Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
medium-paced
I liked the idea more than the actual telling of the story. It wasn’t bad but I don’t think I’ll be picking up the next one.
“When you fully believe in something, it flows from your heart, soaks into your blood. It makes the unbelievable… real.”
What I enjoyed:
•Another cover that I just LOVE. Simple, yet drew me into the story immediately.
•I'm a big fan of multiple POVs, especially when it is done well, and the author, Femi Fadugba, did an incredible job with this. The timeline jumps back and forth between the two POVs, Esso and Rhia’s, and collides in the end. Since the story is character-driven, this element really allows you to connect with each character and understand how they both play a role in each other’s lives.
•It is fast-paced and keeps readers on their toes with talk of time-travel, maths, and physics. With Esso, the book explores the difficulties of being a Black teenage boy caught up in the pressures of gang rivalries. With Rhia, it explores growing up as a Black girl in the foster care system. A well-written book all wrapped up in a total of 368 pages.
What I didn't love:
•I would say the main part of the book I didn’t love was the end… but I’ve said before that I’m a harsh book-ending critic haha. I just felt like once it got to the actual “time travel” part, I was not as interested. The character growth and the world building along the way truly make the book what it is.
•This is solely my opinion: Sometimes the maths / quantum physics talk went too in-depth and lost me a bit as someone who isn’t as interested in that topic. Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy books with those elements (i.e. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch), but it became a bit too much at times. However, for the right audience, this could be an element that really sparks a reader’s interest!!
The Upper World by: Femi Fadugba // 3.5 stars
What I enjoyed:
•Another cover that I just LOVE. Simple, yet drew me into the story immediately.
•I'm a big fan of multiple POVs, especially when it is done well, and the author, Femi Fadugba, did an incredible job with this. The timeline jumps back and forth between the two POVs, Esso and Rhia’s, and collides in the end. Since the story is character-driven, this element really allows you to connect with each character and understand how they both play a role in each other’s lives.
•It is fast-paced and keeps readers on their toes with talk of time-travel, maths, and physics. With Esso, the book explores the difficulties of being a Black teenage boy caught up in the pressures of gang rivalries. With Rhia, it explores growing up as a Black girl in the foster care system. A well-written book all wrapped up in a total of 368 pages.
What I didn't love:
•I would say the main part of the book I didn’t love was the end… but I’ve said before that I’m a harsh book-ending critic haha. I just felt like once it got to the actual “time travel” part, I was not as interested. The character growth and the world building along the way truly make the book what it is.
•This is solely my opinion: Sometimes the maths / quantum physics talk went too in-depth and lost me a bit as someone who isn’t as interested in that topic. Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy books with those elements (i.e. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch), but it became a bit too much at times. However, for the right audience, this could be an element that really sparks a reader’s interest!!
The Upper World by: Femi Fadugba // 3.5 stars
This isn't a book I'd normally pick up on my own so when I received it in August's Book Box Club I was excited to have a chance to dive into something new! I really loved the characters. They were each structured and developed in such a unique way and the author nailed the teen dynamic. Rhia was definitely my favorite character. However many times life knocked her down she was always willing to take another step forwards which was such a great build-up to what she eventually had to share with Esso.
Now, I'm not a science person so this book really stretched my brain to the limits! When Rhia was spouting all those equations I was so grateful for Olivia who made her slow down and make it easier for those of us who aren't geniuses. The alternating timeline was really cool and I loved how the two eventually merged. The conclusion was a lot to wrap my head around but I liked how the ending was final while still leaving the door cracked for a sequel. I loved how much this book made me think and I look forward to book two! Happy Reading :)
Now, I'm not a science person so this book really stretched my brain to the limits! When Rhia was spouting all those equations I was so grateful for Olivia who made her slow down and make it easier for those of us who aren't geniuses. The alternating timeline was really cool and I loved how the two eventually merged. The conclusion was a lot to wrap my head around but I liked how the ending was final while still leaving the door cracked for a sequel. I loved how much this book made me think and I look forward to book two! Happy Reading :)
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the writing was so fluent and continuous it was so fun to read, idk why but it already felt like a movie while I was reading and everything- legit can't wait for the actual movie to be out.. anyways if u like physics and the idea of time travel and a small bit of found family plus fights and a kids who learn how to appriciate themselves for themselves, then read the book :) good book fr.
slow-paced
challenging
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
despite being excited by the concept and setting of this book, I struggled with it and I believe that is purely down to my having a brain that is not at all mathematically or scientifically inclined. I could just not get my head around the very heavily maths and physicals based plot and world. that being said, it’s made me super excited for the Netflix adaptation, as I think it lends itself brilliantly to screen (and hopefully will be a little easier for my teeny tiny brain to understand…)