Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

134 reviews

rebecamojica's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

tinyjude's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment

martinatan's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

So so excellently crafted from the narrator voice to the build up of MULTIPLE worlds and the mechanics of traversing and the interactions between natives of different Earths, to the character development of the protagonist and the not quite expected ending. This story gave me so much and I’m in awe of the careful weaving that went into every reveal of circumstance and dialogue. Maybe it’s because I’m queer but the ending made me so very happy. I felt like everything was fought for through the plot and the characters’ very active scheming against one another. I can’t believe I actually read through this so slowly at first, but then got more intrigued about the conflict with each Part after I got used to the setting. That shows me how much I value good endings. Incredible story :)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Deportation

Minor: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

turrean's review

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Here is the multiverse, and the door to every world is a mirror that reflects the worst parts of the one you originally came from. Cara has to fight her way toward some kind of redemption against the twin backdrops of the safe, manicured city of a privileged, wealthy society that feeds like a tick on the poor, who dwell in a Mad Max-style wasteland. Most of the speaking roles are played by troubled, fit, 20-something badasses. 

I read about two-thirds of the book before switching to skim mode. 

The fictional science and the fictional mythology of the passage of multiverse travelers is fascinating. The focus, though, is very much on the emotional and social implications of a power structure completely and absolutely grounded in systemic classism and racism. The main character carries a monstrous burden of abuse and twisted guilt, and must always struggle against the pull of a toxic relationship that offered cruelty and evil, but also power and safety.

Every time Cara mulled over the differences between THAT Nik Nik and THIS Nik Nik, I was terrified she'd give in to the pull of that connection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Classism, and Deportation

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mikwrites's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Really intriguing story and world building. Cara is a compelling character as are most of those who surround her. I enjoyed the narrator as well. I felt the ending was a bit too tidy, personally, after a story with so many twists and turns and revelations.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Classism

Minor: Mental illness, Xenophobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

apersonfromflorida's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Homophobia

nick72's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

I struggled to get into the book initially, but it really picked up in the first extended other world sequence, and I enjoyed the plot and characters immensely. A few twists I didn't see coming and a very satisfying ending. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

squibney's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-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

4.75

The ending was slightly lackluster for how profound the rest of the book was, but it didn’t ruin it for me and I would definitely read this again. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, War, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Murder

sofipitch's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

5.0

Loved this book, it feels nearly perfectly put together. It has interesting allegory and metaphors, lots of actual real world commentary, occasionally beautiful prose AND has compelling characters and an interesting plot. Lots of books only manage having one of those. Cara's journey, seeing different versions of herself and other people and how it changed her is so good. It is also a book that is comfortable with uncertainty, the mentions of pushes and pulls between science and religion or even if you can predict what will happen make it so good. It is so well crafted and nuanced both in thoughts and character creation. I do wish Dell could have contributed more to the plot, she seemed a bit stuck in her role of love interest in the story and I really liked her dynamic with Cara, I wish she could have done more (given she's on the cover also lol)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Classism

Minor: Gore, Violence, and Car accident