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It Wasn't Always Like This
In 1916, Emma O’Neill is frozen in time. After sampling an experimental polio vaccine brewed on a remote island off St. Augustine, Florida, she and her family stop aging—as do the Ryans, her family’s business partners. In a way, this suits Emma fine because she’s in love with Charlie Ryan. Being seventeen forever with him is a dream. But soon a group of religious fanatics, the Church of Light, takes note. Drinking the elixir has made the O’Neills and Ryans impervious to aging, but not to murder—Emma and Charlie are the only ones who escape with their lives.
On the run, Emma is tragically separated from Charlie. For the next hundred years, she plays a cat-and-mouse game with the founding members of the Church of Light and their descendants. Over the years, a series of murders—whose victims all bear more than a passing resemblance to her—indicate that her enemies are closing in. Yet as the danger grows, so does Emma’s hope for finding the boy she’s certain is still out there . . .
On the run, Emma is tragically separated from Charlie. For the next hundred years, she plays a cat-and-mouse game with the founding members of the Church of Light and their descendants. Over the years, a series of murders—whose victims all bear more than a passing resemblance to her—indicate that her enemies are closing in. Yet as the danger grows, so does Emma’s hope for finding the boy she’s certain is still out there . . .
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
July 3, 2016
3.7/5 stars
Good story line but I wish there was more of a complete ending!
Good story line but I wish there was more of a complete ending!
December 16, 2023
Before I even begin to address what this book is about, I must mention how it is presented. Emma shares her saga by keeping the reader with her for the present and reminiscing about the past. As a person who has been keeping secrets for a century or so, the deliberation and consideration with what and how much she reveals makes her seem like an unreliable narrator. An added layer of intrigue.
On the one hand, this ferociously independent young woman seems a bit self-absorbed, possibly paranoid. On the other, as Steve Earle says, “Just ‘cause you ain’t paranoid, it don’t mean they ain’t out to get to ya’ !”
“Emma O’Neill was like a lightning rod for weirdness, for the dark things that most people never saw.”
Initially, Emma seemed aloof….almost unapproachable. Perhaps, partly because of the unreliable narrator aspect, but more than that, an underlying, inexplicable anger-angst undertone emanated. Peculiar for a main character; perfect for this story. Not only does it subtly, yet surely, secure “Present-Day-Emma” and “Past-Emma” in the reader’s mind allowing the story to flow smoothly; but it allows the reader to truly develop an understanding of why “Present-Day-Emma” is precisely the person she is. Pure genius, Ms. Preble.
Although Emma alone could carry this narrative; the love of her life, Charlie, also forever seventeen, softens her edges. With the good, comes the bad and Kingsley Lloyd, sometimes-successful con-man-at-best and Glen Walters, leader of the Church of Light, could give the Boogeyman the creeps. Captivating characters tangled in a string of murders stretching out over the past century create a quick and compelling read.
Instead of attempting to articulate what the book is about, I’ll just put this out there:
The searchers for The Fountain of Youth seem to be seeking their own eternal life.
What if the families who drank from The Fountain thought they were drinking potential polio prevention?
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
On the one hand, this ferociously independent young woman seems a bit self-absorbed, possibly paranoid. On the other, as Steve Earle says, “Just ‘cause you ain’t paranoid, it don’t mean they ain’t out to get to ya’ !”
“Emma O’Neill was like a lightning rod for weirdness, for the dark things that most people never saw.”
Initially, Emma seemed aloof….almost unapproachable. Perhaps, partly because of the unreliable narrator aspect, but more than that, an underlying, inexplicable anger-angst undertone emanated. Peculiar for a main character; perfect for this story. Not only does it subtly, yet surely, secure “Present-Day-Emma” and “Past-Emma” in the reader’s mind allowing the story to flow smoothly; but it allows the reader to truly develop an understanding of why “Present-Day-Emma” is precisely the person she is. Pure genius, Ms. Preble.
Although Emma alone could carry this narrative; the love of her life, Charlie, also forever seventeen, softens her edges. With the good, comes the bad and Kingsley Lloyd, sometimes-successful con-man-at-best and Glen Walters, leader of the Church of Light, could give the Boogeyman the creeps. Captivating characters tangled in a string of murders stretching out over the past century create a quick and compelling read.
Instead of attempting to articulate what the book is about, I’ll just put this out there:
The searchers for The Fountain of Youth seem to be seeking their own eternal life.
What if the families who drank from The Fountain thought they were drinking potential polio prevention?
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
December 12, 2019
Certainly not something you read every day. It Wasn’t Always Like This is a captivating YA novel that complexly reads like contemporary, mystery, fantasy and even historical. I was quite impressed and a bit sad that the book is underrated here on GR. The main premise has something to do with eternal youth and how it is the reason for everything Emma had to sacrifice including her family and Charlie, the boy she loves and now she is constantly on the run because her past and the villains in it are still after her, even taking out lives of many other girls mistaken as her.
The POV alternates between the past and the present in the third person and it gives enough mystery about the possibility of Charlie still being alive. The writing is quite whimsical, something you might read from classic novels and it’s perfect for the story’s theme what with the idea of the Fountain of Youth and all but it’s also very current especially when the story is narrated during the now. The plot is also very fast-paced and I find myself enjoying the read more than I expected I would. The ending is pretty sweet too, not an ounce of cheesiness in it.
The POV alternates between the past and the present in the third person and it gives enough mystery about the possibility of Charlie still being alive. The writing is quite whimsical, something you might read from classic novels and it’s perfect for the story’s theme what with the idea of the Fountain of Youth and all but it’s also very current especially when the story is narrated during the now. The plot is also very fast-paced and I find myself enjoying the read more than I expected I would. The ending is pretty sweet too, not an ounce of cheesiness in it.
May 28, 2016
Emma O'Neill had done many things over many decades. Sometimes she felt she could barely remember it all. Much of it had been sad. An equal amount hadn't.
At the beggining of the 20th century, two families in Florida drink a tea that is promised to protect them from polio—and not only it does that, but it also prevents them from ever getting sick (or getting a hangover) again, because it grants them immortality. Before they can wrap their minds about what's happening to them, the word gets out to the rest of the town and a self-proclaimed prophet—leader of the Church of Light—decides it's his job to rid the world of this anomaly, and murders the O'Neills and the Ryans; with the exception of teenage lovebirds Emma and Charlie, who were away from their families when it happened and are forced to go on the run to escape the crazed cult who wants to kill them, and eventually separate on the road, hoping that one day they'll be together again.
This was honestly a super fun read! Very quick (you can easily read it in one sitting) and very entertaining. The story is mainly told from Emma's present day point of view, but there were chapters set in the 1910s and a chapter from someone else's point of view every now and again, and I feel like they really helped create a well-rounded story. A lot would've been lacking if it were just told by 2016 Emma.
