Rodney Jones (2)

All the Butterflies in the World/Rodney Jones This was a rather complex love story that spanned two centuries in a touching manner.
 
I really enjoyed the characterization that went on in this book. Small details about characters were brought back, such as Tess's best friend loving The White Stripes, and this really made me feel connected to the characters and invested in their ultimate fate.
 
The time period details were also extremely clever. When at the beginning John came to the modern show more days, I loved seeing the way he interacted with people and with all the new found technologies. Details such as the use of silver, horses, and costumes were all also relevant and interesting.
 
It was necessary to suspend my disbelief for some aspects of this book and to not overthink the time travel aspect as I believe there were some continuity errors, but these didn't detract from the book. I was also still extremely confused as to how the whole situation started, but now that I realize this was a sequel I understand where I went wrong.
 
This book was told in alternating chapters from Tess's and John's views. At some moments, this felt a little unnecessary. Tess was definitely the main character and some of John's chapters felt like filler.
 
I would have liked to have seen a little more before the end reflecting the ultimate decision that Tess and John made. I didn't feel that the Tess we were acquainted with really had strong enough feelings to justify the ultimate end. Despite this, I was overall very satisfied.
 
This book was a lovely read and can stand on its own without the prequel.I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

My version is actually an audiobook even though it's no longer available in that format.

4.5

Book source ~ Won in giveaway

John Bartley lives with his aunt and uncle in Greendale, Vermont. The year? 1875. He helps with the mill, goes to dances, and has friends. Then one day he hears a noise coming from the woods. When he investigates, everything changes. Literally. Ending up in 2009 is very confusing, but when he meets Tess McKinnon she helps him figure things out. Once she’s convinced he’s show more not crazy or pulling an elaborate joke, that is. When John discovers that his home was wiped out he has to go back. Things get even more complicated and, well, it’s a mess for sure. Now what do they do?

Oh, man. Time travel. Can you imagine just going along, minding your own business and then, all of a sudden, you’re 144 yrs in the future? I mean, wtf? You’d probably think you’d gone crazy. Or had a stroke. Or something. John holds it together pretty well and Tess is a smart girl. When she finally wraps her head around the fact this guy is telling the truth she jumps all in. They do research and when a field trip to where John’s home should be turns up ruins, he knows he has to find a way back. Then there’s Tess and that ending? Holy shit. This is a great story and while it ends on a cliffhanger at least the 2nd book is out and ready to go. show less

The Sun, the Moon, and Maybe the Trains/Rodney Jones John Bartley's days are filled with working in the mill or the garden, and he can't wait to see Zella at the next barn dance. But when he stumbles through a hidden portal in the forest, everything he's ever known falls behind him. A hundred and thirty-four years behind, to be more exact.Tess can't quite believe John's tale of time travel. Does he really not know what a cell phone is? A car? Indoor plumbing? To convince the girl he's show more swiftly falling for that he's not crazy, John must delve into Tess's history--his future--and solve the mystery of his hometown's demise. But when they learn its fate, each faces a sudden, wrenching choice. Save their love, or save the past?
 
Though I read the sequel to this book before this one, I enjoyed this one almost as much. (Partially because I'd forgotten what happens in the second!)
 
Jones did a fantastic job of envisioning the world in 2009 through the eyes of someone from the 1800s and I loved looking at Tess's modern home through his eyes and trying to understand all of the strange things.
 
Tess going back to the 1800s was also funny, though it didn't reach the potential it had for chaos to ensue. I loved hearing about her trying to dress appropriately and very much appreciated her feminisism shining through.
 
I got a little confused by the plot, however, and with what happened at the end. While it was initially very easy to follow, the events halfway through began to feel very rushed and confused--and there were multiple undertones of plots going on also.
 
Nonetheless, this was a lot of fun to read, and although I thought its sequel was better, this was an easy read and well worth the time.
 
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

This book was unlike anything I have read before, an interesting mix of the historical and the contemporary. The characters were so different from one another, the contrast keeping the dynamic between them interesting and often funny. Their interaction truly showed the difference 134 years can make in a society.

John Bartley was a nice guy from 1875 Vermont. Tess McKinnon is smart girl from 2009 Vermont. The two should never have crossed paths, but when John somehow stumbles from his time show more into hers. He is alone and confused, and more than a little scared by the new world he has found himself in. I loved his character as the narrator, seeing the modern world through the eyes of someone like him. The very things that we take for granted are amazing, and often shocking, to John. Cars, phones, clothing, even the fact that Tess shaves her legs! Tess is confronted with this guy and she wonders if he is a tad nuts in his conviction that he is from another time. But eventually she comes to realize that he is not crazy at all.

I loved the interaction between them. John, the quiet and reserved guy from a different time with different sociocultural values. Tess, the modern and contemporary girl with modern values. Their worlds are so different and sometimes those differences are a source of amusement or amazement, sometimes the source of judgment and misunderstanding.

There are some great moments in this book, moments of sadness and delight and fear and even some frustration. There were some twists and turns and some good anticipation that kept me reading. And the ending was a lovely bit of a cliffhanger that made me immediately reach for the next book, All the Butterflies in the World.

My Recommendation

This was a great read unlike anything Ive read before! show less