Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

99 reviews

hcwarn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

alouette's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

I've always believed, like all rational people, that my selves are separate. That they- we- exist independently. But sometimes when life is too still, when I lie in bed in the quiet, I can feel it all happening.

it might take me awhile to sort out my feelings about this book in a legible way, so for now here's a quick list:

• worldbuilding was amazingly immersive and confronted issues of poverty, segregation, etc. with a full-on approach as well as going about the multiverse in a way that could be understood without much difficulty
• the characters were super diverse and had a lot of depth, with an exploration of ethics and an examination of their values across different worlds and different situations
• the plot twists were awesome, the plot itself with good pacing
• the main romance as well as other character interactions were brilliant (even if i feel like the big misunderstanding between the main romance couple was a bit silly)
• the author covered some very heavy subjects with a lot of care but also the honesty that such trauma encompasses
• for once i could feel positively about the existentialism in a novel
• slightly ambiguous ending was perfect for the type of book this is

make sure to check content warnings before you read this!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

Minor: Miscarriage and Terminal illness

internationalreads's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

skitch41'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? No

3.5

Stories about multiverses and post-apocalyptic societies are staples of science fiction and fantasy, even if multiverses are only just entering the cultural zeitgeist thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But this is the first novel that I have read that has tried to combine both a multiverse and a post-apocalyptic story into one. And while it takes some time for Ms. Johnson to decide which lane to stick to, once she does the bang up is extraordinary.

For my full review, check out my book blog here.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Murder and Violence

syllareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

They say hunting monsters will turn you into one. That isn't what's happening now. Sometimes to kill a dragon, you have to remember that you breathe fire too. This isn't a becoming: it's a revealing. I've been a monster all along.

I still cannot quite believe that this book is Micaiah Johnson's debut because it's just so flawlessly executed in almost every single way. The Space between Worlds is a scifi novel about humankind discovering that there's more than one reality - but to travel between the 380 worlds their sensors managed to pick up, your doppelganger in the one world you intend to travel to has to be dead. Otherwise, the travel will kill you, as the world (or Nyame, as the traversers call the void between worlds, or perhaps their goddess, no one is really sure) will kill you since there can ever be only one person of each kind in a world.

Cara is dead in almost every one of these realities - in all, in fact, but 8. And so she's one of her company's most requested traversers; right up until she gets a call that another of her dops (a slang adopted by traversers to talk about their doppelgangers in other worlds) has died in world 175. What seems to be just a normal mission exposes things she's never bothered to look at closely before, right up until she can no longer ignore them.

This book effortlessly talks about racism, exploitation of those suppressed by a system no one in power cares to dismantle, and domestic abuse all the while serving up a deliciously, deliriously dangerous plot Cara gets swept away with. Johnson's language is beautiful and evocative, leaving you craving for more once you close the book for the very last time. Cara's inner self, rough from her life on the outskirts of society, beautiful from within her very own heart, honest and craving, and surviving is laid bare to us within less than 350 pages. Her feelings for Dell, her watcher, a woman who accompanies her on her missions to faraway realities via headset, are sharp and painful, because for all her wanting, she's convinced Dell will never want her back - and yet, she cannot help herself.

I fell in love with this book and I can only recommend it to everyone else!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Racism, Murder, and Death of parent

naldorah's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Drug abuse

alexiswiththefreckles's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Homophobia

unintentionallyasymmetric's review

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.5

Considering I picked this up with no prior knowledge of the book, I enjoyed it immensely! The premise is interesting and the story lives up to the potential. I enjoyed the mechanics of traversing, and the growth of the protagonist, Cara. I thought Ashtown was better fleshed out than Wiley City, but I still wanted to know more about both locations. The plot felt mature without ever becoming overly violent or erotic.  I would read more by Micaiah Johnson.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Violence, Murder, Drug use, Death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death

corinnereads7's review

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

aardwyrm's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The structure and plot progression in this one go some fascinating places, and yet it builds fairly smoothly to a complete, effective whole. The worldbuilding and most of the character work are painful and elaborate (though Cara's relationship with Dell is a tad bit underwritten) and the plot is well executed as much as interesting, which is impressive with all the layers of conspiracy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Gore, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death