(Then again, 2016 Emma reminded me a lot of Veronica Mars, so even if it had been a book solely with that point of view, it wouldn't have been bad cause I love me some VM.)
Emma was a great heroine. I was scared that the book would waste too much time on the romance between the star-crossed lovers, but Emma was focused on the task at hand and wasn't pining for her long-lost love all the time. She did pine a little, but it was during appropriate times, so I'm okay with that. She was very independent and had a good head over her shoulders, even though she could be a bit careless at times—although, seeing as she was a perpetual seventeen years old, it was understandable why she'd make the occasional stupid decision here and there.
I wish the fantasy aspect of it would've been more explored, though. This could've been an epic magical realism tale, but there wasn't a lot of thought put into the Fountain of Youth aspect of the novel, and it was disappointing for me, seeing as I'm a fantasy fan and I would've loved to read about it, but it didn't bug me a lot, and I still enjoyed this immensely.
It Wasn't Always Like This is a great book to consider picking up if you're trying to get out of a reading slump!
August 13, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from Soho Teen. I had no obligation to review this book and all opinions are my own.
July 5, 2017
”’They have no idea. What it’s really like. To live forever.
‘Most people don’t.’”
I hate to say this, I really do, but Tuck Everlasting did it better.
Living forever may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but for Emma O’Neill, living forever with Charlie Ryan is well worth it. She and her family live in St. Augustine, Florida in 1916, and they run an alligator amusement park. Their business partners, the Ryans, live there as well. And it looks like they’ll stay that way forever, after they sample water from a spring. But not if the Church of Light Revivalists have any say in the matter. They want the water all to themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it from the O’Neills and Ryans. After they murder their families, Emma and Charlie find themselves on the run, eventually separated. Not immune to murder but immune from dying of sickness and natural causes, Emma keeps running from the church. But she can’t hide forever, and when girls who bear a remarkable resemblance to her start showing up dead, she decides to take action to save herself, and reunite with Charlie.
Where as Tuck Everlasting was a sensitive meditation on life and immortality, this book was about a girl obsessed with a boy, and caring about nothing else but finding him. Sure, she does some half-hearted investigative police work, but Charlie is all Emma really cares about.
I think the main issue I had with Emma was that there just wasn’t that much substance to her at all. She meets Charlie, she falls in love, that’s it. Even in the flashbacks before she drank from the spring, it’s Charlie this and Charlie that.
And the whole Church of Light thing was ridiculous. First of all, you’ll be sorely disappointed at the finale of the book, because the villain of the story in the beginning is different from the villain at the end. The Church of Light itself and the ‘message’ it was preaching was interesting and very telling of the time period (1910s), but the resounding aftermath of it was horrible. The Man in the Yellow Suit was a lot more terrifying than the preacher here, and the murders that the church is supposedly responsible for (and who is responsible for them?) Asinine.
I can see where this book was trying to go. It was solid, but mostly it was just a whole lot of boring. I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters, and the plotting was ill-paced and extremely slow. For a more nuanced take on this kind of plot, read Tuck Everlasting; it does a much better job.
‘Most people don’t.’”
I hate to say this, I really do, but Tuck Everlasting did it better.
Living forever may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but for Emma O’Neill, living forever with Charlie Ryan is well worth it. She and her family live in St. Augustine, Florida in 1916, and they run an alligator amusement park. Their business partners, the Ryans, live there as well. And it looks like they’ll stay that way forever, after they sample water from a spring. But not if the Church of Light Revivalists have any say in the matter. They want the water all to themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it from the O’Neills and Ryans. After they murder their families, Emma and Charlie find themselves on the run, eventually separated. Not immune to murder but immune from dying of sickness and natural causes, Emma keeps running from the church. But she can’t hide forever, and when girls who bear a remarkable resemblance to her start showing up dead, she decides to take action to save herself, and reunite with Charlie.
Where as Tuck Everlasting was a sensitive meditation on life and immortality, this book was about a girl obsessed with a boy, and caring about nothing else but finding him. Sure, she does some half-hearted investigative police work, but Charlie is all Emma really cares about.
”Emma O’Neill had let herself surface once again and now she was paying the price.Her detectiving skills aren’t that great either to be completely honest. Nancy Drew could’ve done a better job.
So were the dead girls.”
I think the main issue I had with Emma was that there just wasn’t that much substance to her at all. She meets Charlie, she falls in love, that’s it. Even in the flashbacks before she drank from the spring, it’s Charlie this and Charlie that.
”Charlie Ryan. Loving Charlie Ryan was like breathing, an involuntary motion that would last as long as she did- which was forever.”It was eye-roll inducing to say the least. And because of this, I couldn’t really get a feeling for either of the man characters. The only part of their identity was each other, so instead of getting a distinctive Emma and distinctive Charlie, we get them as a pair. The flashbacks of Charlie were pretty much the same as Emma’s which made it hard to get to know him either.
And the whole Church of Light thing was ridiculous. First of all, you’ll be sorely disappointed at the finale of the book, because the villain of the story in the beginning is different from the villain at the end. The Church of Light itself and the ‘message’ it was preaching was interesting and very telling of the time period (1910s), but the resounding aftermath of it was horrible. The Man in the Yellow Suit was a lot more terrifying than the preacher here, and the murders that the church is supposedly responsible for (and who is responsible for them?) Asinine.
I can see where this book was trying to go. It was solid, but mostly it was just a whole lot of boring. I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters, and the plotting was ill-paced and extremely slow. For a more nuanced take on this kind of plot, read Tuck Everlasting; it does a much better job.
February 7, 2017
Everything I could want in a book!!! I only wish it was longer and there was more -- but at the same time I don't, cause it was the perfect length. Full review to come! :)
Full Review
So, this is a book with very mixed reviews. My personal opinion on that score is that it's a book that either gets you or it doesn't. YOU don't get it. IT gets you! A lot of people probably went into this thinking "tru wuv 4ever" and yes, there's a love story. But at its core, like "Tuck Everlasting," it's a book about how separate people deal with immortality and the mysteries of life. After 100 years of being 17 years old, Emma and Charlie have both seen a LOT of shit - some good, some bad.
They start their exodus from home into the unknown when their families are murdered by a fanatical religious group. These are not super, Mary-Sue characters who do everything right and always save everyone and can do anything. They are complex human beings that spend a lot of time screwing up. But I felt for them, their losses and triumphs. The side characters in this, Detective Pete Mondrake (*edit: It's MONDRAGON - can't believe I got that wrong!!!) for one, are also flawed but phenomenal. I'm not going to say anymore except: read this book. And also, I appreciated that the short length kept it from the overblown, bloated descriptive language that's popular in YA right now. Simplistic isn't always bad guys! :) <3
Full Review
So, this is a book with very mixed reviews. My personal opinion on that score is that it's a book that either gets you or it doesn't. YOU don't get it. IT gets you! A lot of people probably went into this thinking "tru wuv 4ever" and yes, there's a love story. But at its core, like "Tuck Everlasting," it's a book about how separate people deal with immortality and the mysteries of life. After 100 years of being 17 years old, Emma and Charlie have both seen a LOT of shit - some good, some bad.
