The Psychology of Time Travel - Kate Mascarenhas

The Psychology of Time Travel – Kate Mascarenhas (2018)

(4 / 5)

Time travel books are generally hit or miss with me. Some of my favourite and LEAST favourite books (cough.. Outlander… Cough) are time travel related. I really enjoy the concept and find it really clever how some authors navigate it. I really enjoyed this one. It was different to anything I have read before, and confused me at times… But at the same time I enjoyed it immensely.

In the 1960’s, four women invent a time-travel machine. The world is their oyster! But one of them suffers a mental breakdown. Years later, her granddaughter receives a note from the future about the death of an elderly lady. Is it her grandmother? How can she stop it?

Such an original book! Granted, I haven’t read THAT many time travel books, but this one took me by surprise how unique it was. Not just the subject matter but the tone and atmosphere of the novel. It was quite well imagined.

I thought it was so much fun how time travel worked! Those who worked at the conclave could travel back or forward in time constantly. At any time there could be multiple versions of the same person walking around, interacting with loved ones, reliving important events in their lives… Every traveller knew when they were going to die, when their loved ones are going to die. There is no fate anymore. They become desensitised to it. So fascinating to think about! I loved the little world that she created! No-one blinked an eye to see a future self walking around. And it made the murder investigation all the more interesting!

The characters were all great, and they were really complex because of the time-travel! The characters weren’t the same over the years and they were able to reflect on the differences between their former/future selves. It was quite mind-blowing!

It did get a touch confusing at times for the reader, navigating through the years and keeping up with what was going on and at what different time. Although there were only a few set times so it wasn’t too difficult to grasp thankfully.

Some of the stuff she came up with was just so unusual and unexpected! I really hope she continues with this time-travel theme in some future novels. I also wonder what else she can come up with, I willabsolutely keep a look out!