The Mine by John A. Heldt
Goodreads Summary
In May 2000, Joel Smith is a cocky, adventurous young man who sees the world as his playground. But when the college senior, days from graduation, enters an abandoned Montana mine, he discovers the price of reckless curiosity. He emerges in May 1941 with a cell phone he can't use, money he can't spend, and little but his wits to guide his way. Stuck in the age of swing dancing and a peacetime draft, Joel begins a new life as the nation drifts toward war. With the help of his 21-year-old trailblazing grandmother and her friends, he finds his place in a world he knew only from movies and books. But when an opportunity comes to return to the present, Joel must decide whether to leave his new love in the past or choose a course that will alter their lives forever. THE MINE follows a humbled man through a critical time in history as he adjusts to new surroundings and wrestles with the knowledge of things to come.
My Thoughts
Oh, how I loved this book! So good! I have never read a ‘time travel’ book before so I really didn’t know what to expect. I was certainly hoping that it would be a good read and it was!
Let me be totally real with you though, when I first started reading The Mine my immediate thought was that I wasn’t going to enjoy it. The first chapter did not give me a great impression of Joel. In fact, I did not like Joel at all. He seemed like a total brat. And then, when he first went back in time (I’m trying not to give spoilers, guys) it seemed like he adapted a little too easily.
Then, I started thinking about how I always say I was born in the wrong era. I thought about how I might feel if I was able to go back in time… I think I’d do great too! I might have a little longer adjustment time than Joel did, but that might just be a personality difference between us (you know, if he was a real person… sometimes I get wrapped up in a story and I forget it’s not real).
The ending was absolutely spectacular! I adored it! I was actually hoping for that kind of ending but I didn’t imagine it quite the way it happened. I liked Mr. Heldt’s version better than the one I created in my mind 🙂
I will definitely be recommending this book! It was extremely good and I can’t wait to read another John A. Heldt book again soon!
*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Carrie Kurtz is a full-time mom and wife who can’t help but make time to explore new worlds in between carpooling and laundry loads. She’s trying to encourage a similar obsession with reading in her two children, and she’s grateful her husband supports her habit. She can be found at Carrie K’s Book Reviews.