They start their exodus from home into the unknown when their families are murdered by a fanatical religious group. These are not super, Mary-Sue characters who do everything right and always save everyone and can do anything. They are complex human beings that spend a lot of time screwing up. But I felt for them, their losses and triumphs. The side characters in this, Detective Pete Mondrake (*edit: It's MONDRAGON - can't believe I got that wrong!!!) for one, are also flawed but phenomenal. I'm not going to say anymore except: read this book. And also, I appreciated that the short length kept it from the overblown, bloated descriptive language that's popular in YA right now. Simplistic isn't always bad guys! :) <3
April 1, 2018
Super fun to read!! I really liked the love lost through time story & the idea of immortal teenagers.
I don't read a lot of books like this, so it was really entertaining for me. I loved the idea of 100-year-old teenagers running around!! I mean, living forever and not aging didn't seem all that great, but if you were gonna do it-- I don't think late teens would be a bad age to pick.
Hands down the best part of this book was the "love lost through time" storyline. Emma and Charlie were soulmates separated by tragedy trying to make it back to one another without knowing if the other one was still alive. I adored going through history with Charlie and seeing where the journey took him. I wish there was more of that and a whole lot more of Emma's long life explained.
The thing about Emma was: She is a 100-year-old teenager, yet somehow is NOT wise. I get that she still has 17-year-old hormones and all that, but she has 100 years of life experience!!! She should've been way more knowledgeable and interesting than the 50-something cop she teamed up with, but that just wasn't the case. I know she's been busy looking for Charlie & dodging the church, but you would think after 100 years she would be the bomb dot com at SOMETHING. She was just existing.
The biggest problem with this book was the big bad guy. It was a cult-like church that believed hunting down the "evil immortals" would somehow get them closer to Heaven-- and okay, so far so good. But where it lost credibility was when it got passed down through generations. At this point, The Church of Light have no idea what Charlie and Emma look like, so you have to believe that this church went around killing girls that they felt COULD be Emma based on ???? Basically, they were picking out teenage girls with brown hair who didn't have parents and may have connections to Florida. Do you know how many of those there are??? They would never find her that way. Also, why was she going around using her real name if there are crazies after her?? Girl was not 100 years old, there's just no way.
Plausibility aside, this book was a fun read. It's short and has a cool premise, and I just had to know if Emma and Charlie would ever find each other-- which says something because I don't like romancey stuff!!
OVERALL: A quick read that has a cool teenage immortality premise. I loved the love lost through time & historical parts, but I wished Emma showed more of the 100-year-old soul she supposedly was living with.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
I don't read a lot of books like this, so it was really entertaining for me. I loved the idea of 100-year-old teenagers running around!! I mean, living forever and not aging didn't seem all that great, but if you were gonna do it-- I don't think late teens would be a bad age to pick.
Hands down the best part of this book was the "love lost through time" storyline. Emma and Charlie were soulmates separated by tragedy trying to make it back to one another without knowing if the other one was still alive. I adored going through history with Charlie and seeing where the journey took him. I wish there was more of that and a whole lot more of Emma's long life explained.
The thing about Emma was: She is a 100-year-old teenager, yet somehow is NOT wise. I get that she still has 17-year-old hormones and all that, but she has 100 years of life experience!!! She should've been way more knowledgeable and interesting than the 50-something cop she teamed up with, but that just wasn't the case. I know she's been busy looking for Charlie & dodging the church, but you would think after 100 years she would be the bomb dot com at SOMETHING. She was just existing.
The biggest problem with this book was the big bad guy. It was a cult-like church that believed hunting down the "evil immortals" would somehow get them closer to Heaven-- and okay, so far so good. But where it lost credibility was when it got passed down through generations. At this point, The Church of Light have no idea what Charlie and Emma look like, so you have to believe that this church went around killing girls that they felt COULD be Emma based on ???? Basically, they were picking out teenage girls with brown hair who didn't have parents and may have connections to Florida. Do you know how many of those there are??? They would never find her that way. Also, why was she going around using her real name if there are crazies after her?? Girl was not 100 years old, there's just no way.
Plausibility aside, this book was a fun read. It's short and has a cool premise, and I just had to know if Emma and Charlie would ever find each other-- which says something because I don't like romancey stuff!!
OVERALL: A quick read that has a cool teenage immortality premise. I loved the love lost through time & historical parts, but I wished Emma showed more of the 100-year-old soul she supposedly was living with.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
May 5, 2016
3 stars.
This was kind of a cute read if you’re into the eternal love, mating for life type thing. Emma and Charlie have a secret worth keeping, and someone is after them, prepared to kill them because they are ‘abominations’. They split up for decades, each hoping the other was still alive, while they continue to be hunted.
Emma was a pretty cool character, if a little dumb after living for over a century. I liked her attitude though. She’s not waiting for anybody, as much as she wishes he might appear in front of her at any time. She investigates murders, constantly moves around, and continues to hide. But it’s quite clear that someone is on her trail, or at least trying to force her to show herself.
I liked the little jumps between past and present, setting up the story for the reader while we remain in our present-day adventures with Emma. What the story really lacked was just a little more oomph. The villains were hiding in the darkness, but so much so that you almost thought they didn’t pose much of a threat (to Emma, at least). Otherwise, the plot and back story were really well done.
I think it’s a testament to this book as a three-star read that I can’t think of much else to say about it. If you’re interested, definitely try it, but if the blurb doesn’t immediately catch your attention, I’d say move on.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
This was kind of a cute read if you’re into the eternal love, mating for life type thing. Emma and Charlie have a secret worth keeping, and someone is after them, prepared to kill them because they are ‘abominations’. They split up for decades, each hoping the other was still alive, while they continue to be hunted.
Emma was a pretty cool character, if a little dumb after living for over a century. I liked her attitude though. She’s not waiting for anybody, as much as she wishes he might appear in front of her at any time. She investigates murders, constantly moves around, and continues to hide. But it’s quite clear that someone is on her trail, or at least trying to force her to show herself.
I liked the little jumps between past and present, setting up the story for the reader while we remain in our present-day adventures with Emma. What the story really lacked was just a little more oomph. The villains were hiding in the darkness, but so much so that you almost thought they didn’t pose much of a threat (to Emma, at least). Otherwise, the plot and back story were really well done.
