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UnHappenings
When Nigel Walden is fourteen, the UNHAPPENINGS begin. His first girlfriend disappears the day after their first kiss with no indication she ever existed. This retroactive change is the first of many only he seems to notice.
Several years later, when Nigel is visited by two people from his future, he hopes they can explain why the past keeps rewriting itself around him. But the enigmatic young guide shares very little, and the haggard, incoherent, elderly version of himself is even less reliable. His search for answers takes him fifty-two years forward in time, where he finds himself stranded and alone.
And then he meets Helen.
Brilliant, hilarious and beautiful, she captivates him. But Nigel’s relationships always unhappen, and if they get close it could be fatal for her. Worse, according to the young guide, just by entering Helen’s life, Nigel has already set into motion events that will have catastrophic consequences. In his efforts to reverse this, and to find a way to remain with Helen, he discovers the disturbing truth about the unhappenings, and the role he and his future self have played all along.
Equal parts time-travel adventure and tragic love story, Unhappenings is a tale of gravely bad choices, and Nigel’s struggle not to become what he sees in the preview of his worst self.
Several years later, when Nigel is visited by two people from his future, he hopes they can explain why the past keeps rewriting itself around him. But the enigmatic young guide shares very little, and the haggard, incoherent, elderly version of himself is even less reliable. His search for answers takes him fifty-two years forward in time, where he finds himself stranded and alone.
And then he meets Helen.
Brilliant, hilarious and beautiful, she captivates him. But Nigel’s relationships always unhappen, and if they get close it could be fatal for her. Worse, according to the young guide, just by entering Helen’s life, Nigel has already set into motion events that will have catastrophic consequences. In his efforts to reverse this, and to find a way to remain with Helen, he discovers the disturbing truth about the unhappenings, and the role he and his future self have played all along.
Equal parts time-travel adventure and tragic love story, Unhappenings is a tale of gravely bad choices, and Nigel’s struggle not to become what he sees in the preview of his worst self.
Audible Audio
First published January 8, 2015
About the author
Edward Aubry
8 books139 followersEdward Aubry is a graduate of Wesleyan University, with a degree in music composition. Improbably, this preceded a career as a teacher of high school mathematics and creative writing. He now lives in rural Pennsylvania with his wife and three spectacular daughters, where he fills his non-teaching hours spinning tales of time-travel, wise-cracking pixies, and an assortment of other impossible things.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
May 23, 2015
ALSO FINISHED THIS AND OMG OMG OMG yet another amazing time travel novel!
December 30, 2022
It’s a time travel tale so I’ll avoid delving into the plot – that really would spoil things for prospective readers – instead I’ll just record my thoughts on it.
Firstly, it’s complicated. The time travel is undertaken back and forth, into the future and the past, sometimes seemingly randomly. This element reminded me of The Time Travellers Wife in that it confused me whilst promising a revelation that would blow my mind as all became clear. It came – the revelation – but not in a mind blowing way. Instead it all felt too big, too over-engineered. In addition, TTTW had delivered the most emotionally charged ending to a book I’ve ever read, for me it was literally tear inducing. The ending here was good too, just not in quite such an impactful way.
Secondly, I failed to engage fully with the male and female lead characters. To me they felt too shallow, too generic. There was certainly an interesting story here centred around their future and their past, it’s just that I didn’t feel as invested in the eventual outcome for them as I’d like to have been.
Next, there’s really no science here, other than an oblique reference to string theory. I don’t consider a that to be a problem as such, as for me time travel stories are about freeing the mind to explore the opportunities offered up should such a thing be proved to be possible. In fact nearly all of my favourite books in this sub-genre have scrupulously avoided getting into the mechanics (and physics) of how it’s done, for obvious reasons. But here the amount, the accuracy and the variety of travel here does draw attention the unlikeliness of it all.
Finally, it all went on a bit too long. The story grew in scale as I felt it was trying to trump any other time travel tale and in so doing it seemed to lose the essence of itself. There is a good story here, but it’s somewhat drowned out by some rather grandiose and over-cooked plot elements. It’s got good bones but perhaps an enforced diet would have been advisable.
If this all sounds rather critical then to some extent I apologise. I did enjoy this story, just not as much as I hoped I would. There are some great ideas here though and for readers who enjoy time travel tales I do think it’s worth giving this one a try – many have found much more here to love than I did.
Firstly, it’s complicated. The time travel is undertaken back and forth, into the future and the past, sometimes seemingly randomly. This element reminded me of The Time Travellers Wife in that it confused me whilst promising a revelation that would blow my mind as all became clear. It came – the revelation – but not in a mind blowing way. Instead it all felt too big, too over-engineered. In addition, TTTW had delivered the most emotionally charged ending to a book I’ve ever read, for me it was literally tear inducing. The ending here was good too, just not in quite such an impactful way.
Secondly, I failed to engage fully with the male and female lead characters. To me they felt too shallow, too generic. There was certainly an interesting story here centred around their future and their past, it’s just that I didn’t feel as invested in the eventual outcome for them as I’d like to have been.
Next, there’s really no science here, other than an oblique reference to string theory. I don’t consider a that to be a problem as such, as for me time travel stories are about freeing the mind to explore the opportunities offered up should such a thing be proved to be possible. In fact nearly all of my favourite books in this sub-genre have scrupulously avoided getting into the mechanics (and physics) of how it’s done, for obvious reasons. But here the amount, the accuracy and the variety of travel here does draw attention the unlikeliness of it all.
Finally, it all went on a bit too long. The story grew in scale as I felt it was trying to trump any other time travel tale and in so doing it seemed to lose the essence of itself. There is a good story here, but it’s somewhat drowned out by some rather grandiose and over-cooked plot elements. It’s got good bones but perhaps an enforced diet would have been advisable.
If this all sounds rather critical then to some extent I apologise. I did enjoy this story, just not as much as I hoped I would. There are some great ideas here though and for readers who enjoy time travel tales I do think it’s worth giving this one a try – many have found much more here to love than I did.
July 15, 2015
Wow.
I'm still reeling from the book. I read it in a one-day marathon, taking a few moments to load the dishwasher and blow some bubbles with the kids....other than that, I sat on my arse captivated by this book.
It is superbly written. The author has amazing writings skills. The story is exciting, heartbreaking, mysterious, melancholy. Though very different from Time Traveler's Wife (it's been a LOOONNG time since I read it), it gives me all the same feels as that one did.
The book will not leave you with warm fuzzy feelings, but you won't regret reading it. While I usually prefer the books that leave me happy, warm, and secure, this book gave more realistic themes. This book gives you the same emotions that real life gives you - pleasure, pain, love, loss, excitement, weariness, fortitude, despair, the gut punch of learning a side of yourself you wish you remained naive, yet growing from that experience, and finally making peace with everything you are and everything you've done.
Mini spoiler ahead:
This one is deep and leave you with a lot of feels.
Someone else please read this book so we can talk about it!
Thank you Curiosity Quills for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm still reeling from the book. I read it in a one-day marathon, taking a few moments to load the dishwasher and blow some bubbles with the kids....other than that, I sat on my arse captivated by this book.
It is superbly written. The author has amazing writings skills. The story is exciting, heartbreaking, mysterious, melancholy. Though very different from Time Traveler's Wife (it's been a LOOONNG time since I read it), it gives me all the same feels as that one did.
The book will not leave you with warm fuzzy feelings, but you won't regret reading it. While I usually prefer the books that leave me happy, warm, and secure, this book gave more realistic themes. This book gives you the same emotions that real life gives you - pleasure, pain, love, loss, excitement, weariness, fortitude, despair, the gut punch of learning a side of yourself you wish you remained naive, yet growing from that experience, and finally making peace with everything you are and everything you've done.
Mini spoiler ahead:
This one is deep and leave you with a lot of feels.
Someone else please read this book so we can talk about it!
