families. Diverse and disparate as these characters are, they all have a common cause: to relocate the missing astrolabe. This artefact will allow the owner dominion over history's course and, if passed into the wrong hands, could see Earth transgressed from its existing and correct timeline.

The characters each travel to a multitude of eras and infamous historical figures, battles and placed are all mentioned over the course of the novel. The sheer volume of information imparted is breathtaking and yet Bracken's lyrical and melodic style of writing carries the readers along the course of the narrative with an ease and grace that belies the density of the plot. The setting was constantly shifting and yet I never felt confused or like I could not conjure each setting in my mind.

This has been rejected by many due to the slower pace of the novel but, for me, that was part of the charm of it. The suspense steadily grew and amalgamated until I was gripping the book with white-knuckled fists and literally buzzing with tension. The ending was an emotional release that provided an abundance of tears, both happy and sad, and was the perfect conclusion to a five star duology.

[Ashley Nuckles · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEFINITELY 4.5 STARS!!

I don't know where to begin with Wayfarer, honestly. This book was a literally more of a rollercoaster than any book I've read recently! It was addicting and exhilarating and kept me on my toes and had me in tears at the end. I don't think I've ever been the type of person for anything but devastation-tears.

This book changed that.

[Chesca (thecrownedpages) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I understand. There is the journey you make through the world—the one that aches and sings. We come together with others to make our way and survive its trials,” she said. “But we are, all of us, also wayfarers on a greater journey, this one without end, each of us searching for the answers to the unspoken questions of our hearts. Take comfort, as I have, in knowing that, while we must travel it alone, this journey rewards goodness, and will prove that the things which are denied to us in life will never create a cage for our souls.”

Buddy-read with Nina {ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ}!

Wayfarer is the final book in the Passenger duet. I honestly think that this is better than its predecessor, but I just could not give it a higher rating due to a number of things.

There was a piece of me that sought to be obsessed with this, but it didn’t work! The plot is fast-paced and interesting, but it could not keep me entertained unless Julian Ironwood is in the scene. He’s the best thing that has ever happened in this story as a whole!

The author’s writing is flawless, as always. Bracken knows how to poke her readers’ hearts with a needle, stitching them to her words of burning gold. I could not help but be emotional over some of the lines spoken by some of the characters.

The astrolabe’s origin story was not that thrilling and I felt like it had a very loose connection to the protagonists. It was as if the Ancient One and his siblings were merely images smudged into the background, and it appeared as if they were included in the adventure as a desperate move to have a back-story. What I liked about the plot build up were the revelations concerning Etta’s family, particularly the unraveling of Rose’s past.

What I liked best in this book are its characters, starting with Julian Ironwood. That guy kept me giggling or laughing. Julian is Nicholas’s half-brother. He was first seen at the beginning of Passenger wherein he fell off a cliff. In this book, he was talkative and was unintentionally annoying Etta most of the time. He’s the sort of person that preferred escaping troubles. He was used to living a life of comfort and luxury. Julian’s just a minor character and I absolutely crave more of him. I wish Alexandra Bracken would consider writing a book or novella that tells his adventures.

Etta and Nick have developed greatly and they’ve become very different from who they were before. I used to hate Etta but, now that I’ve ended their story, I could truly say that I adore her. Julian and Henry have brought out her strength in dissimilar ways. Julian was constantly testing her patience and temper by how ridiculous he could be, and Henry was giving her all the support and love she never felt she received from Rose.

I used to love Nick, but as I went through this second installment, I have learned to detest him. He was tedious and was making poor decisions. He became too dramatic and miserable. Nicholas kept me turning the pages just so I could get rid of him!

Another character that appealed to me was Sophia Ironwood. I respect how she found herself through her journey with Nicholas and Li Min. She gradually started to care for others as she was stripped of her selfishness and ambition. Sophia found meaning along the way and it was astonishing to witness.

Li Min, I believe, was an unnecessary addition. The only good thing about her was how she affected Sophia. She made an impact even lesser than that of the Ancient One.

Henry Hemlock and Rose Linden’s relationship is something I wish the author dwelled more on. I wanted to know how they fell in love and how their relationship was destroyed by Rose’s mission regarding the astrolabe. I found it fascinating how very much involved they were in Etta’s life. They were each doing everything to protect her and provide what they thought she deserved.

In relation to that, I highly approve how family-oriented this duet is. It showed how significant family is and that you could find it in the most unlikely of people, at unexpected times.

How the first chapter opened with the tragedy of the Lindens was very powerful. It was a nightmare that I hoped was continuously carried out until the end, but the story was inconsistent when it came to how dreadful it was supposed to be.

The ending was acceptable. It could have been improved perhaps by a few more paragraphs. I wanted the last chapter and epilogue elaborated! I wanted to see Julian and Sophia one last time before it all wrapped up.

Overall, I could say that this is good. It's definitely worth reading. I know that a number of readers enjoyed/would enjoy it, especially the fans of the romance genre, particularly the insta-love kind.

[Summer (buttermybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man. Have you ever read a book that is just *so* good that it knocks you on your ass and you cant read anything else for at least a week? YEP. That is exactly what WAYFARER did to me.

I grabbed an early copy of WAYFARER at YallFest in November and all but drove straight home to read it. I had already reread PASSENGER the previous month in preparation for this release so the need to find out what had become of Etta was TOO REAL. And Alex didnt disappoint! The beginning of WAYFARER drops you right into the action and sends you on a mad dash through centuries of alternate timelines and feuding families that will tangle up your heart strings until its knock down drag out conclusion!