I think it’s a testament to this book as a three-star read that I can’t think of much else to say about it. If you’re interested, definitely try it, but if the blurb doesn’t immediately catch your attention, I’d say move on.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
April 24, 2016
It Wasn't Always Like This has alternating past-present chapters. I'm not a huge fan of timelines like this since I tend to find them scattershot and annoying. However, the thing that made It Wasn't Always Like This a slight bust for me was that it always felt like I was reading two separate stories and the alternating chapters weren't weaved into one storyline in a way that I liked.
The Good: I really liked the present day storyline. I'm a huge fan of Veronica Mars and the present day chapters sort of channeled VM. In fact, I could read an entire series of Emma and Pete kicking ass and solving crimes. I also really loved Pete. In fact, he was my absolute favorite character of It Wasn't Always Like This. He was just so interesting...more interesting than any other character.
The Bad: I wasn't a big fan of the fantasy aspect of this book. The fantasy part just wasn't expanded upon a lot and you only get glimpses of what the whole immortality thing entails. I also wasn't a fan of the historical aspects of this book. It was just Emma pining over Charlie throughout time. Boring. In fact, I found a lot of this book boring. It just wasn't as engaging as it could have been. I was never attached to Emma as a main character nor any of the supporting characters (with exception of Pete).
Overall, I found It Wasn't Always Like This to be slightly unsatisfying. I would have liked to have more engaging characters and a more engaging storyline. I loved the PI aspect of it, but everything else fell kinda flat.
The Good: I really liked the present day storyline. I'm a huge fan of Veronica Mars and the present day chapters sort of channeled VM. In fact, I could read an entire series of Emma and Pete kicking ass and solving crimes. I also really loved Pete. In fact, he was my absolute favorite character of It Wasn't Always Like This. He was just so interesting...more interesting than any other character.
The Bad: I wasn't a big fan of the fantasy aspect of this book. The fantasy part just wasn't expanded upon a lot and you only get glimpses of what the whole immortality thing entails. I also wasn't a fan of the historical aspects of this book. It was just Emma pining over Charlie throughout time. Boring. In fact, I found a lot of this book boring. It just wasn't as engaging as it could have been. I was never attached to Emma as a main character nor any of the supporting characters (with exception of Pete).
Overall, I found It Wasn't Always Like This to be slightly unsatisfying. I would have liked to have more engaging characters and a more engaging storyline. I loved the PI aspect of it, but everything else fell kinda flat.
June 2, 2016
I am giving it two stars because:
1. The book had a serious, grown-up feel to it.
2. The friendship between Emma and Pete.
I am deducting three stars because:
1. The love story seemed a little too perfect, and Emma and Charlie seem to think each other perfect. Sometimes, the physical perfection described in the book put me off, as if they wouldn't even be together if the boy wasn't messily handsome and the girl wasn't delicately beautiful. The two of them don't seem to have any life outside of each other, so it's kind of hard to not think that they fell for each other for lack of options.
2. The language used in the flashbacks, the dialogues, it's all too twenty first century.
3. None of the characters are fully fleshed out. Perhaps a sequel could fix this.
4. Everything sort of just happens by chance. Emma and Charlie are supposed to be investigating, but in the present, it's 20% investigation and 80% luck.
5. The novel actually felt too short, almost as if the author was just writing in scenarios to tie it up instead of letting the characters' own action define what happens next.
6. The lack of diversity, or even the lack of diverse characters. No black people, no gay people, no people who have inner lives.
Confusing parts: Was that a happy ending? Immortality can't be a happy ending. Not like this.
Casting call:
Emma: Saoirse Ronan
Charlie: George MacKay
Pete: Greg Kinnear
1. The book had a serious, grown-up feel to it.
2. The friendship between Emma and Pete.
I am deducting three stars because:
1. The love story seemed a little too perfect, and Emma and Charlie seem to think each other perfect. Sometimes, the physical perfection described in the book put me off, as if they wouldn't even be together if the boy wasn't messily handsome and the girl wasn't delicately beautiful. The two of them don't seem to have any life outside of each other, so it's kind of hard to not think that they fell for each other for lack of options.
2. The language used in the flashbacks, the dialogues, it's all too twenty first century.
3. None of the characters are fully fleshed out. Perhaps a sequel could fix this.
4. Everything sort of just happens by chance. Emma and Charlie are supposed to be investigating, but in the present, it's 20% investigation and 80% luck.
5. The novel actually felt too short, almost as if the author was just writing in scenarios to tie it up instead of letting the characters' own action define what happens next.
6. The lack of diversity, or even the lack of diverse characters. No black people, no gay people, no people who have inner lives.
Confusing parts: Was that a happy ending? Immortality can't be a happy ending. Not like this.
Casting call:
Emma: Saoirse Ronan
Charlie: George MacKay
Pete: Greg Kinnear
January 1, 2024
2.5 stars at the most.
The ending was sweet but it wasn't really an ending. It didn't feel like the end of a story, and it left me with no real emotions. I was happy for them I guess but I honestly didn't care.
The ending was sweet but it wasn't really an ending. It didn't feel like the end of a story, and it left me with no real emotions. I was happy for them I guess but I honestly didn't care.
February 5, 2019
I am just not a huge fan of historical fiction, I really tried to like it but it was just too boring for me. I kept waiting for it to get good but it just didn't happen. I also expected it to be written out completely different, so that kind of threw me off. I just wasn't a fan.
Meh read!
Meh read!
December 7, 2022
2.75 stars
Was the premise of this book interesting? Yes. Was the writing enough to keep me going? Unfortunately, not so much. There was too much of some things and not enough of others. Plus, I need more than the ending but, that's the hopeless romantic in me.
Was the premise of this book interesting? Yes. Was the writing enough to keep me going? Unfortunately, not so much. There was too much of some things and not enough of others. Plus, I need more than the ending but, that's the hopeless romantic in me.
June 10, 2016
At 17, Emma and Charlie are given a tea that is supposed to prevent polio. Every member of each ones family drinks the tea as well. The tea makes them immortal and sets a fanatical religious group on them. After a devastating attack by this group, Emma and Charlie run and are separated. For 100 years, they have no word of one another.
Emma becomes a PI, looking into the disappearances and murders of girls who beat a striking resemblance to her. She moves a lot and tries to operate under the radar. But she still loves Charlie and is always hoping to find him.
This story was definitely different. Told both from the present and the past, it weaves the history and the current situation together. Emma is interesting and likable although not exactly a friendly character. After all she's trying to protect herself.
The end felt s tad rushed but was in a way, perfect.
Emma becomes a PI, looking into the disappearances and murders of girls who beat a striking resemblance to her. She moves a lot and tries to operate under the radar. But she still loves Charlie and is always hoping to find him.
