Written By: Samantha Burgess
Staff Writer
Etta Spencer is a talented violin player who’s ready for her debut. But on the night of a crucial performance, the world as Etta knows it crescendos into chaos. Etta finds herself on an unfamiliar ship in the year 1776. Etta’s inherited a legacy from a family of time travelers she’s never heard of and is being used by a dangerous man for his own personal vendetta.
Nicholas Carter is happy on his ship, free from his servitude to the Ironwoods, a powerful traveler family. But then Etta, an unexpected passenger, drags him back into the past. The Ironwoods force Etta and Nicholas into finding a rare object. They embark on a journey through time, putting together clues from a traveler who wants the precious object as far away from the Ironwoods as possible. The closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous their journey becomes. Will Nicholas remain loyal to the Ironwoods or Etta? And will Etta ever make it back home?
Passenger By Alexandra Bracken was published on January 5, 2016. The second book in the series, Wayfarer, was recently published on January 3, 2017. Alexandra Bracken was born and raised in Arizona. She attended The College of William & Mary in Virginia. Bracken’s first book, Brightly Woven, was sold when she was a senior in college. She moved to New York City where she worked in publishing for six years before deciding to write full time. She now resides in Arizona. Bracken is the #1 New York Times bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of Passenger and The Darkest Minds series.
In Passenger, Etta and Nicholas are forced to make a choice that will benefit either themselves or the fate of humanity. Both characters show a lot of growth throughout the book. In the beginning, Nicholas is fairly selfish and works for the villans. But as the story progresses he becomes more selfless, caring for Etta but also doing the right thing. Etta starts out as someone who is resilient but hesitant to throw herself into impending danger. Eventually, she is willing to risk her life in order to save time itself.
Overall, I believe the theme of the story was doing what is right, not what is easy. The author also touches on the issue of racism. Nicholas is biracial and he is often looked down on in many of the eras they travel to. But Etta treats him as an equal.
From a worldview perspective, the book has secular outlooks. It’s a bit harder to assess from a Christian view, especially since time travel isn’t a reality. Passenger briefly addresses racism and equality from a worldly perspective. Acts 10: 34-35 says, “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” This verse deepens the concept of equality by saying not only are we equal but we can all be forgiven by God if we repent our sins.
Passenger also talks about doing what is right and the good of humanity. But, what is “right” is a worldly concept in this case. Philippians 2: 3-5 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” This verse shows that we should be selfless and put others first. By being an example of Christ and doing his will, we do what is truly right.
Bio
Samantha Burgess is a Freshman majoring in Communication with an emphasis in Digital Media. Samantha is actively involved in PCI. She writes Triangle articles on a variety of topics including campus life and current events. When she’s not doing homework, Samantha can often be found curled up with a good book, writing, listening to music, or watching TV.