Thank you Curiosity Quills for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2015
A story is only as good as its villain. A universal truth of fiction. To say I was disappointed with this book would be an understatement. The plot was fantastic at first. As cliche as time travel has become, this premise was surprising and sustained my interest. However, the characters were completely flat and one dimensional, especially the villain. I felt no emotion toward any of the players. The writing was as if I were reading a synopsis the entire time. Big plot points would occur, such as the world ending several times, and our narrator Nigel, would tell us matter of factly. Sure, Nigel has become quite weathered and jaded in his years of time travel, but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't react strongly toward plagues and apocalypses. Finally, the ending was quick and anticlimactic, making me question the reasoning for the entire story at all. Overall, I stayed for the plot, but I won't ever read it again due to the poor story telling.
January 4, 2015
Some tales plunge readers in headfirst, BAM, you are there, some allow you to enter the deep zone gradually, almost creeping up on you and giving you that final shove until you are lost to reality.
Unhappenings by Edward Aubry is THAT kind of book. I don’t even know when it happened, but I am glad it never “unhappened” for me.
Nigel was your average boy at school, not a stand out, not a trouble maker, he just kind of “was.” Until the day things that he KNEW had happened began to unhappen and he was the only one aware of it.
Lives, circumstances and people were changing around him. Events were becoming non-existent, only minutes after they had happened. Sound confusing? Imagine being fourteen years old and not being able to articulate what he saw, felt and knew to anyone without being locked away. When the day came a that a young girl showed up and told him she knew what he was seeing, that the unhappenings were real and he would soon understand, was this a good sign, or a bad omen? Sure, he was relieved, but the girl disappeared before he could learn more, he didn’t’ even know her name. Little did he know, she would become one of the most incredible people he would ever meet and she would come to mean more than life itself to a future Nigel.
Time travel, they say it can’t be done, but in another time and place it has been achieved and Nigel will soon learn his part in this incredible, yet potentially deadly and devastating discovery. Together with the girl with no name, they will travel back and forth through time, and the variations of the future that were caused by one small ripple from the past. What is she trying to show him? What role will he play in the future? Who will he become? What is his part in the events of the past?
When love comes to Nigel, he will willingly risk the world’s existence to save and be with the woman he loves, who seems unaffected by his time leaps, always knowing him and the love they share when he returns. But will that love cause more chaos than good? Is there another whose potential for good will be cursed? Did Nigel really discover true travel through time or was there a more powerful source of his achievements? Who exactly is the girl who refuses to give him her name? What will be sacrificed for love, humanity and the lust for power?
Sound confusing, chaotic and completely unbelievable? Maybe at first, but as Edward Aubry weaves his tale, the webs he creates will entangle you and bring fantasy to life. Driven by the characters he has created, this tale is not one of joy and sunny days, it is dark, edgy and impossible to visualize where it will all end. The energy is in the detail, as each page uncovers another layer of the effects of time travel. You may still question its use, fear its ramifications, but one thing for sure, you will be sucked into the vortex of this uniquely presented tale. Unsettling at times, questionable at times, only the reader can decide if the outcome was good or bad, it’s all a matter of perspective at any given time. Through it all, the writing is strong, creative and definitely thought-provoking!
I received this copy as part of the Unhappenings Review Tour stopping at Tome Tender January 5, 2015.
Publication Date: January 8, 2015
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: Fantasy | Time Travel | Science Fiction
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Unhappenings by Edward Aubry is THAT kind of book. I don’t even know when it happened, but I am glad it never “unhappened” for me.
Nigel was your average boy at school, not a stand out, not a trouble maker, he just kind of “was.” Until the day things that he KNEW had happened began to unhappen and he was the only one aware of it.
Lives, circumstances and people were changing around him. Events were becoming non-existent, only minutes after they had happened. Sound confusing? Imagine being fourteen years old and not being able to articulate what he saw, felt and knew to anyone without being locked away. When the day came a that a young girl showed up and told him she knew what he was seeing, that the unhappenings were real and he would soon understand, was this a good sign, or a bad omen? Sure, he was relieved, but the girl disappeared before he could learn more, he didn’t’ even know her name. Little did he know, she would become one of the most incredible people he would ever meet and she would come to mean more than life itself to a future Nigel.
Time travel, they say it can’t be done, but in another time and place it has been achieved and Nigel will soon learn his part in this incredible, yet potentially deadly and devastating discovery. Together with the girl with no name, they will travel back and forth through time, and the variations of the future that were caused by one small ripple from the past. What is she trying to show him? What role will he play in the future? Who will he become? What is his part in the events of the past?
When love comes to Nigel, he will willingly risk the world’s existence to save and be with the woman he loves, who seems unaffected by his time leaps, always knowing him and the love they share when he returns. But will that love cause more chaos than good? Is there another whose potential for good will be cursed? Did Nigel really discover true travel through time or was there a more powerful source of his achievements? Who exactly is the girl who refuses to give him her name? What will be sacrificed for love, humanity and the lust for power?
Sound confusing, chaotic and completely unbelievable? Maybe at first, but as Edward Aubry weaves his tale, the webs he creates will entangle you and bring fantasy to life. Driven by the characters he has created, this tale is not one of joy and sunny days, it is dark, edgy and impossible to visualize where it will all end. The energy is in the detail, as each page uncovers another layer of the effects of time travel. You may still question its use, fear its ramifications, but one thing for sure, you will be sucked into the vortex of this uniquely presented tale. Unsettling at times, questionable at times, only the reader can decide if the outcome was good or bad, it’s all a matter of perspective at any given time. Through it all, the writing is strong, creative and definitely thought-provoking!
I received this copy as part of the Unhappenings Review Tour stopping at Tome Tender January 5, 2015.
Publication Date: January 8, 2015
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: Fantasy | Time Travel | Science Fiction
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 20, 2020
Mini-Review:
Currently on Audible Plus
4 Stars for Narration by Josh Hurley
3.5 Stars for Core Concepts
3 Stars for Characters
If you're in the mood for a time travel story, this is a nice fit. The story intro has a nice hook and Hurley had a way of delivering the story that made it all seem real. I enjoyed the anticipation and questions more than gaining the answers. I liked the characters and found the situations to be interesting. I wanted more from the story than what was delivered. However, it was a fun story and one I would recommend to friends to read. I just wanted it to be more than what it was.
Currently on Audible Plus
4 Stars for Narration by Josh Hurley
3.5 Stars for Core Concepts
3 Stars for Characters
If you're in the mood for a time travel story, this is a nice fit. The story intro has a nice hook and Hurley had a way of delivering the story that made it all seem real. I enjoyed the anticipation and questions more than gaining the answers. I liked the characters and found the situations to be interesting. I wanted more from the story than what was delivered. However, it was a fun story and one I would recommend to friends to read. I just wanted it to be more than what it was.
May 18, 2016
This book really annoyed me! It has a compelling premise, but the writing style bugged me from page one. The main problem I had is that the entire narrative was telling, not showing. First-person pseudo-omniscient narratives can mask a lot of shallow character development, but when whole swathes of someone's formative years are summed up with "in retrospect I realized that it was during those years that I became emo and withdrawn"... I mean, you really gotta try harder than that.
Each chapter was super short. Almost every chapter ended on some sort of vaguely emotionally manipulative cliffhanger ("it was bliss...but it was not to last..." and so on) that reminded me unpleasantly of Dan Brown. The book has two main female characters but barely passes the Bechdel test, each of them uniquely and obnoxiously Manic Pixie in their own way. Their lives revolve around the male narrator. I don't understand other reviews' adulation of the "tragic love story" because, man, the stuff that happens between the main characters is some manipulative and self-absorbed bullshit.
Also: I am all for hand-waving away the technical/metaphysical details of timetravel for a good story, but the repeated "AND THE WORLD RESET and it was sorta all fine AND THEN IT WAS RESET AGAIN and then it was sorta fine" was really too much. The resets took place over the course of a page or two each time (ebook pages, no less) and again, the emotional fall-out was something that was explained to the reader as having happened, not something that rang in any way true to actual emotional impact. There's a sort of half "unreliable narrator" style reveal at the very end that, imo, came out of nowhere and seemed to be there primarily for emotional manipulation.
