Reviews

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

breezy610's review

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It's too slow for my tast, but it's really good. its just slow. I will pick it up at a later date.

rhrie38's review

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I am feeling a little meh on rating this book. I like the way the characters trauma is explored, and I liked the prose and subtle humor. But I just couldn't connect, even at the end. I mostly felt sad for the people Truman left behind. The romance didn't really feel like anything to me. It was still a good read overall though.

inook_u's review

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4.0

First book I've finished since my slump started SIX MONTHS AGO!! I know I hope this book kick starts my reading frenzy again.

Review:

Overall this books was fast paced with multiple interesting layers to it from its intriguing storyline to its fully planned out world building to all these creative characters Breanna has created. This book has always been on my to read list since it first came out because of its description and it honestly blew me away. I am so grateful to have read this book, now I can carry on finishing all the wonderful books I plan on reading. Here I go!!!

But yes give this one a read, you can read it in one sitting.

mollywetta's review

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3.0

We're hosting Brenna and the rest of the Merry Fates [a:Tessa Gratton|3111338|Tessa Gratton|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1328563756p2/3111338.jpg] and [a:Maggie Stiefvater|1330292|Maggie Stiefvater|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1268241579p2/1330292.jpg] at the library so I wanted to read some of each of their novels in addition to [b:The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories|13556425|The Curiosities A Collection of Stories |Maggie Stiefvater|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1332779639s/13556425.jpg|19127701] prior to their visit.

I'm a fan of demon-and-angel stories in general, and while this certainly wasn't as good as [b:Daughter of Smoke and Bone|8490112|Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1)|Laini Taylor|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338613368s/8490112.jpg|13355552], it was a quick, enjoyable read.

Daphne, the daughter of Lilith and Lucifer, lives in Pandemonium, the city in hell. The description of her home, with the furnace and the metal and Lilith's garden, the scene for the gorgeous cover, was a beautiful fantasy world.

When her brother Obie decides to move to Earth permanently to be with a woman he has fallen in love with, even though the archangel Azarel hunts and kills demons who live on Earth, Daphne is distraught and goes to find him. From there, we are all but promised she'll fall in love as well.

The plot was a bit thin and the twists not all that exciting. Not a whole lot happened, and the explanation for what did was not always supported. Truman needed more of flushing out, his "inner demons" needed more development. There wasn't enough time for me to grow attached to Obie, so the quest to find him wasn't all that exciting.

I am generally a fan of Catholic mysticism in literature, but the elements that were used didn't seem crucial to the story.

I've said lots of negative things about the book, and really, am not sure that one star separating it from my gushing review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone conveys the difference in the books. But ultimately, I think this is a paranormal romance that a lot of teens will enjoy, and was engrossing enough that I read it in a day (granted, I spent the day waiting in the hospital while my mother had surgery). Brenna's prose isn't the caliber of Laini Taylor's, but it does have a quiet beauty about it.

Certain concepts that I found really compelling are what bumped it up to a 3 star for me, despite the problems I had with the plot. I loved the way Daphne's sisters fed on the despair of humans, and I liked the idea of "the in between places" and wished both of these would have been more developed.

redentrapy's review

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5.0

So this book I picked up and bought without even reading the jacket because the cover was so awesome. The cover is an incredible rendition of Pandemonium and the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith and the embodiment of sin. The cover shows Lilith's garden that Lucifer made for her because she missed Earth and wasn't allowed to step foot on Earth of again. This book was a very interesting story on religious figures. It makes those figures seem so human.

The characterization in this story is what made the whole book. Without it it would not be anywhere as good as it was. It showed that even the embodiment of sin (Daphne) Lilith and Lucifer's daughter can redeem herself in God's eyes. She starts out afraid of change and a very monotone character but after she meets Truman she changes shows her emotions and becomes the embodiment of humanity which is fun considering her demon status. Obie, her brother, has a horrible ordeal that makes Hell look pleasant and Truman is just a sad, pathetic, miserable wreck. Daphne makes the whole book. Now the bad guys are angels who have fallen and some that haven't. It brings the legends of Beelzebub, Lucifer, Lilith, and Azrael to life in such a fun way.

WARNING: This book is very very morbid. The death scenes are graphic and it does throw a wrench in some popular religious stories. It has suicide and other sins also in graphic detail.

alliehwilliams's review

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5.0

As a fan of The Replacement, I had high expectations for this book and Yovanoff did not disappoint. She is one of the better YA authors at building atmosphere and tension. I am not a big fan of description but Yovanoff does a great job of building each scene in a way I can easily visualize, without drowning me in overwritten, adjective-y floweriness. She writes as though she is writing for the screen and it makes her world-building that much stronger.

Despite being the daughter of Lilith and Lucifer, Daphne is one of the more innocent, earnest YA protags I've come across in a long time. Much as I love a good snarky heroine, it was a really nice change of pace to experience a point of view such as Daphne's. I was less enthusiastic about Truman. Yes, he is understandably damaged but there were a few points where I just wanted to shake him...maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to love him. I would also have liked to know Obie better, although I understand I got to know him as well as possible considering the plot.

The only thing keeping this from 5 stars is that ending felt rushed to me. Regardless, Brenna Yovanoff's future releases have earned a place on my 'must buy' list. I highly recommend to fans of YA paranormal with a strong romantic element. Also fans of beautiful, descriptive writing.

tmm80's review

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2.0

I don't know how to rate this book. I am going to say 2.5 stars. I didn't really like the beginning but ending was unexpected..

puppylovebooks's review

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5.0

amaaaaaaazing wish it was a series though :(

yousrabushehri's review

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3.0

It was an interesting book. Playing around with the idea of good and evil. Pain and healing. Love and friendship. I couldn't put the book down and had to read it all in one sitting. I loved the concept of it, but it's something I've read of before, not completely original, but still, it was a good read and I see myself rereading it at some point in the future. It was definitely worth the read.

annaoneil's review

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5.0

GOOD ASS BOOK i love this book so much i read it when i was in middle school and then reread it a few years ago in high school. im definitely going to reread it soon, i dont know what it is about this book but it just itches a gothic YA shaped scratch