This story was definitely different. Told both from the present and the past, it weaves the history and the current situation together. Emma is interesting and likable although not exactly a friendly character. After all she's trying to protect herself.
The end felt s tad rushed but was in a way, perfect.
February 2, 2017
I like the idea of observing serial killings over a century. I kept coming back to this idea as I read the book. Initially, I was bothered by how close it seemed to the other book that I can't remember right now with the family that drank the water and becomes immortal. That's really all the two books have in common so the originality was novel.
Preble revealed the characters through over a century so that while their appearances remained the same, they were really shaped by their experiences.
I would recommend this book to students who enjoy mysteries.
Preble revealed the characters through over a century so that while their appearances remained the same, they were really shaped by their experiences.
I would recommend this book to students who enjoy mysteries.
September 6, 2016
It wasn't that bad. I kinda like it.
August 30, 2016
Read it for the "Tuck Everlasting" plot more than for the character development. An easy, breezy read!
June 8, 2017
Joy Preble is a writer known for her young adult novels. She has written multiple books with components of fantasy, mystery, historical fiction and more. Preble has written a standalone contemporary novel titled FINDING PARIS, published in 2015. She has completed a fantasy trilogy, Dreaming Anastasia, with the final installment published in 2012. She has also completed a duology titled Sweet Dead Life, the second book published in 2014, which has elements of a fantasy, the paranormal, mystery and more. Preble’s newest novel, IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS, originally published May 2016, has many similar elements to her Sweet Dead Life series. This book is a young adult fantasy, historical novel, romance and mystery novel all in one.
The story follows a 17-year-old girl named Emma. She is young, in love and happy. Perfect, right? Not exactly. Emma is immortal and does not age, along with her family and her boyfriend Charlie’s family. They became immortal after drinking a tea they believed would make them immune to polio, not immortal! This wreaks havoc on their lives and changes everything. An evil man named Glen Walters has noticed that Emma, Charlie and their families do not age. He thinks it is his duty to root the evil out of the world and he thinks that being immortal is unnatural and wrong, so he kills both of their families. Luckily, Emma and Charlie are not in the building when Glen Walters burns it down, killing everyone inside. Therefore, Emma and Charlie must go on the run, and they do so for over a century. They get separated at the beginning of their journey and Emma is now alone and must begin searching for Charlie. She never stays in one place too long for the fear of people noticing that she always looks the same. However, she knows that Glen Walter’s followers and descendants are still after her.
The story alternates between the present and past, telling both a historical story and a contemporary one. In the present, Emma is a private investigator investigating murders of girls who look strikingly similar to herself. The story alternates between telling both Emma’s and Charlie’s story.
I really enjoyed this book. I always found it gripping and interesting. I am a sucker for a mystery and historical fiction, so naturally I was excited about this book. Preble did a great job portraying the immortality and showing how it has affected her characters and she made it seem very real. Emma and Charlie seemed believable and it was really cool to see their character development and how they changed over the course of a century. I also enjoyed their cute love story and the family dynamics at the beginning of the story.
IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS had multiple moments that literally caused my jaw to drop. I loved all of the little surprises this book packed in and how it always kept me on my toes. I also enjoyed the short chapters, so the story never got too boring or seemed to drag on. The alternating between the past and present, and Emma’s and Charlie's stories, also helped to keep the story fast-paced and fresh.
In my opinion, IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS was a fun, unique story with an exquisitely beautiful writing style that I loved. As much as I enjoyed the book, I didn't feel a strong or emotional connection to the characters as much as I loved them, which is why I gave this book four stars as opposed to five. Overall, I did really enjoy it though and do recommend it. I was satisfied with the ending and overall plot.
I think this story is best for teenagers who love fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and/or romance novels. There is some strong language and brief sexual references, so that is something to keep in mind. This story is one that is always very exciting and will keep the reader wanting more. It is so unique to have a novel that can be categorized as so many different genres, so anyone who would love a fresh and unique novel, is sure to love IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS.
Reviewed by Shannon C., Teen Board Member
The story follows a 17-year-old girl named Emma. She is young, in love and happy. Perfect, right? Not exactly. Emma is immortal and does not age, along with her family and her boyfriend Charlie’s family. They became immortal after drinking a tea they believed would make them immune to polio, not immortal! This wreaks havoc on their lives and changes everything. An evil man named Glen Walters has noticed that Emma, Charlie and their families do not age. He thinks it is his duty to root the evil out of the world and he thinks that being immortal is unnatural and wrong, so he kills both of their families. Luckily, Emma and Charlie are not in the building when Glen Walters burns it down, killing everyone inside. Therefore, Emma and Charlie must go on the run, and they do so for over a century. They get separated at the beginning of their journey and Emma is now alone and must begin searching for Charlie. She never stays in one place too long for the fear of people noticing that she always looks the same. However, she knows that Glen Walter’s followers and descendants are still after her.
The story alternates between the present and past, telling both a historical story and a contemporary one. In the present, Emma is a private investigator investigating murders of girls who look strikingly similar to herself. The story alternates between telling both Emma’s and Charlie’s story.
I really enjoyed this book. I always found it gripping and interesting. I am a sucker for a mystery and historical fiction, so naturally I was excited about this book. Preble did a great job portraying the immortality and showing how it has affected her characters and she made it seem very real. Emma and Charlie seemed believable and it was really cool to see their character development and how they changed over the course of a century. I also enjoyed their cute love story and the family dynamics at the beginning of the story.
IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS had multiple moments that literally caused my jaw to drop. I loved all of the little surprises this book packed in and how it always kept me on my toes. I also enjoyed the short chapters, so the story never got too boring or seemed to drag on. The alternating between the past and present, and Emma’s and Charlie's stories, also helped to keep the story fast-paced and fresh.
In my opinion, IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS was a fun, unique story with an exquisitely beautiful writing style that I loved. As much as I enjoyed the book, I didn't feel a strong or emotional connection to the characters as much as I loved them, which is why I gave this book four stars as opposed to five. Overall, I did really enjoy it though and do recommend it. I was satisfied with the ending and overall plot.
I think this story is best for teenagers who love fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and/or romance novels. There is some strong language and brief sexual references, so that is something to keep in mind. This story is one that is always very exciting and will keep the reader wanting more. It is so unique to have a novel that can be categorized as so many different genres, so anyone who would love a fresh and unique novel, is sure to love IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS.
Reviewed by Shannon C., Teen Board Member
May 22, 2020
Admittedly, I am bias as I had hopes of this being more a crime story than a YA. Nevertheless, I have many issues with this book.
1. The Church of Light - I never felt like I got a true grasp of who they were, and what their motivation for hunting down those who had drunk from the fountain of youth. Emma says near the end something about it being unnatural to live that long, but you never get that sense from the church themselves. Their writing is lazy and they never really feel like a true threat to the reader.
