I didn’t know what I was getting myself into and I’m glad I didn’t. The Space Between Worlds is a gripping slow burn sapphic Sci-Fi novel. I read through this in about two days straight and I couldn’t put it down once the book had got going. If you like the idea of multiple universes, sapphic longing and twists you don’t see coming? This book is the perfect novel for you.

In Short: Sci-Fi + Slow Burn Sapphic Romance + The Multi-Verse + Mind-Bending Story = The Space Between Worlds

What an incredible world. I have to admit at first I was not only confused but so overwhelmed with everything going on that it took a good 50 to 60 pages for me to wrap my head around the beginning if i’m honest. It felt like there was so much going on and so much that the author wanted to get out that they spent the first few chapters splurging out this wealth of information and characters that didn’t make sense until later on in the book. I think that’s the only problem I had with this book, it knew where it wanted to go but it didn’t know how to explain everything clearly. Though this is a complicated story about multi-verse travelling so it could also be that as well!

The Space Between Worlds is clearly a character driven world. But the problem is the way the characters are introduced, You’ll get a whole paragraph about a character you’re sure you’ve never met before and then 2 pages later you’re introduced to them for the first time. It just feels like a really clunky way to introduce some of the characters? But that’s all it is, a confusing introduction to some of the core cast. But once you’ve met the core cast and you get a feel for who they are and why they’re like that everything settles into place.

Though once you get through that first wealth of information everything settles down and begins to make sense. You start to care for these characters, You start to look forward to when Cara sees Dell or Jean and you wonder where the story will go next. The Space Between Worlds revolves around the same core cast of characters but with their personality and situation changing based on which Earth Cara travels to.

One of the main laws in this book is, if you already exist in a world you can’t travel there. But, what if you could? What would happen if you cope with the pressure from the universe and miraculously survive all the trauma dealt to your body only to meet yourself from another world. How do you think that would go down? That’s one of the questions this book answers in such an excellent way.

All in all, If you’re into sci-fi and sapphic romance READ THIS BOOK NOW!! It’s a fast paced character driven story that has so much action and story that will keep you hooked right until the end!

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC for review purposes through NetGalley.

Micaiah Johnson’s debut novel is an exciting new venture into Sci-Fi. The Space Between Worlds provided an interesting perspective and some very fresh and engaging elements which add to an already very established genre.

It is set in a world where the multiverse has been discovered and travel across it is possible, yet cleverly limited. A total of 380 parallel Earths have been discovered but choosing to travel across them is a possibly deadly game – landing in an Earth where you are still alive is a death sentence. Cue our protagonist, Cara. All but 8 versions of Cara have died, allowing her to travel to the remaining 372 Earths. Her job is to do so, collecting data that would be useful for Earth Zero (her Earth) as she does so. But soon, another version of Cara is found dead, and she discovers a plot which could endanger both her world and the entire multiverse.

First, the good. Cara was an amazing protagonist – perfectly flawed, complex, and engaging. She was a very likeable protagonist, furthered by the supporting cast of characters who were also fascinating. All of the characters were spot on and engaging and their dialogue worked and flowed well. It didn’t feel stilted or out of place at all, as is always a danger when working with a Sci-Fi setting.

The pacing of the book was also very good and kept me very engaged throughout – this was not a book I wanted to put down. It was a very dark look at a future where cross-dimension travel is a possibility, exploring the issues that such travel could bring about while also casting similarities to very real current-day issues. Themes such as poverty, race and sexuality are explored throughout in interesting and relevant ways.

Unfortunately, world-building is where this book fell short; somewhat of a disappointment as it began with such an interesting world-building premise, building from the general idea of a multiverse. It was a tad messy and hard to follow, with a lack of description which made it hard to envision where events were actually taking place. World-building could have been more thoroughly explored so that the multiple versions of Earth felt more immersive and pulled you further into the story. Instead, at times I did find myself a little lost and wishing for more.

Overall, definitely a brilliant debut novel and first venture into Sci-Fi. An interesting premise, mostly well executed with engaging characters and a plot that pulled you in. I just wish the various worlds were explored a little more deeply.

