The Time Spell

When twelve-year-old Lauren adopts a mysterious cat, she finds herself travelling back in time from contemporary Ireland to 1912. She soon ends up on the Titanic, knowing full well the fate of the boat and its passengers. 

The Time Spellbegins very believably in contemporary Ireland with Lauren telling her friend Tilly that she wants to make a difference in the world. This idea comes full circle, with Lauren ultimately realizing that she has made a difference by travelling back in time – no matter how stressful the experience was.

Lauren and Tilly are genuine characters, and their dialogue is pitch-perfect, as is the very realistic tension between them. The culture shock between contemporary and 1912 Ireland is well realised and offers plenty of opportunity for humour.

The Friends Foreverseries, aimed at readers aged 8–13, will see Lauren making more exciting trips through time. Already established in Ireland with her Alice and Megan series published by O’Brien Press, Friends Forever is an interesting new departure for Judi Curtin and is sure to be a hit with fans.