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carissa230's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
In this book there are many versions of the same world next to each other. You can travel 20 years into the future or 20 years into the past. There is a group called the Conseil that decides if you can travel. The only reason they allow is for grief. Grieving a loved one that was lost unexpectedly or to see someone in the future when you know you are dying.
When Odile sees a friends family members on a grief tour on accident, she knows something bad is going to happen. She is drawn ever closer to Edme as the days go by. When she accidently lets it slip to a teacher she is chosen to try out for the Conseil. She is on a great trajectory until the inevitable happens and Edme passes. Odile can't live with the decisions that the Conseil are forced to make.
Odile is living a bland life. She helps people travel to the future. When she runs into an old friend and is thrown back into her old life. She starts to wonder what would happen if she actually broke the law and saved her friend. She knows it would be the end of her life, but it could give him a chance. She took an oath though and doesn't want her life to end.
Interesting perspective. I can't imagine what most anyone would do if they had the opportunity to just go into the past or into the future. It would be utter chaos.
When Odile sees a friends family members on a grief tour on accident, she knows something bad is going to happen. She is drawn ever closer to Edme as the days go by. When she accidently lets it slip to a teacher she is chosen to try out for the Conseil. She is on a great trajectory until the inevitable happens and Edme passes. Odile can't live with the decisions that the Conseil are forced to make.
Odile is living a bland life. She helps people travel to the future. When she runs into an old friend and is thrown back into her old life. She starts to wonder what would happen if she actually broke the law and saved her friend. She knows it would be the end of her life, but it could give him a chance. She took an oath though and doesn't want her life to end.
Interesting perspective. I can't imagine what most anyone would do if they had the opportunity to just go into the past or into the future. It would be utter chaos.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
takecoverbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Blood, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
pinepoint's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
book_byrd's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the free copy of this book.
- Fans of literary sci-fi, gather round, because THE OTHER VALLEY is made for you.
- The quiet, spare prose calls to mind NEVER LET ME GO, which is then layered with multifaceted, unanswerable questions about morality, grief, and the road not taken.
- This book takes several unexpected turns and kept me guessing, and also trying to sort out what I would do in Odile’s place.
- The logistics of this society and how the Conseil structure came to be are never really explained, but I kind of enjoyed how the details were waved away and this book was just allowed to be a character study and extended thought experiment.
- Fans of literary sci-fi, gather round, because THE OTHER VALLEY is made for you.
- The quiet, spare prose calls to mind NEVER LET ME GO, which is then layered with multifaceted, unanswerable questions about morality, grief, and the road not taken.
- This book takes several unexpected turns and kept me guessing, and also trying to sort out what I would do in Odile’s place.
- The logistics of this society and how the Conseil structure came to be are never really explained, but I kind of enjoyed how the details were waved away and this book was just allowed to be a character study and extended thought experiment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
meganpbell's review
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
An isolated town is neighbored by its past to the West and its future to the East. The Conseil regulates travel between towns, giving few the chance to see lost loved ones. Odile’s life changes forever when she glimpses a friend’s parents, visiting from the future. While the premise is fascinating and the ideas about fate, free will, and time interesting, and I can see readers of Ishiguro's understated speculative masterpieces enjoying this book, I was ultimately disappointed that grief felt utterly misunderstood in this story to me--and I happen to have experienced losses similar to the main character--and I was frustrated at the lost opportunity.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexism, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Suicide, Kidnapping, Murder, and Alcohol
eveningreverie's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Was a good choice, is a good choice, will be a good choice. This is a truly amazing book with a unique concept and spectacular execution. I had no idea what to expect going into Odile's story, but the mastery with which Scott Alexander Howard navigates the atmosphere of youth and one's middle age is impeccable. Every bit of prose is wonderful (with the exception of like... one overexplained metaphor in the entire book), characters are believable and so, so lovable, and—while I expected it to be more of a deus ex machina—the ending was basically perfect in every way. Inspiring, impactful, tear-jerking, and wonderfully constructed and written; The Other Valley is unlike anything else I've read in recent memory.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death