I would definitely recommend The Space Between World to anyone looking for a new Sci-Fi based read to pick up, even those who don’t usually pick the genre.

Cara has a job not many can hold--traversing through different Earths in the multiverse--because most of her other selves are already dead. But technological advancements may mean Cara's job is invalidated--and her latest pull reveals unexpected events. What starts off as a simple multiverse-travelling story turns dark and complex when Cara uncovers dangerous truths.

The Space Between Worlds is perfect for casual sci-fi readers, those who prefer their sci-fi on the space opera/soft end of the spectrum and don't want to worry about the actual tech or How It All Works. Johnson doesn't actually explain how it works, just that it does, also providing a mythological response to this science: the traversers assigning the name "Nyame" to the pressure felt and dangers of traversing. It does segue more into myth at the end, so I'd say this is more science-fantasy than anything else.

Overall, the novel deals with the theme of rich vs poor, haves vs have-nots, and the way they impact each other individually and collectively. Cara is a Have-Not, only given this chance because of this unique quality of hers (still being alive on Earth 0); her Watcher, Dell, is a Have, born into money and Wiley City citizenship. There's a brutality that exists in the spaces outside the city, one that Cara cannot help that carry as part of her, affecting the way she reacts to people--especially Dell.

Dell, whom she is hopelessly in love with, but is sure does not love her back. A very strange kind of romance/non-romance exists between them, where it's increasingly obvious to the reader what Cara just cannot see (accept might be a better word).

Overall, The Space Between Worlds is fascinating with a slow-building intensity.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Stunning! It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. Imagine being able to visit alternate earths, the only downside being that your alter must be dead or else you risk dying yourself. This was fast paced and a delight to read, I especially loved the idea of the goddess holding the worlds in her hand, and her relationship with the traversers. Definitely a recommendation for fans of Blake Crouch and Becky Chambers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with this e-ARC for an honest review and please accept this as my confirmation that all opinions are my own.

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson is a whirlwind ride across a multiverse of 382 parallel worlds, each slightly or infinitely different to each other and each populated by the same people. The only worlds anyone can safely travel to are those where your counterpart/doppelgänger no longer lives.

Cara is a Traverser, she travels to the worlds that others are unable to - her qualification being that she’s already dead in circa 372 worlds. Cara’s only aim in life is to make it through the next 4 years and then having lived & worked in Wiley City for 10 years, she can officially become a citizen leaving her wastes of Ashtown roots behind her.

Following her latest death in Earth 175, she is sent in a mission to gather data there, but this trip has far greater consequences that turn her whole world inside out. Cara finds herself having to reach out to those in her past to help her take on the company she works for and avenge those lost in the fight.

As a character Cara is flawed, brash and externally confident with a self-admitted huge chip on her shoulder. Johnson hits the perfect tone in creating a believable and empathetic person that it is so easy to connect with. Cara is surrounded by a well executed cast of supporting characters including her mother, stepfather and step siblings, all of whom she would do anything she can for and as the book progresses, we discover so much more about Cara, her secrets and the secrets of those she loves.

There are a number of other characters in the story, that I would love to tell you more about including NikNik, his brother and more, but to do so would spoil the book for you. However, I can’t emphasise how much I enjoyed them, they are complex, finely written and truly well-rounded - definitely an achievement in a multiverse of more than 380 earths!

The book has a multitude of plots within plots, it definitely isn’t a heavy Sci-Fi with all the weight on technology and automation, it’s definitely light in that department. What I really enjoyed about it was that it was more complex and draws you in to think beyond traditional sci-fi and consider the human aspects, the plot and the story as a whole.

Johnson’s writing style is very fluid and makes it easy for the reader to fly through chunks of this story at a time. There’s no struggling to make your way through this book. Overall, a good solid debut, well defined world building, solid and believable characters and a great plot that definitely makes for an enjoyable and thought provoking read.

