Published by Delacorte Press
Date: April 8, 2014
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Pages: 242
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.
This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.
Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.
But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.
- Goodreads
Prenna immigrated to New York when she was twelve, but she didn't come from a different country; she came from the future. Faced with the harsh reality that humanity can no longer survive in their time, Prenna, her family, and other members of the community traveled back in time to safety. Once settled in their new home Prenna and her family must follow a strict set of rules in order to stay secure. However, Prenna begins to question everything--the leaders in her community, the rules she's been told to follow for years, and the real purpose she traveled through time in the first place--when she gets to know Ethan, a boy from her school who has the uncanny ability to recognize travelers on sight. With Ethan at her side, Prenna attempts to solve the mystery surrounding the future of humanity, tearing down everything she's ever known along the way.
On the surface, The Here and Now seems like a really unique, interesting read. I wanted to love this book because the concept of a time traveling immigrant attempting to save humanity from a bleak future of disease and chaos seems incredibly interesting. I have never read a book about time traveling before, and since The Here and Now is written by Ann Brashares, I had high hopes for it. However, in the end, the book turned out to be hugely disappointing.
There were many things I disliked about the novel. From the underdeveloped characters to the chaotic plot line, the novel fell flat from the beginning. I felt that the characters, especially Prenna and Ethan needed more development. I really wanted to understand who Prenna and Ethan are as individuals and, then, how the fit together as a couple. However, that didn't really happen. Everything I learned about Prenna, Ethan, and their relationship, I learned from the way they reacted to the plots events, not because of any meaningful characterization.
Despite the underdeveloped characters, the thing that bothered me most about the book was the plot. If you're going tackle the daunting idea of time travel in your story, then you better make sure there are no holes in the storyline. This did not happen with The Here and Now. I had so many questions about the logistics of time travel and how fit into the story. I think these questions could have been easily answered with some detailed flashbacks into Prenna's past. These flashbacks would have not only answered some questions about the plot, but they would have also given me some insight into Prenna's character.
Overall, I think The Here and Now was a great idea for a science fiction novel, but it just fell flat on several crucial storytelling details. Without things like quality character development and a clear plot line, The Here and Now is a disappointing addition to the genre.
Posted in Reviews, Science Fiction, Young Adult