To say that this is one of the best books of the year would be an understatement. I know some of you will assume that I am only saying this because I am a fan of all of Brackens work, but let me list the reasons why you should believe me:

DIVERSITY!!!! PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE!!!!
LGBT COUPLES!!!!
UNPROBLEMATIC LOVE INTERESTS (sweet cinnamon roll, Nick)
STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS!!!!
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!! (seriously never thought I’d love Sophia)
ALTERNATE HISTORY!!!!
HOT DADS!!!!! (okay, I am only assuming Henry is hot but, like, really)
BANTER!!! (Seriously, I love Julian and his mouth)
MORE FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIPS, NOT ROMANCES!!!!!!! (even though yall know i LIVE for the romance, this was refreshing!)
PRAGUE!!!!!!!

Alright, if that hasn’t convinced you, I will also create a 17 page word document Double Spaced 14pt Font MLA format JUST so you will read this book!!!!!!!

[mith · Rating 5 out of 5]

you can read this review HERE as well!
---
Since I've read Bracken's first series--or, rather, the first two books--The Darkest Minds, it was clear that she had the whole writing thing figured out. At least, I thought so. Bracken was talented, and it showed, by how she fleshed out her characters, the complexity of her story lines, and how she had the ability to make you feel with her words.

With the Passenger duology, she truly shines in those aspects and more. I absolutely adored Passenger and Wayfarer not only lived up to its predecessor, but it went beyond my expectations.

To say "I loved it" would feel like an understatement. At moments, it genuinely took my breath away, and it was totally because of the relationships in this book.

It goes beyond just Nicholas and Etta in this book; more than just Etta and her mother, Rose. In Wayfarer, there were a few new additions to the cast, and one character actually got a lot more screen time. One of them was Henry, Etta's father.

I loved them. So, so, so much. Those two were probably one of the best father-daughter relationships I've ever read about, if not the only touching one. And that was a remarkable feat on its own because not only was Henry introduced in this book, he was only present for a short amount of time. Yet, Bracken managed to depict a wonderful and loving bond between Etta and Henry. My heart absolutely ached for Etta because this was what she'd yearned for her entire life and was unable to experience it. Bracken did a beautiful job with these two.

Then there was Nicholas and Sophia, two people who hated each other with a passion. Their journey--wow. It's not that they became friends, no. It's that they managed to save each other, fight for each other, have one another's back, time and time again. They grew to have a mutual respect for one another and the complexity of their companionship was extremely well developed.

There were also two other duos that I really liked--Etta & Julian, and Sophia & Li Min. Both Julian and Li Min were new characters and they were so much fun to read about! Etta wasn't having any of his nonsense, while it was interesting how Bracken weaved Sophia and Li Min's arc! I don't want to say too much else away because it's something you should experience!

So! I'm finally moving on. About Sophia. Can I just say how much I fell in love with her in this book? She was in Passenger but not as a truly major character or a likeable one either. But in Wayfarer, she truly shines. We not only get her backstory but we see her grow into a more fierce young woman, who, at times, shows her vulnerability. Sophia was already someone to behold and that doesn't change here at all. She quickly grew to become one of my favourite characters!

Okay, now for my OTP. Nicholas and Etta, the feelings they give me! My poor darlings go through so much in this book, spending so much of it separated--over 60% of the book!--yet everything they do is to get back to each other. Their loyalty and love for one another was so sweet, so beautiful, and it's so well written!

The ending to the series is a strange one, but rather appropriate I think. I honestly had no idea what to expect, but I thought it was a fantastic finale and it definitely pleased me.

As always, the places and times mentioned here were wonderfully well done. It definitely shows that Alexandra Bracken did her research--each setting it lush and beautiful!

So all of that gushing being gushed, I thought this was beyond excellent. Bracken's writing is practically flawless, in my opinion, and I will always recommend this series! One of the easiest 5 stars I'll ever give, definitely.

[Coreen Angelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Without mistakes and misjudgments we would stagnate. It is no shameful thing to be beaten when outnumbered, not when you were brave enough to try. Nor is a scar or injury something to despair over, for it is a mark that you were strong enough to survive.”

It is no shameful thing to be beaten when outnumbered but it is shameful to feel emotionally detached to a great novel and I am ashamed.
Wayfarer was way better than the Passenger, a lot of things happened in this book. New characters were introduced. New adventures, ordeals and partnership materialized but I still didn't enjoy it as much as I want to.

REASONS why THREE STARS
•The first half of this book was so darn confusing, the timeline structure and the way things work was just too hard to grasp so I ended up dragging myself to finish this one.

•This happened, that happened, now what? which means;
Too much happened but nothing remotely fascinating.

•I don't feel any emotional attachments to the characters —I did feel something but not strong enough to give this novel more than three stars— which is why I am extremely glad to just be done with it.

REDEEMING Qualities
•This book handled social issues so well; things such as racism, gender inequality, sexuality and stereotyping were showcased but also conquered by the characters which makes this book so damn good.

•The landscapes; though confusing were the best part of this novel. Every time a character travels through time, landscapes and structures often changes which makes the imagination of the reader go wild with new discoveries.

•The ending was as gorgeous as the book cover.

I'm planning to reread Wayfarer next year —or the year after that— I don't exactly know when but I will read this again when my mood demands it. ★★★☆☆

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caution: Read only if seeking extreme wanderlust, adventure, feels/swoons, wibbley wobbley timey whimey-ness, kickass ladies, and MORE.

(I actually don't know why you wouldn't want all of those things in your life. Please join me in this book hangover ASAP.)

