“The past is never really gone. It's just waiting for a chance to catch up.”
— A character reflects on the lingering effects of past events.
Archivist's Choice
Sabotaged
Margaret Peterson Haddix (2022)
Genre
Fantasy / Children's / Historical Fiction / Science Fiction / Young Adult
Reading Time
377 min
Key Themes
See below
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Time-traveling teens Jonah and Katherine face their most dangerous mission yet when they land in the wrong historical era, discover their target, Virginia Dare, is unwilling to leave, and realize their journey to the Lost Colony of Roanoke has been deliberately sabotaged.
Synopsis
Jonah and Katherine, time-traveling 'fixers' of history, are sent on a mission to help Andrea, who is Virginia Dare from the Lost Colony of Roanoke, fulfill her historical destiny. After a previous success, they expect a straightforward trip to the 16th century. However, they land in the wrong time period, far from Roanoke, and discover their mission was sabotaged. Andrea, initially resistant to leaving her new life, slowly realizes she is in danger. As Jonah and Katherine race to find the saboteur and fix the timeline, they face challenges, including a mysterious 'crossover' event and a confrontation with JB, who seems to be controlling events. Ultimately, Andrea must choose her future, while Jonah and Katherine attempt a risky return to their own time, changed by the experience.
Reading time
377 min
Difficulty
Easy
Pacing
Fast
Mood
Suspenseful, Adventurous, Mysterious, Intriguing
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy fast-paced time-travel mysteries with a historical twist and brave young protagonists.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer hard science fiction over more magical or unexplained time travel mechanics.
Plot Summary
The Summons and a New Assignment
Jonah and Katherine, still recovering from their last adventure in 15th-century London, are called by the agency's administrator, Gary. They learn that another 'missing' child, Andrea, is in danger and needs help to correct a historical problem. Andrea is Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World, specifically the lost Roanoke Colony. Gary stresses the importance of this mission, given the historical mystery of Roanoke. He gives them time-traveling 'elucidators' and specific instructions to find Virginia Dare, who is living in the 16th century. Jonah, though hesitant, and Katherine, eager to help, prepare for another trip to the past, confident in their growing time-travel experience.
A Disastrous Arrival
When they activate their elucidators, Jonah and Katherine experience a much rougher time jump than usual. Instead of landing near Roanoke Colony, they fall through the sky, landing hard in a thick forest. Their elucidators are damaged, and their supplies are scattered. They quickly realize they did not land in 1587, the year Virginia Dare was born, but in a much earlier, more primitive time, possibly before European contact. Hostile indigenous people, armed with spears and bows, immediately surround and capture them. This unexpected and dangerous turn shows that something is very wrong with their mission, beyond a simple mistake.
Meeting the Lost Colony
After their capture, Jonah and Katherine are brought to a small, isolated settlement. To their surprise, they find Andrea, who introduces herself as Virginia Dare, living among the very Roanoke colonists they were sent to find. She appears to be a young woman, not an infant, and seems happy with her life. The colonists, led by Governor John White, are cautious but not openly hostile. Jonah and Katherine are confused: how could they have landed in the wrong time, yet still find Virginia Dare and the Roanoke Colony? This paradox suggests a deeper manipulation of the timeline than they first understood, making their mission more complex.
Andrea's Refusal
Jonah and Katherine try to explain their mission to Andrea, telling her about her true identity and that she is a missing child from the present. However, Andrea is not only doubtful but strongly resists. She insists that her name is Virginia Dare, that these are her people, and she does not want to leave. She sees Jonah and Katherine's story as a confusing fantasy or a trick. Her refusal to help is a big problem, as they cannot force her to return. This creates a moral dilemma for Jonah and Katherine, who are bound by their mission but also respect Andrea's choice and new happiness in the past.
Signs of Sabotage
While trying to fix their elucidators and understand their time problem, Jonah and Katherine find clear evidence of sabotage. Their elucidators were tampered with, specifically set to send them to a different, much earlier time than intended. Also, the information Gary gave them about Andrea's location and the specific year was slightly changed, leading them astray. They realize that someone within the agency, or with access to its resources, deliberately tried to ruin their mission. This discovery shifts their focus from just fixing history to uncovering a conspiracy that threatens their lives and the agency's integrity.
The Mysterious Crossover
Through talks with Andrea and the colonists, Jonah and Katherine uncover a surprising secret: the Roanoke colonists themselves, or at least some of them, had previously time-traveled. They learn that the colony they are with is not the original 1587 Roanoke settlement, but a group that somehow jumped through time, landing in this earlier period. This explains why they found Virginia Dare in the wrong era. The colonists, having experienced their own time displacement, are wary of outsiders and hold onto their new, stable life. This discovery suggests a much larger, more complex history of time travel than Jonah and Katherine, or even the agency, had known.