I kept reading partially because it had such a high rating on Goodreads and also because I did want to know what happened (hence two stars instead of one), but...this was not good.
Each chapter was super short. Almost every chapter ended on some sort of vaguely emotionally manipulative cliffhanger ("it was bliss...but it was not to last..." and so on) that reminded me unpleasantly of Dan Brown. The book has two main female characters but barely passes the Bechdel test, each of them uniquely and obnoxiously Manic Pixie in their own way. Their lives revolve around the male narrator. I don't understand other reviews' adulation of the "tragic love story" because, man, the stuff that happens between the main characters is some manipulative and self-absorbed bullshit.
Also: I am all for hand-waving away the technical/metaphysical details of timetravel for a good story, but the repeated "AND THE WORLD RESET and it was sorta all fine AND THEN IT WAS RESET AGAIN and then it was sorta fine" was really too much. The resets took place over the course of a page or two each time (ebook pages, no less) and again, the emotional fall-out was something that was explained to the reader as having happened, not something that rang in any way true to actual emotional impact. There's a sort of half "unreliable narrator" style reveal at the very end that, imo, came out of nowhere and seemed to be there primarily for emotional manipulation.
I kept reading partially because it had such a high rating on Goodreads and also because I did want to know what happened (hence two stars instead of one), but...this was not good.
February 11, 2015
(I got a copy from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.)
3.5 stars, rounded to 4. I quite enjoyed it overall.
This novel is a tale of choices gone wrong, of moments that could've been but had to be sacrificed, of events that still left a sad taste even though they weren't that bad at first sight. It's a tale of time travellers that are doomed to meet each other coming from different directions, one gradually gaining insight he wouldn't have had if the other hadn't allowed him to grasp them first, and conversely. It's also a tale of love both doomed and stronger than everything. A rather odd mix, but one that I found intriguing and entertaining.
Time travel here isn't exactly the main focus, although it's the main means. Some of the motivators could be easily seen as self-centered and selfish—and it isn't lost on the characters, who admit it themselves at one point or another. One of the interesting sides of the novel, apart from the science fiction aspect, is that it challenges human nature in several occasions, and you easily find yourself wondering: "What decision would -I- have made, in such circumstances? Can I really blame this character for wanting that?" The scientific concepts behind time travel are never really explored in depth, but somehow, it doesn't really matter. At least, it didn't matter that much to me, because more important than that were the people, the decisions they would make, and how they would manage to cheat the space-time continuum in order to get what they wanted—or had to do to prevent something really bad from happening.
(Granted, when I say that scientifically, time travel wasn't explored a lot, it's not exactly true. We don't get explanations about how the modules work, but the reasoning behind the travels, behind echoes of people being left in the timeline, seemed believable and interesting.)
Another nice part of the book is how it appears as a puzzle, and as a reader, you have to piece things together. Something mentioned in the very first chapters will make full sense only 150 pages later, yet when it finally does, you realise you were right in paying attention.
On the downside, the explanation behind the unhappenings was perhaps a little too simple to my taste, in that I actually wanted to see more of, let's say, what was causing them. Due to the first person point of view, that "adversary" was painted in more dark shades than light ones, and I'm left wondering if things were supposed to unfold the way they did, or if there wouldn't have been yet another way, less dark. I also thought that a few things went too fast towards the end (a certain person breaking down, for instance, as this felt just... bizarre), and that the whole Project might have deserved being mentioned more than just in passing.
Nigel at times seemed somewhat callous—not an unexpected nor unforgiveable trait considering all the unhappenings; only a few events were brushed over (e.g. his feelings regarding his parents), and it was sometimes hard to decide whether he did things out of love and forced himself not to think of the impact on himself, or had just lost the ability to "feel". I guess it's not exactly a defect, as the context justifies it, but at some moments I appreciated it, and at others I didn't. Same at the very end with Helen, whose decision was... I don't know, both understandable and "why on Earth did we do all that for if it was for things to come to -this-?"
However, as said at the beginning of my review, I enjoyed the story nonetheless. It probably also deserves to be revisited to see if I haven't missed anything between the lines.
3.5 stars, rounded to 4. I quite enjoyed it overall.
This novel is a tale of choices gone wrong, of moments that could've been but had to be sacrificed, of events that still left a sad taste even though they weren't that bad at first sight. It's a tale of time travellers that are doomed to meet each other coming from different directions, one gradually gaining insight he wouldn't have had if the other hadn't allowed him to grasp them first, and conversely. It's also a tale of love both doomed and stronger than everything. A rather odd mix, but one that I found intriguing and entertaining.
Time travel here isn't exactly the main focus, although it's the main means. Some of the motivators could be easily seen as self-centered and selfish—and it isn't lost on the characters, who admit it themselves at one point or another. One of the interesting sides of the novel, apart from the science fiction aspect, is that it challenges human nature in several occasions, and you easily find yourself wondering: "What decision would -I- have made, in such circumstances? Can I really blame this character for wanting that?" The scientific concepts behind time travel are never really explored in depth, but somehow, it doesn't really matter. At least, it didn't matter that much to me, because more important than that were the people, the decisions they would make, and how they would manage to cheat the space-time continuum in order to get what they wanted—or had to do to prevent something really bad from happening.
(Granted, when I say that scientifically, time travel wasn't explored a lot, it's not exactly true. We don't get explanations about how the modules work, but the reasoning behind the travels, behind echoes of people being left in the timeline, seemed believable and interesting.)
Another nice part of the book is how it appears as a puzzle, and as a reader, you have to piece things together. Something mentioned in the very first chapters will make full sense only 150 pages later, yet when it finally does, you realise you were right in paying attention.
On the downside, the explanation behind the unhappenings was perhaps a little too simple to my taste, in that I actually wanted to see more of, let's say, what was causing them. Due to the first person point of view, that "adversary" was painted in more dark shades than light ones, and I'm left wondering if things were supposed to unfold the way they did, or if there wouldn't have been yet another way, less dark. I also thought that a few things went too fast towards the end (a certain person breaking down, for instance, as this felt just... bizarre), and that the whole Project might have deserved being mentioned more than just in passing.
Nigel at times seemed somewhat callous—not an unexpected nor unforgiveable trait considering all the unhappenings; only a few events were brushed over (e.g. his feelings regarding his parents), and it was sometimes hard to decide whether he did things out of love and forced himself not to think of the impact on himself, or had just lost the ability to "feel". I guess it's not exactly a defect, as the context justifies it, but at some moments I appreciated it, and at others I didn't. Same at the very end with Helen, whose decision was... I don't know, both understandable and "why on Earth did we do all that for if it was for things to come to -this-?"
However, as said at the beginning of my review, I enjoyed the story nonetheless. It probably also deserves to be revisited to see if I haven't missed anything between the lines.
September 25, 2020
3.5 stars.
Time travel can be tricky to write, but this was a pretty good time travel story. The book deals with all the intended and unintended consequences of changing the past. I was a little disappointed in the reason all the unhappenings started. I mean really, did it have to be over that? I wanted it to be something more original, but the story kept me interested.
I enjoyed reading all the emotions the main character went through as things happened, then unhappened. At some points it was heartbreaking. I definitely wouldn't have wanted to live this guys life!
If you liked Blake Crouch's Recursion, then you might like this one.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
Time travel can be tricky to write, but this was a pretty good time travel story. The book deals with all the intended and unintended consequences of changing the past. I was a little disappointed in the reason all the unhappenings started. I mean really, did it have to be over that? I wanted it to be something more original, but the story kept me interested.
I enjoyed reading all the emotions the main character went through as things happened, then unhappened. At some points it was heartbreaking. I definitely wouldn't have wanted to live this guys life!
If you liked Blake Crouch's Recursion, then you might like this one.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
May 9, 2018
"...I became aware of the non-deterministic nature of the universe, and that the past is every bit as flexible as the future."I love well written time travel fiction; there is just something about it that tickles my brain in a way that is incredibly entertaining. I recently endured a five day reading slump and needed something to lift me out of it, and UnHappenings managed to bring me out of my existential crisis!
