The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig
Summary: After what seems like a lifetime of following her father across the globe and through the centuries, Nix has finally taken the helm of their time-traveling ship. Her future—and the horizon—is bright. Until she learns she is destined to lose the one she loves. To end up like her father: alone, heartbroken. Unable to face losing Kashmir—best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire—Nix sails her crew to a mythical utopia to meet a man who promises he can teach her how to manipulate time, to change history. But no place is perfect, not even paradise. And everything is constantly changing on this utopian island, including reality itself. If Nix can read the ever-shifting tides, perhaps she will finally harness her abilities. Perhaps she can control her destiny, too. Or perhaps her time will finally run out.
I loved THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE and I found myself utterly swept away by THE SHIP BEYOND TIME. It actually took me a couple of weeks to read it, not because it was hard to get through, but because this is the kind of book I wanted to just lose myself in, so I refused to even pick it up unless I had time to do so. This is a book to savor, from the lush, intricate worldbuilding, to the complex characters and their shifting relationships, to the rich premise that Heilig constantly takes in bold, unexpected directions. Heilig writes my very favorite kind of fantasy: the kind that engages both your brain and your heart. Nix is one of my favorite YA heroines; she’s smart and studious and full of agency, and strong without ever falling into Girl Warrior tropes. Her conflicted relationship with her father is one of the highlights of the books, and is heartbreakingly resolved in this book. And the swoon level in this book is high; let’s just say that getting several chapters from Kashmir’s point of view felt like a gift. If you’ve been looking for a wonderful fantasy novel to lose yourself in, dive deep into THE SHIP BEYOND TIME.
THE SHIP BEYOND TIME is out now.
Kathy MacMillan 