Scan barcode
mselaceyenglish's review
3.0
I think this novel would be best enjoyed by a much younger demographic than myself! That said, I liked that the novel dealt with important issues such as depression, identity and phobic behaviour but the verse was too distracting for my personal liking. It was also nice to see a novel with a gay protagonist that doesn't feel the need to justify or explain her sexual preferences at any point in the novel.
ftlobooks's review
5.0
Overall opinion of the book:
If you’re not familiar with this book, it’s written completely in verse and follows Beth’s journey of friendship, mental health, loneliness and love. I enjoy reading poetry so the idea of a book being completely written in verse intrigued me, and it disappoint, it was such a great read. Each poem is written in a completely different way to the previous one and some are much longer than others. Although the styles vary significantly, the main storyline follows throughout them all. This kept me invested and interested in the book as a whole and was such a great concept.
The Space Between is an easy read and you could probably finish it in one sitting, as I did. The language is beautiful and Grehan is great at allowing the reader to feel connected and invested in the characters. In terms of the characters, there are only three heavily featured; Beth, Alice, and Mouse. I loved this. It’s not often you read a book based around so few characters. It made the story feel much more personal and allowed me to connect to the character, their thoughts and feelings on a much deeper level. The language Grehan uses is easy to understand, yet so effective in evoking the readers emotions. Each verse flowed well and the spelling, punctuation, and grammar was flawless.
One of my favourite aspects about The Space Between is that it’s not your stereotypical love story. It has lesbian/bi representation and the blossoming relationship was heartwarming to read. My second favourite part of this book was the dog, Mouse. What an absolutely adorable ball of fluff! He’s a sweetheart and it’s great how Grehan emphasises animals ability to help our mental health drastically. Mouse is a loyal dog that provides emotional support to Beth and helps her to conquer loneliness.
Some of the content in The Space Between was tough to read. It’s raw, emotional and represents how tough it can be to suffer with your mental health and leaving the house. I loved seeing Beth‘s progression throughout the book; she starts in an extremely negative mindset, yet comes out the other end, with Alice’s friendship and support. Grehan has a great ability to make readers connect and emphasise with Beth, and the simple acts of kindness Alice shows her go such a long way.
Final thoughts:
This really is a powerful read that’s equally heartbreaking and heartwarming. The writing is brilliant and I cannot recommend reading it enough. The Space Between is unlike anything I’ve previously read and Grehan is a talented author. It’s such an original book and I’d love to read more about these characters in the future, though it is a stand alone.
Although this was a quick read, the characters and their story has stayed with me over a year later. I can still remember most of the plot as though I’d read it yesterday, which is certainly the sign of a fantastic book. The plot holds so much emotion and Grehan shows the story rather than telling it. As readers, we are left to fill in the space between each poem (pardon the pun). This is what I love about poetry, it can be read in so many ways and although they may be shorter than prose, they often tell so much more without saying as much.
If you’re not familiar with this book, it’s written completely in verse and follows Beth’s journey of friendship, mental health, loneliness and love. I enjoy reading poetry so the idea of a book being completely written in verse intrigued me, and it disappoint, it was such a great read. Each poem is written in a completely different way to the previous one and some are much longer than others. Although the styles vary significantly, the main storyline follows throughout them all. This kept me invested and interested in the book as a whole and was such a great concept.
The Space Between is an easy read and you could probably finish it in one sitting, as I did. The language is beautiful and Grehan is great at allowing the reader to feel connected and invested in the characters. In terms of the characters, there are only three heavily featured; Beth, Alice, and Mouse. I loved this. It’s not often you read a book based around so few characters. It made the story feel much more personal and allowed me to connect to the character, their thoughts and feelings on a much deeper level. The language Grehan uses is easy to understand, yet so effective in evoking the readers emotions. Each verse flowed well and the spelling, punctuation, and grammar was flawless.