Meet Nigel, who since he was fourteen years old has been plagued by "unhappenings." Conversations, friendships he had, relationships all retroactively were undone around him and he is the only one with the memory of the original timeline. After awhile he retreats from socialization to avoid negatively affecting those in his life.
"The only constant fact in my life had ever been that what is done is never, with any certainty, done."The narrator Nigel has a nuanced wit and tone which had me imagining him telling this story of his adventures through time-space with a sardonic grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye. It turns out that the unhappenings that have plagued Nigel can be traced to one decision, and that they are a symptom of something much more nefarious. This book really makes the reader think about how different things can be with just one small shift; the concept of the butterfly effect in time travel fiction. Every action (or inaction) matters. Maybe not on a global scale, but certainly in your life. I can directly trace the point where the trajectory of my life completely diverged.
It is difficult to review this book without giving spoilers. What you need to know: Nigel becomes fascinated with time travel as a kid and wants to pursue it as an academic researcher, he is brought fifty two years into the future by his Future Self to perfect time travel technology, and while he is there he meets Helen. And then sh*t gets crazy.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed and it is fast-paced action. It gets science-y but not in an overly cumbersome way, and I like the different takes that Aubry has on paradox - it made for a refreshing read. I will admit that this time (third reading) I wasn't overly sold on the ending so I changed my rating from 5 to 4 stars, but this is still an incredible and fun read.
October 14, 2015
This was very convoluted. I've had my fair share of time travel stories, but this one takes the cake for being the most confusing. I could go back and reread the possible explanations for Nigel's aging, the tools for time travel, Athena, Carlton, the ending...but the book wasn't even gripping. I wouldn't waste my time again.
November 17, 2021
Difficult one to rate this.....
How to write about time-travel....
a) Light-hearted romp through time usually involving some love interest with a few laughs and opportunities for folks to reminisce... good old days n'all that
b) Attempt to explain all the anomolies associated with time-travel, get occasionally tied in knots, throw in a love interest to help the story.
This is definitely b. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, it's just that it gets rather dark at times.. and in need of a convenient 'way out' of a situation.
I enjoyed the book, more so as it went on, but a little more dark than I was expecting.
How to write about time-travel....
a) Light-hearted romp through time usually involving some love interest with a few laughs and opportunities for folks to reminisce... good old days n'all that
b) Attempt to explain all the anomolies associated with time-travel, get occasionally tied in knots, throw in a love interest to help the story.
This is definitely b. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, it's just that it gets rather dark at times.. and in need of a convenient 'way out' of a situation.
I enjoyed the book, more so as it went on, but a little more dark than I was expecting.
June 3, 2015
When I began reading this book, I was excited. Excited by the freshness of the topic, by the alternate reality this book presented. Excited by the clear and concise explanations of time travel paradoxes (for the record, the grandfather effect in this book resets everything to zero starting with the new changes, in effect, the universe doesn't care about the paradox!).
However, short chapter after short chapter, the book wore me out with its repetition, and I finished halfway. I skipped to the end and saw it had one hundred and twenty-four chapters. I like long books just like anyone else, but the repetition made it feel like I was reading "Groundhog Day" over and over, with little action but tons of meetings with the mystery time traveller (Penelope, Una, Athena all are names of the same person, depending on the mood of the main character) and with his future self. Pretty soon, the book repeats: the main character Nigel meets someone in a different time. The meeting is short. He learns one fact; sometimes it is important, most often the fact is not important. Repeat in the next chapter. Repeat. No chapter seemed to be longer than 500 words.
There was little action, which I don't mind, but there were a lot of meetings with one person at a time. Even a visit to the year 1972 (a rare year to visit in this book) introduced no setting at all for the unique civilization and culture that existed in 1972; there is no description of the "feel" of the environment; no music, no news of the day, no famous characters, no clothing details.
This book had a very unique and exciting concept, which is why I am awarding it three stars. This is very much like the theme of the Time Traveler's Wife, with two main characters out of sync in time (i.e. the man may meet the woman the first, or the fifteenth time, out of sequence, and the woman meets the man in a very different sequence as well). However, at least the Time Traveler's Wife, while not a perfect book, had a deep relationship between the characters. Here the main two characters, the two time travellers (I didn't get much past the beginning of the relationship with Helen, the love interest, which doesn't start until about halfway through the book anyway) keep secrets from each other and so it is hard to deepen the relationship between them, even if it is based on wonder or curiosity other than romance.
This book has a lot of promise. With this premise being well served by the right plot and structure, the premise could blow away our imaginations.
I would suggest by starting over, and chunk it off into main scenes.... some books do well with seven to ten main scenes, and the chapters reinforce the scenes, rather than be short as if following a strict word count rule. Instead of about a hundred meetings, have several critically important fact-finding excursions, sometimes by meeting this other time traveller, and make each occasion important... i.e. if the meeting didn't happen, this would be a huge obstacle to the main character in resolving the puzzle. To that effect, a critical chapter could be longer, as it seeks to capture as many answers as possible.
However, short chapter after short chapter, the book wore me out with its repetition, and I finished halfway. I skipped to the end and saw it had one hundred and twenty-four chapters. I like long books just like anyone else, but the repetition made it feel like I was reading "Groundhog Day" over and over, with little action but tons of meetings with the mystery time traveller (Penelope, Una, Athena all are names of the same person, depending on the mood of the main character) and with his future self. Pretty soon, the book repeats: the main character Nigel meets someone in a different time. The meeting is short. He learns one fact; sometimes it is important, most often the fact is not important. Repeat in the next chapter. Repeat. No chapter seemed to be longer than 500 words.
There was little action, which I don't mind, but there were a lot of meetings with one person at a time. Even a visit to the year 1972 (a rare year to visit in this book) introduced no setting at all for the unique civilization and culture that existed in 1972; there is no description of the "feel" of the environment; no music, no news of the day, no famous characters, no clothing details.
This book had a very unique and exciting concept, which is why I am awarding it three stars. This is very much like the theme of the Time Traveler's Wife, with two main characters out of sync in time (i.e. the man may meet the woman the first, or the fifteenth time, out of sequence, and the woman meets the man in a very different sequence as well). However, at least the Time Traveler's Wife, while not a perfect book, had a deep relationship between the characters. Here the main two characters, the two time travellers (I didn't get much past the beginning of the relationship with Helen, the love interest, which doesn't start until about halfway through the book anyway) keep secrets from each other and so it is hard to deepen the relationship between them, even if it is based on wonder or curiosity other than romance.
This book has a lot of promise. With this premise being well served by the right plot and structure, the premise could blow away our imaginations.
I would suggest by starting over, and chunk it off into main scenes.... some books do well with seven to ten main scenes, and the chapters reinforce the scenes, rather than be short as if following a strict word count rule. Instead of about a hundred meetings, have several critically important fact-finding excursions, sometimes by meeting this other time traveller, and make each occasion important... i.e. if the meeting didn't happen, this would be a huge obstacle to the main character in resolving the puzzle. To that effect, a critical chapter could be longer, as it seeks to capture as many answers as possible.
April 15, 2015
-I wanted to like this book, but I couldn't get attached to any characters.
-Over a hundred chapters and all the back and forth were somewhat annoying.
-The ending just...ended so quickly. All those years and build up, and the ending was so quick.
-Over a hundred chapters and all the back and forth were somewhat annoying.
-The ending just...ended so quickly. All those years and build up, and the ending was so quick.
June 11, 2022
I love time travel books and I’m not sure why I waited so long to get to this one, the premise sounded really interesting but it in my Audible TBR for years.
