“Sometimes a person has to let go of something to take hold of something else. You always have to choose what’s more important.”
Nix Song has spent all of her sixteen years watching her father, Slate, Navigate his ship, The Temptation, using historical and mythical maps to travel to distant lands and times most people can only imagine.
For as long as Nix can remember Slate has been trying to return to Honolulu in 1868–a time before Nix was born and her mother was still alive. Nix doesn’t know what will happen to her if Slate ever succeeds. All she knows is that every attempt has failed.
Slate’s quest has driven him to desperate acts before. When the promise of another authentic map surfaces, Nix will have to decide how far she is willing to go to help Slate this time in The Girl from Everywhere (2016) by Heidi Heilig.
The Girl From Everywhere is Heilig’s debut novel and the start of a new series.
While The Girl From Everywhere is filled with action and excitement, what really sets this story apart are the characters. Nix acts at the central point connecting the diverse crew of The Temptation who, over the years, have come to be a family of sorts. With differing backgrounds that only hint at their past, the characters here–crew and otherwise–are all authentic and nuanced. Nix’s best friend and incorrigible thief Kashmir is an especially delightful addition to the novel.
Written in Nix’s first person narrative, The Girl from Everywhere blends elements of historical fiction and a unique fantasy concept allowing for a clever interplay between historical events, mythology, and the complications of causality typically found in time travel stories. Evocative backdrops and detailed descriptions help bring Nix’s world to life as she travels to places both real and imagined.
High action and a generally self-contained plot make this book a thrilling read with tantalizing hints of what readers can expect in book two. The Girl from Everywhere is a fantastic debut and series starter with a charming cast of characters sure to become fan favorites. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: Loop by Karen Akins, Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins, Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Malice by Pintip Dunn, Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst, The Glass Sentence by S. E. Grove, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, Everless by Sara Holland, Hourglass by Myra McEntire, Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski, Never Never by Brianna Shrum, Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor, All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser, Pivot Point by Kasie West
*Ad advance copy of this title was acquired from the publisher for review consideration*
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