Faraway Girl

 By: Fleur Beale

Location: FIC BEA

Genre: Time travel, Wellington NZ , Ghostly a bit...

A contemporary young-adult novel with mysterious goings-on, time travel, a curse and a strange painting.

Etta is worried about her brother, Jamie. The doctors can find nothing wrong with him, but he is getting weaker by the day. At breakfast one morning, he seems to have lost it completely:

In a voice as pale as his face, he said, ‘I think I can see a ghost.’

However, when they all turn to look, sure enough, materialising on the window seat is a girl about Etta’s age, wearing a beautiful Victorian wedding dress. Etta has to get off to school, she has no time for this, but she is about to discover that time has a whole new significance. She and her ghost companion have no choice but to work out what is going on before Jamie is lost for ever . . .

Review form Jen the Baker Book reviewer

This Young adult novel is set in Wellington, New Zealand in 2019 and in England in 1869 and features TIME TRAVEL.

Modern teenager Etta & her family are a little bit surprised when Victorian teen Constance appears in their house one morning during breakfast wearing an elaborate wedding gown. Etta's little brother is desperately ill and his illness is somehow connected to Constance's unexpected time travel.

After Constance has been thrust into the modern world, learnt about cars, cell phones, jeans and high school something timey wimey occurs again and now both girls are in 1869 with Constance's horrid parents and fiance.

I enjoyed watching Constance's character grown from a neglected & occasionally physically abused pawn into a strong and courageous woman who dares to break free and fight for her independence with a little bit of support from Etta as they both seek to unravel the reason for the time travel & save Etta's little brother from his illness before its too late. The book is part YA historical feminist adventure and part genealogical mystery with a magical painting and time travel as framing.

There were a few twists and big reveals towards the end which made for an emotional and enjoyable ending.
Etta's reactions to the Victorian Era and her interactions with characters were entertaining. The book felt middle grade at first and has no real romantic plot line but Etta is pretty sweary (like most modern New Zealand teenagers) which puts the book firmly in the Young adult category.

I also enjoyed reading a bit about life in colonial and early 20th century Wellington. My great grandfather built several buildings in Central Wellington in the 19th century & my family in lived there until after World War One when my Grandmother was a teenager & Wellington is my favourite city in New Zealand so it was nice to see it featured.