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typedtruths 's review for:
The Next Together
by Lauren James
I wish I could start this review by saying that The Next Beginning lived up to the hype but sadly, it just did not. Time travel is one of my favourite sub-genres but the focus on romance in this particular book was off-putting.
My biggest problem with this book, and likely the reason why it did not work for me as a whole, was the fact that I just did not connect to the characters. In fact, I found them to be rather flat. Katherine was meant to be this incredibly sassy and feisty woman (especially in the 2019 timeline) but I just could not see that. Her sense of humour was oddly juvenile, and her interactions with Matthew, especially the fridge notes and dialogue, were more often than not actually quite awkward. I could not wrap my head around the fact that she was meant to be a professional, married woman when she talked the way she did and giggled like a schoolgirl way too often. Her voice was too reminiscent of a teenager - and a young one at that - so I found it very hard to connect to her or take her seriously.
Matthew was the better of the pair. I enjoyed his sensibility for the most part, and that he was a little more mature and good-natured. I liked that he was a solid presence in this story, and I felt that his character was more consistent throughout the timelines without being too rigid. I did not ship him with Katherine though, and I think this is also what let me down about this story.
For a romance, I found it very hard to care about Matthew and Katherine’s relationship/s. I understood that the point of this story was that their love was strong enough to transcend time, but the only timeline that I was even remotely attached to was the 1854/Crimean War timeline. It strongly disliked the fact that we were meant to ship these characters based solely on their past relationships. From the very first page, we knew that they were each other's “true loves” and ‘meant to be together’ so there was no real angst or tension. I was not anxiously waiting for them to realise their love for each other because I knew that they would. I found that this was most problematic in the 2039 timeline because it was used to excuse instalove. I know the entire point of this story is that Katherine and Matthew’s love is pure and strong and all that nauseating lovey-dovey babble, but that does not take away from the fact that Katherine and Matthew’s 2039 romance developed too fast for my tastes. They barely knew each other at this point but were somehow ‘in love’. Just because they loved each other once, does not - in my opinion - mean that they should or do love each other every time. I have massive problems with the fact that the Matthews/Katherines were treated as interchangeable. They are different people with different pasts, circumstances, and feelings. They should not be all lumped together.
I also felt that the switch in timelines could be a bit jarring. I found the mixed media element a little bit confusing since it did not say which timeline the document/snippet belong to until afterward. Sometimes, I actually had to go back and reread the section because it was from a different timeline than I thought when I read it the first time. There were also times where I just really wanted to stay in a particular timeline and not skip between the four, so that did get very frustrating.
Other thoughts (minor spoilers):
• The teen pregnancy was a bit gross for me. It made me feel uncomfortable.
• The ending was anticlimactic, and I didn’t understand why Matthew and Katherine would not risk going back for Clove?
• The historical fiction sections felt a little bit lackluster because the romance took the focus. I did not think that the Carlisle timeline history was explained particularly well. I really wish it had developed these parts more!
• My favourite part of the story was the swapped timeline bit. It was well-written and exciting. It drew on the time travel stuff that I had been hoping for. I loved the radiation sickness bit as well. As tragic as it is, I thought it was realistic.
Overall?
I am really disappointed by how little I enjoyed this book. Normally, time travel stories are the only sci-fi I am willingly pick up but The Next Together was too romance-driven for my tastes. I disliked Katherine a lot, and struggled with Matthew’s underdevelopment at times. I did like the different timelines but I wished they had been elaborated on more. I don’t think I would recommend this book for time travel fans (try Timeriders instead), but this may appeal to sci-fi romance fans.
My biggest problem with this book, and likely the reason why it did not work for me as a whole, was the fact that I just did not connect to the characters. In fact, I found them to be rather flat. Katherine was meant to be this incredibly sassy and feisty woman (especially in the 2019 timeline) but I just could not see that. Her sense of humour was oddly juvenile, and her interactions with Matthew, especially the fridge notes and dialogue, were more often than not actually quite awkward. I could not wrap my head around the fact that she was meant to be a professional, married woman when she talked the way she did and giggled like a schoolgirl way too often. Her voice was too reminiscent of a teenager - and a young one at that - so I found it very hard to connect to her or take her seriously.
Matthew was the better of the pair. I enjoyed his sensibility for the most part, and that he was a little more mature and good-natured. I liked that he was a solid presence in this story, and I felt that his character was more consistent throughout the timelines without being too rigid. I did not ship him with Katherine though, and I think this is also what let me down about this story.
For a romance, I found it very hard to care about Matthew and Katherine’s relationship/s. I understood that the point of this story was that their love was strong enough to transcend time, but the only timeline that I was even remotely attached to was the 1854/Crimean War timeline. It strongly disliked the fact that we were meant to ship these characters based solely on their past relationships. From the very first page, we knew that they were each other's “true loves” and ‘meant to be together’ so there was no real angst or tension. I was not anxiously waiting for them to realise their love for each other because I knew that they would. I found that this was most problematic in the 2039 timeline because it was used to excuse instalove. I know the entire point of this story is that Katherine and Matthew’s love is pure and strong and all that nauseating lovey-dovey babble, but that does not take away from the fact that Katherine and Matthew’s 2039 romance developed too fast for my tastes. They barely knew each other at this point but were somehow ‘in love’. Just because they loved each other once, does not - in my opinion - mean that they should or do love each other every time. I have massive problems with the fact that the Matthews/Katherines were treated as interchangeable. They are different people with different pasts, circumstances, and feelings. They should not be all lumped together.
I also felt that the switch in timelines could be a bit jarring. I found the mixed media element a little bit confusing since it did not say which timeline the document/snippet belong to until afterward. Sometimes, I actually had to go back and reread the section because it was from a different timeline than I thought when I read it the first time. There were also times where I just really wanted to stay in a particular timeline and not skip between the four, so that did get very frustrating.
Other thoughts (minor spoilers):
• The teen pregnancy was a bit gross for me. It made me feel uncomfortable.
• The ending was anticlimactic, and I didn’t understand why Matthew and Katherine would not risk going back for Clove?
• The historical fiction sections felt a little bit lackluster because the romance took the focus. I did not think that the Carlisle timeline history was explained particularly well. I really wish it had developed these parts more!
• My favourite part of the story was the swapped timeline bit. It was well-written and exciting. It drew on the time travel stuff that I had been hoping for. I loved the radiation sickness bit as well. As tragic as it is, I thought it was realistic.
Overall?
I am really disappointed by how little I enjoyed this book. Normally, time travel stories are the only sci-fi I am willingly pick up but The Next Together was too romance-driven for my tastes. I disliked Katherine a lot, and struggled with Matthew’s underdevelopment at times. I did like the different timelines but I wished they had been elaborated on more. I don’t think I would recommend this book for time travel fans (try Timeriders instead), but this may appeal to sci-fi romance fans.