Book Review: The Space Between

The Space Between

By: Brenna Yovanoff

Published by Razorbill

Release Date: November 14, 2011

Genre: YA paranormal

365 pages 

Buy it on Amazon, IndieBound

 or Barnes and Noble
Source: purchased by reviewer




My thoughts: 
This is a book that I've had on my to-read list for about a year. I had the pleasure of meeting the author last summer, and promised myself then that I would read her work- because she's great in person, and inspires people to want to read what she's written. My first impression upon finishing the book: W.O.W. Brenna is even better on the written page.


The lyrical, ethereal quality of the writing, as well as the gorgeous allegory of what it is to love another person, made the English major in me GEEK OUT. This is a fun YA story, but it also genuinely good literature. I have rarely seen both in the same piece of writing, and when I do, I am compelled to sing its praises to the heavens. For this book, however, that would be fruitless, since the characters spend so little time there. 


I love this book in the way that I love Chris Wooding's Poison. Every high school kid should read it, and have the opportunity to discuss and compare interpretation with others. This is a book that makes me wish I was back in the classroom, so I could order a set and teach it. Kids will love the plot, and it would make for such fun lessons!


Readers, if you choose to read this, know that the pacing is different from what you're accustomed to in YA; the main character has lived the majority of her life outside of the construct of time, so her sense of urgency is not the same as it is for a human. (I am still amazed at how Yovanoff so successfully pulls this off.)


Also know that you'll need to be willing to challenge what you may believe about demons and angels. The beauty about this is that, in portraying the reversal of traditional good and evil roles, Yovanoff is able to make her inhuman characters closer to human, and therefore easier for the reader to make a connection with. 


This is no light, fluffy YA; it's got depth and breadth, yet is approachable and inviting. Simply delicious brain candy. And I loved every single bite.

Summary from GoodReads:
Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped—and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible.


Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie’s whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way.