[lolo' · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY FUCKING SHIZ MAN HOLY FUCKING SHIZ MY HEART IS CRYING.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much!
Alexandra Bracken's writing is absolutely amazing and I'll definitely buy any and all books written by her. She has such a great way of putting words together that makes her books so easy to read without being generic and boring.
As for the characters, I like Etta but Nicholas is where it's at for me. He's so amazing and he is the star of this duology for me. I also really liked how new characters are introduced to keep the story exciting and interesting.
I will say that I was kind of confused for the first 80-90 pages or so. It might be partly because it's been a year since I read Passenger but I've seen a few other people say they were a bit confused as well.
Overall, I loved Wayfarer. The concept, the setting, the characters, the writing, everything about this book is expertly written. With diverse characters, awesome action, beautiful writing, and a killer concept, I highly recommend this duology.

[Mary Books and Cookies · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 weeks I spent struggling with this book *sigh*
THE GOOD:

* POC male main character
* interracial relationship
* I like how Alex handled time travelling, it made sense to me and I wasn’t constantly in a state of “wait what”
* lesbian side characters - SOPHIA IS BAE
* it addresses issues like feminism, racism, white privilege - they’re not explored in very much detail, but they’re there

THE BAD:

* TOO. BLOODY. LONG. I struggled for 2 weeks to get through it and it required sheer force of will to do so
* confusing at times - it got difficult for me to keep track of all the characters and families and everything that was going on
* much of the strength of the first book was in Etta and Nicholas TOGETHER. For 99% of this book they were apart and I was not amused
* b o r i n g. like….wow. I just… no
* predictable ending. i’m sorry.
* Etta did not behave like an 18 year old girl. I was legit shocked at the end of the book when I was reminded that she’s a teenager. What?
* So Dramatic™

YAY or NAY: um NAY, unless you love overly long, descriptive books that confuse the shit out of you at one point or another

Favourite quotes:

“Because one moment in life does not define a person,“ Li Min said. "Without mistakes and misjudgments we would stagnate. It is no shameful thing to be beaten when outnumbered, not when you were brave enough to try. Nor is a scar or injury something to despair over, for it is a mark that you were strong enough to survive.”

“The worth is in the fight, not the conquest. Do not give up.”

★★

To everyone who got this far, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! Also, feel free to share your thoughts, comment or tell me anything :)

Buy it from the Book Depository :)

If you liked this stupid review, consider buying me a coffee because it keeps me warm :)

[Anja H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.25 DRAGGING STARS*

“The things which are denied to us in life will never create a cage for our souls.”

I DID IT. I FINISHED THIS! And it only took me 2 freaking months to do so! 😂
Don't get me wrong, it's not that I disliked this. I might've given this a better score than the first book, had this been just a tad bit shorter and more to the point!

Nevertheless, this book did not go how I expected it to go at all.
I hated how Etta and Nicholas were only together for about 20 pages in this entire long-ass book and separated for the other 500! Why try so hard getting us to like them as a couple in the first book, only to separate them the entire time during this one? I liked them much better together than apart to be honest.

I loved Nicholas and Sophia's chapters, but Etta's were such a drag to read and just not as interesting in general.
The ending was great though, though the very last part confused the hell out of me (again, because that happened a lot in this book).

[rachel, x · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review contains spoilers.

Wayfarer was a long, arduous read that did not live up to the potential established in Passenger. Like most readers, I had massive problems with the writing style and pacing of this sequel. Bracken has the unfortunate habit of picking up random tangents and running with them for several pages at a time. It was infuriating, to say the least. We would be forced to dilly-dally around the main plotline for entire chapters as the characters wasted time doing goodness knows what for goodness know what reason. The book as a whole could easily have been at least 150 shorter if these scenes and repetitive passages in Nicholas’s chapters had been cut down.

The characters were another sore spot. Henry was the only character that I genuinely enjoyed. Although looking back, I do have to say that I admire Sophia’s ‘take no shit’ attitude and for being the most rational character in the entire book by far. Unfortunately, the main characters were nothing like I remembered them to be from the first book, especially Nicholas. He did nothing but whinge and whine for the entire book. He used his grief to excuse his poor choices and to a certain extent, I can understand that but damn, he was an idiot for the majority of the books and so self-pitying that it drove me bonkers. Etta was also off. She had literally no personality and I felt like she was oddly absent from the main storyline for the most part.

The romance was also poorly written. Etta and Nicholas had no chemistry. Their entire relationship in this book relied on the leftover feels of the one romantic scene in Passenger. No effort was made to develop or deepen their relationship and I was just not feeling it, even if I shipped it in the first book. I needed more. I did like that it had a lot of diverse elements without ramming its theme down our throats. Sophia’s romance was a little forced but it was worth the effort and I liked how seamlessly a gay couple was slipped into the story as well.

Wayfarer was very plot-focused but I struggled to keep track of everything that was happening. The entire Belladonna plotline left me clueless. I had no idea what was happening and even now, I do not understand what Shadows are meant to be. I don’t know if I fell asleep at that point or what, all I know is that they stole kids to become assassins or something like that? They were randomly just always there, attacking people, and somehow Nicholas could always injury or kill them, even when he was dying. It was too much for me. It felt unneeded, confusing and plot hole-ish. It also did not help that Nicholas was acting like a clueless rookie. He made stupid decision after stupid decision and drove me insane with frustration. I don’t understand who would trust an Ironwood at this point? It seems such a moronic move to make and why oh why would you make a freaking deal with a witch with such sloppy wording? Everyone know that you have to be hella specific when you make a binding contract with someone. You can always find a loophole and you never, ever promise to do a favour for them in return and not specify when or what that favour is! That is just being dumb. There is no other way to describe it.

