READING : Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Timeless by Alexandra Monir


Publication date: January 11th, 2011
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3,5/5
Eligible for Debut Author Challenge 2011

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

The premise of Timeless is amazing!2010-a girl moving into her grandparents' manor in New York and travels back in time in 1910 and meets the boy of her dreams.Who wouldn't like that?Well, as awesome the beginning and ending were, the middle felt short for me.

Monir's writing was great!I liked how she described New York of that era, the estates, the balls, the gowns.However, even though I am very much into time travelling in books, I caught myself getting easily lost at times by the constant back and forth to 1910,1925,1944 and 2010.Everything was happening too quickly for me and before I had the time to realise  which year she had travelled to and start adjusting, she just vanished again to the present.If you're not familiar with the time traveling "process" or you just can't wrap your head around the whole - my going back to the past changed the future - situation, I think you'll soon get pretty lost.
All the characters in Timeless were likeable.As the book mainly focuses on Michele and Philip, I admit their romance and love for each other was believable, but very quick for me.From the very first time their eyes met, she knew he was the love of her life.Why?It doesn't say.Because he was good looking, I assume.To be honest, I still can't tell you what Michele or Philip looked like.So either they were not fully described, details left to the reader's imagination,  or I've somehow missed it.
What I didn't find believable was her great grandmother's, Lillie, story. Again, time travel and how one's meddling in the past can change the future in all sorts of ways, comes into play.It just doesn't sit well with me how all the tragic things that happened to her, which eventually led her to move to NY, were somehow "supposed" to happen so she could go back and change history.I know I am being awfully vague, but I'm trying so hard to avoid revealing any crucial parts of the story.

That being said, the ending will surely leave you speechless!I didn't not see that coming at all!

So, if you don't mind the complexity of time travel and not worry too much about getting answers and want to read a nice, light, romance book, I think Timeless is a great choice!



*Alexandra Monir is also a singer/ song writer and she made some songs for the book which will be released on January 11th on iTunes! 
Thanks to Looksie @ Looksie Lovitz:Books And Wits for the info :)