By Eleanor Dixon

Cover Blurb:

In 432 BCE they think Themistokles is dead. Suzanne is drawn through thousands of years to help him live. Will his destiny be death or glory at Olympia? Will she regain control of her life in the present, or will her mind be occupied forever by the past? Themistokles, Themis to his friends, is recovering from a head injury and has lost his memory. Everything is bewildering – who is he? Why is his left hand swollen? Where does he live? Everything is intriguing – how is he different from what he was like before? Are his brushes with disaster just coincidence? And why does he have such odd dreams, like a tablet with coloured lights instead of a wax surface? Meanwhile, Suzanne, a teenage English schoolgirl and athlete, is in a coma in 2010 after a street collision in Athens. She is flown home unconscious, but is ‘dreaming’ Themis’ life. Through her, we follow him to Olympia to work with his uncles on the huge gold and ivory statue of Zeus. We attend the 87th Ancient Olympic Games, learn the solution to the mystery of Themis’ father’s death, and discover what is meant when the seer declares, “When the boy in two minds wins without a fight, Athena will pay her dues.” This time-slip story gathers pace and intricacy against a background of thorough but unobtrusive research. Timeless themes of sporting ambition, family duty versus self-realisation, and the confirmation of identity, underlie the humour, action and adventure of memorable characters, some of whom really existed in 5th Century BCE Greece. The Boy in Two Minds is Book 1 of The Connection Trilogy which follows the parallel fortunes of Themistokles and Suzanne as they become adults in their respective environments. Will their connection help or hinder them as they struggle to survive the invisible forces that affect their very different lives? Can it be controlled? And will it ever be explained?

The Boy In Two Minds (Time travel to Ancient Olympia) By Author J. M. Newsome – Book Review

“The Boy in Two Minds” by J. M. Newsome is a captivating story with solid research behind it. The narrative was well-crafted and the author clearly put in a lot of effort to make the historical aspects authentic.
However, I initially struggled to connect with some of the characters, particularly the Ancient Greek ones and for this reason I have given it four stars instead of five. It took me a while to fully immerse myself in the story and it wasn’t until I was nearly finished that I felt truly submerged in the plot. Additionally, keeping track of the characters in the beginning proved to be a bit challenging.
Despite these initial hurdles, I appreciated the technical prowess displayed in the writing. J. M. Newsome’s attention to detail and descriptive prose added depth to the storyline and made for an engaging read.
Overall, “The Boy in Two Minds” is a well-crafted novel with a great story and strong research. While it may take some time to fully connect with the characters and the plot, the journey is worth it in the end. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of complexity. A good read with a strong second half which makes me want to read the rest of the series!   

I award 4 stars.

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