The Girl from Everywhere

Pros: great premise, interesting characters, mostly set in Hawaii, creative use of mythologies

Cons: drags a bit

Nix has lived her 16 years on the Temptation, sailing to any map - real or imagined - using her father's special navigation abilities. Slate is looking for a map that will allow them to travel back to the time just before the death of Nix's mother. But Nix is afraid that saving her mother will un-write her own life.

The characters are all somewhat conflicted in their desires. This makes them feel like real people, with their own hopes and fears, clashing with others. I loved that the characters were all from different backgrounds too. Nix is half Chines and half American, Kashmir is from a Persian map, etc.

Hawaii before the American takeover is a fascinating setting, and I was impressed at how closely the author kept to the history of the period (as relayed in the author's note). it was also wonderful learning about some Hawaiian myths.

The use of mythology was pretty clever. I loved the premise of the book and how belief is the most important factor in how the ‘magic' works.

I did find that the book dragged a bit. When they first land in Hawaii it took a while for things to get going.

This is a fun book, with a unique perspective.