The book is centered on protagonist Nigel Walden. Since he was fourteen years old, Nigel has experienced "unhappenings" in his life. Past event would change, seemingly randomly, and his reality was always in flux. People such as teachers and friends changed or were replaced by others with no explanation and even personal belongings disappeared or were altered; and only Nigel had memories of the original “happenings”. Some of these changes were traumatic for Nigel, like a longtime girlfriend not knowing him one day, losing his favorite teacher, changes to grades, etc., and gradually the changes caused him to retreat socially as he was sick of being disappointed and having people he liked suddenly missing from his life. It appeared that some outside force was retroactively tweaking his life events. Eventually he is visited by a mysterious lady time traveler who gradually lets him in on some secrets and gives him the means to move through time; and, he eventually meets his future self, also a time traveler, and learns that he eventually becomes a famous developer of time travel technology. Time traveling hijinks ensue. Nigel spends learns that there are consequences of traveling through time – moral dilemmas, unintended consequences, and the temptation to act upon one's personal agendas.
Eventually the novel goes from a purely time travel adventure and mystery to a time travel love story and the tone becomes increasingly dark. The plot is super interesting right off the bat and becomes increasingly more complex and harder to follow. There are 124 (!) chapters plus an epilogue. Each chapter starts with a date stamp which allows the reader to orientate themselves on what part of the narrative they are in, and each chapter ends with a revelation or a cliffhanger. There are some bombshell twists and turns along the way. I can’t say much more without revealing spoilers.
The characters are well developed, and the plot is fast-paced. The premise of the book is based on science fiction but there is really no hard science crammed in to your brain, it’s mostly hand-waving explanations of the time travel technology, which was fine for me. I was immersed in the engaging narrative. Time travel paradoxes are explained in an interesting fashion.
The novel eventually veered off in different directions than I thought it would, which was surprising and sometimes shocking. I thought it dragged a little bit late, about 75% through, and maybe was a bit too long, but I really liked the ending and it went from a 3.5 or 4.0 rating to a 5.0 rating during the last few chapters and the epilogue.
The book is centered on protagonist Nigel Walden. Since he was fourteen years old, Nigel has experienced "unhappenings" in his life. Past event would change, seemingly randomly, and his reality was always in flux. People such as teachers and friends changed or were replaced by others with no explanation and even personal belongings disappeared or were altered; and only Nigel had memories of the original “happenings”. Some of these changes were traumatic for Nigel, like a longtime girlfriend not knowing him one day, losing his favorite teacher, changes to grades, etc., and gradually the changes caused him to retreat socially as he was sick of being disappointed and having people he liked suddenly missing from his life. It appeared that some outside force was retroactively tweaking his life events. Eventually he is visited by a mysterious lady time traveler who gradually lets him in on some secrets and gives him the means to move through time; and, he eventually meets his future self, also a time traveler, and learns that he eventually becomes a famous developer of time travel technology. Time traveling hijinks ensue. Nigel spends learns that there are consequences of traveling through time – moral dilemmas, unintended consequences, and the temptation to act upon one's personal agendas.
Eventually the novel goes from a purely time travel adventure and mystery to a time travel love story and the tone becomes increasingly dark. The plot is super interesting right off the bat and becomes increasingly more complex and harder to follow. There are 124 (!) chapters plus an epilogue. Each chapter starts with a date stamp which allows the reader to orientate themselves on what part of the narrative they are in, and each chapter ends with a revelation or a cliffhanger. There are some bombshell twists and turns along the way. I can’t say much more without revealing spoilers.
The characters are well developed, and the plot is fast-paced. The premise of the book is based on science fiction but there is really no hard science crammed in to your brain, it’s mostly hand-waving explanations of the time travel technology, which was fine for me. I was immersed in the engaging narrative. Time travel paradoxes are explained in an interesting fashion.
The novel eventually veered off in different directions than I thought it would, which was surprising and sometimes shocking. I thought it dragged a little bit late, about 75% through, and maybe was a bit too long, but I really liked the ending and it went from a 3.5 or 4.0 rating to a 5.0 rating during the last few chapters and the epilogue.
February 26, 2016
Through the first 50% of this book, I was convinced this was going to be one of the few books I would give 5 stars to. The final 50% was closer to 3 stars, and the ending was lower than that. I averaged this to a 4 star, even though it's more uneven of a book than most books I give 4 star ratings to. However, the fact that this book keeps playing over and over in my mind makes me think it is deserving of that rating.
I'm generally not a huge fan of time travel stories; the ideas of paradox and unintended consequences tend to get a little old and cliche to me... but this one had an interesting twist I hadn't experienced before. I'm not sure it stands up to close scrutiny, but it made for a fascinating way of telling a story. The idea of events shifting and "unhappening" in your life in ways that only you notice- and never being able to trust that anyone you think is a friend will actually remember you on any particular day- made for an interesting, untrustworthy framework to build a story on. There is a sense of ominousness that permeates through this book, especially early on.
The last half of the book, though, was overlong and got repetitive. It could have used a healthy dose of editing. After over and over, I was getting impatient for it to get to the end. And then the ending arrives. Ugh. I get that the author wanted this to have a melancholy, artistic, tragic ending, but it just didn't fit with this character or story. It just feels like the author had this grand, tragic, romantic ending in mind and forced it on the book whether it worked or not.
I had other quibbles about little things as well. Little lapses and leaps in logic that didn't quite work, plot points and foreshadowing that were set up and never came to fruition, and other things that just didn't feel well thought out. Overall, though, it was a satisfying and thought-provoking read that I quite enjoyed.
I'm generally not a huge fan of time travel stories; the ideas of paradox and unintended consequences tend to get a little old and cliche to me... but this one had an interesting twist I hadn't experienced before. I'm not sure it stands up to close scrutiny, but it made for a fascinating way of telling a story. The idea of events shifting and "unhappening" in your life in ways that only you notice- and never being able to trust that anyone you think is a friend will actually remember you on any particular day- made for an interesting, untrustworthy framework to build a story on. There is a sense of ominousness that permeates through this book, especially early on.
The last half of the book, though, was overlong and got repetitive. It could have used a healthy dose of editing. After over and over, I was getting impatient for it to get to the end. And then the ending arrives. Ugh. I get that the author wanted this to have a melancholy, artistic, tragic ending, but it just didn't fit with this character or story. It just feels like the author had this grand, tragic, romantic ending in mind and forced it on the book whether it worked or not.
I had other quibbles about little things as well. Little lapses and leaps in logic that didn't quite work, plot points and foreshadowing that were set up and never came to fruition, and other things that just didn't feel well thought out. Overall, though, it was a satisfying and thought-provoking read that I quite enjoyed.
April 2, 2022
It’s been awhile since I read a time travel book that left me with the acute realization and uncomfortable despair that the best sci fi books haunt me instead of just leaving me feeling like all the pieces fit together with a deep smiling sigh as I read “THE END”.
Without discrediting this work by comparing it to others, I would like to say that Unhappenings feels like it could be the love child of the essence’s of two of my favorite books: Replay by Ken Grimwood and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.
Moving on to the next book will be hard after this one.
Without discrediting this work by comparing it to others, I would like to say that Unhappenings feels like it could be the love child of the essence’s of two of my favorite books: Replay by Ken Grimwood and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.
Moving on to the next book will be hard after this one.
November 1, 2014
Meet Nigel. Life has been going wrong from him as long as he can remember...except that he can also remember when it DIDN'T. Every good think that happens to Nigel, however, seems to be undone--not the way a glass is broken, but far more sinisterly, UNHAPPENED. Somehow the world keeps changing for the worse, and only Nigel remembers that it was not always that way.
With a unique take on time travel, destiny, and personal responsibility, _Unhappenings_ grips you tight and refuses to let you go. While it doesn't seem written to have a sequel, I will welcome whatever he writes next.
With a unique take on time travel, destiny, and personal responsibility, _Unhappenings_ grips you tight and refuses to let you go. While it doesn't seem written to have a sequel, I will welcome whatever he writes next.
May 24, 2019
Rating: 4.5/5, I loved it 😍
2019’s ATY in 52 books challenge 52. A book with a weird or intriguing title
I love time travel stories but it’s been a while since I’ve read one I loved. This story had everything I was looking for, the time travel isn’t a gimmick or a plot device to tell another story, is it’s center, the main plot.