2. The characters felt completely flat to me. I felt no connection with any of them. The only character I thought had any depth to him Was Kingsley Lloyd, who I felt was a bit of a pointless character anyway. Emma's family could have found the fountain of youth without him and it felt like he had just been written in to save Emma later. Which brings me to
3. Matt - I felt like Matt had no true motivation. The kidnapping scene was rushed and careless, and over way too quickly for there to be any sort of tension. And how on earth did Matt end up on fire??? It seemed like Kingsley Lloyd just threw a match at him, which would clearly not work. I was also unclear what happened to Kingsley during this scene as it seems he was shot, but it just said that the gun fell to the floor without having gone off, but then Emma later mentions having a mark on her cheek from where the bullet had grazed her.
4. Why did all these other girls have to be murdered? Apart from it being unclear as to why those who have drunk from the fountain of youth are unaffected by poison but will die by any other means (i took an educated guess and thought they probably had some sort of super immune system - but then Kingsley still mentioned being ill at the end?). Surely if they didn't want to murder the girls they could have given them some sort of non toxic poison and see how that affected them, or just dump them at a hospital once they saw how sick they were getting rather than murder them (I know it wouldn't make it anywhere near as interesting but just makes sense to me)
5. Charlie and Emma don't seem to be all that effected by their families being murdered?
6. The fire in Emma's apartment - I don't know if this book is meant to be part of a series, and so left some things unsolved, but why did Emma's apartment getting set on fire? Did Matt really try to burn down a whole block just to get to her? I think it was really just a device used to introduce Pete.
7. Emma does not have the wisdom of someone who is over 100 years old. How on earth did it take her that long to even consider Kingsley Lloyd still being alive??
8. The romance - I just wasn't convinced by it. Fair play, if I was still a teenager, I probably would have been convinced but it just felt like a normal relationship to me rather than 'love of my life' kind of thing. Preble really should have exploited the whole 'we're the only ones who are immortal' destiny stuff.
9. Pete just believes Emma upfront without any real proof. Someone not really changing in how they look for 4 years from 17-21 isn't that unusual.
10. There just wasn't really much of a plot to so much of this book. It took way too long setting up the action and trying to explain what had happened in the past, and the kidnapping, the climax of the story was over in like 5 pages.
I'm probably being too harsh on this book, but I can probably think of more issues I have with it. Ultimately, it could be a good first draft, but so much work needs to be done to make this book even vaguely interesting to me.
1. The Church of Light - I never felt like I got a true grasp of who they were, and what their motivation for hunting down those who had drunk from the fountain of youth. Emma says near the end something about it being unnatural to live that long, but you never get that sense from the church themselves. Their writing is lazy and they never really feel like a true threat to the reader.
2. The characters felt completely flat to me. I felt no connection with any of them. The only character I thought had any depth to him Was Kingsley Lloyd, who I felt was a bit of a pointless character anyway. Emma's family could have found the fountain of youth without him and it felt like he had just been written in to save Emma later. Which brings me to
3. Matt - I felt like Matt had no true motivation. The kidnapping scene was rushed and careless, and over way too quickly for there to be any sort of tension. And how on earth did Matt end up on fire??? It seemed like Kingsley Lloyd just threw a match at him, which would clearly not work. I was also unclear what happened to Kingsley during this scene as it seems he was shot, but it just said that the gun fell to the floor without having gone off, but then Emma later mentions having a mark on her cheek from where the bullet had grazed her.
4. Why did all these other girls have to be murdered? Apart from it being unclear as to why those who have drunk from the fountain of youth are unaffected by poison but will die by any other means (i took an educated guess and thought they probably had some sort of super immune system - but then Kingsley still mentioned being ill at the end?). Surely if they didn't want to murder the girls they could have given them some sort of non toxic poison and see how that affected them, or just dump them at a hospital once they saw how sick they were getting rather than murder them (I know it wouldn't make it anywhere near as interesting but just makes sense to me)
5. Charlie and Emma don't seem to be all that effected by their families being murdered?
6. The fire in Emma's apartment - I don't know if this book is meant to be part of a series, and so left some things unsolved, but why did Emma's apartment getting set on fire? Did Matt really try to burn down a whole block just to get to her? I think it was really just a device used to introduce Pete.
7. Emma does not have the wisdom of someone who is over 100 years old. How on earth did it take her that long to even consider Kingsley Lloyd still being alive??
8. The romance - I just wasn't convinced by it. Fair play, if I was still a teenager, I probably would have been convinced but it just felt like a normal relationship to me rather than 'love of my life' kind of thing. Preble really should have exploited the whole 'we're the only ones who are immortal' destiny stuff.
9. Pete just believes Emma upfront without any real proof. Someone not really changing in how they look for 4 years from 17-21 isn't that unusual.
10. There just wasn't really much of a plot to so much of this book. It took way too long setting up the action and trying to explain what had happened in the past, and the kidnapping, the climax of the story was over in like 5 pages.
I'm probably being too harsh on this book, but I can probably think of more issues I have with it. Ultimately, it could be a good first draft, but so much work needs to be done to make this book even vaguely interesting to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2019
At a certain point Preble starts veering away from telling a good story and settles just for keeping the plot moving along while dropping paragraphs upon paragraphs of wisdom about immortality as told by a 17-year-old who still has no idea what she's doing with her life. The large amount of unwarranted and useless confusion, indecisiveness, and sadness swirling through Emma's mind at all times makes her character fall flat instead of appearing more realistic and poignant. The only person she consistently cares about is Charlie, and although the reader is told she has friends she cares for, it's never actually shown. She has made a whopping two friends over the span of one hundred years, and when she's not beating herself up for putting them in danger (real or perceived), she doesn't even seem to enjoy spending time with them. What kind of friendships are built on mediocre amounts of kindness and saving each other's lives? With regards to the romance with Charlie Ryan, we're supposed to believe that some 10-year-old's crush began Emma and Charlie's century-long love for each other, and that spending 7 years with each other (and apparently no contact with anyone outside their two families) was enough for them to want to be together forever. Of all the characters to develop Preble seems to have chosen the most boring ones. Emma's past was written much better than her present, so once the flashbacks fully explained her backstory, the plot became insignificant. Except for a few good quotes about immortality I didn't enjoy this book much, and my eagerness for it to end was only justified by the underwhelming conclusion.
