The Time Fetch: 10/01/13

The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick is a tween science fiction adventure about time gone amok. Specifically, Edward, a rather depressed boy, hung up on existentialism has picked up a magic rock (a "time fetch"). By removing it from its hideaway, it is awakened and without the necessary keepers in place, it begins to gobble up time willy nilly.

The time fetch rock thing apparently has "touch me" all over it, because three other kids also take turns taking it. Which means when things go haywire, they are the only ones who are aware of the problem, and the only ones who can put things to rights.

This book has three problems: pacing, character development, and world building. From the description it seems like the book will jump right into the action within the first chapter. It doesn't. No — it gets slogged with multiple character points of view (the other three "friends").

In all of that, I couldn't tell that the book was taking place in Brooklyn. From the names of the children: Edward, Feenix, Danton, and Brigit, I imagined this being London or nearby village. How does an ancient magical rock that seems to work by faery magic come to the new world? If an explanation was given, I missed it as I slogged through this book

Read via NetGalley.

Two stars

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