The Space Between Worlds, by Micaiah Johnson, is set in a dystopian future where it’s possible to travel to 382 parallel Earths - so long as you’re already dead on the iteration you’re travelling to, or the paradox will turn you to mush upon arrival. People with high mortality rates across the multiverse (ie the underprivileged) are employed by company Eldridge, in shiny Wiley City, to visit these other earths and download data that will be useful at home on Earth Zero.

We follow the story of one such traverser, Cara. She’s originally from Ashtown, Wiley City’s poor neighbour, and hopes to earn citizenship in Wiley by continuing to live and work there for another four years. Ashtown is run by an organised crime family headed by volatile Emperor Nik Nik and kept in order by the runners, his brutal police force and security detail.

One day, Cara finds herself delayed on Earth 175, where the situation in Ashtown is markedly different, but not in an altogether good way. She ends up intervening and unintentionally brings some of the consequences of her actions back to Earth Zero, where she has to turn to colleagues, family, and even a runner for help. She also finds out something shocking about Eldridge’s charismatic CEO, Adam Bosch, that she can’t ignore, thus putting her future in Wiley, and her very life, in jeopardy.

That may sound complex and confusing, but the beauty of The Space Between Worlds is that it’s easy to follow. It’s a testament to Johnson’s talent as a writer that she can keep the reader on board throughout while conveying such a clever concept and story. There are occasional twists that turn everything you thought you knew about the characters on its head, and while the surprise might take a few moments to digest, it’s always clear what the new information means for the story.

The settings of Wiley City and Ashtown, as well as The Rurals, the pious farming area just outside of Ashtown where Cara’s family currently lives, are incredibly well-described. The level of detail Johnson includes - particularly about what Ashtown was like when Cara was younger, and the differences in environment, diet, clothing and religion in the three areas - makes them feel like real places not only on Earth Zero, but the variants Cara experiences.

The requirement of high mortality across the multiverse to be a traverser, and the contrast between Wiley City, Ashtown and The Rurals, lend themselves to deeper reflections on the meanings of privilege. Cara has died on all but eight Earths as a result of parental neglect or the violence that’s endemic in Ashtown, and it’s only by luck that on Earth Zero she survived because her mother managed to turn away from drugs and sex work, marry a preacher and move to The Rurals. Similarly, on Earth 255, it’s by pure chance that a four-year-old Cara wanders to a road by herself, where she is found and adopted by a rich family. It’s always fascinating to read and think about how many things in someone’s life could be different with just one alteration.

Traversers tend to be smaller than the average Wileyite due to childhood malnutrition, and disproportionately likely to be from ethnic minorities (Cara describes herself as ‘brown’) due to the systematic oppression that still persists in this future world. Wiley City has advantages such as job training for the unemployed, and basic income and free housing for the sick and poor, but these are only open to citizens - if an incomer loses their job, they have to leave the city.

The best bet for Cara and her fellow traversers if they want to achieve citizenship is to keep their heads down and try not to draw attention to their difference, dressing and acting like Wileyites. However, their jobs are under threat as new technological advancements mean Eldridge will soon be able to download other worlds’ information remotely, negating the need to send people to other Earths.

I really liked Cara as a character. She’s smart, hell-bent on doing the right thing, and cares about other people, particularly her stepsister Esther and her mentor Jean. She alters over the course of the book as she comes to realise that traversing is more than just a job to her, and thinks about the versions of herself she’s encountered in other universes and how they died. She’s not perfect, though, as evidenced by the ham-fisted way she shows her feelings for her icy supervisor Dell.

Cara has one foot in Ashtown and one foot in Wiley City. She wants to be a Wileyite, and does her best to blend in, but she feels like a fraud. At the same time, while she really doesn’t want to go back to living in Ashtown, and doesn’t fit in there anymore, she still knows how things work there. That allows her to enlist the help of Ashtowners when she sees no other way forward. As with traversing, she can slip between Wiley City and Ashtown with more ease than others, but that doesn’t translate to her belonging in either place.

The Space Between Worlds is a riveting and detailed parallel universe sci-fi novel with a lot to say about fortune, privilege and belonging.

