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A review by misha_ali
The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was more accessible than I expected. The premise is simple and interesting: the same town repeated over and over on each of two sides of the same town, each 20 years further into the past or future depending on the direction. Travel between these towns is strictly regulated by a body of people chosen through a rigorous apprenticeship process.
The first half of this book had me thinking it would be at least four stars for me. The most interesting part is the training scenarios that Odile and Jo must review. Odile's responses are well-thought-out and interesting and honestly, I would have enjoyed a whole book of her dealing with cases.
Unfortunately, the second half lost me. The pace slows to a crawl and Odile's life twenty years on is solitary, not terribly interesting, and her inner world is no longer as engaging. Even the ending, I felt, was a bit more vague than it needed to be and therefore not as satisfying as I would have liked.
Overall, an interesting read but if no quotation marks for dialogue annoy you, you may want to skip this one, and the pace will slow down considerably in the second half.
The first half of this book had me thinking it would be at least four stars for me. The most interesting part is the training scenarios that Odile and Jo must review. Odile's responses are well-thought-out and interesting and honestly, I would have enjoyed a whole book of her dealing with cases.
Unfortunately, the second half lost me. The pace slows to a crawl and Odile's life twenty years on is solitary, not terribly interesting, and her inner world is no longer as engaging. Even the ending, I felt, was a bit more vague than it needed to be and therefore not as satisfying as I would have liked.
Overall, an interesting read but if no quotation marks for dialogue annoy you, you may want to skip this one, and the pace will slow down considerably in the second half.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse