Book Review: Falling Out of Time

I am so excited to review this new book! Although it was released in 2023, I just discovered it last month and I'm so glad I did. The book, Falling Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is the long-awaited sequel to her previous work, Running Out of Time. If you haven't read the first book, I highly recommend finding it and reading it as well, so the sequel is more understandable. I won't reveal any spoilers for either book, as they both contain mystery elements and I don't want to give too much away. But let's jump in! This book is a middle grade dystopian, so of course I'm pumped. I don't see as much dystopia in middle grade as young adult, so it can be more unique!

image courtesy of goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198123570

This story follows Zola, who is connected to characters from the first story. Zola lives in Indiana with her mother, in what appears to be a perfect world and lifestyle. The year is 2193 and a virtual way of living is the norm. Everyone wears virtual reality goggles that assist them through their daily living, managed by an AI system known as Sirilex. Zola has instant everything - literally. Insta-Ovens cook food right away, Insta-Closets provide a new wardrobe every day and more. Zola is constantly told how life is perfect - there is no more war, no more hunger, no more anger, no more anything that is "bad." But one day, Zola discovers something in her Insta-Closet that changes everything. A note. Not a digital one, but a note on real, old fashioned paper. This note changes everything once Zola realizes what it is: a cry for help.

You can tell from my description, that there is an element of mystery and things are not quite as they seem. Some answers are revealed right away, but I was still surprised because it was not what I was expecting. And the more that got revealed, the more twists and turns there were to the story. There was so much to figure out about the town Zola lives in, called Futureville. Because there is so much going on, the whole book is quite fast paced, which you know is my preference! That gives us lots of action and it is appealing to those "reluctant readers" who find most books "boring." Zola's story is most definitely not boring.

The idea of everyone wearing these VR goggles all the time was intriguing to me. The way our character Zola described it all, it felt as if we are not that far removed from living that way ourselves. So many people now want to be somewhere else, or become someone else, and the VR goggles (in the book) give them that choice. This reflects real life. People in our society now are already loving the VR headsets we have for gaming, shopping, exercise and more when the real world is literally just outside. Wouldn't we all rather step out the front door and feel real sunshine and see real trees instead of looking at it on a screen? No matter how realistic it is? Why not go for a real walk outside instead of pretending to walk somewhere else with goggles on your head? That's the idea explored in this story and I really appreciated that! So many young kids are growing up with technology now, that they forget about spending time outside really enjoying the world we are in.

Now, just so you know, if you read both books in this series back to back, they will feel quite different. While they share elements of mystery, rescue, and deceit, Falling Out of Time is paced much quicker than Running Out of Time. It may seem like an odd pairing, but you've got keep in mind, the first book was written in 1995. There have been quite a few years between these books, and times and the author's writing style have evolved. So please, give both books a chance and appreciate their differences!

I honestly can't say too much more without spoiling everything in the plot. You have all the information you need to enjoy the series! Happy reading!