Also, I desperately need to talk about the ending. Umm, what was that meant to be? I hated it. I was proud of Nicholas for making the decision he did. Screw everyone’s personal motives, he knew he had to put the collective good first and just restore the timeline… and then things went to hell. What was he thinking? I get going into the future to see/be with Etta. I get that and even expected that to happen… but the rest? I was so, so confused. He just decided to open all the passages again, consequences be damned? I cannot wrap up my head around that. It seems like such a stupid thing to do to me. Is that not the reason everything went to hell in the first place? Also, I really, really, really wanted her mum to be evil so that ‘twist’ ruined that for me.

Overall?

Wayfarer was too long, too boring and too poorly constructed for me to enjoy it. I did like some of the historical scenes - the history nerd in my fangirled over Nicholas II - and Henry but I did not enjoy the as a whole much at all. The writing style was dense. The pacing was slow. The characters were unlikable and their relationship lost all its shippy-ness. I was just disappointed by too many elements of this series finale to be satisfied.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

• ● ■ 1,8/5 STARS ■ ● •

Genre: Young Adult> Fantasy> Time Travel
WOW: Still, black main male character.
EW: The whole book tbh..
POV: 3rd-person, female and male.
LOVE TRIANGLE: Nope
LOVE INTREST: Yes
DO I SHIP IT: Not really. I don't really care about it :p

__________________
✎Review:

FINNALLLLYYY I'VE FINISHED THIS BOOK. JEEEEZZ.

Okay, book one was better for me. I really didn't like this book. I took me more then 6 months to finish it. And im so sad to say that, because i love Alexandra Bracken. And i really wanted to like these books. But it's just not for me. Not enough happens, it's not the writng style i like. I don't really care about the main charachters. I don't really enjoy time travel. Also feel, like this book was way to long. It felt like Alexandra didn't really know what to do next.. Like, she knew how she wanted to end it, but how did she get there?

I liked the beginning of this book. I thought that it was gonne be much better. But no.. Sadly, not at all.

The ending of this book is really good. A good ending to a series. Altho i still have some quetions, i feel like it was the best i could get.
---------------------
♥The Characters:
__
Etta Spencer:

I liked her more in book one. It really felt like she wasn't there in the book. In this book she isn't with Nicholas, so i thought we would really get to know her. But no.. She didn't to anything that 'wow' me.
__
Nicholas Carter

This guy tho, is a really good writen character. I loved reading his parts, but that was mostly because he was with Sophia. I love was he did in the ending. I don't have much more to say about him. He's smart, so he made smart choises... xd
__
Sophia Ironwood

I love her. Also the fact that she is into girls, is just awesome. Points for Alexandra!

This girl is so intresting. I just loved it when she talked.
I would not read any more book in this world if they come out, but it is a book about her, i would. I love her that much.
__
In General:

I didn't really care about the most of them. The father of Etta was also very intresting. I wish we had more to see of him. But thats about it. The rest was okay. But maybe thats just me.

_____________________________
■ TV-SHOW OR MOVIE?

Yeah, i told you guys in my Passenger review that i would like a movie out of this. And i still think it could work. But im not really like : "PLEASE PICK THE RIGHT FOR THE MOVIE UP! SOMEONE MAKE THIS IN A MOVIE PLEASEE!' It would be fun if it happend :)
________________
✧Beste Quotes:

" I wanted to find something that would make my mom proud of me. Something i could excel at"
I really felt the same about that. I love doing things that makes my mom proud of me.
_____________________________
✗Little notes:
- Don't read it if you didn't liked the first book. It's not that diffrent.
- I think i just don't like time travel. It's always so messy. So maybe that a big part of my dislike.
______________-
❖REST OF THE SERIES:

Passenger series:

#1. Passenger
#2. Wayfarer <

_____________________________
Thank for reading :3

[Olivia (Stories For Coffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a conclusion to one of my most favorite fantasy duologies! This was everything I wanted and more, and I only wish that Wayfarer was lengthier so I could continue glimpsing into these precious characters’ lives. This book left me completely satisfied by wrapping up every loose end and giving each character the ending they deserve. It blew me away and made me fall for Bracken’s beautiful descriptions that were pieced together to create a world that I never wanted to escape.


The second novel in the Passenger duology picks up right where we left off in the first novel. Characters are separated from each other through time and must find a way back to one another before chaos ensues. New characters are thrust into this story as the novel progresses, as well! And they all successfully find a special place in my heart because of their quirks and dialogue that I adored. Not only are there more characters, who are incredibly diverse, but there are new settings that are introduced too. Bracken expertly describes each location around the world and time period in a simplistic and realistic way that makes you feel as though you are Nicholas or Etta traveling through time. She writes such wondrous scenes of chaos or peace in ways that made Wayfarer feel like a movie running through my mind, ever changing and evolving into something fantastic.

