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Book Summary and Reviews of Costumes for Time Travelers by A. R. Capetta

Costumes for Time Travelers by A. R. Capetta

Costumes for Time Travelers

by A. R. Capetta

  • Critics' Consensus (8):
  • Published:
  • May 2025, 224 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Calisto and Fawkes are drawn to each other for the first time, again, as they travel from when to when to take on a threat to all they hold dear in this lyrical and playful fantasy from award-winning author A. R. Capetta.

Anyone who has hiked through time knows the town of Pocket. It's the place travelers first reach after they stumble away from their hometime, passing through on their way to any other when. To Calisto, Pocket is home. They love their grandmother's shop, which is filled with clothes from every era that are used to make costumes for time travelers. Calisto has no intention of traveling—it's too dangerous. For Fawkes, traveling is life. He put on time boots when he was young and has been stumbling through eras ever since. When he floats into Pocket, Calisto meets him for the first time, though Fawkes has seen Calisto—in glimpses of what hasn't happened yet. He's also seen the villains chasing them both. Now Calisto and Fawkes must rush—from Shakespeare's London to ancient Crete to California on the eve of a millennium—to save Pocket, and travelers, from being erased. From the Lambda Literary Award–winning author of The Heartbreak Bakery comes a fairy-tale romance that weaves in and out of time, from kiss to kiss and costume to costume.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Themes of found family, self-discovery, and personal acceptance underpin Calisto and Fawkes's slowly blossoming romance. Capetta yo-yos between 16th-century London, the distant future, and other timelines in this lighthearted and low-stakes fantasy." —Publishers Weekly

"A uniquely dazzling setting undermined by muddled worldbuilding." —Kirkus Reviews

"Capetta head-hops between the leads even as the characters time-hop around, putting the focus more on Calisto and Fawkes' journey and romance than the underlying world building. This, bolstered by a diversely—and understatedly—queer cast, makes for a fast and fun ride that should appeal to readers in search of a lighthearted high-concept fantasy." —Booklist

"A delightful and whimsical new fairy tale brimming with sartorial charm and time-traveling escapades. This is a must for anyone who loves fashion and is looking for a cozy and playful read with just the right touch of romance!" —Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes

"Costumes for Time Travelers is a soft yet thrilling romantic fantasy. With lovable characters who are so easy to adore and one of the most fascinating worlds and concepts I've had the pleasure of experiencing, this book feels like an instant classic, further solidifying A. R. Capetta as a powerhouse author. Costumes for Time Travelers is pure magic." —Kacen Callender, New York Times bestselling author of Infinity Alchemist

This information about Costumes for Time Travelers was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

A. R. Capetta

A. R. Capetta is known for magical and romantic novels including Echo After Echo, The Lost Coast, and the Lambda Literary Award winner The Heartbreak Bakery. They are also the author of the Hocus and Pocus series for younger readers. A. R. Capetta lives in a small town in the mountains—firmly anchored within the timelands, unfortunately—with their family.

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