Unmasking the Saboteur
Jonah and Katherine's investigation, putting together clues from their damaged equipment and Gary's changed instructions, leads them to a shocking conclusion: the saboteur is JB, a seemingly helpful but often mysterious person within the agency. They realize that JB had a personal interest in preventing Andrea's return, perhaps to protect the current timeline or for unknown reasons. This betrayal shakes their trust in the agency and makes them rethink everything they thought they knew about their missions and the people they worked with. The stakes are now higher, as they face an enemy who knows their methods and has access to advanced technology.
The Escape Attempt
Determined to complete their mission and bring Andrea back, Jonah and Katherine make a desperate attempt to escape the colony. They try to convince Andrea one last time, stressing the dangers of staying and the importance of her true history. However, the colonists, having grown fond of Virginia and wary of the outsiders, resist their efforts. A tense confrontation follows, as Jonah and Katherine try to get past the protective colonists while also trying to persuade a reluctant Andrea. The escape is dangerous, as they are outnumbered and their damaged elucidators are their only hope of returning.
Confrontation with JB
Just as Jonah and Katherine are about to escape, JB suddenly appears in the past, revealing himself as the saboteur. He explains his complex reasoning: he believes that Virginia Dare's original fate, being lost with the Roanoke Colony, was a necessary historical event. By allowing this splinter group of colonists to time-travel and establish a new life, he intended to prevent the agency from 'fixing' what he saw as a natural historical progression. His appearance increases the conflict, as he tries to stop Jonah and Katherine from returning Andrea, believing he is preserving the true course of history, even if it means sacrificing their lives.
A Perilous Return
In a final struggle, Jonah and Katherine manage to overpower JB, or at least stop his immediate threat. With their partially repaired elucidators and Andrea finally convinced to come with them, they start a dangerous jump back to the present. The journey is chaotic and uncertain, as the damaged equipment makes their destination and safety unclear. They are pursued by JB and possibly other agency operatives who agree with him. The return jump is a race against time, with Andrea's fate and their own lives at risk, unsure if they will land safely or if their actions have further complicated the timeline.
Andrea's Choice and the Aftermath
They successfully return to the present, but Andrea is overwhelmed by the change. She deals with her two identities: Virginia Dare, the loved member of the time-traveling Roanoke colony, and Andrea, the girl from the present. Ultimately, she makes a difficult choice, deciding to embrace her present-day identity while recognizing her unique history. The agency, now aware of JB's betrayal and the existence of time-traveling colonists, begins a large internal investigation. Gary assures Jonah and Katherine that JB will be dealt with, but the incident leaves them questioning their missions and the true purpose of the agency they serve.
Principal Figures
Jonah Skidmore
The Protagonist
Jonah evolves from a skeptical, unwilling participant to a more confident and morally discerning agent, challenging the agency's methods.
Katherine Skidmore
The Protagonist
Katherine grows more resilient and independent, maintaining her optimism while confronting the darker aspects of time travel and betrayal.
Andrea/Virginia Dare
The Supporting
Andrea transitions from a content historical figure to a girl grappling with dual identities, ultimately choosing to embrace her true origin.
Gary
The Supporting
Gary is forced to confront internal corruption within his agency, leading to a re-evaluation of his trust and oversight.
JB
The Antagonist
JB is exposed as a rogue agent, his hidden agenda brought to light, and his actions lead to a direct confrontation.
John White
The Mentioned
Remains a steadfast leader of his people, resistant to outside interference.
Alex
The Mentioned
Serves as a reference point for Jonah and Katherine's past missions.
Chip
The Mentioned
Serves as a reference point for Jonah and Katherine's past missions.
Themes & Insights
The Ethics of Time Travel and Historical Intervention
The novel explores the moral questions of changing history. Jonah and Katherine first believe their job is to 'fix' problems, but JB's actions challenge this, suggesting that some historical events, even tragic ones like the Lost Colony, might be necessary. The time-displaced Roanoke colonists, happy in their new era, further complicate things, forcing the protagonists to question if returning someone to their 'original' time is always right, especially if it means taking away their happiness. This theme is central to Andrea's resistance to leaving the past.
“"Who decided what was 'fixed' and what was 'broken' history?"”
Identity and Belonging
Andrea's struggle with her identity as both a modern child and Virginia Dare is a main theme. She has built a life and a feeling of belonging with the Roanoke colonists, making her unwilling to leave it for a past she does not remember. Jonah and Katherine, adopted into a life of time travel, also deal with their own sense of identity and where they belong. The novel suggests that identity is not only decided by birth or original time, but by relationships and experiences, making Andrea's choice important.