There wasn’t a single detail in this story that I didn’t fall in love with. There were intense action scenes that left me flipping rapidly through pages to see what came next. There were laugh out loud funny lines said by new characters who made the story ten times more interesting with their presence. There were hard hitting lines about racism throughout time that made me so grateful that Bracken included them in this novel in a respectable and realistic way. From the characters to the settings, this book is full of diversity, epic romances, twists and turns that will leave you breathless and wanting more. There is never a dull moment in Wayfarer, and I am so glad that it kept me on my toes the entire time. So much develops from Passenger and makes you wonder what will happen next. This was such a fantastic conclusion to a duology. I could not have asked for more and am grateful that I was left completely satisfied with this ending. I am sure to reread this duology over and over again because I cannot get enough of Etta, Nicholas, and their fantastic race through time.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7 out of 5 stars! GUYS I'm so sad this series is over because I love t so much! Alex is such an amazing writer and Wayfarer did not disappoint at all, it was just as good if not beret than Passenger for me! I love Alex's writing and I think she is so talented. All of the characters in this book were so well developed and felt so real it's just amazing and hard to put into words just how great it is to read. I highly recommend this series! There are a few things with the time travel that I found hard to really wrap my head around and understand, which is why I have it 4.7, but honestly this is now one of my all time favorite series and it is such a satisfying conclusion!!!!

[Jordan (thejordanjournals) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of this book was the ending and realizing that I wouldn't have to suffer through another page of it. I really should have spared myself the two weeks I spent reading this and just DNFed it, but I was holding out hope that it would surprise me the way Passenger did in the end. Not the case.

This is the third novel I had read from Alexandra Bracken, and I'm pretty sure it will be my last. I have severely struggled through each of her works, which I find painfully slow and full of completely unnecessary background noise and inner thought. I would find myself drifting off or becoming distracted but not realize it for a page and a half. However, I never once had to reread the sections I zoned out during because there was just so much filler crap that I really didn't miss anything important. Bracken really writes oversaturated scenes to try to build atmosphere or characters or who-knows-what, and it just doesn't resonate with me. I had noticed that I struggled with her works in the past, but it wasn't until this book that it became so glaringly apparent that I was not a fan of her writing style. This book could have been half the length that it is.

One aspect that I felt was greatly lacking in this second book was the same atmospheric quality the first book had. I remember thinking that the various countries and time periods in history felt very distinct and were beautifully described. I had just wanted more time spent actually time traveling in the first book. In Wayfarer, we get a great deal more time traveling and visit something like 2 dozen locations; but, each location didn't feel as individualistic as they did in Passenger. Everything started to bleed together and feel the same. I couldn't tell a difference from 1919 Russia to 1100 Japan. That atmospheric quality felt totally absent in this book. That was one thing I really liked about Passenger.

Now the main characters. The two main characters spend about 400 pages out of this 530 novel on different journeys. Literally. They have absolutely no page time together until the final climax scene at the end. The first book was very heavily focused on their relationship and partnership as they time-traveled together. I think their relationship was a main backbone of Passenger. By the time they finally reunited in Wayfarer, it had been so long that I wasn't even sure why they liked each other anymore. They spend a lot of time fretting over each other's wellbeing, and they both admit that they had only known each other for a month. So with the characters reinforcing that they hadn't actually spent much time together, it made me question why they were going through so much trouble searching for the other.

That kind of brings me to my next point: I have no idea what the point of this novel was. The actual plot line was so convoluted with the main characters' inner thoughts and hardships, and the introduction of mystical creatures and organizations, and witches, and the fear of timeline shifts that I don't even know what the basic structure of this plot is. I felt like so much extra nonsense was thrown in there to up the ante and increase the stakes. Without all of that, I don't know how entertaining this book would have been (to think that this book could have been more boring hurts my head). In the end, we don't even learn what exactly set Rose off on this epic mission to save time. We can infer what happened or who came to see her, but it isn't conclusive.

All in all, this book was just not for me. The writing style wasn't for me. The plot wasn't for me. Nothing redeemable came out of it in the end, and I honestly wish I would have walked away from it sooner.

**My copy of Wayfarer also came with a short story entitled Pathfinder, which focuses on Rose in a 1918 New York City. Below are my thoughts on that novella, which I gave 3/5 stars.

This was a rather entertaining sneak peak into the life of Rose as a seventeen year old. I enjoyed reading in her perspective. She is definitely a spitfire and lose cannon, which we see a little glimpse of in the duology. I really enjoyed seeing a little bit of her relationship with Henry as well. Henry is such swoon-worthy characters, and I figured this out in only 30 pages. To be honest, I enjoyed their dynamic and their personalities much more to those of Etta and Nicholas. I kind of wish the series was about Rose and Henry instead. Rose is just such a complex and morally gray character. I wish I would have had more of this story.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

Yep, I admit it, I pretty much didn't leave my couch all day just so I could finish this book. On one hand, I was just dying to know what would happen and couldn't turn the pages fast enough, but on the other, I didn't want to leave this world or these characters. I really can't tell whether I liked this book more than Passanger or not. There were things that I loved about this book that I didn't love about the first one, but there are also things that frustrated the hell out of me (i.e. Separation of the love interests, argh). I did leave this book loving a lot more characters than when I went in. I was expecting to only really care about Nicholas and Etta, but I left with a handful of characters that I really didn't want to leave. One things for sure, this was a super emotional story for me and now I feel exhausted.

This book felt completely different to Passengers. While the first book in this series was adventurous and romantic, I feel like this one was slower and darker. This was neither good nor bad, there are things that I liked more in this book and things I thought were worse. For one, this book was less fun and fast paced than the first book. In saying that, there were some really exciting moments. I was also really addicted to this book and read it as fast as possible, so I guess it wasn’t all that slow.

