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talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, and War
secre's review
- 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
This is a book that is both poignant and entertaining. It's also beautifully written. Johnson builds up the worlds beautifully, with each change potentially having a ripple effect that has long lasting effects. Along with the world building, the characterisations are exceptionally done and the romance angle was enough in the background to not niggle at me. No problems with queer romance, I just find any romance that takes over the story to be annoying. I particularly appreciated how real many of the side characters were, when they could have just faded into the background almost anonymously.
All in all, I really enjoyed this and will certainly seek out more of Micaiah Johnson's work. I felt it was a clever narrative that drew on themes of racial and social inequalities and disparities without standing on a soap box yelling about them. The characters were lively and interesting and I was genuinely invested in their well-being. And the narrative was interesting and unexpected at points, without ever having to rely on sudden shock twists without build up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse
hybridhavoc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Drug use
pferdina's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Minor: Addiction, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder
tangleroot_eli's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Johnson's worldbuilding is exquisite. I got attached to her characters within paragraphs of their introductions. Her portrayals of classism, racism, and colonialism felt like constant gut-punches. If Spouse weren't waiting to read it before we have to return this copy to the library, I might've flipped right back to the beginning and started reading it again the moment I finished it.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and War
Graphic: Environmental degradation Minor: Whorephobia, Child laborcrownoflaurel's review
- 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? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence and Murder
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
The Space Between Worlds by Michiah Johnson is a dystopian scifi story that is gripping and brutal. One of my friends has been bugging me to read this, and I finally got around to it. Let's just say this friend is two for two in the scifi recs.
Earth has figured out that multiverses do exist, and Adam Bosch has created a way to traverse them. The catch is that in order to travel to these other Earths, your doppelganger has to have already died. We follow Cara, a traverser that is special, because out of the 300 and some Earths, she has died in most of them.
As Cara traverses these different versions of Earth, she meets the same people living different lives, but discovers there are a lot of commonalities. Every world has a Wiley City, a walled city for the rich and elite progressives that denies access to those living in Ashtown. Ashtown, where Cara is originally from, is desolate and full of violence. When Cara starts to question why no other Earths have discovered how to travel, she finds herself enmeshed in corporate sabotage involving the multiverse.
This was such a brutal read, but it was also so beautifully written. We learn so much about Cara on Earth Zero as well as a lot about her other selves. We also get a thread about her being in love with her distant handler, Dell, but that isn't what it seems either. So much sapphic pining. I loved seeing Cara's character growth and her growing morals all while being tough and ruthless. There is some nonbinary representation on the side, but it was nice to see how it was integrated into the world.
I don't want to give too much away, but it's definitely worth the read if you were a fan of This is How You Lose the Time War (with less romance focus).
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual content
kshertz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I got confused a lot and not enough romance. But excellent commentary on Earth and lots of fantastic one liners reflecting our social world and all that’s wrong with Earth and it’s humans.
Minor: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
workingdaley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Classism, and Deportation
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and War
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
amachattie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail