Seventeen-year-old Emma and her twin brother Charlie are expecting another boring summer vacation when the family travels to Balky Point. As much as they like the locals, it is a quiet, unassuming town where there’s not much going on. Charlie and Emma go exploring and the adventure all begins inside the lighthouse. They notice pictures there decades apart that show the same girl in each one – not aging or changing in any way. Then they find the same girl – Eve – at the town get together and track her down to get answers to all their questions. The next thing they know, Emma and Charlie are traveling with Eve to new Universes and having all sorts of experiences that blow their minds. Eve is on the trail of a criminal and together they all learn more about themselves and they strength they possess inside.
I loved this book! The first thing that jumped out at me is how family oriented it is. As Emma and Charlie explore and learn about the other universes, the first thing they do is talk to their parents and their friends in town. While they may sneak off, Emma and Charlie are very close to their parents and work to reunite the family. It is not a dysfunctional family as we read in so many stories. Mom and Dad love Emma and Charlie and have their best interests at heart. They are very present in the kids’ lives and try to understand and be involved as much as they can.
I really enjoyed the idea of multiple universes. It is presented in a way that is easy enough for all to understand. Yet it really makes you think. The characters encounter alternate versions of their home universe and have to deal with the implications those can bring.
The villain in this book is someone who has been corrupted by “the Void”. The author does a great job describing this feeling and desire to isolate ourselves from one another, to spend more time with our phones that with our friends. There is a whole society that has failed because The Void has convinced all the people to stay on their own and not interact with anyone. Emma is faced with the temptations of The Void and we get to see how she faces it and how her friends and family help her conquer it. I love the resolution at the end with Emma and Vik – but I’m not going to get into it here and ruin the story for you!
This was a fun read that kept my interest. The rest of this series is on my to-read list and I am excited to see the adventures unfold.
This book was given to us for free in return for an honest review.
Review by Patti F. for Truth About Books