Passenger

Historical romance meets time-traveling adventure in this rousing series opener from Bracken (the Darkest Minds books). In the present day, Etta Spencer is a 17-year-old violinist eager to make her New York City debut as a soloist. After her mentor is killed, Ella awakens aboard a ship in 1776, where she discovers that her emotionally distant mother is believed responsible for hiding an astrolabe, a device used in time travel, from Cyrus Ironwood, a man determined to align all travelers to his command. With only her mother’s letters and paintings as clues, Etta searches with Nicholas Carter, a freed slave and privateer from the 18th century, charged with returning the astrolabe to Cyrus. Despite differences in time lines and cultures, Etta and Nicholas find their mutual passion makes them easy targets for other travelers, all eager to control time passages. Bracken’s saga is sweeping, moving quickly between countries and dates—from 1910 Bhutan to Damascus in 1599. Although the couple’s romantic doubts turn repetitive, the clever historical allusions, well-crafted subplots, and cliffhanger ending should leave readers awaiting the next volume. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House. (Jan.) [/em]