This book was truly amazing. I love multiverse stories and this one definitely stood up. It was very creative and original. The author created very complex worldbuilding and she did an amazing job. Cara was an excellent main character. I had high expectations for this book and I am really happy it did fulfill it. It was an amazing debut novel and I can't wait to read what Micaiah Johnson writes next.

4 stars
TW: Violence, murder

I love sci fi and books with alternate versions of the same world so I knew this book would be up my street.
The storyline was really interesting filled with tons of twists and turns and at many points I couldn't put the book down as I HAD to know what was going to happen next! It started off rather confusing and also a little bit boring. However that quickly changed and I was hooked. The book has VERY long chapters and I don't think that helped itself. There were often natural breaks in the story that weren't new chapters and so it often felt too long.
Cara the main character was really interesting. It is a very character lead story and so I was glad that I wanted to get to know her and her life as she was such a major aspect. The side characters also played fantastic roles and it was super interesting to see how each one was different in other worlds. How different decisions and environmental factors had made them into different people.
The technology aspect was interesting and I jist loved the whole idea of travelling between the different worlds. I have read other books with similar stories but I think this is the best one so far.
The F/F slow growing love story was also a joy and I loved the mystery surrounding Dell's character.
I didn't see many of the big twists so I was completely gripped!!
Sadly the ending was a little anticlimactic for me which is why this review is four stars but still a well written interesting story.
I really recommend this for anyone that enjoys sci fi books. It is a slow start but definitely worth it!

Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

eARC provided by NetGalley , thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton. All opinions are my own.

Addictive, page-turning science fiction, fierce, strange and filled with surprises; I could not get to the end of it quicker.

THIS BOOK HAS LEFT ME SPACED OUT

description

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson (spoiler free reviews)
Standalone
Publish Date: August 4th 2020
Cover Rating: 7/10
Adult –Science Fiction –Fiction – LGBT

SUMMARY IN A SENTENCE, OKAY TWO:
The multiverse has been discovered: dead in 382 of them, Cara can travel to all those planets except the ones on which she is alive, it’s just her job, collecting data from each of these realities. When one of her doppelgangers is murdered, Cara is discovers a plot that endangers not only her world but the entire multiverse.

WHAT WAS THIS READING EXPERIENCE LIKE?
I have shied away from Science Fiction for a while (when it gets to space opera-y Im bloody gone) and to be honest, I have not read a gripping Sci-Fi in years. This book was flipping amazing. I am still in shock at how good it was! I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!

The weirdest thing is I almost did not request it. I saw someone else’s review and I was very unsure. I am so so glad I decide to read this. It’s one of the best sci-fi books I have read and for those of us (like me) that don’t like that in-depth hard-core science fiction – it’s perfect.

Right from the start, the main protagonist Cara was a cheeky asshole and I loved her. So relatable and one of the best characters I have ever come across. Actually, all of the characters and dialogue was spot on. The world building could have been more thoroughly hashed out in places but I loved the world and the people. Each description hit the mark and there was no “flowery” language, the author delivers each chapter perfectly. And the ending , WOW.

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT:
A brilliant debut, I am going to urge everyone to at least give this book a try. Hard core science fiction aficionados might think it was very light, so be warned. But seriously: This author is going to be making waves – mark my words. Please Micaiah, write a fantasy next?!
Rating: 4.5

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley I was privileged to read this copy of »The Space Between Worlds« by Micaiah Johnson, a book that I‘ve been hearing advance praise about. To that effect I was extremely curious to read it.

First of all, as much as I love the stunning cover of the American edition, I find the British dull and uninspired. Let‘s just hope that this is not the final version. The American cover catches your eye immediately and will promote sales much better. After finishing the novel, I actually pre-ordered a hardcover copy on Amazon.de, and I chose the American edition even though it was more expensive just for that cover picture.

