A review by sergek94
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

adventurous emotional reflective 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

3.5

 

“Human beings are unknowable. You can never know a single person fully, not even yourself. Even if you think you know yourself in your safe glass castle, you don’t know yourself in the dirt. Even if you hustle and make in the rough, you have no idea if you would thrive or die in the light of real riches, if your cleverness would outlive your desperation.”


Cara is stuck walking on a thin, fine thread between two worlds. One world is the world of the city of Wiley, a prestigious haven from the harsh world outside, graced with the privilege of technology, luxury, and easy living. The second world is the world of the outer wastes, where primitive social structures still prevail and people must struggle, and in many instances, kill, to survive. Cara is originally from these wastes, but due to her unique ability to travel to several multiverses, she is a valuable employee in the city and is a candidate to receive citizenship. The reason she is able to travel to these multiverses is because she is dead in most of them, and you can only travel to another universe is if your parallel self living in that universe is no longer alive. She is a valuable asset to her employers, who use her for their own gains. In this sci-fi novel, we explore the complex lifestyle Cara partakes in, as a resident of the city of Wiley whose origins hail from the wild outskirts, while exploring different multiverses and the consequences that ensue when something goes wrong, and Cara discovers secrets relating to the true purpose of her missions which threaten her life. A central theme of this story is also her complex relationship with her handler, Dell, which tethers between romantic interest and cold aloofness.

Despite this story being a bit too dry for me to read, the fact that I listened to the audiobook greatly enhanced my reading experience. The narrator did a great job giving a unique voice to the characters and making the story interesting to listen to. The plot is riveting, and the world is lush with a great atmosphere and interesting characters which make the experience of consuming this story satisfying. The constant romantic tension that exists between Cara and Dell serves to move the story forward, because we are always given little tidbits of what could be between them, despite many barriers that exist between the two, including the barrier of social status, since Dell has a high social standing while Cara is considered to be a rough outlander. Dell is aloof and cold as ice, while Cara is engaged and warm, albeit also rough around the edges. When we are convinced that Dell doesn't see Cara as more than an unsophisticated outlander she is obliged to deal with, she engages in selfless acts that shows that she cares, but is quick to retreat back into her ivory tower, leaving Cara, and the reader, frustrated, and craving for more. This push and pull adds tension to the story, making it a page turner!

The science-fiction here tends to be on the softer end, and despite the science of teleportation between multiverses is talked about, it is not the focal part of the story, so if you don't like the science to overwhelm your sci-fi reads, this is a good reading choice.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read which I would give 3 and a half stars to and round up to 4!

“The multiverse isn't just parallel universes accessible thorough science. They are in each of us, a kaleidoscope made of varying perceptions.”