The Psychology of Time Travel
A Novel
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3.9 • 19 Ratings
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
"A fascinating meditation on the many ways traveling through time can change a person."—HelloGiggles
"This genre-bending, time-bending debut will appeal to fans of Doctor Who, dystopian fiction, and life's great joy: friend groups."—Refinery29
An “astonishing” time-travel debut about science and friendship, perfect for fans of The Power and Hidden Figures (The New York Times)
In 1967, four female scientists worked together to build the world’s first time machine. But just as they are about to debut their creation, one of them suffers a breakdown, putting the whole project—and future of time travel—in jeopardy. To protect their invention, one member is exiled from the team—erasing her contributions from history.
50 years later, time travel is a big business. 20-something Ruby Rebello knows her beloved grandmother, Granny Bee, was one of the pioneers, though no one will tell her more. But when Bee receives a mysterious newspaper clipping from the future reporting the murder of an unidentified woman, Ruby becomes obsessed: could it be Bee? Who would want her dead? And most importantly of all: can her murder be stopped?
Traversing the decades and told from alternating perspectives, The Psychology of Time Travel introduces a fabulous new voice in fiction and a new must-read for fans of speculative fiction and women’s fiction alike.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Mascarenhas's intricately plotted debut dizzies the mind with its exciting concept but fails to follow through. Margaret, Lucille, Grace, and Barbara are all at the tops of their scientific fields, and together, they invent the first time machine, an accomplishment that ensures even the most biased men have to acknowledge their talents. However, when tragedy strikes, Barbara is pushed out of her career, and a complex series of events is catapulted into motion. Some of the ensuing complications go far beyond the lives of the pioneers themselves. The story unfolds in a captivating way, and fascinating suggestions are made about the effects of time travel; Mascarenhas even hints that free will ceases to exist. Unfortunately, the plot can't make up for the lack of depth in many of the characters. Readers who value plotting and tightness of story will enjoy this novel more than those who value empathy and characterization. Most unfortunately, the women whose accomplishments are at the center of the story won't be remembered when the book is closed.
Customer Reviews
A unique novel
The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas is a unique story. I admit that I am drawn to books regarding time travel (I am a big Doctor Who fan) and was eager to read The Psychology of Time Travel. The story is told from alternate POVs as well as three different timelines. There is the past, present and future. Then there are the four female inventors (Barbara Hereford, Margaret Norton, Lucille Waters, and Grace Taylor) plus Ruby Rebello and Odette Sophola. The people can run into their past, present or future selves along the way. The Psychology of Time Travel is a very confusing story (that’s putting it mildly). I kept hoping that it would become clearer the further I moved into the story, but this was not the case. It was interesting, though, to see how time travel affected each person. The chapters were short and choppy. There were romantic entanglements (of course), but there was one that was just plain strange (really hard to wrap my head around). I was never able to get involved in the story or get to know the characters (thanks to the short chapters). I did like the mystery that was woven into the story. It was the one thing that kept me reading The Psychology of Time Travel. I wanted to know who committed the crime and how it was accomplished. The author certainly has an active imagination. While The Psychology of Time Travel was not for me, many others just loved this innovative tale. I suggest you obtain a sample to see if this book is the right fit for you. The story does contain foul language and strange intimate situations. There is a time travel dictionary of terms at the end of the book. The Psychology of Time Travel is unique novel with time travel, a strange slaying, plentiful points-of-view, convoluted conundrums, and rare romantic relationships.