The Characters
The main characters are twins, Jake and Jennifer. Each chapter takes turns, telling the tale from each twin's perspective. Jennifer is a neat-freak, who wants things nice and tidy. Her brother, Jake is a complete slob and doesn't really care about tidiness. He's pretty much the exact opposite of Jennifer. When Jennifer shares her perspective, she is looking down on Jake for his bad habits. When Jake shares his side, he thinks Jennifer is just weird.
Joel was the true reviewer of this book and he felt this dual perspective approach was brilliant. He said that it really broadened his outlook. He told me, "You get to see your main characters better because if you just see your characters from you main character's viewpoint, you don't get to know your characters nearly as well."
As a mom, I thought this was wonderful, especially because Joel is my neat-freak and he has a hard time with grace toward his untidy brother. I also love that you get a girl and a guy's perspective. My daughters can enjoy it just as much as their brothers.
Storyline
About a year before the book begins, the twins' mother died unexpectedly. Jake is healing okay, but Jennifer is still struggling with nightmares. The twins live with their aunt while their dad works in Israel. They join him in Israel to help him work on "The Machine". This machine produces holographic images from sound and light wave imprints left on objects. In theory, if you have a board from Noah's ark, you could produce an image so realistic, it's like you are really there. Adventure ensues, of course, but I won't give it away.
It gets going rather quickly, which is good for those who need a good grab to keep them going. The book begins with a gripping nightmare. By the 2nd chapter, they are already moving to Israel.
It is a bit random and jumpy, perfect for tweens. For me, as an adult, I found the writing slightly irritating, but only slightly. There was quite a bit of "Anyway, I'll get to that later" kind of dialogue with the reader. It was verrrry conversational. Those are appealing traits younger teens, but Joel felt that the writing would be too juvenile for anyone older than 13. In fact, he thought it might be better suited for his 8-year old sister. He did love the story though, and this fits the description the publishers give for target audience.
Theme
The overall theme of the story is learning to trust God. It's not always easy. While they are enjoying a good story, readers are reminded that God keeps His promises and He has promised that He's always working for our good. This is an urgently important lesson for young teens to grasp.
Overall, it is a fun read with a good message. Joel and I give it a thumbs-up.
*I received this book from B&B Media Group, in exchange for my honest opinion. I am disclosing this information in accordance to FTC Regulations. All opinions are my own. Do with them what you will.
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