»The Space Between Worlds« centers on the existence of a multiverse, i.e. a more or less endless number of parallel universes. Travelers between worlds are used to make predictions on the future development of stock markets in their original universe, for example. The catch is, however, that you can only enter a parallel reality where your twin is already dead. Since Cara has died in 372 of 380 documented worlds, she‘s identified as an ideal traveler between universes, which offers her a promising career opportunity and a new life away from the wastelands of her home. But when she visits a world where her counterpart has recently been killed under suspicious circumstances, she starts to investigate and uncovers a scheme that might not only endanger her own life but the whole multiverse, because she starts to interfere.

This may not be hard science fiction (»Dark Matter« by Blake Crouch comes a little closer to that on multiverse travel), rather semi-dystopian science fantasy, but the story is convincingly told. Cara seems a bit naïve at times, more like a teenager than a grownup woman, but that might be attributed to her rural family background. At the same time she‘s described as tough, ambitious, and complex. The novel is fast paced, full of suspension, action, intrigues, and even a love story which makes it a page turner hard to put down. The prose is beautiful and extremely readable, even when the author plunged into philosophy at some points. It‘s fascinating to meet the same characters in different worlds and see how they act or to read about a universe where the laws of nature differ from ours. Micaiah Johnson‘s world building offers a lot of sense of wonder.

I recommend this novel without reservation.

Fresh, unique, complex and compelling….this book took some navigation of world building at first but it was so worth that bit of investment to be pulled into Cara(s) lives and travels. This sci-fi navigated the multiverse with a cast of characters all of which were shades of good and bad. I got completely invested in the characters of Cara, Jean, Nik Nik, Esther, Mister Cheeks and eventually Dell.

Earth Zero had an identifiable society in many ways in terms of priviledge and colour and these similarities were perpetuated across the multiverse. Cara had come from the rough, dirt-ridden Ashdowns but her ability to traverse the different worlds had given her a place in the elite society. It was unsurprising that she really didn’t have any power despite the fact they needed her and any allies she had weren’t completely trustworthy. It was an isolated life for Cara and her only real connections were family back in the Ashdowns.

I was so fascinated by life on Earth Zero with shades of longing for her on Earth 22. It didn’t take long for the story to serve up some twists and there were many further twists along the way. I found the second half so unputdownable that I romped to the end as fast as I could.

Don’t come into this read expecting to know the rules of the world, the reader has to flex with the story as it rolls unexpectedly out and quite honestly, that’s one of the best things about it. I can’t say I’ve read a story quite like this before and I do read quite a bit of sci-fi, so complete props to Micaiah Johnson for her ingenuity. I’ll definitely be reading anything she publishes from here on.

Thank you to Hodder Books for the early review copy.

“Because that’s what a sister is: a piece of yourself you can finally love, because it’s in someone else”.

In a world full of doppelgängers Cara is fighting for better whether that be bettering herself from the area she grew up or trying to protect her loved ones from her superior.

For me this universe was very intricately mapped out and it lost me a fair few times. I love the idea that there are hundreds of worlds with hundreds of doppelgängers all who live different scenarios, however this all has the opportunity to confuse.

I also know this is drastically psychological but the lengthy chapters led to me page/percentage watching on my ebook. This is a massive personal preference but I would’ve liked shorter chapters.

Ultimately I liked the premise.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an eARC of The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

There are several brilliant ideas in this book, I loved the inclusion of parallel universes and transverse travel!

The plot contains enough plot twists and hints of romance to keep it a fast paced and interesting reading.

I was rooting for Cara all the way, and I do really hope she and Dell ended up together in Earth zero.

4 stars,

In The Space Between Worlds, Eldridge Institute CEO Adam Bosch has discovered how to access the multiverse and covertly exploit other versions of Earth for data and physical resources. But the technology to remotely download the data hasn’t been developed, and due to some law of physics, Eldridge’s interdimensional travellers can only safely visit realities where their alternate self has died.

Enter Cara, born into poverty on the wrong side of the walls of Wiley City. She has survived an addict mother, a tyrannical emperor and the thuggish, Mad Max-like Runner gangs, but in the greater multiverse her survival in this reality is an exception: Cara is dead in 372 of the 380 accessible Earths, making her the perfect courier to retrieve surveillance information from other realities.

