This book had such a strong and interesting concept. To the east of the valley where the book is set is the same town in the same valley, but 20 years in the future. To the west, it is the same, but 20 years in the past. People are allowed to visit fleetingly, to see a future they could not otherwise or visit the past before any tragedies strike. Yeah, sounds dope.

This book is definitely written more for a contemporary fiction reader than sci-fi or fantasy fans. Which is fine! That key time travel element just left me really wanting more. The first half was a coming of age, the second half was a slow um... I Came Of Age But It Sucks. I guess. I spent a lot of the book waiting for a twist or something. A huge reveal about this dystopian-scented government. But it was pretty straightforward and predictable, and that predictability really made the second half drag. Idk, I guess I just wanted something more exciting out of the concept.

And while there aren't any quotation marks in the dialogue and I know people hate that, I don't really recommend the audiobook. The narrator had a really flat tone and spoke with a whispery voice that drove me nutty.