Review: Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

Into the Dim

Author: Janet B. Taylor

Release: March 1st 2016

Genre: Science Fiction, Historical, Time Travel, YA

#1 in the Into The Dim duology

Sequel: Sparks of Light (#2)

Plot:

When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission . . . or the key to Hope’s undoing. 

Goodreads | Book Depository

Review:

“When I was younger, I dreamed of having a friend like that, but Mom always claimed being around "empty-headed" girls my own age would only distract me from my studies. (...)
My mother thought dating a bigger waste of time than having friends. (...) [Mom had] ruled over our family like a four-star general. My curriculum. Hobbies. Where I went. Who I spoke with. When I ate, drank, slept. Every hour of my day dictated by her command.”

What kind of mother is that?! What the fuck. Why would Hope ever set out to rescue this cruel, cold, Gothel-like type of mother? The hell?

The premise is as basic and unoriginal as they come, saving a family member from some harm or other. And it's not even a good one at that, since, like I said, I still have trouble grasping why the fuck Hope would even want to save her mother, to be quite honest. 

The characters are horrible, flatter than a board with no personality. I can think of one term to describe ALL of them, and that word is "fucking annoying." Pardon me, that's two words — shame on me. I literally still have trouble grasping how these stick figures ever made it onto printed paper. 

And the romance! Shit, it was so bad. So bad. I mean, the only thing that made it the tiniest bit bearable was that it wasn't completely abusive or other such nonsense. Still, it was very gag- and cringe-worthy, insta-love at its best, with awfully written dialogue. Simply put, it really shouldn't have happened.

The plot and writing in general were also a huge disaster. There is literally not a single damn plot twist in this whole entire book that I did not see coming from ten thousand miles away. I literally knew about 25% through what was gonna go down in 200 pages because the foreshadowing was so goddamn obvious. You ain't slick, Taylor. And the writing, oh God, the writing! It seemed to me that sometimes she just put words right next to each other that made no sense, or tried to create pretty metaphors and similes that simply never ever worked. 

“Anguish, bitter and dense as lemon peel, nipped at the back of my tongue (...)
They strolled arm in arm down the wide space between the tables, like graceful ships in the middle of a cheering storm. (...)
I inhaled the baby's scent. Fresh-baked cookies and newness.”

What the fuck? I've never smelled a baby before, but I'm like 99.99% sure they don't smell like freshly baked cookies?!? What even. Are you sure? Are you. Are you sure. 

Needless to say, I definitely will not be coming back for more, ever.

P.S. Phonetic writing. I hate it. Dear authors, please PLEASE stop it.