If you're a time travel fan, you'll find Christy Cooper-Burnett's Escaping Home offers a thrilling space-time bending journey. This is a novel with two plots interlocking into historical backgrounds then enriched by dangerous undertakings leading to a feeling of trepidation with every turn of the page. The author combines her knowledge of specific time periods in U.S. history with an imagined future to create an over-the-top adventure with cliff-hanging suspense.
Staring a memorable heroine, Christine, who tells her story in the first person, includes several equally relatable minor characters. Within the premise that time travel back into history is a proven concept, Christine sets out to save her family and friends from the rapidly escalating threat of world collapse. The year is 2072. Wars, terrorists, tainted water supplies, and panic are causing nationwide alarm on the East Coast and are being felt in Los Angeles.
As an experienced time-traveler who has experienced short-time living in different historical cultures, Christine contrives to prepare a select few others to travel back in time to 1790 Alexandria, Virginia, where they could live off the land. The dissimilar group of adults, adolescents, and toddlers attend to pre-planning for the timeline they will be entering. They acquire period clothing and money and study local customs. They also carefully select lab-enhanced seeds for planting and medicines for emergencies. The reader will enjoy traveling with this diverse group of people.
Despite careful preparations, the group of travelers is ill-equipped for survival in this strange, unpredictable culture. Unfortunately, a diphtheria epidemic was not disclosed in Christine's research, nor were unexpected Indian attacks. Christine says, "this era just became more problematic than I expected." Christy Cooper-Burnett's writing of the circumstances of time travel and the consequences it brings about is compelling, and the emotional element adds much to the novel. Her narrative of the complications and difficulties of clandestinely existing in a bygone society is an intriguing facet of the story.
To complicate their adventure, others discover their timeline transport and attempt to take the journey. The second plot adds the danger of changing history. Tony smuggled a modern semi-automatic handgun into 1791, while flintlock muskets were used in colonial times. He also smuggled in a camera.
The author uses period language terms and speech dialects to authenticate her characters. "'tis naught betwixt us we cannot mend another time. …we must not tarry." She reveals her knowledge of the time period when Christine tells the women how to dress. "…layer the clothing properly." Put on a shift first. "That's this long, white shirt type thing." The stay goes on next, then stockings and at least two petticoats. Over that, the dress and apron. "Be sure to pin your hair up under your cap." The women stared back at her blankly.
To escape possible annulation, the group considers transporting to a different timeline or returning to 2072. This is a truly epic road trip for readers who have considered what their life would be like in another timeline. And a smart look at discovering one's place in history.
Escaping Home is the sequel to the award-winning No Way Home. It is an excellent stand-alone novel since the author appropriately refers to past events. Wildly entertaining. Couldn't put it down.
Reviewed by: Carole W
|
.jpg)
