Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

11 reviews

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Y'all, I can't with this book. It was so freaking good.

We follow Kara who's one skill in her current life is that she is dead on over 160 parallel worlds. This means that she can travel to the other worlds and gather data.

The story twists and turns and is filled with Sapphic longing. It's a story about the endless possibilities of who we are as people, the endless number of ways we can harm each other, and the endless numbers of ways we can heal each other. 

I loved it. I'm going to reread it. And I just can't believe how good this book was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, War, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, and Murder

leannanecdote's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, War, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Murder, Racism, Self harm, Xenophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Trafficking, and Vomit

sapphicshark's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Classism

oodles17's review

dark 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

unsuccessfulbookclub's review

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Racism, Murder, Classism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Sexual content

funcharge's review

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

shannonigans322's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.0

I'll be honest: If I wasn't reading this on a coworker's recommendation, I probably would've DNF'd midway through due to the dark and violent nature of the plot. I'm glad that I carried on, but I definitely recommend researching the Content Warnings before diving in if you find yourself having a grey day. I will end this brief review with the note I sent my colleague upon finishing: "Could've been gayer."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Violence and War

blissofalife's review

adventurous 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? No

Well written, plenty of plot twists but each was set up so well that it wasn't quite unexpected but entirely believable. The whole premise was an interesting one to explore!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

bookmaddie's review

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I haven’t read sci-fi in AGES, but the parallel world premise of this book really sparked my interest. I don’t know what it is about parallel worlds, but sign me up, I am ready. I loved how Caralee, the main character, was able to have so many different experiences of people in her community—those she loved and those she hated. It was really beautiful how she was able to find closure for some past relationships as she forged new ones, with the ‘same’ individual. The way parallel worlds allows for a variety of relationships with the same person to be explored is really beautiful, and I am obsessed with this concept.

Also, Caralee is just amazing! She is so strong, brave, determined, loving, observant, clever and moRE. I love how her queerness was totally accepted and not an issue at all. This was such a departure from how queerness is often perceived in our world, and it was so refreshing and beautiful.

This was a more plot-heavy book than I am used to, and while I enjoyed the constant problems and solutions, I did find some plot points a bit confusing. Also, I just wanted more history and in-depth world building. I wanted to know the history of this entire place and how it came to be. I do wonder if that’s a carryover from my love of literary fiction that tends to go really deep in characterization of a person and place. I do think the book could’ve been a bit longer and answered a few of those questions.. but also are we meant to be a bit confused, just as Caralee is when she visits a new world?

If you are at all intrigued by parallel worlds, planet traversing, and political and family subterfuge, definitely give this one a go! It is tender, exciting and brazen. Such an amazing read, and I can’t wait for more work from Johnson!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Terminal illness

gemmagetson's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Addiction

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Terminal illness