jferguson1138's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 ⭐️
The book is set in a post apocalyptic world broken up into city states of haves and have-nots. Cara is a traverser, someone who travels across multiverses to gather data and resources. The big restriction on that travel is you can only travel across worlds if your other self in that world has already died. This being a post apocalyptic setting, she’s found a number of dark ways to die and is able to traverse into most worlds.
This book goes places with this dark take on the multiverse. There are loads of moments where you think this is just gonna go off a completely dark cliff, but honestly it was kept… tastefully dark. Murders with a code of honor type thing.
There is a ton of character development all over the place and I found the ending able to tie together all the strings better than I expected. It was a really solid book. Nicole Lewis did a really good job narrating the audiobook, giving personality and nuance to characters.
The book is set in a post apocalyptic world broken up into city states of haves and have-nots. Cara is a traverser, someone who travels across multiverses to gather data and resources. The big restriction on that travel is you can only travel across worlds if your other self in that world has already died. This being a post apocalyptic setting, she’s found a number of dark ways to die and is able to traverse into most worlds.
This book goes places with this dark take on the multiverse. There are loads of moments where you think this is just gonna go off a completely dark cliff, but honestly it was kept… tastefully dark. Murders with a code of honor type thing.
There is a ton of character development all over the place and I found the ending able to tie together all the strings better than I expected. It was a really solid book. Nicole Lewis did a really good job narrating the audiobook, giving personality and nuance to characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Classism, Violence, and Physical abuse
sarahl8on's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cakt1991's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Space Between Worlds came highly recommended by Bowties & Books to fulfill a prompt for Blackathon this year, and their pitch for it enticed me. While I’m not as into the whole multiverse thing as some readers are (blame my lack of interest in most Marvel and DC properties), the concept in theory is intriguing. And while it’s a bit “out there” (literally), Micaiah Johnson’s execution of the concept ultimately works.
I love the intricate world building, especially in exploring the ramifications of there being different incarnations of oneself in these different worlds, especially the cost of losing one’s doppelgangers, which enables another incarnation to travel to that world. Johnson creates a very intellectual, cerebral take on sci-fi and the multiverse that is somewhat hard to grasp, but are comprehensible nonetheless.
Cara is an intriguing lead, and while it takes time to unravel her and find out what makes her tick, it’s ultimately worth it, like everything else. She’s been through a lot of trauma, but that makes her a compelling puzzle to work out, and ultimately someone I truly felt for by the end of the book.
I was a bit let down by the romantic plotline. Even understanding that it’s not meant to be romance heavy, I didn’t get a real sense that Cara truly cared for Dell, as she claimed to. However, it being such a minor part of the book meant it didn’t bother me too much.
Minor quibbles aside, this is a fabulous book, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a more literary take on sci-fi, dystopian, and/or the multiverse.
mariahmknight's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars may not be enough. Easily one of the best books I’ve read this year. A science fiction page turner that is beautifully written.
acstephens3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
tekla02's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
carlymceneaney's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bunnerz's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed all the unexpected twists and turns in the FMC Cara's journey and her growing relationships with the people she met, but there were a few issues that bothered me by the end of the book.
1. What was the purpose of collecting all this data about the worlds in the parallel dimensions when they were also just directly pulling metal and oil from them? There was a mention of using the data of different worlds to extrapolate the probabilities for natural resources in Earth Zero, the traverser base world, but it wasn't ever fully explained what all the extra hoarded oil and metal was for when Wiley City, the place where all the rich people lived, mostly used plastic. There was just a hand-wavy explanation that the rich in Wiley City did it to reduce pollution in Earth Zero.
2. Many concepts in this dystopian world weren't really introduced well, and I had to figure out most of it through context in narration like the emperor, runners, and a runner's parade. Other decisions like naming new runners by silly Mr. names like Mr Cheeks and Mr. Scales (a woman) were never clarified other than stating that was the way it was.
3. How did every world become the apocalyptic dystopian place it ended up as? We were never given a clear reason how every world was destroyed other than something about border wars. Did no other cities or slums exist on Earth? Some people were mentioned to have come from further places like Jean from the Ivory Coast, but it was heavily skimmed over why those further off people didn't matter for trade or resources or anything.
The romance was overall unsatisfying although I'm glad Cara got her chosen HEA in the end. Miscommunication was the contrived drama technique in this story, which is generally my most hated method as I've stated in previous book reviews since one good discussion about everyone's feelings and misconceptions would have solved everything, and that didn't happen until practically the end in this book. Additionally, the ending with how tried to redeem himself was also incredibly rushed and unfair considering all the that he had ordered in the pursuit of money and power.
However, overall, it was a enrapturing read to follow Cara as her world was overturned and she gained a new perspective for her role in Earth Zero society, and I would re-read this book in the future.
1. What was the purpose of collecting all this data about the worlds in the parallel dimensions when they were also just directly pulling metal and oil from them? There was a mention of using the data of different worlds to extrapolate the probabilities for natural resources in Earth Zero, the traverser base world, but it wasn't ever fully explained what all the extra hoarded oil and metal was for when Wiley City, the place where all the rich people lived, mostly used plastic. There was just a hand-wavy explanation that the rich in Wiley City did it to reduce pollution in Earth Zero.
2. Many concepts in this dystopian world weren't really introduced well, and I had to figure out most of it through context in narration like the emperor, runners, and a runner's parade. Other decisions like naming new runners by silly Mr. names like Mr Cheeks and Mr. Scales (a woman) were never clarified other than stating that was the way it was.
3. How did every world become the apocalyptic dystopian place it ended up as? We were never given a clear reason how every world was destroyed other than something about border wars. Did no other cities or slums exist on Earth? Some people were mentioned to have come from further places like Jean from the Ivory Coast, but it was heavily skimmed over why those further off people didn't matter for trade or resources or anything.
The romance was overall unsatisfying although I'm glad Cara got her chosen HEA in the end. Miscommunication was the contrived drama technique in this story, which is generally my most hated method as I've stated in previous book reviews since one good discussion about everyone's feelings and misconceptions would have solved everything, and that didn't happen until practically the end in this book. Additionally, the ending with how
Spoiler
AdamSpoiler
murderHowever, overall, it was a enrapturing read to follow Cara as her world was overturned and she gained a new perspective for her role in Earth Zero society, and I would re-read this book in the future.
abfark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0