windleypratt 's review for:

The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard

5.0

emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

“In place of a clean conscience, I felt cleansed by conviction, the clarity of choosing.”

Incredible story. Melancholic, contemplative, and even drab at times (importantly so). It’s a story about grief, regret, choice, and consequence, where time doesn’t move faster just because you want it to. In the Valleys, time remains something you must wait on, something slow and speculative.

Howard’s take on “time travel” (if you want to call it that) is unique. There is some common paradox, but he makes it deeply human. I was worried the story wouldn’t resolve, but I think it did so perfectly.