I loved Passenger but was very disappointed with this one. It was very slow and took me forever to get through - I couldn't read more than a chapter at a time. I was very eager to find out what had happened to Etta and Nicolas, but by page 200 or so I found I really couldn't care less. I kept going to page 327 and then just skipped to the end to find out what happened. I found that there was much less information about the eras the characters were in, than in the previous book, yet somehow there was still too much information and the book really dragged on. Probably the most confusing review I will write, but in conclusion I was just incredibly disappointed.

Divertissant mais sans plus. Si je ne l'avais pas déjà eu en ma possession, je ne l'aurais pas lu.

Wow! This book was so much better than the first one. The pacing in the first book was very slow, but in this book it was far better. I couldn't put it down.
It had a very satisfying ending.
4.5 stars

This always happens to me.

So this is the problem I have with these types of books. You set up the story with the previous book (as this is a sequel), get me all invested in the title characters who fall in love (*hearteyes* all over the place, people), SEPARATE THEM across space and time (because TIME TRAVEL), and then expect me to read the sequel *slowly* enough to appreciate the actual storytelling, when all I really want is for said title characters to find each other again...

Let me tell you, I WILL have to reread this book, because I read too fast. This book is LOADED with important details and plot lines that you have to pick up later, and it is so hard to follow if you aren't actively paying attention! This is not light, fluffy reading. You have to read with purpose and intent.

And once you read this book, you realize that Passenger was Etta's tale, but Wayfarer is Nicholas's. Which I assume was the point. His character really is a lovely addition to the literary universe.

I really do love Bracken's writing style though. It's so delicious. I would recommend this duology, for sure!

**SPOILER**SPOILER**SPOILER**

My only real complaint is that, as mentioned above, it took too d*mn long for Etta and Nicholas to find each other again. I mean, it was a great scene when they did, really, and I enjoyed every bit of interaction those two had in this book. BUT I EITHER NEEDED MORE IN THIS BOOK OR I NEEDED THIS TO BE A TRILOGY, ALEX. I did find the ending incredibly satisfying, nonetheless, BUT STILL ALEX.

Excellent ending to the duology. The only negative thing I can say about this is that I was craving more, but it ended wonderfully.

More confusing than Passenger, the first novel, but also more satisfying. I can't believe she managed to tell this entire story in just two books! I loved it!

"It is no shameful thing to be beaten when outnumbered, not when you were brave enough to try. Nor is a scar or injury something to despair over, for it is a mark that you were strong enough to survive."

Damn, this book hit me right in the feels.

Note: Very minor spoiler-ish stuff coming up. Though I didn't mark it as a spoiler because I don't personally believe it was enough of one to mark it as so.

Nicolas and Etta's romance was a breath of fresh air, especially for YA. The biggest reason being when Etta was given reason to doubt Nicolas, she didn't.

I can't begin to explain how many times in so many books I've read that the love interest makes me roll my eyes into the back of my head because of the exact opposite. The antagonist or a misunderstanding gives one of the characters a tiny reason to doubt and they just go "oh well I guess he/she didn't love me at all this whole time and was just playing with my heart". It PISSES me off to no end and shows such a stupid sign of immaturity in the relationship. Because of that it made me literally whoop for joy when Etta trusted Nick and when Nick smiled and replied when told Etta was misinformed, "that's all? She didn't believe you."

CLAPS FOR BRACKEN, for breaking the stupid conflict trope of misinformed broken trust between two people who supposedly love each other and know "every piece of the other's heart". Etta and Nicolas' relationship felt REAL and loving and I couldn't get enough of it.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I was a little annoyed at the fact that Etta and Nicolas spent 90% of the book apart, and because some of the events were a little confusing and I felt could've been written/ended better.

Confusion. Reading this book has been a long time coming. I read Passenger a few years ago and had a really fun time going through time with these characters and the cliffhanger ending got me. Maybe I mistakenly waited too long to read the 2nd and final book or should have re-read the first book before getting back into this world but this was just such a confusing read for me.

I was on board with the time travel and understood how it worked in the world in book 1 but Wayfarer somehow managed to turn that on its head. The time travel no longer made sense in terms of how an event can change the future or the ‘last common year’ or the history of the astrolabe, etc. The different time traveling families and how they interact and what each of their motives are and how there are some people who turn on their families and go to another… it’s just so much to keep track of. PLUS there’s added mysticism that wasn’t there in Passenger and no real hint of it so it felt as though it came out of nowhere. If it’s meant to be a Sci-Fi book, give me scientific reasoning (real or not) and don’t just randomly throw in a witch for good measure or nightmarish beings that just appear in the story to provide a get out of jail free card for a certain character.

The different times that we journey to are truly interesting times in history but don’t necessarily have much effect on the plot aside from maybe Petrograd. Any of the things that happen could have been in any time but theres just the added jumping through passages. Even the Epilogue felt out of place, confusing and unnecessary.

In terms of the characters, there is thankfully some growth but I couldn’t really focus much on them with the plot being all over the place and convoluted and unnecessarily overcomplicated. Yes, time travel can be tough to write but I think Bracken had too many ideas that she wanted to include which just piled on to the already mind-bendy-ness of a good time travel story.

This one was definitely an disappointing end to this duology that I had high hopes for after the first book but I think my subconscious knew it and that’s why this book has been sitting on my self for the last 2 years waiting to be read.

Another story has come to an end...
I'm pretty satisfied how it all wrapped up, but there are some things I'm still not sure about and it makes me want a third book. Although everything is quite logical. With all the time travelling concept... the author must be very careful, there were so many facts and events and theories, I've started ignoring almost all of them, because it was too complicated to keep in mind everything. That's why a few of my predictions were wrong.
the beginning was fast-paced, with many action scenes, because it follows the first book right where it's ended. the middle part is slow and sometimes I've just got angry and wanted things to happen faster, I was annoyed, to be honest.
Sadly, the only "alive" characters for me were Etta, Nicolas and Sophia. Some new characters are also interesting, but I didn't emphasize them and didn't feel them as though they could be real. I liked that the plot is concentrated more on Nicolas here, his decisions, fears, doubts... I wouldn't say he developed much, but we learn about his strong character and how loyal he is to his close ones and loved one.
I'm happy for Etta, because her life has finally became "how it should have been from the beginnig" and I'm glad that every piece of this puzzle has found its place.
The second book was deeper, darker and the whole concept is described more detailed, so I forgive the author for the little not-so-logical and confusing moments. The atmosphere is amazing, with all those placec and different centuries (special thanks for an episode in Russia). It was a great adventure after all!

I was absolutely amazed at how much I loved Passenger last year - a story of time-travel, adventures, pirates... I expected to love Wayfarer just as much, but I barely got trough it. I liked it fine, but the story did not excite me anymore, and I did not care about the characters, as I could not quite connect with them. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the author's storytelling or the plot. It just goes to show that my reading preferences have changed since last year. I am absolutely sure that anyone who loved Passenger will love Wayfarer just as much, because, objectively, the second book offers even more travel, diversity and character growth. It is a good conclusion to this duology!