The Space Between
Title: The Space Between
Author: Susan Rooke
Genre: Adult Fantasy | Supernatural | Christian Fiction
Rating: Five Stars!
The definition of the term “plot twist” typically goes along the lines of “a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction.” In my experience, plot twists can go in one of two ways. In some instances, foreshadowing can make a plot twist so obvious that it almost isn’t worth mentioning when it finally comes up, or the plot twist can be so cliché and overdone that it turns you off—as a reader, that is. In other cases, though—and when done correctly—a plot twist can be an awesome, amazing device! It keeps the reader engaged, on the edge of his or her prospective seats, if you will, because no one can guess what’s coming next. In the case of The Space Between, the plot twists definitely fall in the latter category, with lots of surprising, twisty moments and instances that make you go ohhh! First though, let’s take a peek at the publisher’s note…
“The Space Between” Book Synopsis
Mellis, a courageous and resourceful young woman, is kidnapped from the human world and taken to the Space Between by a tribe of faeries called the Penitents. Because of guilt over an ancient sin committed by their angel ancestors against the Maker, the Penitents have cursed themselves with grotesque physical disfigurements. Mellis can help them reunite with the Maker and find their way back to redemption, but she would need to give up the life she's always known to remain in the Space Between. As she struggles with this heart-wrenching decision, one of the Penitents, bent on revenge, commits a gruesome attack against the tribe, and they learn he has taken Satan—the Maker's greatest enemy—as his ally. All in the Space Between are facing grave danger. Will a long-awaited act of vengeance save them?
Summer’s Take on “The Space Between”
Let me preface this review by admitting that I have a pile of “to-read” books that are practically to the ceiling. I assure you that I’ve read each book description carefully and that I’ve undoubtedly done some research on the author if I’ve placed it in that pile—here’s the thing though, it may be many, many moons before I finally get to it, and most times, I don’t bother re-reading the book jacket because it’s already been “vetted.” Usually, this works out fine for me—I mean, crime fiction is crime fiction, which is pretty obvious from the start. The funny thing about The Space Between though is that when I finally picked it up, I had no idea where it was going—and once I started it, I refused to re-read the synopsis because I was so intrigued; I didn’t want to ruin the surprise!
At first, I thought, oh, this must be science fiction, because the whole kidnapping scene in the beginning of the book felt very alien abduction-esque, but then Mellis gets to the Space Between and the book veers off in an entirely different direction—in a good way! And the whole book felt that way—just one surprising twist after another—with things that I definitely didn’t see coming, especially after I realized that the book falls into a Christian fiction category. I was pretty blown away. The writing is superb and the storyline is so unique—such an interesting mash-up of genres and spiritual beliefs—that I gobbled it up in no time flat! I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment of the series!