One of my favourite aspects about The Space Between is that it’s not your stereotypical love story. It has lesbian/bi representation and the blossoming relationship was heartwarming to read. My second favourite part of this book was the dog, Mouse. What an absolutely adorable ball of fluff! He’s a sweetheart and it’s great how Grehan emphasises animals ability to help our mental health drastically. Mouse is a loyal dog that provides emotional support to Beth and helps her to conquer loneliness.
Some of the content in The Space Between was tough to read. It’s raw, emotional and represents how tough it can be to suffer with your mental health and leaving the house. I loved seeing Beth‘s progression throughout the book; she starts in an extremely negative mindset, yet comes out the other end, with Alice’s friendship and support. Grehan has a great ability to make readers connect and emphasise with Beth, and the simple acts of kindness Alice shows her go such a long way.
Final thoughts:
This really is a powerful read that’s equally heartbreaking and heartwarming. The writing is brilliant and I cannot recommend reading it enough. The Space Between is unlike anything I’ve previously read and Grehan is a talented author. It’s such an original book and I’d love to read more about these characters in the future, though it is a stand alone.
Although this was a quick read, the characters and their story has stayed with me over a year later. I can still remember most of the plot as though I’d read it yesterday, which is certainly the sign of a fantastic book. The plot holds so much emotion and Grehan shows the story rather than telling it. As readers, we are left to fill in the space between each poem (pardon the pun). This is what I love about poetry, it can be read in so many ways and although they may be shorter than prose, they often tell so much more without saying as much.
creepy_little_thing's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
ellieanor's review
3.0
I don't really have much to say about this, so this will be a pretty short review. All I can say is that it was sweet and simple and cute but poignant and moving and yeah. This is a great book to just curl up with and read from cover to cover. It takes no time at all to read. The reason I gave this three stars was because the story was so simple and straight forwards - some things were solved a little to easily? But this made me smile and whatever, that's what a book is supposed to do.
yoda32's review
5.0
I LOVED this.
A beautiful story told in verse about a girl with agoraphobia who falls for her neighbour, Alice.
Representation: Sapphic mc, MC with agoraphobia and anxiety, f/f romance, ownvoices for sapphic rep.
A beautiful story told in verse about a girl with agoraphobia who falls for her neighbour, Alice.
Representation: Sapphic mc, MC with agoraphobia and anxiety, f/f romance, ownvoices for sapphic rep.
emel's review
3.0
I don't think I would have ever even come across this book if I hadn't won a giveaway, but I almost feel like I was meant to read this. At first I was spooked by the fact that it's in verse, but luckily it was very pleasant to read. I see a lot of myself in Beth and her situation, and I feel like this book was a necessary reminder for me to keep going on, because you never know when you will meet the cute girl that matters.
eilisnolan's review
5.0
The struggle with mental health that's shown throughout this book through its prose, along with the uplifting relationship between Beth and Alice, makes this an intriguing read. It was an honestly touching story and one I'll easily find time to enjoy again.
chennessybooks's review
5.0
(from The Irish Times, 15 April 2017)
"Meg Grehan’s The Space Between (Little Island, €7.99) is another debut novel, this time set in Ireland and depicting a year in the life of Beth, an isolated, agoraphobic young woman. When a dog presses its nose against her window, and she meets both Mouse and his owner, Alice, she feels “a shy spark of hope” that her world might expand.
Told in verse, this novel carefully balances its portrayal of the power of friendship and love with an acknowledgment that love is not a cure for mental illness (“I can’t be your reason,” Alice gently reminds Beth). It’s a sensitive and hopeful book from a writer to watch."
"Meg Grehan’s The Space Between (Little Island, €7.99) is another debut novel, this time set in Ireland and depicting a year in the life of Beth, an isolated, agoraphobic young woman. When a dog presses its nose against her window, and she meets both Mouse and his owner, Alice, she feels “a shy spark of hope” that her world might expand.
Told in verse, this novel carefully balances its portrayal of the power of friendship and love with an acknowledgment that love is not a cure for mental illness (“I can’t be your reason,” Alice gently reminds Beth). It’s a sensitive and hopeful book from a writer to watch."