Book Review: A Moment in Time by Martin Dukes
Genre(s): Young Adult / Science Fantasy / Time-Travel
Content warning: There are themes of bullying and death present in this book that may be disturbing to some readers.
Fifteen-year-old Alex Trueman is an ordinary boy; he’s an average student, he has hopes and dreams for his future, and a mother who seems to care deeply for him. But when he discovers he possesses a strange ability, one that allows him to step between time, he’s at first excited, then terrified. His initial visits between time are brief, and he’s able to return to reality. But one day, he becomes stuck in the place between, the real world frozen around him.
As a main character, I think Alex is relatable (even as an adult reader). He’s bored in school and often daydreams – who doesn’t at that age? He has a couple close friends, and is awkward around girls his own age. And he’s met with several bullies throughout the story, just as many teenagers are.
What I liked about Alex was that as the story progressed, he found the strength to stand up for himself and what he felt was right, despite what the bullies he encountered wanted him to do. In the beginning, he lacked that resolve. It was nice to see him grow as a character and to succeed.
I classified this book in my own mind as “science fantasy” for a couple of reasons. There are a number of fantasy elements, like Alex’s daydreaming leading him to that place between time (Intersticia). There were other people trapped in that space, but also some fantastical creatures as well, like the telepathic and highly intelligent snarks. He also met a few angels, as well as some other weird beings (Morlock, Minion, and Cactus Jack) who each held an important role in Intersticia’s workings.
However, the author incorporated some general scientific concepts into the story as well. He didn’t go into great detail on the physics involved with time travel, but given the target age-range of the audience, I believe that was the right choice. (Having a bit of physics in my background, the science surrounding that concept can get downright mind-boggling. I liked that he focused on the storytelling foremost.)
I feel that the first half of the book moved relatively slow. Alex spent his time experimenting with his new ability and trying to convince his friend Henry that it was real. Even after he became stuck, it took a while before the story really took off.
The last 30% of the book was by far the best part. All of the slow build-up really paid off—the story became much more exciting and interesting as Alex finally learned where he was and some of the consequences involved with his tampering of the frozen reality around him. I also liked that he was able to convince the bully Paulo to change and to do the right thing at the end.
If you’re into a well-written YA book with strong themes of friendship, check out A Moment in Time.
Author website: mdukes-wildestdreams.com
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