The novel has a love story but it’s not corny and it doesn’t become the only aspect of it. The pace is wonderful, the story is very well executed, very detailed, the characters were fleshed out, specially Nigel. The sci-fi stuff is developed enough to ground the story but never gets too technical so it’s never boring.
I loved everything about it! If you like time travel stories, I highly recommend it.
2019’s ATY in 52 books challenge 52. A book with a weird or intriguing title
I love time travel stories but it’s been a while since I’ve read one I loved. This story had everything I was looking for, the time travel isn’t a gimmick or a plot device to tell another story, is it’s center, the main plot.
The novel has a love story but it’s not corny and it doesn’t become the only aspect of it. The pace is wonderful, the story is very well executed, very detailed, the characters were fleshed out, specially Nigel. The sci-fi stuff is developed enough to ground the story but never gets too technical so it’s never boring.
I loved everything about it! If you like time travel stories, I highly recommend it.
February 16, 2015
For a topic as worn-out as time travel, it's hard to find an original take that doesn't immediately evoke thoughts of classics in the 'time travel genre', if there is such a thing. This book manages to add some new colour to a well-known palet, skirt most of the clichés, and where it does touch upon them, get away with it in a way that is -- well, sort of endearing, really. I had a lot of sympathy for this book.
Main character Nigel is someone who has pulled back from people because the events of his life are always 'unhappening': he remembers them, but nobody else does, which makes it difficult (or even impossible) to form lasting relationships. During the course of the book we find out why that is and the attempts he makes at getting a life.
The story focuses much more on relationships than it does the mechanics of time travel, which is sort of reminiscent of The Time Traveler's Wife (one of my favourite time travel books). However, the story resembles far more a whodunit and much less a love story, which The Time Traveler's Wife ultimately was. Instead, . And that, I think, is what makes this story an original.
Two minor notes of criticism, perhaps.
Other than this, an enjoyable book that makes me curious about other things Edward Aubry has written.
Main character Nigel is someone who has pulled back from people because the events of his life are always 'unhappening': he remembers them, but nobody else does, which makes it difficult (or even impossible) to form lasting relationships. During the course of the book we find out why that is and the attempts he makes at getting a life.
The story focuses much more on relationships than it does the mechanics of time travel, which is sort of reminiscent of The Time Traveler's Wife (one of my favourite time travel books). However, the story resembles far more a whodunit and much less a love story, which The Time Traveler's Wife ultimately was. Instead, . And that, I think, is what makes this story an original.
Two minor notes of criticism, perhaps.
Other than this, an enjoyable book that makes me curious about other things Edward Aubry has written.
January 12, 2015
REVIEW: UNHAPPENINGS by Edward Aubry
I always particularly enjoy reading books by Edward Aubry; always well-written, they always serve to stretch my brain and imagination. UNHAPPENINGS is a story of Time time traTravel, though for me it works equally as repetitive probability shifting. But Mr. Aubry's focus is Time Travel, so that is the direction we shall go.
Nigel Walden is an inadvertent time traveler, at least inadvertent for the first several years, until he meets a girl he terms "Penelope," who teaches him techniques to appear ADD, and subsequently her future self, who teaches Nigel to consciously time travel. Since at least age 14, Nigel's life frequently unravels, and he is caught out with memories no one else shares, and people lost forever that only he knew.
I always particularly enjoy reading books by Edward Aubry; always well-written, they always serve to stretch my brain and imagination. UNHAPPENINGS is a story of Time time traTravel, though for me it works equally as repetitive probability shifting. But Mr. Aubry's focus is Time Travel, so that is the direction we shall go.
Nigel Walden is an inadvertent time traveler, at least inadvertent for the first several years, until he meets a girl he terms "Penelope," who teaches him techniques to appear ADD, and subsequently her future self, who teaches Nigel to consciously time travel. Since at least age 14, Nigel's life frequently unravels, and he is caught out with memories no one else shares, and people lost forever that only he knew.
February 12, 2016
Wow. I may finished reading, no devouring, this book and I loved it. It reminds me of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August in a distant way. It's incredibly well written and the author did an excellent job of creating world upon world upon world, even if they only lasted moments before unhappening. The book/story really delve into time travel so it can get a little hard to follow at times, but not because the story itself is complex, only because time travel is inherently a tricky topic with many layers and dimensions. I liked this book so much I wish that it would keep going and I had never gotten to the end.
May 5, 2021
“And again, the universe just shrugs it off, insisting—and rightly so—that it owes no one any explanation for its conduct.”
Unhappening
4.25/5.0
Time and time again I am reminded why I love time travel in books, and time and time again I remind myself why I need plenty of time in between them. Unhappening presents the intriguing idea of what would happen if you lived a life in a never-ending Mandela Effect. Our main character is Nigel and ever since he was 14, he would experience life events only to have them change the next day, and worst of all, only he could remember the change. The story itself was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be, and to be honest, was a real rollercoaster of emotions. While the story interested me, for the first 40% it was kind of slow, not really picking up until the main conflict introduces itself (after which point, I was hooked and found the pace perfect). It was not really helped by the outlandish number of chapters (120), while that fact itself did not really bother me too much, I can see it irritating some. The mood throughout the book, I feel, was spot on as I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the next thing to happen. By itself I feel like that is a compliment enough, but because the nature of the story and what our MC was going through, it really added an immersive experience to it all. There were some questionable character decisions and time plot holes but as an overall impression, I truly did enjoy the story. I was not a big fan of the ending, but the end did leave me thinking and after all is said and done, that is all I ask of these kinds of thrillers.
This book was apparently Edward Aubry’s debut novel, and honestly, I am impressed. While I did not find it as good as other time travelers (Impossible Times by Mark Lawrence or Recursion by Blake Crouch) it was still a fantastic book, and written before both of the 2 noted above. It was free for me through Kindle unlimited and I can’t recommend it enough if you use the service and enjoy a good time travel story.
By the time I read the last sentence of Unhappening, so many thoughts and emotions were going through my head, which was both exhilarating and exhausting in equal measures. The carefully crafted story, in my opinion, balances out its early pacing and plot holes and delivers a rollercoaster ride. And ultimately, we got to read about one man's dedication and what he was willing to do for love.
Unhappening
4.25/5.0
Time and time again I am reminded why I love time travel in books, and time and time again I remind myself why I need plenty of time in between them. Unhappening presents the intriguing idea of what would happen if you lived a life in a never-ending Mandela Effect. Our main character is Nigel and ever since he was 14, he would experience life events only to have them change the next day, and worst of all, only he could remember the change. The story itself was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be, and to be honest, was a real rollercoaster of emotions. While the story interested me, for the first 40% it was kind of slow, not really picking up until the main conflict introduces itself (after which point, I was hooked and found the pace perfect). It was not really helped by the outlandish number of chapters (120), while that fact itself did not really bother me too much, I can see it irritating some. The mood throughout the book, I feel, was spot on as I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the next thing to happen. By itself I feel like that is a compliment enough, but because the nature of the story and what our MC was going through, it really added an immersive experience to it all. There were some questionable character decisions and time plot holes but as an overall impression, I truly did enjoy the story. I was not a big fan of the ending, but the end did leave me thinking and after all is said and done, that is all I ask of these kinds of thrillers.
This book was apparently Edward Aubry’s debut novel, and honestly, I am impressed. While I did not find it as good as other time travelers (Impossible Times by Mark Lawrence or Recursion by Blake Crouch) it was still a fantastic book, and written before both of the 2 noted above. It was free for me through Kindle unlimited and I can’t recommend it enough if you use the service and enjoy a good time travel story.
By the time I read the last sentence of Unhappening, so many thoughts and emotions were going through my head, which was both exhilarating and exhausting in equal measures. The carefully crafted story, in my opinion, balances out its early pacing and plot holes and delivers a rollercoaster ride. And ultimately, we got to read about one man's dedication and what he was willing to do for love.