When a version of Cara dies on Earth 175, she is able to traverse there for the first time. But her landing doesn’t go as planned and she is drawn into local events, uncovering secrets that may threaten the life she has built for herself on Earth 0.

“The multiverse isn’t just parallel universes accessible through science. They are in each of us, a kaleidoscope made of varying perceptions. Dell and I were in different universes this whole time, and I should have known.”

The book's title refers to Cara’s job as a traverser as well as her struggle to assimilate to Wiley City society despite her imposter syndrome and the citizens’ ingrained classism. The story also explores her experience with domestic abuse, childhood neglect, and the unique trauma of seeing variations of these events in other worlds.

Johnson refers to her writing as ‘grit’ in the acknowledgements, and these are certainly heavy themes to deal with, making for a different reading experience to the escapism I usually look for. She also writes in first person with language more reflective than visual which, being a visual reader, made it difficult for me to connect with the story and protagonist until over halfway through the book.

“Why are we, who are so unhappy, fixated on long lives? What is the point? An easy life isn’t blessing. Easy doesn’t mean happy. Alive doesn’t mean anything at all.”

That said, the bleak tone and harsh characters reminded me of Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death which I was unable to finish, so I’d say this is indicative of my personal preferences and somewhat prudish attitude towards themes of abuse in SFF rather than Johnson’s writing skills.

The Space Between Worlds is a unique and interesting approach to multiverse theory, but its standout feature is a convincing exploration of Cara’s character as she questions her sense of self. The plot involves some unexpected twists as well as F/F romance that enrich the story. I really enjoyed the final third of the book as the focus is shifted towards immediate events that endanger Cara.

This book is a unique experience that will appeal to many readers, so if any part of this review has piqued your interest don’t hesitate to get yourself a copy. Opinions might be divided among hard SFF readers as this novel takes a suggestive rather than explorative approach to worldbuilding and the use of the multiverse concept, which may leave readers frustrated by unanswered questions.

Every so often I like to read something completely different from my usual crime genre. Mix it up a bit! My current go-to genre for this is sci-fi which I do admit to still being a bit green about. But I love a good story and great characters so, apart from a few genres, as long as it has these things I can pretty much enjoy anything. And I did enjoy this book. Once I had accepted one thing that did irk me a bit that is... It's based around multiverse travel and most of the worlds contain the same core people. It has to be this way for the story to work. But I do have a slight issue with the probability of this given that the rest of the book is based on decisions and choices, any one of which could result in multiple changes down the line. But, in order to read the book I had to accept that and, with the quality of what I subsequently read, this decision of mine ending up being a good one.
Our multiverse traveller is Cara and she is only allowed to visit worlds she has already died in. Her personal circumstances lend her to be very useful as she tends not to die that much. But, as with all rules, it's not infallible as Cara soon finds out. Especially as she starts to question things both in her own world and in those she travels to, and she very soon discovers that things are not quite as they should be and begins to start to fear for her own life.
This was quite an easy read for me as it is not very heavy on the sci-fi side of things. The multiverse travel is quite easy to get your head around and, once you've got that licked, the rest just falls into place.
Characterisation was interesting and you will understand exactly what that means as you read the book. We have multiple versions of various characters in various worlds all slightly different but, at the same time, easy to distinguish.
The story was intriguing and, apart from some setting up and world creating, got on with itself very well. It held my attention nicely throughout and left me satisfied at the end.
All in all a good solid read that I recommend especially to people wanting to dip a toe in the sci-fi genre but wary of getting bogged down and bamboozled by science. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I love sci-fi
And this books delivered as the multiverse is one theory I love more then most. This books took that theory and made it a wild ride!

