Passenger by Alexandra Bracken is a young adult fantasy novel, the first in a duology, marketed as a treasure hunt through time. It focusses on the characters of Etta, a young 21st century woman and Nicholas, a black man from the 1700s, both of whom have the genetic ability to travel through passages in time and space. They embark on a journey through time to locate the astrolabe, the series McGuffin, in order to prevent its falling into the hands of the Ironwoods giving them power to change history. What I liked The time travel system. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. It was very well thought out and the rules and limitations were well explained. Often in fantasy it’s the limitations on magical powers that make them most interesting and generate the most interesting stories. At the risk of spoiling the novel I won’t say too much more, but this aspect was very well done. The character development. Writing believable and consistent characters is one of Bracken’s strengths. I could easily believe the characters actions and reactions based on what they’d already experienced. The social commentary. Having two characters whose race or gender has historically deprived them…