Read more of my reviews at fallingintofiction.weebly.com
Read more of my reviews at fallingintofiction.weebly.com
January 6, 2017
This was a fast, well-written, romantic, mysterious, and exciting story. This book had a lot going on, skipping around in between genres and times and settings and points of view. And it's short. But I liked it a lot. I definitely wanted more story, but at the same time I think that this book told what it wanted (or was meant) to tell. I liked the characters (though I didn't necessarily get that attached to them…), I liked the pacing of the story, the narration (especially when narrated by the main character in present day) and I didn't really have any glaring issues with it (I mean, obviously small things, because otherwise it would have a higher rating, but it generally really worked for me.) Also, exquisite narration, in my opinion. Big fan, but just couldn't push a higher rating from me.
This book is about Emma, who at the beginning of the 20th century, with her family and her boyfriend's family, drunk from the Fountain of Youth. And became immortal. However, her family, and her boyfriend's family, were kissed by the Church of Light, a fanatical religious group that hated them for who they became. Only Emma and Charlie, her boyfriend, survived, only to soon after split up. Now, as a private investigator, Emma looks into mysterious deaths that happen around her, and to people like her, while always looking for Charlie and hoping that he is still alive.
SPOILERS DISCUSSION!
So, if I had to have one negative comment, it's that I didn't really get attached to the characters. Like, this story was sad and intense and kind of should have made me really cling to these characters, but in reality I kind of experienced it from afar. And, in some ways, I think that fits the story that was told. Like, we're meant to be distant from Emma of 1913 because Emma of 2016 (or whatever year, not sure if it's stated) is so distant from that past Emma. And we're meant to be distant from current Emma because that's how she has to live her life. I don't know, in some ways I think that distance really felt true to the nature of the story, but I also wanted some of that grittiness and emotional proximity that I just didn't get here. I'm undecided.
I really liked the writing. It was atmospheric when in Florida, which I liked and fit really well with that setting and mood, and then a lot more witty and, not like gritty but grittier, and less romantic and idealistic, in modern day. That being said, Emma was still a pretty romantic and idealistic character. I don't know, the narration was a big part of my enjoyment of this novel though, so make of that what you will.
So, for some reason, I was pretty chill with this romance. Like, it felt like this kind of love created by two teenagers in a similar situation who just formed this bond… I'm not explaining this properly, but basically what I want to say is that though I would usually be against this, like, immortal love throughout the ages idea, and like the kind of obsession they both have with each other, given the circumstances and the way that Ms. Preble told their story it worked for me. So, props for that.
And in regards to the ending, like, yeah it would have been nice to get a little bit more about the two of them. To see them actually try again, to see them live their lives (forever and ever and ever) but I also understand why it kind of had to end right here. I have faith in them, I don't need their entire story spelled out. I like it as is. (Also, I don't want a sequel. It would feel like pushing for another plot.)
I kind of wish that the religion aspect had been spelled out a little bit more. It was one of the things that really drew me to this book. You don't read a lot of YA about religion (at least, not the YA that I am exposed to) and I was really intrigued about how it was all going to be handled. It was definitely there, but I wanted more insight into the cult mentality, how everything came together, and how these people truly believed in what they were doing. I just didn't get as much of those elements as I might have liked.
Also, this book doesn't really feel like YA. Much of it is told by a 117 year old woman and the other large section is told by a 17 year old, but with a narrator pointing out all of her mistakes and stupidity at being 17 years old.
Immortality was handled brilliantly. It's a topic that I don't usually like, but here I just thought it was SO GOOD. Like, the narrator looking back at them while they were younger and talking about youth and for some reason it didn't feel overly preachy or like the narrator was looking down on teenagers and saying they aren't capable of anything… It was a more distant, detached view of time (I mean, duh, kind of) and it just worked for me (though, for the record, 17 year olds are capable of a hell of a lot.)
Also, because of the way the story was told etc, I was kind of okay with this not-at-all-explained magic system. Not totally okay, like I would have appreciated some more explanation (like, what is the "murder" clause? What, exactly, works and what doesn't?) but also, again, I get it. This is not an established high fantasy world, this is two (well, three) people who drank from a stream and are immortal and how are they gonna figure out the rules? Are they going to try to kill themselves and see what works? No. And (if they were kind of evil) they don't even have more tea to make people drink and then try methods out on them. So, I get that we can't know all that much about the magical element. I wish we could, but I get that we can't.
I thought that Pete was really great and a super fun, lovable (and loving) character. Definitely cut some of the intense characters a little bit, while not being a total goofball or anything.
I liked hearing from Charlie and others in the italicized print nearing the end. I think that it could have been sprinkled in a little more earlier, but also maybe we needed the base story before starting to embellish upon it… I don't know, but I found the progression of his story really intriguing as well.
Will definitely check out this author's other work because I quite liked this!
FIN!
Wonderful narration and packed story: 90%
This book is about Emma, who at the beginning of the 20th century, with her family and her boyfriend's family, drunk from the Fountain of Youth. And became immortal. However, her family, and her boyfriend's family, were kissed by the Church of Light, a fanatical religious group that hated them for who they became. Only Emma and Charlie, her boyfriend, survived, only to soon after split up. Now, as a private investigator, Emma looks into mysterious deaths that happen around her, and to people like her, while always looking for Charlie and hoping that he is still alive.
SPOILERS DISCUSSION!
So, if I had to have one negative comment, it's that I didn't really get attached to the characters. Like, this story was sad and intense and kind of should have made me really cling to these characters, but in reality I kind of experienced it from afar. And, in some ways, I think that fits the story that was told. Like, we're meant to be distant from Emma of 1913 because Emma of 2016 (or whatever year, not sure if it's stated) is so distant from that past Emma. And we're meant to be distant from current Emma because that's how she has to live her life. I don't know, in some ways I think that distance really felt true to the nature of the story, but I also wanted some of that grittiness and emotional proximity that I just didn't get here. I'm undecided.
I really liked the writing. It was atmospheric when in Florida, which I liked and fit really well with that setting and mood, and then a lot more witty and, not like gritty but grittier, and less romantic and idealistic, in modern day. That being said, Emma was still a pretty romantic and idealistic character. I don't know, the narration was a big part of my enjoyment of this novel though, so make of that what you will.
So, for some reason, I was pretty chill with this romance. Like, it felt like this kind of love created by two teenagers in a similar situation who just formed this bond… I'm not explaining this properly, but basically what I want to say is that though I would usually be against this, like, immortal love throughout the ages idea, and like the kind of obsession they both have with each other, given the circumstances and the way that Ms. Preble told their story it worked for me. So, props for that.
And in regards to the ending, like, yeah it would have been nice to get a little bit more about the two of them. To see them actually try again, to see them live their lives (forever and ever and ever) but I also understand why it kind of had to end right here. I have faith in them, I don't need their entire story spelled out. I like it as is. (Also, I don't want a sequel. It would feel like pushing for another plot.)
