Beth Duke – Anywhen

Thanks to ZooLoo’s Book Tours and Beth Duke for my gifted ebook to write my honest review for the book tour.

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Baezy is born in 2069, the centennial of the legendary Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Everything peace, love, and flower power is celebrated that year in a wave of nostalgia that takes over fashion, music, and the public’s imagination. She grows up listening to and loving the artists of that time, dreaming of witnessing everyone from Joan Baez to Santana in person. When presented with the opportunity to time-travel, Baezy immediately chooses Woodstock as her destination. She plans to enjoy a glorious weekend of vibrant sights and sounds; her bell bottoms and a peasant blouse are packed for the adventure and she’s excited to surprise her great-great-great-grandmother, Kelly Adams.

While Baezy’s certainly not a typical Woodstock attendee, Kelly isn’t either. She is at the very beginning of a stellar career researching artificial intelligence in the 1960s, and will later develop much of what will lead to the utopian society Baezy lives in. Kelly’s future family is immensely proud of her historic accomplishments.

The contrast between Baezy’s 2101 and 1969 is stunning from her first moment. Woodstock exceeds her wildest expectations, but holds far more than an introduction to her distant grandmother. Baezy quickly finds herself in life-altering situations she could never have anticipated.

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My Review

When I saw Beth Duke had a new book, I wanted to see how it compared to her previous books. I have read her previous three and enjoyed each and every one of them. 

Anywhen is such a unique story. One which has successfully interwoven different genres in a way that had me invested in Baezy and everything around her. Born in 2069, a hundred years since Woodstock. She gets an opportunity to time travel and decides Woodstock of 1969, is the place to be. It isn’t all about Woodstock though, she also wants to meet Kelly, her grandmothet so many greats removed  of that time. 

Beth Duke tells the story over dual timelines. Woodstock is a vivid and vibrant place to be and the future of 2101 is described with aplomb. AI and the technological advances had me convinced this was it. Aside from the strong worldbuilding there is the human side. This author can almost touch my soul in her storytelling and Anywhen is no different. The balance of science with emotions is expertly managed. 

It made me think of the past and if I could do the same as Baezy, where would I go and when? In fact I was thinking about this long after I read Anywhen. For this to be the case I know it left a deep impression on me. Futuristic but emotional and quite poignant. A book with more than just a story inside the pages.