“"I am Virginia Dare. These are my people. Why would I leave them for a life I don't even remember?"”
Trust and Betrayal
The discovery of JB as the saboteur deeply shakes Jonah and Katherine's trust in the agency and its workers. They initially rely on their superiors for guidance and truth, but this mission reveals a betrayal from within. This makes them more self-reliant and critical, questioning authority and the information they receive. The betrayal highlights the dangers of blind trust and the need for careful judgment, even among allies, especially when dealing with powerful technology like time travel.
“"How could someone from our own agency... someone we thought was helping us... do this?"”
The Nature of Time and Destiny
The book questions whether history is fixed or changeable. JB's idea that certain events are 'meant' to happen, even if tragic, directly goes against the agency's mission to correct problems. The time-displaced Roanoke colony, creating an alternate historical path, challenges the idea of a single, unchangeable timeline. This theme looks at the philosophical implications of time travel, asking about free will versus fate, and whether human action can truly change the overall course of history.
“"Some things are meant to be lost. Some things are meant to disappear. It's how history works."”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
Elucidators
Wrist-worn devices enabling time travel and communication.
The elucidators are advanced, wrist-mounted devices that allow Jonah and Katherine to travel through time, communicate with the agency, and receive mission briefings. In 'Sabotaged,' the elucidators become a central plot device when they are damaged and then revealed to have been tampered with by JB. Their malfunction and the effort to repair them drive much of the initial conflict and the discovery of the sabotage. They symbolize the protagonists' connection to their mission and their only means of escape and communication.
The 'Missing' Child Trope
A child from history is misplaced in time, requiring rescue.
This is a foundational plot device for the entire series. In 'Sabotaged,' Andrea/Virginia Dare is presented as a 'missing' child who needs to be returned to her proper place in history. However, the trope is subverted when Andrea is found to be content in the 'wrong' time and actively resists being 'rescued.' This twist challenges the premise of the device, forcing the protagonists and the reader to question the true meaning of rescue and whether intervention is always beneficial.
Temporal Displacement Paradox
Finding a historical figure in the wrong time due to prior time travel.
The central paradox of finding Virginia Dare and the Roanoke colonists in an earlier time period than they should be is a key plot device. This displacement is not a mistake by Jonah and Katherine but a result of previous, unknown time travel by the colonists themselves. This device creates confusion, deepens the mystery, and ultimately reveals the larger conspiracy involving JB and his manipulation of the timeline, making the mission far more complex than a simple retrieval.
The Betrayal from Within
A trusted ally is revealed to be the antagonist.
The revelation that JB, a seemingly helpful agency operative, is the saboteur and antagonist serves as a major plot twist. This device creates a profound sense of betrayal and elevates the stakes, as Jonah and Katherine can no longer trust their own organization. It forces them to rely on their instincts and each other, adding a layer of personal danger and moral complexity to their mission, as they now face an enemy who knows their methods and has access to their resources.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“Sometimes the greatest strength is knowing when to ask for help.”
— A protagonist struggles with a problem before seeking assistance.
“Trust is a fragile thing, easily broken and hard to mend.”
— A character feels betrayed by someone they relied on.
“Even in the darkest times, a flicker of hope can light the way.”
— Amidst a dire situation, a small sign of possibility emerges.
“The truth has a way of coming out, no matter how deeply buried.”
— Secrets begin to unravel as characters investigate a mystery.
“It's not about being fearless, but about facing your fears despite them.”
— A young character confronts a daunting challenge.
“History isn't just dates and names; it's the stories of people who lived them.”
— A character realizes the personal impact of historical events.
“Sometimes the biggest battles are fought within ourselves.”
— A character grapples with an internal conflict or moral dilemma.
“The future is not set in stone; we have the power to change it.”
— Characters discuss the possibility of altering a predicted outcome.
“What you don't know can hurt you, but what you refuse to know can hurt you more.”
— A warning about willful ignorance in the face of danger.
“Even the smallest act of kindness can create ripples of change.”
— A minor character performs a helpful deed that has unforeseen positive effects.
“Every choice has a consequence, and some echo through time.”
— Characters reflect on the long-term repercussions of past decisions.
“The world is full of wonders, if only you bother to look beyond the obvious.”
— A character encourages another to see the magic in everyday things.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
'Sabotaged' continues the story of Jonah and Katherine, two modern-day children who discover they are part of a time-traveling agency responsible for fixing historical anomalies. Following their successful rescue of Chip and Alex in 15th century London, they are tasked with finding and helping another missing child, Andrea, who turns out to be Virginia Dare from the Lost Colony of Roanoke.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
