The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Summary from Goodreads:

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.

As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.

But the end to it all looms closer every day.

Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.

For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.

She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.

Or she could disappear.

Review:

This was such a great story. What an unexpected treasure. I read little to nothing about this book prior to my reading of it. I knew I had to read it though after attending a “We Need Diverse Books” panel at a conference not too long ago, and hearing the author talk about it. She made it sound so magical. And it was magical.

It did take me over a week to read, but I think that is mainly due to the fact that I have been doing some serious Netflix binging lately. I was kind of obsessed with Daredevil for a time. But any way, this was a great fantasy escape for all the times I needed something a little less violent then the tv I was watching.

Nix’s father had the ability to go into book worlds! He literally used illustrated maps to go all over the world, and all over other worlds. Oh, how I wish I had that power. I would stare at the Marauders Map for days if it meant actually traveling to Hogwarts. Heilig brought in a few literary references, though I kept hoping for more than I got. Who wouldn’t?

Nix’s father instead focused more on history, on one time in particular, on Nix’s mother’s time. I loved the family drama and mystery. And I also loved the ship family. Nix had a family on her magical world jumping boat. I wasn’t the biggest fan of her dad, but I don’t think I was supposed to be. I know I was supposed to be somewhat won over by him in the end, which genuinely surprised me, but I still just don’t like him much.

I loved the slow-building romance. I loved the thieving, the dancing, the escapes around paradise, and the slightest of love triangles. Nix was a fun main character. I wanted her to get what she needed so badly. I wanted her to take on her father…

The history was interesting. I don’t know a lot about the history of Hawaii, so it was cool to learn a little about a different place. A lot was kind of brushed over that I wish was addressed a little bit more –things about hairy styles, dialect, and behaviors.

This was not a book big on description or world-building. The story was really good, but I wanted a little more of these things that would have made it excellent. It also had a tendency to jump around a little. I wasn’t always sure where the scenes were taking place, and I think a bit more description of the setting would have helped leaps and bounds.

I have never read another story where characters can jump from real worlds to fictional ones, as well as time travel. I loved the magic of it. I loved the characters. I wanted a little more description and world-building. The suspense was great and so was the romance. I give it an 8/10.