March 17, 2016
This book is unlike anything I've ever read before, I'm still reeling from it. I was captivated by this book before I even started it - the premise of it sounded so intriguing (I've been really into books about time travel lately, and I do not mind it one bit), and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. The main thing that drew me into this book, however, is Edward Aubry's response when he was asked what inspired him to write the book/the idea behind it. He said that the idea for this story was a combination of ideas, but I loved that he willingly chose to focus on the ordinary man - he wrote about a character who was so flawed and realistic and normal, and it made the story all the more enjoyable to read.
To quote the author from my favorite part of his answer, "The other story was about someone using time travel for an unconventional purpose. Heroes want to use time travel to fix terrible things in the past, and villains want to use it for power and personal gain on large scales. I wanted to talk about what a ordinary, flawed person would do, if given a chance, to use time travel for something very small and very personal, and how that could still have catastrophic consequences."
I honestly think that's absolutely brilliant. I love the idea and I love the way it was executed. It makes sense in a way that it shouldn't, but because it shouldn't make sense yet it does, it's like this one big mind whoosh, to be honest.
The writing in this book is stunning. Edward Aubry's style is gorgeous yet so simple and easy to follow. The story is exhilarating, confusing, heartbreaking, mysterious, and everything in between - it made me feel so many feelings that I didn't know one book was capable of making you feeling, and this is honestly and truly a new favorite. I think that this story is one that isn't for everyone, but it definitely is one I feel like everyone will be able to appreciate. From the gorgeous writing to the realistic and relatable characters, there's bound to be something that I feel like anyone can latch onto and admire, even for a little while.
The plot twist in this book had me gaping at the pages for a solid five minutes. I did not see it coming and it happened so quickly - I had to backtrack and read and reread and reread it, and it honestly filled me with so much joy and warmth and longing that I felt like I was about to burst. By this point I had already fallen in love with Nigel, Helen, and Athena, so it was so amazing to finally see how their stories all connected, because I was waiting and waiting for that little piece of the puzzle to click into place. And the second it did, I fell even more in love for the story, which I didn't even think was possible at that point. Everything wrapped up so nicely in this book and even though the ending has your heart pounding and makes you into a teary-eyed mess all of a sudden after a hundred-ish pages of giggles and smiles, it's so, so worth it.
This book portrays the best and the worst of reality in a beautiful way. There's a sense of longing and adventure in this book, the desire to go seek answers while you have the means to while trying to not screw everything that's already happened, and that's meant to happen, up. There's a beautiful lesson to be learnt from the book; the backlash that there is within the desire to learn and know too much, and then wishing to have remained naive and clueless and unaware, and then coming to terms with the way things have turned out as a consequence because of your actions - the way Nigel learnt this lesson had my heart breaking, but I couldn't have imagined this story ending another way.
This is an absolutely gorgeous read and I'd recommend it to everyone.
To quote the author from my favorite part of his answer, "The other story was about someone using time travel for an unconventional purpose. Heroes want to use time travel to fix terrible things in the past, and villains want to use it for power and personal gain on large scales. I wanted to talk about what a ordinary, flawed person would do, if given a chance, to use time travel for something very small and very personal, and how that could still have catastrophic consequences."
I honestly think that's absolutely brilliant. I love the idea and I love the way it was executed. It makes sense in a way that it shouldn't, but because it shouldn't make sense yet it does, it's like this one big mind whoosh, to be honest.
The writing in this book is stunning. Edward Aubry's style is gorgeous yet so simple and easy to follow. The story is exhilarating, confusing, heartbreaking, mysterious, and everything in between - it made me feel so many feelings that I didn't know one book was capable of making you feeling, and this is honestly and truly a new favorite. I think that this story is one that isn't for everyone, but it definitely is one I feel like everyone will be able to appreciate. From the gorgeous writing to the realistic and relatable characters, there's bound to be something that I feel like anyone can latch onto and admire, even for a little while.
The plot twist in this book had me gaping at the pages for a solid five minutes. I did not see it coming and it happened so quickly - I had to backtrack and read and reread and reread it, and it honestly filled me with so much joy and warmth and longing that I felt like I was about to burst. By this point I had already fallen in love with Nigel, Helen, and Athena, so it was so amazing to finally see how their stories all connected, because I was waiting and waiting for that little piece of the puzzle to click into place. And the second it did, I fell even more in love for the story, which I didn't even think was possible at that point. Everything wrapped up so nicely in this book and even though the ending has your heart pounding and makes you into a teary-eyed mess all of a sudden after a hundred-ish pages of giggles and smiles, it's so, so worth it.
This book portrays the best and the worst of reality in a beautiful way. There's a sense of longing and adventure in this book, the desire to go seek answers while you have the means to while trying to not screw everything that's already happened, and that's meant to happen, up. There's a beautiful lesson to be learnt from the book; the backlash that there is within the desire to learn and know too much, and then wishing to have remained naive and clueless and unaware, and then coming to terms with the way things have turned out as a consequence because of your actions - the way Nigel learnt this lesson had my heart breaking, but I couldn't have imagined this story ending another way.
This is an absolutely gorgeous read and I'd recommend it to everyone.
January 9, 2015
Wow. I said that several times reading this book and then several more times after I finished it. Not sure I could have said anything else without sounding like a babbling idiot.
I rarely give 5 stars to YA or adult books. Five stars is usually reserved for Maggie Stiefvater, an author who writes emotion like no other. But UnHappenings gets 5 stars from me and I'd go higher if Goodreads and Amazon would let me. In case you can't tell, I think this book was spectacular.
Now, I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and time travel in particular. The first story I every wrote that made me think writing was a thing I could do was a time travel story. And better yet, when a book has complex world rules that I want to follow and tear apart and wonder if they're real, I know I'll want to read over and over.
I will say the rules are a bit complex and I don't think I've got the chops to keep enough in my head to follow it all, but for those who don't appreciate excessively technical books - don't worry. Just take the ride. Because deep down, this is a love story asking the question - if you had unlimited means, just how far would you go to keep the person you love.
There were times I wanted to pound Nigel for not asking the questions I knew he should, but he knew he wouldn't get an answer. Through 2/3 of the book, he was on as much of a ride as the reader. But when the answers start coming, oh, they're so painful and beautiful.
The style of this book has very short chapters, so it feels like a fast read. I appreciate the how the choppiness contributed to how Nigels life would have felt. There are many books I read and check out the page numbers to see my progress. In this case, I kept checking the page numbers, desperate that it wasn't close to ending. I would have followed this adventure for another couple hundred pages and I very much hope to see more from this author.
A side note to the Whovians out there - this book contains the real Impossible Girl!
Go buy this book now! You won't regret it. Best book I've read in a long time.
I rarely give 5 stars to YA or adult books. Five stars is usually reserved for Maggie Stiefvater, an author who writes emotion like no other. But UnHappenings gets 5 stars from me and I'd go higher if Goodreads and Amazon would let me. In case you can't tell, I think this book was spectacular.
Now, I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and time travel in particular. The first story I every wrote that made me think writing was a thing I could do was a time travel story. And better yet, when a book has complex world rules that I want to follow and tear apart and wonder if they're real, I know I'll want to read over and over.
I will say the rules are a bit complex and I don't think I've got the chops to keep enough in my head to follow it all, but for those who don't appreciate excessively technical books - don't worry. Just take the ride. Because deep down, this is a love story asking the question - if you had unlimited means, just how far would you go to keep the person you love.
There were times I wanted to pound Nigel for not asking the questions I knew he should, but he knew he wouldn't get an answer. Through 2/3 of the book, he was on as much of a ride as the reader. But when the answers start coming, oh, they're so painful and beautiful.
The style of this book has very short chapters, so it feels like a fast read. I appreciate the how the choppiness contributed to how Nigels life would have felt. There are many books I read and check out the page numbers to see my progress. In this case, I kept checking the page numbers, desperate that it wasn't close to ending. I would have followed this adventure for another couple hundred pages and I very much hope to see more from this author.
A side note to the Whovians out there - this book contains the real Impossible Girl!
