Rating: 3.9 Stars
Short Summary: Jules lives in a world where currency is time and there are consequences when you do not have enough of it. As she tries to save her family, her journey takes her back to her childhood home, the dangerous palace where she was a servant in hopes of making enough to keep her and her father safe. She soon learns that the palace holds more secrets than she had thought.
What I liked: I was immediately captivated by the cover of this book. I’d been hearing a lot of buzz over it as the January “should read” selections were coming through and it was high on my list of books to acquire.
I thought the concept was rather fascinating, but very reminiscent of the 2011 film “In Time”, where time is the currency in which you pay for your existence. While “In Time” took a more sci fi approach, I liked the fantasy take on the idea. I have to say the world building was probably my favourite part of the book. I thought it was relatively unique (despite the similarity to the film), it was creatively considered. The second aspect I enjoyed was the plot’s various twists and turns. This was what kept me engaged throughout the piece.
What I didn’t: Although I enjoyed the main character, as a reader, I wanted more evidence as to why Jules would make some of the decisions that she did. At times, I didn’t find myself convinced enough of her actions and was left curious as to whether her motivations were simply not well enough explained, or that she was an idiotic character. On the whole, if you can dismiss that, enjoy the ride.
The romance was a disappointment and I genuinely feel like the story would have been much stronger without it there at all. Sure, there were dimensions of conflict that it created within the piece, but it simply wasn’t very believable or well developed.
Recommendation: If you are intrigued by the idea, give it a go, because conceptually, it is an interesting read. I wouldn’t read it for the characters.
K2Harvey
Literary Apothecary 