Author: Cristin Terrill
Published: September 3rd 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
My rating: 4.5 stars
"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.
Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.
Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.
All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.
Time travel is not exactly my favorite concept in a book and most of the time I avoid reading them. So it was actually quite surprising when I found myself picking this up, turning each page eagerly and digging the book with such enthusiasm in one night! Cristin Terrill's All Our Yesterday definitely took me by surprise with it's clever and thrilling concept, fantastic characters and sweet romance. And I just so so loved it!
Ironically enough, my favorite part of the story is actually the time-travel itself - the whole re-writing of history, the connection of the past and the present, how things turned out like that and how they all add-up in the end. It was very interesting and impressive as Terrill presented it in such a mind-boggling and clever manner. I enjoyed predicting and finding out how each turn around will affect and change the course of the story.
With the way the story was presented, we were able to see the changes from the past Marina, Finn and James to the present them. The inbetweens during the time travel, what led to this and to that, things they had gone through - we were able to understand how all of these contributed to the development and growth of their characters. It was an effective presentation because I quickly became invested with the characters - with their relationship and the friendship and love between them - it's quite impossible not to be emotionally involve as well.
And I wouldn't be ending this without, of course, the mention of romance. I loved the subtle way it was handled in this book but never lost the sweet and swooning effects it should invoke upon its readers. It was lovely, heartwarming and achingly sweet.
Although I was satisfied with the overall of the story, I felt some things could still be add up and developed on the story so I was really happy when I found out that there would be a sequel for this book! It's a little hard to imagine what the next book would be especially with that pretty clean ending but of course, I certainly won't pass up another whole book with Finn! Lol!
This is a must read! I highly recommend Finn this! ;D
