Title: The Next TogetherAuthor: Lauren James
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: 2015
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy
Katherine and
Matthew meet, fall in love and change the course of history, again
and again, with one or both dying in the process. So what do they
need to do to break the cycle? 'The Next Together' covers four of
these meetings during the siege of Carlisle in 1745, the Crimean War
in 1854, 2019 and 2039. They play a vital role in preventing
catastrophes, but why do they keep being born over and over again and
who is controlling their lives?
The book jumps back
and forth through time, but it is easy to keep track because a
different font is used for each period and the time and place is
listed at the start of each chapter. I really liked the fonts used
because they fitted the period described. I could open the book at
any page and know immediately where Katherine and Matthew were in
time. The story is told in the third person for the most part, but
for 2019 hand written notes, texts and emails between the two allow
the reader to eavesdrop on what is happening. It was interesting to
see the part that changing technology played throughout and to
consider how different the story would be if that technology had been
available in the earlier periods. Lauren James has clearly researched
the historical periods thoroughly, but hasn't allowed herself to be
obsessed with accuracy at the expense of a good story.
I loved this book,
the idea is brilliant and I was kept gripped to the end. And what an
ending, the very last page opened up a whole new line for the story
to follow. I found myself thinking, 'oooh does that mean what I think
it does?' It also hinted at other periods that are still to be
covered. I am really looking forward to the sequel 'The Last Beginning' coming out
to find out if my ideas are correct, although I'm not sure if I can
wait a whole year.
