Mercury by Lloyd Hall is a YA sci-fi adventure in which the main character travels not only through space but through time as well.

The book had great potential. I found the concept of traveling back in time and hanging out with one's parents really cool and I wanted to see more. However, because the story is so short, I felt like the characters and plot were not developed to the level I wanted.
The plot is extremely fast-paced, which I appreciated immensely (I read about 80% in one day), but the reactions of some characters felt either underdeveloped or overexaggerated.

Spoiler

There's a scene in which Lucy loses her foot, but does not cry or react in any way. However, later in the story, Helena discovers Atticus dies and absolutely flips out.

I also found it a bit hard to connect with Lucy. Once again, because the story was so short and quick, there wasn't much time to completely develop. I liked the found family vibes of Helena's friend group, but the book didn't develop their relationships much.
Additionally, the book ends on a cliffhanger, and judging by the other book the author has written (which he says is not a requirement to read this one), it would be helpful to read Mercury as a sequel to Wardenclyffe.
I did enjoy reading this book and the artwork was gorgeous, but it left me wanting in some areas. Anyone looking for a short sci-fi read for a YA audience would like this book more than I did.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!
Actual Rating: 2.75/5