Reception
Publishers Weekly's reviewer felt that The Book of Time was a "book-long prelude to a much longer story", praising Prévost's ability to efficiently and rapidly set up the story locations. Timothy Capehart of Voya agreed that it was obvious the first book was the start of a longer story, feeling it had no character development with a "tacked on" subplot. He also notes that the teenage characters "often speak with a stilted formality" and awkward phrasing, but was unsure if the translation or the original was to blame. Margaret K. McElderry of the School Library Journal felt readers would "feel cheated" by the ending of the first book as it answers no questions. Kirkus Reviews notes that the story is written "in short, almost jerky vignettes" and lacks depth in plot and character development due to its being the first book of the series. Andrea Sisco of Armchair Interviews praised the first volume, feeling the time-travel elements were fun, though noting there were too many in the first volume.
In reviewing the second book of the series, The Gate of Days, Keri Collins Lewis of Children's Literature Comprehensive Database praised the book for building on the first and building up to the third while having "its own unique story line" and being "action-packed". Cara Chancellor of KLIATT found it to be "lively and captivating" with a "stunning conclusion" that makes up for its lack of originality. Kirkus Reviews felt the series concept as a whole was solid, but feels its "execution is sparse, rough, erratic and uneasily similar to the sensation of skating on thin ice". It panned the second volume as well, hoping the final book would have writing to better "live up to the premise."
Read more about this topic: The Book Of Time (novel Series)
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“To aim to convert a man by miracles is a profanation of the soul. A true conversion, a true Christ, is now, as always, to be made by the reception of beautiful sentiments.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“To the United States the Third World often takes the form of a black woman who has been made pregnant in a moment of passion and who shows up one day in the reception room on the forty-ninth floor threatening to make a scene. The lawyers pay the woman off; sometimes uniformed guards accompany her to the elevators.”
—Lewis H. Lapham (b. 1935)
“I gave a speech in Omaha. After the speech I went to a reception elsewhere in town. A sweet old lady came up to me, put her gloved hand in mine, and said, “I hear you spoke here tonight.” “Oh, it was nothing,” I replied modestly. “Yes,” the little old lady nodded, “that’s what I heard.””
—Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)