Go buy this book now! You won't regret it. Best book I've read in a long time.
February 20, 2016
UnHappenings was compelling as all get-out. I spent the entire novel either gripped by the incredibly intriguing story line or feeling heartbroken for the protagonist, Nigel, over his every tiny joy in life being sabotaged.
My Favorite Part:
My Least Favorite Part: The ending. Okay, it's not that bad. But
Still, what an awesome read. This is not a light, feel-good novel, but it is engrossing, thought-provoking, and addictive. Aubry has a gift for fleshing out an intricate plot and making sure all those loose ends come together to create a well-woven and imaginative tapestry by the end.
Review by Jodi Perkins
Author of Chasing Echoes
My Favorite Part:
My Least Favorite Part: The ending. Okay, it's not that bad. But
Still, what an awesome read. This is not a light, feel-good novel, but it is engrossing, thought-provoking, and addictive. Aubry has a gift for fleshing out an intricate plot and making sure all those loose ends come together to create a well-woven and imaginative tapestry by the end.
Review by Jodi Perkins
Author of Chasing Echoes
July 4, 2018
Given the average review and the subject matter, I really expected to enjoy this more.
The first problem is that the prose is so workmanlike that it might leave sawdust and discarded screws on your floor. The characters are sketched out briefly, but the world of the 22nd Century is more or less omitted apart from occasional comments about computers having wood cases and voice interfaces. What is Cambridge, Massachusetts like in the 22nd Century? Apparently pretty much like Cambridge, Massachusetts was when I lived there in the 2000s, but with keycards instead of keys to open your front door. Maybe it really will be like that, in spite of global warming and all the other problems facing us, but it wouldn't hurt to throw in some descriptive detail to make it feel like a real place, and ideally one very different to today.
The second problem is the pacing. The author apparently decided that the best way to avoid making a time travel story even more confusing, is to follow the protagonist's life in linear sequence (more or less). The problem is, that means having to start with childhood and work through 20 years of not much going on. There's some mystery here and there and a second time traveler visiting to take him on missions, but overall it drags. Finally when the protagonist reaches adulthood and the antagonist is fully revealed the book explodes into action, but that's in the last quarter of its pages, and most of the action isn't described, it's just briefly summarized retrospectively. (So anyway, here's how we solved global thermonuclear war, summarized in a couple of paragraphs.)
Still, there were twists I didn't see coming, and it's at least a story about people rather than the worst kind of dry technical SF, so I did enjoy it. I just wish it had been better.
The first problem is that the prose is so workmanlike that it might leave sawdust and discarded screws on your floor. The characters are sketched out briefly, but the world of the 22nd Century is more or less omitted apart from occasional comments about computers having wood cases and voice interfaces. What is Cambridge, Massachusetts like in the 22nd Century? Apparently pretty much like Cambridge, Massachusetts was when I lived there in the 2000s, but with keycards instead of keys to open your front door. Maybe it really will be like that, in spite of global warming and all the other problems facing us, but it wouldn't hurt to throw in some descriptive detail to make it feel like a real place, and ideally one very different to today.
The second problem is the pacing. The author apparently decided that the best way to avoid making a time travel story even more confusing, is to follow the protagonist's life in linear sequence (more or less). The problem is, that means having to start with childhood and work through 20 years of not much going on. There's some mystery here and there and a second time traveler visiting to take him on missions, but overall it drags. Finally when the protagonist reaches adulthood and the antagonist is fully revealed the book explodes into action, but that's in the last quarter of its pages, and most of the action isn't described, it's just briefly summarized retrospectively. (So anyway, here's how we solved global thermonuclear war, summarized in a couple of paragraphs.)
Still, there were twists I didn't see coming, and it's at least a story about people rather than the worst kind of dry technical SF, so I did enjoy it. I just wish it had been better.
January 5, 2015
4 Stars!
This book intrigued me. In a world where time travel is possible, Niguel realizes that he is not normal at a young age. Things start “unhappening.” Things disappear, friendships forgotten.
When I got home, I discovered that I had a cat. At first I though she was an intruder, but a quick check of the bathroom and cupboard revealed litter box and cat food.
It’s not until after he starts college at MIT that he meets Penelope.
She introduces him to time travel and implants a device in his arm. Together they “run fixes” but he still doesn’t understand. It isn’t until his future self visits him and tells him he needs to travel to the future to help fix the flaws in the time travel system.
He finds himself working in a lab in 2146. His older self is a doctor that also works in the same building. He directive is to never contact him.
When he meets Helen, he is drawn to her beauty and wit. He keeps their relationship platonic in fear that he will make her “unhappen.” But destiny has a mind of it’s own. With the world ever changing around him, the the only thing constant in his life is her. He must travel back in time with Penelope to try to save the world an before it’s too late.
This book intrigued me. In a world where time travel is possible, Niguel realizes that he is not normal at a young age. Things start “unhappening.” Things disappear, friendships forgotten.
When I got home, I discovered that I had a cat. At first I though she was an intruder, but a quick check of the bathroom and cupboard revealed litter box and cat food.
It’s not until after he starts college at MIT that he meets Penelope.
She introduces him to time travel and implants a device in his arm. Together they “run fixes” but he still doesn’t understand. It isn’t until his future self visits him and tells him he needs to travel to the future to help fix the flaws in the time travel system.
He finds himself working in a lab in 2146. His older self is a doctor that also works in the same building. He directive is to never contact him.
When he meets Helen, he is drawn to her beauty and wit. He keeps their relationship platonic in fear that he will make her “unhappen.” But destiny has a mind of it’s own. With the world ever changing around him, the the only thing constant in his life is her. He must travel back in time with Penelope to try to save the world an before it’s too late.
May 21, 2015
Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All of these opinions are purely my own.
The concept of this novel drew me in from the beginning; unhappenings, or events that undo themselves without anyone noticing, happen all the time in Nigel's life with him being the only one that realises. Part love story, part science fiction, this extraordinary book is something that will keep you gripped to the last page. The chapters are extremely short, sometimes only a single page, which has both positive and negative consequences; the brevity sometimes seems unnecessary, especially when the characters haven't moved in time as indicated in the chapter headings, but it does mean that this is a very quick read that is difficult to put down.
Unhappenings is a fast-paced, nail-biting adventure with some time travel that, although confusing at points, is done in a way that I have never seen before. The twists and turns were unexpected and executed perfectly.
I would love to read something else by this author. This was a great example of the time travel genre and although, as I said, I had a slight problem with the plot being confusing at points, I really enjoyed the story and writing style overall so would highly recommend it.
The concept of this novel drew me in from the beginning; unhappenings, or events that undo themselves without anyone noticing, happen all the time in Nigel's life with him being the only one that realises. Part love story, part science fiction, this extraordinary book is something that will keep you gripped to the last page. The chapters are extremely short, sometimes only a single page, which has both positive and negative consequences; the brevity sometimes seems unnecessary, especially when the characters haven't moved in time as indicated in the chapter headings, but it does mean that this is a very quick read that is difficult to put down.
Unhappenings is a fast-paced, nail-biting adventure with some time travel that, although confusing at points, is done in a way that I have never seen before. The twists and turns were unexpected and executed perfectly.
I would love to read something else by this author. This was a great example of the time travel genre and although, as I said, I had a slight problem with the plot being confusing at points, I really enjoyed the story and writing style overall so would highly recommend it.
April 30, 2015
Wow. More people need to know about this book. What a story! Though this book's subject, time travel, is overly written about, this story has such an original spin on it. I honestly was hooked about a half a page in. It was a bit in depth and hard to follow at times, but if I found myself not understanding something, it would be explained better a chapter or two later. It is written to be in the future, but for me the setting is timeless. Without the constant mention of the year, or the occasional mention of vids, key cards and other mundane futuristic technology, you wouldn't really know if it were in the future, recent past or present. Every time I have déjà vu, or forget what I was about to say or forget why I walked into a room or some other blip, I'm going to think about this book and its travellers un-happening things. And I will most definitely be looking for more books from this author!
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