A lovely blend of Tam Lin and Thomas the Rhymer - Rated 
Polly is 19 when she picks up a copy of "Times of out Mind" edited by L Perry which has a cover reminding her of her Fire and Hemlock photograph. Looking through the short stories in the book she feels like it should have a different title and one the stories is missing. When she looks around her room other things seem to be missing too, like the photograph she stole, so she casts her memory back to nearly 9 years ago to the night she first met Tom Lynne at a funeral she accidentally gatecrashed. Since meeting Tom it seems up to the age of 15 she has two sets of memories, one with Tom and one without. She sets off to find out why Tom Lynne has been erased from her memory and the rest of the worlds.
Polly was a great character who really grew during the novel. She starts off quite timid and easily lead by her friend Nina, but later on ends up at Oxford University leading her own life and making her own decisions. I loved how much she read as a child despite people like her mother telling her it is a waste of time and suts her off from real life. I really felt for her during her parents divorce, being turned out by her mother and finding out her father isn't the man she thought he was. I think the reading and divorce struck a big cord with me and made me really associate with Polly as it was so like my own upbringing.
Each chapter has a small quote from Tam Lin or Thomas the Rhymer and I feel I would have got a lot more from this story if I knew both tales better. I hope to read them both and then give this another read. I liked that Tom wasn't always over indulgent with Polly, at times he sent quite abrupt messages to her pretend ideas which made it more realistic and I liked the blending of the two different myths/fairy tales.
This will appeal to Young Adult readers, Fantasy and Fairy Tale fans as well as anyone who plainly likes a good story.
Magical mystical book full of deja vu - Rated 
This is the first DWJ novel I read. It started my looking further for other books by the writer.
Based upon the fairytale Tam Lin - here is a novel for teens full of feelings and emotions that mean something. The heroine as a child walks into (gatecrashes) a funeral and meets the hero Thomas Lynn who makes his mark on her life by regularly sending her books which inspire her into her future university degree course. As she grows older he grows younger, until they meet as adults when the magic becomes essential to saving his life.
I love this story. This is how magic was meant to be. The scenes of deja vu seem familiar. We have all experienced such magic at some time or another. The age gap that narrows is wonderfully expressed.
I believe this is a great book and worthy read for anyone who loves magic and fantasy. I especially love the teapot car- the magic horse- and the deja vu sequences. Read and enjoy- may this read lead adults to more DWJ books, and teens to finding magic in literature and life. May it lead you back to the world of her other books- all uniquely different
not bad - Rated
I really enjoyed this book while i was reading it but the ending let me down a tad. Kind of like when i read the da vinci code. i think i was sort of expecting a bit more at the end.
I think if you enjoy diana wyne jones's books then you should give this one a go, but if you haven't read any yet then start with one of the better ones like howls moving castle or chronicles of chrestomanci.
A favorite - Rated
I read this book every few years and still I'm not quite sure what happens!
Diana Wynne Jones is a favorite author of mine, she weaves a intricate story around the characters and I've only found this in Childrens literature.
I'd definetely recommend this book, although it's probabaly it's never going to get the attention some books get(see the Da Vinci Code) don't let this put you of a fantastic read.
Old magic, gathering evil and a subtle love story - Rated
This is my very favourite Diana Wynne Jones book. It starts off deceptively simply, but Diana Wynne Jones slides in layers of complexity with such dexterity that you are soon deep in an old, old magic which has potentially horrifying consequences for Polly, the heroine, and Tom, the hero. I love the unfolding of the story, the gathering knowledge of evil and the incredibly subtle love story. I could - and have - read it over and over again. Each time I get to the end I want to cheer and cry and wish it had gone on longer. Definitely my book for a desert island. Very highly recommended.
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