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A review by fhirdiad
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
5.0
Galley provided by publisher.
I didn't know how much I needed a novel about parallel universes and doppelgängers until I read this. But it's about more than just the sci-fi elements it contains; there's nuanced commentary on abuse, classism and race that made this book a very touching read as well as an exciting one. Also, if you like Mad Max, this will be right up your alley.
We follow Cara, a traverser of worlds. She's died in over 300 different parallel universes, making her the perfect candidate to move between them. The worldbuilding in this book is wonderful and interesting and takes a topic (parallel universes and doppelgängers) and grounds it in themes of identity and longing which make it work where usually it falls short. Cara is one of only seven versions of herself to live, then another one of them is murdered and it kicks off a wonderful story about ambition, struggle, murder and politics as well as loss and healing. Ashtown is the Mad Max-esque setting and the rougher half to Wiley City, an extravagant metropolis that treats Ashtown like an unsightly but "exotic" tourist trap. Johnson weaved a wonderful sci-fi universe while also having very meaningful things to say about wealth, poverty and classism that fit in perfectly. Wiley City was difficult for me to picture sometimes but Ashtown is incredibly vivid. Every element not only fleshed out the visual of this setting, but added to the wider themes this story was portraying and it's fantastically done.
Cara is just one of a brilliant list of characters in this book. She's a wonderful main character - torn between worlds, not just literally and even more so than you think at first - supported by many others who all were interesting to read about. There's wonderful romantic tension between Cara and Dell (I have high standards for f/f and this was a really good, tense romance), a powerful sisterhood between Cara and Esther and Jean is a loving fatherly mentor to her as well, but this book also introduces us to nuanced discussions of abuse with the character of Nik Nik. The arc Cara goes through solely regarding her previous abuse is very moving. Antagonists sneak up on you and are genuinely threatening, keep the stakes high and keep you guessing too. There are lots of characters but it never felt overwhelming because it's all tied back to Cara and how these people have influenced her life and what roles they play in other worlds.
Finally, I just briefly wanted to commend the structure of the book. The first third of this book is just really interesting worldbuilding as well as a basic introduction to the tension between Cara and Dell. At first I felt like it was sometimes meandering but then I realised it was just because I could never guess where this book was heading. There are multiple twists and the concept of parallel universes introduces wonderful narrative options for solutions to the hurdles Cara faces, meaning I was even more surprised and impressed by how she solved her problems, or how she approached situations. By the second half, the action really kicks off and the stakes remain very high until the end. When Cara succeeded, I felt relief and when things went wrong I genuinely felt nervous. Nothing felt easy. There are sacrifices and Cara knows, even from the beginning, that she has always been driven but Wiley City won't let her have it all.
Overall, I really highly recommend this. The sci-fi isn't heavily scientific and is very easily digestible for people who aren't into sci-fi because it isn't the focus. There's also moments about the spiritual vs the scientific when it comes to world traversing which are beautiful to read and allow readers to understand the sci-fi concepts multiple ways. The setting feels alive and kicking and Cara is a wonderful mix of driven and confident but also constantly lost at sea, struggling with the idea of being a rare survivor when these universes are suggesting she should likely be dead. To top it all off, it's emotional; it tackles complicated themes and it moved me to tears when Cara could feel at peace with herself. The book knows what is affecting Cara, and makes it affect the reader too. Couldn't recommend this more.
I didn't know how much I needed a novel about parallel universes and doppelgängers until I read this. But it's about more than just the sci-fi elements it contains; there's nuanced commentary on abuse, classism and race that made this book a very touching read as well as an exciting one. Also, if you like Mad Max, this will be right up your alley.
We follow Cara, a traverser of worlds. She's died in over 300 different parallel universes, making her the perfect candidate to move between them. The worldbuilding in this book is wonderful and interesting and takes a topic (parallel universes and doppelgängers) and grounds it in themes of identity and longing which make it work where usually it falls short. Cara is one of only seven versions of herself to live, then another one of them is murdered and it kicks off a wonderful story about ambition, struggle, murder and politics as well as loss and healing. Ashtown is the Mad Max-esque setting and the rougher half to Wiley City, an extravagant metropolis that treats Ashtown like an unsightly but "exotic" tourist trap. Johnson weaved a wonderful sci-fi universe while also having very meaningful things to say about wealth, poverty and classism that fit in perfectly. Wiley City was difficult for me to picture sometimes but Ashtown is incredibly vivid. Every element not only fleshed out the visual of this setting, but added to the wider themes this story was portraying and it's fantastically done.
Cara is just one of a brilliant list of characters in this book. She's a wonderful main character - torn between worlds, not just literally and even more so than you think at first - supported by many others who all were interesting to read about. There's wonderful romantic tension between Cara and Dell (I have high standards for f/f and this was a really good, tense romance), a powerful sisterhood between Cara and Esther and Jean is a loving fatherly mentor to her as well, but this book also introduces us to nuanced discussions of abuse with the character of Nik Nik. The arc Cara goes through solely regarding her previous abuse is very moving. Antagonists sneak up on you and are genuinely threatening, keep the stakes high and keep you guessing too. There are lots of characters but it never felt overwhelming because it's all tied back to Cara and how these people have influenced her life and what roles they play in other worlds.
Finally, I just briefly wanted to commend the structure of the book. The first third of this book is just really interesting worldbuilding as well as a basic introduction to the tension between Cara and Dell. At first I felt like it was sometimes meandering but then I realised it was just because I could never guess where this book was heading. There are multiple twists and the concept of parallel universes introduces wonderful narrative options for solutions to the hurdles Cara faces, meaning I was even more surprised and impressed by how she solved her problems, or how she approached situations. By the second half, the action really kicks off and the stakes remain very high until the end. When Cara succeeded, I felt relief and when things went wrong I genuinely felt nervous. Nothing felt easy. There are sacrifices and Cara knows, even from the beginning, that she has always been driven but Wiley City won't let her have it all.
Overall, I really highly recommend this. The sci-fi isn't heavily scientific and is very easily digestible for people who aren't into sci-fi because it isn't the focus. There's also moments about the spiritual vs the scientific when it comes to world traversing which are beautiful to read and allow readers to understand the sci-fi concepts multiple ways. The setting feels alive and kicking and Cara is a wonderful mix of driven and confident but also constantly lost at sea, struggling with the idea of being a rare survivor when these universes are suggesting she should likely be dead. To top it all off, it's emotional; it tackles complicated themes and it moved me to tears when Cara could feel at peace with herself. The book knows what is affecting Cara, and makes it affect the reader too. Couldn't recommend this more.