One thing that was so much better about this book was the exploration of the different characters. In the first book, we focused almost completely on Etta and Nicholas, but in this one there were so many interesting characters. Sophie, for one, was explored in so much more detail in this book. I originally thought she was nothing much but an awful person, but throughout this book I came to realise that she was so much more than that. I also loved how she also got some romance action, because she deserved a life better than she was getting. I came to respect her so much more after this book, she was just a woman fighting to stay ahead in her male-dominated world. Another fantastic female character was Li Min. Not only was she badass, but she was also a fantastic representation of a queer woman in the 17th century.

“One day they will name a plague for you,” he said.
“Hopefully a particularly nasty one,” she answered. “A girl can dream.”

I really loved the continuation of the discussion of sex and race in this book. This was actually one of my favourite aspects and I found it really interesting. Another thing that I loved was the history. I loved travelling through time in the first book, but there were so many more interesting times that we explored in this one. This included the Russian Revolution which I really enjoyed since I’ve studied a lot about this time. No matter how fast the pace of the novel, there were so many entertaining and interesting aspects within it. This includes the characters, the themes of sexism and racism, and the history. Once again, the historical time periods were so vividly explored so I felt like I was there along with them. This is something that is so unique to this book for me.

Something that I absolutely hated about this book was the separation of Etta and Nicholas. My favourite part of book one was the romance, so you can understand how absolutely heartbroken I was when I realised that my loves would be separated for this entire book. This is one of my least favourite tropes and it frustrated me no end throughout the book. Although, the angst factor was increased tenfold in this novel, so I guess that was something. I also think this book introduced so many new magical elements to the story which I really didn't understand and thought made the whole world seem confusing.

“The things which are denied to us in life will never create a cage for our souls.”

[Nouf *LostinFantasy* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: exactly 4/5.

"How sad for them, she thought, that they had grown up without any thorns with which to protect themselves."

It's kind of hard to write a review for a sequel when I never did for the first one. (For a great review of book one, you can read my friend Shahad's review of Passenger. So well put, and mirrored my thoughts on it exactly!)

But I am so happy to say that Wayfarer turned out to be a wonderful conclusion to Passenger. And that ending...



There is so much I love about this duology. Alexandra Bracken wrote such a detailed and wonderfully emotional story. It's as much about time travel as it is about family-ties and heartbreak, love and revenge.

((BTW, if you've read Passenger but have trouble remembering the events-- and yeah how the time travel works exactly -- there's a really cool and very helpful recap!
https://static1.squarespace.com/stati...))

I love time travel stories! And I love the explanation for the characters' time traveling ability here. We get a satisfying idea of how it works in the first book. But in this sequel, the origins behind the astrolabe and the four families is revealed. And the war between the travelers intensifies as they all hunt after the astrolabe. There's the Thorns on one side, Rose on another, Etta, and Nicholas, Cyrus Ironwood, the Shadows and an old sinister threat they never saw coming. Every single one has their own agenda and reason for it.

I loved the world-traveling to different points in history that Etta and Nicholas took in the first book. There's even more traveling here! But better yet, in this book, the travelers' actions actually severely impact and shift world events as a result of everyone fighting for their own version of the timeline. And so, Etta and Nicholas are each faced with hard questions and choices, and not one easy option. So, the plot is definitely exciting!

Before I talk about the wonderful characters and relationships in this book, I'm going to mention the writing - or rather its pace. The writing is beautiful -- but, in other ways, because of the slow pace, it's also the book's biggest flaw. This book is definitely an improvement on Passenger in terms on pacing, but it still moves a bit slowly at some points with the long descriptions, and also too-long inner monologues every time a character decides on something new. Sometimes you want things to move just a bit faster. Especially, Nicholas and Sophia's journey. I found Etta's parts moving along quicker.

But it's worth it to be patient because we get great character development and there's enough action, especially during that explosive climactic part.
Still, could have been 50 pages shorter or more, maybe.

(If you haven't read Passenger yet, below are a couple of big spoilers for the first book. But don't worry, no big spoilers for Wayfarer).


This time, Etta and Nicholas are separated for most of the book, (after the final events in Passenger took Etta away from him).
And while I love their romance and partnership and waited for their reunion, that didn't bother me. It gave opportunity for each to move the same story forward with their own journey - Etta meets her father, Henry Hemlock, leader of the Thorns. And Nicholas gets caught up in a deadly deal while trying to find Etta.

But the best part about this were the new partnerships and character dynamics this provided! And amazing character development for everyone! I wasn't a fan of Sophia in the first book, but in this one, she is a lot more fleshed out and sympathetic, and so badass! She and Nicholas made awesome from-hate-to-friendship partners.
It provided some funny moments:

He was yanked back by his collar before he could swim closer.
"Would you stop making eyes at that bloody ship? It’s a siege,” Sophia grated at him. “If they catch us, they won’t just kill us; they’ll make a whole show of it. Use our decapitated bodies to boost morale.”
Right. Yes. Siege.

They go from despising each other and death-threats to being partners who could relate, and friends who become very protective of each other.

As much as Etta was his heart’s helpmate, Sophia was the sword at his side on the expedition he undertook now.

A new character Li Min - a fellow traveler and female pirate - joins and helps them too. She has a heavy and dark past, but she's a great ally to Sophia and Nicholas. And there's even a bit of romance between her and Sophia. And though it's subtle, it works very well, showing a bit more of Sophia's softer side.

Nicholas wondered briefly if it was his destiny to be surrounded by women possessing varying degrees of murderous intent.

And Etta gets to know her father, Henry Hemlock, who she's never met, and his side of the traveler family, which make up "The Thorns". And it leads her to learn more about her mother, Rose, and her secrets.
(Rose is, btw, an amazingly complex anti-herione that deserves more page time --and even her own book).