I kind of wish that the religion aspect had been spelled out a little bit more. It was one of the things that really drew me to this book. You don't read a lot of YA about religion (at least, not the YA that I am exposed to) and I was really intrigued about how it was all going to be handled. It was definitely there, but I wanted more insight into the cult mentality, how everything came together, and how these people truly believed in what they were doing. I just didn't get as much of those elements as I might have liked.
Also, this book doesn't really feel like YA. Much of it is told by a 117 year old woman and the other large section is told by a 17 year old, but with a narrator pointing out all of her mistakes and stupidity at being 17 years old.
Immortality was handled brilliantly. It's a topic that I don't usually like, but here I just thought it was SO GOOD. Like, the narrator looking back at them while they were younger and talking about youth and for some reason it didn't feel overly preachy or like the narrator was looking down on teenagers and saying they aren't capable of anything… It was a more distant, detached view of time (I mean, duh, kind of) and it just worked for me (though, for the record, 17 year olds are capable of a hell of a lot.)
Also, because of the way the story was told etc, I was kind of okay with this not-at-all-explained magic system. Not totally okay, like I would have appreciated some more explanation (like, what is the "murder" clause? What, exactly, works and what doesn't?) but also, again, I get it. This is not an established high fantasy world, this is two (well, three) people who drank from a stream and are immortal and how are they gonna figure out the rules? Are they going to try to kill themselves and see what works? No. And (if they were kind of evil) they don't even have more tea to make people drink and then try methods out on them. So, I get that we can't know all that much about the magical element. I wish we could, but I get that we can't.
I thought that Pete was really great and a super fun, lovable (and loving) character. Definitely cut some of the intense characters a little bit, while not being a total goofball or anything.
I liked hearing from Charlie and others in the italicized print nearing the end. I think that it could have been sprinkled in a little more earlier, but also maybe we needed the base story before starting to embellish upon it… I don't know, but I found the progression of his story really intriguing as well.
Will definitely check out this author's other work because I quite liked this!
FIN!
Wonderful narration and packed story: 90%
May 29, 2017
Overall I really liked this book. It was a very intriguing and unique approach on immortality and true love. My favorite parts of the book were always the ones taking place in the past or when the chapters switched to the points of view characters other than Emma. I liked the way other characters described Emma and talked about her actions, but not always when the story was told from her perspective. When it was told from her perspective I found it repetitive and sometime just kinda boring. I felt like throughout the book during the present time she was just "licking her wounds and cursing her fate." She was whining so much about missing Charlie and running that it took away from the story. We got that she was over her current living situation but there wasn't really a need for most of the mid chapters that took place in present time to be about that. Despite that, I did enjoy this book based on its unique story line and overall liking the plot. The added bonus was that it had a mostly fulfilling ending, but left enough open that there could be a second book.
December 1, 2018
I picked it up and for about 50 pgs. I couldn't put it down. But when I did I didnt want to pick it back up. This caused a disconnection between me and the main protagonist and her plight. Also resulted in an unemotional ending.
Not my style, I think. The book goes back and fourth between past and present and when in the present the author tends to digress to other significant points in Emma's past.
Definitely not enough time spent in the present. Then there is the one main POV, with one chapter here and there from 3 other different povs (weird!).
Although it was mildly interesting I cant say there is anything historically worth remembering either. :-(
From a scifi perspective...nothing was really explained on the fountain of youth.....
If this was a mystery...there was nothing explained or developed....
Ugh....back in a reading slump...
Not my style, I think. The book goes back and fourth between past and present and when in the present the author tends to digress to other significant points in Emma's past.
Definitely not enough time spent in the present. Then there is the one main POV, with one chapter here and there from 3 other different povs (weird!).
Although it was mildly interesting I cant say there is anything historically worth remembering either. :-(
From a scifi perspective...nothing was really explained on the fountain of youth.....
If this was a mystery...there was nothing explained or developed....
Ugh....back in a reading slump...
February 15, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. I've been going back and forth on whether or not to this was a 4.5 star or 5 star read for me. I decided to give this a 5 star rating because I can definitely see myself rereading this book in the future. It is now a favorite of mine. This book reminds me of one of my favorite movies The Age of Adaline . I like the ambiguous ending but I also want to see more of these characters and this world. I love the multiple timelines that took place throughout this book. I will definitely have to read more of Joy Preble's books seeing as this is the first I have ever read by her. "You never knew what coming in this world, not really. That was the true mystery, the true wonder. You just hung on and hope for the best."
July 26, 2017
This review can be found at www.booksmyquietfriends.blogspot.com
So this book wasn't at all what I expected. I couldn't remember what it was about and since it was so short I refused to read the description. And I was very impressed with how well this short book completed the story. Overall I really enjoyed it. I will say that I didn't like some aspects of the characters, but other than that I found the mystery theme that took place throughout the book interesting. I also really enjoyed the idea of how living forever might make someone feel. I hope to read more works by this author. I would recommend this for lovers of crime shows and historical fiction.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So this book wasn't at all what I expected. I couldn't remember what it was about and since it was so short I refused to read the description. And I was very impressed with how well this short book completed the story. Overall I really enjoyed it. I will say that I didn't like some aspects of the characters, but other than that I found the mystery theme that took place throughout the book interesting. I also really enjoyed the idea of how living forever might make someone feel. I hope to read more works by this author. I would recommend this for lovers of crime shows and historical fiction.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
March 5, 2019
3.5
I wanted to read this because I loved Tuck Everlasting growing up, and this rang similar.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. Although, there were times when Emma's love for Charlie felt more like needy obsession? It bothered me that she was always more concerned about him than her family. But in the end, of course I was rooting for them.
The ending to the actual mystery was kind of whelming. We're left wondering if there could be more out there.
I wanted to read this because I loved Tuck Everlasting growing up, and this rang similar.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. Although, there were times when Emma's love for Charlie felt more like needy obsession? It bothered me that she was always more concerned about him than her family. But in the end, of course I was rooting for them.
The ending to the actual mystery was kind of whelming. We're left wondering if there could be more out there.
July 29, 2024
3.5 - ending was not remotely complete, the main character didn’t have any good development for someone who was immortal - should be interesting right? So many lives lived - and the climax of the story was missing strength, flair, panache, fireworks, craziness, anything… it was almost too plain for the book when the characters are immortal - something more otherworldly needed to happen.
February 23, 2018
I struggled whether to give this 2 or 3 stars. On some level, this was a good book, but no way a four star book. At other times, it was redundant and boring. But it had moments. Certainly the premise was great, it just fell flat for more on several levels. But it had such potential!
December 14, 2020
This whole book alternated between absolutely nothing happening and then (wow!) something miniscule conveniently happening. The premise was cool but it fell so flat it's embarrassing. I'm pretty sure 75% of it was just the author waxing poetic about what it would feel like to be immortal.
Snooze
Snooze
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