Assessment:

Plot: Heldt’s intriguing time travel tale sees Mark Lane and his family come to grips with the realities of the past. A host of colorful historical figures buoy the plot onward.

Prose/Style: Heldt’s prose is effective and engaging, painting a clear picture of a past time. Some atmospheric details, such as Mark's wife peddling twenty-first century makeup to nineteenth-century shopkeepers add vibrancy to the story.

Originality: Although time traveling is a subject often covered in speculative fiction, Heldt brings a fresh touch to it by focusing on the personalities of the past.

Character Development/Execution: A multiplicity of point-of-view characters cause the story to feel jumpy. However, Heldt’s atmospheric writing is refreshingly detailed.

Date Submitted: June 24, 2021