But also she meets Nicholas's spoiled and carefree half-brother, Julian Ironwood who (as was hinted at the end of Passenger) is not dead, and turns out to be a very fun addition to the story! And Etta gets stuck with him on her side of things, and they make a hilarious mismatched pair!

"You’re rather handy, Linden-Hemlock-Spencer,” he said. “That was some brilliant teamwork, if I do say so myself.”
"I’m not sure you know what that word means,” Etta managed, her teeth clenched.
“You’re the brawn, I’m the brains, kiddo,” he told her. “You don’t need my help with this.”

And some more later - I loved this line:

She blinked. “That was… surprisingly useful.”
"As I like to say, always aim to disappoint in life,” Julian said. “That way you’ll never fail to be a delightful surprise when you don’t.”

And, like with Sophia, there's some great character development for Julian!

But safe to say - absolutely no love triangles in this! Etta and Nicholas's romantic arc is just as strong even with them apart for so long.
But the family dynamics and friendships are just as impactful in this book which was my favorite part.

I do wish that the characters that were separated for most of the book and only met near the end had more scenes together - like Henry and Rose (can I get their love story please - I need that special Target edition with their novella!), Nicholas and Julian (I would have liked more resolution there), and a little more of Sophia and Nicholas after everything. But I just want more of these characters because they were all so likable and complex and just wonderful!

Overall, I'm happy with this book and conclusion to the story. And I would love for novellas to start appearing showing us what happens next to the characters and more of their journeys! And even if not - the ending of this book was perfect enough!

And if you're hesitant to read this because Passenger felt a bit slow-paced then just remember the fun parts of that book (when it started to pick up with the time-traveling), because this book has a lot more of that, and just overall more surprises.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conflicted.

In no particular order, the thoughts that have been running through my head while reading this are:
1. The last violin-playing scene that occurred in this book – beautiful. Everything about it was beautiful.
2. It’s kinda awesome that the emotions evoked in this book were so strong. Literally, I have both loved and hated each one of the main characters at one point or another. They are all so flawed. Except for maybe Alice. She has the purest soul ever.
3. Speaking of characters who I love and hate – Sophia’s character development is on pointtttt. I literally hated her guts in the 1st book, and got annoyed with her here and there in this 2nd book. However, I genuinely love learning more about her character, understanding better why she is the way she is. She’s such a fighter and I love it. One particular scene of hers has brought the first tears I have shed for this series.
4. I love Sophia and Nicholas’ growing respect for each other and friendship here. They seriously were there for each other.
5. Li Min is a badass. A debatable character, but still, a badass. Also, I ship her romance with Sophia. I would have wanted to see them at the end again, especially reunited.
6. Julian is pretty funny. I would have liked to see more character developments because he clearly is capable of being nice and moral. I also would have liked to see more of him and Nicholas interacting.
7. WTF. Took forever for the reunion scene.
8. It was a bit annoying how Nicholas was chasing after Etta the whole book, while she didn’t even think to go after him. I mean I get she thought he was coming for her (although she literally disappeared out of nowhere, so how would she know that he knew that she wasn’t dead or somewhere else?), and she was very much overwhelmed by the discoveries she was making at the time. But come on, did she stop to think maybe he was stuck in the desert? Or captured by one of the many dangerous players in this book? He could have been in trouble, but she did not think to go back for him, while she was traveling around. She obviously missed him, but it was weird to see how she didn’t actively think of any actions to get them reunited again, while he, on the other hand, was solely focusing on that for most of the book.
9. Henry. He seems sweet. He still confuses me and is vaguely fishy to me in every scene. However, he also seems super caring? So I was conflicted on whether or not to trust him throughout the book. In the end, I approve. I love seeing him being a warm father figure for Etta. And I find his interactions with Rose to be captivating. My heart truly hurt for them. I hoped they ended up together, despite the time that passed. Furthermore, the violin-playing scenes – both of them – where Henry was watching Etta proudly – loved it.
10. Bracken has done a wonderful job showing the dual sides of Rose. She is truly someone I love and hate. Hate because why did she have to make it so confusing and complicated? And why was she so cold to her daughter when it wasn’t really necessary? Ah, but it sorta makes sense by the end of the book. I find her actions understandable, even though I don’t think she always took the best approach. I actually end up really feeling for her character. She seemed like such a robot for most of the series. Like a myth figure that everyone seems to have heard of. However, we get a glimpse of her real struggle, her humanity, and the constant state of paranoia that she had to live in.
11. I love-hate the ending. It’s kinda satisfying, but not entirely. I think the problem was the long time skip. One year, really? I mean I get that Nicholas had to first of all, gain courage to go on this mission. And second, he had to sort out the details, find the item of the future. Also, he decided to open up other paths while he was at it and found certain people. I’m just not a big fan of time skips. Also, while it is awesome to see Nicholas morally struggle with using his new power, I feel like along with the moral issue, Nicholas is also struggling with cowardice and facing POSSIBLE disappointment, in case the mission didn’t work. And I’m like, really, you spent weeksssss thinking on using the power or not, while getting gloomy and focusing on the ship? I completely understand his hesitation – as a good person SHOULD struggle with such a big power. I just hated that it took THAT long.

The concert scene is truly, truly beautiful. I love how we got see Rose, Henry, AND Nicholas. I would have liked to see Etta actually reunite and talk with her parents again, but it’s nice to see everything ending with the idea that she and Nicholas are going to travel together and establish rules together and create a “peaceful, lawful” society for the time-traveling.

