Invictus

Written By: Ryan Graudin

Publication: September 26th 2017, by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date Read: Jan. 20, 2018

Would Recommend to: everybody! especially suspense-lovers and readers who like their brain challenged

Rating: 4/5 stars

Oh my gosh! I have no words for how much this book impressed me! But, before I get ahead of myself, let's look at some of the many highlights of this book.

World-building:

This world is fascinating! Normally, time travel novels will interest me but confuse me to no end. This amazing masterpiece, however, was just that - amazing! The time travel made as much sense to me as time travel is every going to make sense to me, if that makes any sense at all. If the words "time travel" turn your interest off, please just turn it back on and give the book a chance because it won't disappoint.

Again, I'm rambling a little. So, backstory. Invictus takes place in (or at least, the present is in) the year 2371, or Central time. In this age, time travel is as common as airplanes, and children grow up listening not to tales of astronauts and superheroes, but the members of the Corps of Central Time Travelers, the institution responsible for running the Academy, schooling the wide-eyed hopefuls, and regulating time traveling missions. The way Ryan Graudin conveys the world is almost bleak, which makes the time-traveling aspect all the more interesting, as our main characters yearn for more than their time.

Characters:

Alright, the characters. Where to start? Well, Farway Gaius McCarthy, otherwise known as Far, is probably our main character. In the beginning of the book, he is travelling to his final examination Simulation to determine if he is good enough to become a legitimate time traveler for the Corps. The funny thing is that he has always been the top of his class, and he is sure (and quite cocky) that he is going to ace it. However, something happens in his Sim that has him sure it was hacked, but no one believes him, and just like that, he gets a severe reality check.

Enter his amazing, bright, fun, hilarious, gelato-loving cousin Imogen and a mysterious letter telling Far to meet in the Colosseum for a second chance, and you start getting even more intrigued than you were before. Soon, Far has his second chance in his very own ship (you guessed it, the Invictus) with his very own crew: Imogen; Gram, Far's tech-savvy, genius best friend; Priya, Far's favorite Medic and obvious crush; and Saffron, their wild red panda pet they retrieved from the past. Their job: go back in time, rescue valuable items destroyed in the past, and deliver them to an infamous crime lord in exchange for extra fuel the crew can use for time-travel vacations.

I absolutely loved every character of this book. The way they develop, the relationships they share, their hilarious but endearing quips - everything was so perfect, but not too perfect, which made it even more great. Of course they have their faults, but they're not so bad that readers just cringe at every stupid decision they make. By the end of the book, I was in tears because I didn't want to be separated from these amazing characters. Bravo, Ryan Graudin.

Humor:

This highlight seems a little different from the rest, but I couldn't just leave it out. Now, I'm going to list some quotes, and you're an emotionless human being if they don't make you laugh out loud.

"Imogen had twelve hours to ingest an entire civilization's worth of knowledge. No biggie. [Insert maniacal laughter/endless weeping here.]"

"'My favorite color is beige and I have a purple narwhal tattooed on my tail cheek. His name is Sherbet... Anything else you want to know?'"

"Imogen nibbled at the end of her aquamarine-with-a-hint-of-bubble-gum-pink-hair and started at the entry, trying to scrounge up adjectives to describe her cousin's most defining trait. Maybe she could create a sliding scale: size-of-a-pinhead-pride to dictator-of-the-month all the way to RED-ALERT-the-wax-of-your-wings-is-melting-and-we're-all-going-down-in-flames."

That was just a teeny taste of the hilariousness that is Invictus. They're especially funny when you develop strong bonds with the characters, but we've already talked about how inevitable that is, so we're moving on. Another thing is the "cussing" of this book. I've seen several reviewers (I mean no offense, I promise) talk about the cuss words of this time (year 2371) and describe them as "ridiculous." Heck, I though they were hilarious! They just maintained the humor-suspense balance the novel conveyed so strongly. Let me give you a few examples:

"'HOLY SHAZM!'"

"History could be such a betch."

"Time to take a fexing vacation."

"'We are so hashed.'"

They do seem ridiculous by themselves, but in the book, they honestly weave well into the overall tone of the story.

Writing:

Ok, sorry for the long review, guys, but there's so much I want to talk about. So, on to the next strong point. You'd think with such a science-esque book, there wouldn't be much opportunity for lyrical poetics. Nope. Ryan Graudin did it. I have some beautiful examples for this section, too.

"The Invictus was already in flight, gliding over the Mediterranean with all the grace and shape of a moon-stung cloud."

"Their magcart sped along. Earth's darkness cut through its windows again and again as they passed the tunnel's lights. Bright, shadow, bright, shadow, life, death."

These are just a couple that caught my eye, but there are plenty more where that came from. I was astounded not just by the beautiful writing, but by how well it was integrated into the otherwise science-based plot line; they weren't out of place.

I also loved how the plot was developed, and don't even get me started on the constant plot twists. This book is so ORIGINAL! But... you'll just have to read the book to get more insight on that because I'm moving along. Last but not least,

Romance:

I know what you're thinking (Well, some of you): Ugh, romance.

No.
Don't you dare look at "romance" and bail. Because let me tell you...
The romance aspect of this book is just as unique as the story itself.

It is natural. It isn't forbidden. It isn't star-crossed. It isn't like any other trope. It is sweet, natural, everyday, girl-meets-boy romance. I can't even come up with any more words to describe how much affection I have for the romance in this book.

The "Ugh, She's Finally Done" Section:

Alright, quick summary. This book is SO GOOD! Obviously, if you just read this entire review and are reading this right now, then you know, but I still felt the need to say that. Every single aspect was in such great harmony and balance with each other, though the central aspect of the plot is the suspense. There's absolutely nothing to get tired of.

Wooh. I feel like I just ran a marathon, guys.
I've never read any of Graudin's books, but I'm sure about to. And you should too.

Au revoir, my fellow bookworms!