Scarlet Woods by Brooke Passmore
Published: December, 2012
Source: Provided by author for an honest review
Author's Blog
About Scarlet Woods: (description provided by author)
Past, future, and love all exist in the door through time.Modern and independent seventeen year old Morgan Westbrook thought she had seen all there was to her home town of Scarlet, Georgia, but one day while walking in the woods behind her house she discovers a mysterious door masked behind the trees. After admiring the door’s timeless beauty she walks through its entrance to venture into more woods, but what she doesn't know is that the door is a gateway through time that takes her back to the year 1863 during the days of the Civil War in Scarlet.
Without knowing that she had traveled back in time,she stumbles upon Danny Carson, an attractive young man who is appalled to see that Morgan is wearing skimpy modern clothes instead of a nineteenth century dress. Although they find each other completely different than anyone they've ever known, they cannot help but feel drawn to one another. After spending time in another century, she discovers that she's time traveled back to the year 1863 and that the door took her there. For months she and Danny journey back and forth through the door to experience the joys of traveling to both of their centuries. When dilemmas of unwanted marriage, slavery, and war are thrown at them, they must face the perils that time travel has delivered them in both the future and the past.
Scarlet Woods was a nice surprise. Although I read YA quite frequently, this is the first time I read one with a historical element. The story develops between contemporary times and the past. Both eras are linked by a door in the woods. Danny and Morgan found each other at the woods, linking their destinies to one another from that day forward. They kept crossing that door back and forth, while getting to know their interests, families and anything in between. They fall in love and things get complicated when loyalty and values are put the to test in their lives.
While reading the story, it is obvious how interested the author is in creating an interesting setting. Action always takes place in Scarlet only differentiated by a point in time. Morgan comes from contemporary Scarlet while Danny is from 1863 and it is interesting to see them struggling. Claire finds the hop skirts a challenge while Danny finds every piece of modern tech and fast food creation mesmerizing. That kind of dynamic brings a refreshing tone to the story.
Scarlet Woods have elements of scifi. We see time travel. Time travel is what unites both characters. A door in the woods is what makes that possible. Something I still wish to know is how the door came to be in the woods. Who put that door there?
Characters complement really well the setting and story. Morgan and Danny are interesting individuals who show convictions. That's one of the reasons I liked them. Them as a couple show compatibility and chemistry which provides for a sweet love story.
Overall, the book is well written. My overall rating is a 4 out of 5. Why 4? Because I still don't know why the door has the power to be a portal for time traveling. I would have liked to have answers in this book, but I guess answers will come in the future of this series. The author shows her interest in forming in the reader's mind, a concrete idea of the eras the characters are interacting on. The sci-fi element of time traveling gives a nice twist to the story. This book is a good reading for YA readers who like sci-fi and love stories with a splash of historical. If you like any of those genres, grab this book!
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