Thank you to Delacorte Press for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
There's something about Truman Alexander that Skyler Finch finds incredibly annoying. Actually, several things: his voice (grating), his arrogance (total know-it-all), his debate-team obsession (eyeroll), and his preppy vibe (does he iron his shorts?). She does her best to avoid him and focus on the important stuff: friends, school, and her boyfriend, Eli. His promposal was perfect--just like he is--and the future is looking bright. Or is it? For some unexplainable reason, Skylar's phone is sending her notifications from the future . . . a future in which, to her horror, she appears to be with Truman. As in, romantically. As in, Skyler cannot let that happen. But trying to change the future means messing up the present, and what Skyler sees keeps shifting. Classmates disappear and reappear, swap partners and futures. Turns out there are no actions without reactions, and life doesn't come with a road map. But sometimes the wandering leads you exactly where you need to be, and people--like glitchy phones--are full of surprises. I really wanted to love this book! It’s got academic rivals-to-lovers relationships, a neat “future vision” device, and so much potential to be a cute contemporary (a great break from all the heavy high fantasy I’ve been reading lately). Unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. Honestly, one of the biggest turnoffs was the cheating plot line. I’m very big on loyalty, and I can’t stand to see cheating romanticized as it was here. Skyler spent pages waffling between admiring Truman, finding his good qualities, and complaining about him and denying her feelings. In the process, she treats a perfectly serviceable boyfriend (Eli) like he’s nothing to her. Now, I could get behind this if it were character building, but Skyler’s only slightly rebuffed for it and faces few consequences. I have little emotional investment in a relationship that starts off so dishonestly, even if it is played out according to my favorite trope. This detracted from the story for me. I understand that characters are allowed to be unlikeable and still interesting, so I was sad that Skyler was… unlikeable and uninteresting. The reasons I’m rating Now & When 3/5 instead of lower are twofold: one, I enjoyed the glimpses into the future that Skyler could get through her phone. I don’t want to spoil this for you, because it’s a really innovative trick, so all I’ll say is I looked forward to seeing how Skyler could affect her future and the decisions that caused her to make. I’m not saying I liked (or particularly admired) her character, but the science fiction aspect did interest me. On the other hand, I also commend Wealer’s approach to depression and suicidality. It was sensitive and thoughtful. Skyler’s friend Harper struggles with self-harm and depression, and I think the book set a great example of how (and how not to) best support friends going through the same. (Of course, licensed medical professionals should also be involved, but friends can provide meaningful support too). Overall, again, 3/5 stars. I’d recommend checking Now & When out of your local library and giving it a try.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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