Micaiah Johnson is an exciting new voice in Sci-Fi. The Space Between Worlds had an interesting point of view and some fresh, unique elements in this genre. Set in a multiverse, Cara travels between Earth’s collecting data for an enigmatic ruler who, like Cara, is dead on many other Earths. It’s a dark look at a future where inter dimensional travel is possible and with it comes power, poverty and ambition. The story was intricately woven and I found the f/f romance complex and engaging. There were also wonderful sisterhood bonds and the element of whispering secrets to the dead, I adored.

The introduction to the current Earth and the parallel worlds is where this book fell short. It was confusing and made it hard to get into the story. Only in persevering did I discover its uniqueness. Cara initially sounds much younger than she actually is, with her voice maturing part-way through the book; I would have preferred her more mature voice to be the narrative of the whole story. I’m looking forward to seeing what Micaiah Johnson continues to do with this genre.

Best book I've read all year! Such an atmospheric and engrossing story about a girl from the wastelands of ashtown who now works and lives in Wiley city earning a living traversing between worlds. It's a story of survival and so much more. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. A must read!

The idea of multiple worlds or multiple realities is a common one in science fiction. In her debut, The Space Between Worlds, Micaiah Johnson shows there is plenty of life left in this old trope. Johnson uses the idea of multiple worlds not only to test and stretch her characters, but to play across a number of themes of class, nature, sexuality, fate and self-determination.
The Space Between Worlds opens on a dystopian future. The haves live in the walled, shiny city of Wiley, while the have-nots live outside the walls in rural poverty and subject to gang rule in Ashtown. In this future a wealthy scientist (more like a tech guru) has discovered a way to traverse alternate versions of Earth. But there is a catch. If the traverser’s double is still alive in the alternate world, the traveller dies a horrible, twisted death. So the only people who can safely traverse a large number of the 380 possible alternate worlds that are close enough to ‘Earth Zero’ are people who have already died in those realities. In other words, people from Ashtown, where life is often brutal and short.
Caramenta comes from Ashtown, dark skinned and low born, and finds a place in the traverser program, but not a permanent one in Wiley. She lives in the lower levels of the high-rise city and both she and the other traversers know that as soon as their usefulness is over they will be cast out and sent back to Ashtown. She is also desperately but secretly enamoured of her handler, Dell, an attraction that sometimes seems to be reciprocated, although all of their signals are mixed. This is not the only secret that Caramenta carries with her and it is these secrets and their unravelling that drive a plot replete with satisfying twists and turns.
Johnson leans hard on her premise to explore a range of issues: the way people are used by others the impact of power imbalances, the question of nature versus nurture. While the title itself can refer to the eerie blackness that Caramenta travels through as she traverses, she notes that it could just as easily relate to her life: I live in Wiley but I’m legally still Ashtown’s… It’s a space between worlds no different to the star-lined darkness I stand in when I traverse.
Johnson’s setting is fairly generically dystopian. It is an Earth of the future, following war and famine. A war which led to the restructuring of society into very distinct haves and have-nots. Ashtown itself is essentially run by an organised crime family, while Wiley, seemingly more civilised, is not much better. There is a dark secret at the heart of the traverser project that only gets darker as Caramenta navigates closer to the centre of it. B
There are so many stories that rely on the existence of alternate realities. Philip K Dick’s The Man in the High Castle, Baxter and Pratchett’s Long Earth series and Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter are all good examples of this trope. The Space Between Worlds takes this idea, builds some clever rules around it and uses it to explore some fascinating themes. Johnson has shown great flair in breathing new life into this idea and it will be interesting to see where she goes next.

Wow. This book was amazing!
When I first picked it up I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting. I’m not usually a fan of sci-fi however this one sounded really intriguing and I’ve been trying to step out of my “comfort zone” a little recently.
Honestly one of the most interesting stories I’ve read so far this year!
Cara is a traverser - which means she travels between worlds but she’s only able to visit those in which she’s already died - first rule of time travel you can never exist in the same space as your other self.
I can’t even begin to describe what this books about! There’s a lot going on however I never felt confused or overwhelmed and I fell completely in love with the characters and the relationships. The writing flows beautifully and I loved the world building.
Definitely a book to add to my 2020 favourites!
Loved! 💕