It would have been awesome to see a reunion scene with all their friends, but I’m still appreciative that it’s implied that Nicholas and Etta would eventually get there.

The Rose epilogue is interesting. It does somewhat show more into Rose’s mind, and I like that her own daughter from the future reassures her about the future. That also may or may not be another reason why Rose focused so much of the responsibilities on Etta in the first book.

3 stars. Lots of emotions – good and bad. Great characters, interesting character developments. I love the different relationships and friendships we see in this book.

Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending? Technically happy. More spoiler-y details in the next spoiler. No good, important character died, so happy there (cheers to that). And reunions so happy there. There is a time skip to get to that happy ending so made it a bit gloomy at times. And bumps to work out still. But generally happy.
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level? No, no technical cheating, medium-high.

There was this one line, where during a physical separation from Etta, Nicholas thinks something along the lines of going back to routine of work, and he says “Everything had a rhythm, he realized; a recognizable ebb and flow. Love, separation. Work, rest. Pain, rum.” I can’t tell if he’s saying that more as a general saying, or he specifically refers to himself. And I can’t tell if “Love, separation” part of the routine meant he had sex with other girls during this physical separation. He did mention in the 1st book that before he met Etta, he has had sex with several girls before, and he always knew when to leave and continued on with his next trip. So it might mean he’s doing that again?

But at the same time, he’s so lovesick for Etta at this time, so did he really?

So I’m confused.

It’s a vague sentence that I’m not sure if should be taken literally or not.

Tears-worthy? Some tearful moments. Not a too depressing book though.
Humor? Some funny bantering/dialogue, but in general, no.
Favorite scene? Seeing Sophia step up her game. Seeing Sophia and Nicholas’ friendship develop. Seeing Sophia and Li Min bond. Seeing any violin-playing scene (because they were always so touching).
What age level would be appropriate? Teenagers and up.

[Camille ☼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was, in my opinion, a lot better than the first one. It was not perfect, it got a little messy and confusing at some point but the characters and the worldbuilding really stood out in this book. In this one, we are following the events that follow the separation of Nicholas and Etta at the end of the first book.

I have to admit one thing. I didn't care much for Etta's story most of the book even though I loved the places she visited. Russia and the Romanov !! Not that I don't like her character or didn't appreciate what she did or what happened around her. The pace and the action in her story though were very limited in comparaison to Nicholas and Sophia's own escape. A lot more action, adventure and humour on their side. I will never express enough how much I loved their part in this story and the develoment of these two characters and their relationship. Nicholas and his kindness, honour and naïvety, Sophia with her sass, her wildness and her own special way of caring for others, Li Min and her mysterious talents an dher wisdom. They were the ultimate trio. I was enthralled in their adventures and the growing of their relationship. Nicholas's protectiveness towards the girls and the girls' own fierce protectiveness towards Nicholas. They loved each other so much. And let me not start on Li Min and Sophia's relationship omg . Etta's story were somewhat duller and even Julian's sparkling personality was not really enough.

Nearing the end of the story, I will admit that it became confusing to me and it became a little less interesting to me than the first 70% of the book (usually it's the contrary that happens) but I was still extremely satisfied with the ending and that is something I did not really see coming so that was good.

For anyone who read the first book and was wondering whether or nto it's worth it to continue I would say YES.

————

I gave three stars to the first book of this series and I remember having kind of a mixed opinion. I am rather surprised by how excited I am to read this. There was something about the worldbuilding and the jumping from one period to another that I just really liked and I think time made me forget what I didn't like so I just remember the good things. Meaning Nicholas.

[Cesar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Finally! I finally finished the book! You have no idea how eager I was to finish it. I bought Wayfarer the day it was released and didn't properly read it until the 9th. Yes, I'm that lazy not to mention I get distracted.

But we're not here to talk about me being a lazy mofo, we're here to talk about Wayfarer!

Let's get started!

After the events of Passenger I was wondering what would happen in Wayfarer. Etta and Nicholas are separated and they must find the astrolabe before the timeline is completely altered. Not only that, but apparently, a new enemy emerges and is a powerful threat to all of them.

Alexandra Bracken has done it again! She not only wrote a good book, but also a satisfying ending to the series. She did a great job with the characters, creating alternate timelines, not to mention tackling subjects such as racism, gender, and even going into sexuality. When an author does that, it makes the book all the more better.

Plot wise, I enjoyed the journey of both Etta and Nicholas. They travel to many different locations and time periods while also fighting off the Ironwoods and their new enemy. Nothing is ever simple for them, is it? Not only that, but we also get to see the characters grow more. I like them even more after reading Wayfarer.

One thing I should mention is that there isn't much of a romance. It's still there, with Etta and Nicholas thinking about each other. And I liked it. It's clear that they still care about each other even though they are not together for the majority of it. Still a good romance.

My only complaints would have to be the pacing, being too descriptive (there's a time to describe a setting but not to go overboard and describing how an item feels in their hands).

Also, here's something I want to talk about. So we get a new enemy who is apparently an immortal being who is after the astrolabe. He's like that because of the use of alchemy and how he absorbed power from the astrolabe to become immortal. Along with that are his recruits known as Shadows, people who basically follow this guy (I forgot what he was called) and are also in search of the astrolabe. To me, they felt out of place. I mean, it was good we got more background information on the creation of the astrolabe and the passages, but I couldn't fully comprehend as to why this immortal guy was involved. He came out of the left field. It does advance the plot and answers some questions, but it felt too forced.

Verdict

Another great series! I'm really looking forward to what Alex will be writing next.

Thanks for reading my review!

-Cesar