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jeserin's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
amrsalehduat's review
5.0
Emet North's In Universes is a novel that captivates readers with the boundless possibilities of life and existence. North masterfully brings this to life through the main character, Raffi, whom we follow as the universe around them shifts, transforming their relationships with other characters from enemies to friends to lovers in each chapter.
Multiverse stories often disappoint me, as they rarely utilize their full potential. However, under the guidance of a skilled author, they can transform into some of the most captivating works. This holds true for North's debut. In Universes ignites a thought-provoking exploration of the common question, "How would my life be if x, y, or z had been different?” The literary quality of the novel makes it a delightful read. Each chapter stands as a unique short story, tracking Raffi through various life stages, from childhood to adulthood. With each tale, Raffi's connections to a consistent cast of characters shift, reflecting the dynamics of the universe they inhabit in that particular chapter. Add to this North's beautiful and often innovative writing style, and you have a narrative that, in just 250 pages, explores themes of mental health, identity, and emotions such as regret and hope more profoundly than many longer works that are twice its size.
In summary, if I were to describe this book in a single sentence, it would be: "In Universes is an experience." It's unique, innovative, empathetic, and oh so beautifully expressed, earning it a star from every universe where I've had the pleasure of experiencing it.
Multiverse stories often disappoint me, as they rarely utilize their full potential. However, under the guidance of a skilled author, they can transform into some of the most captivating works. This holds true for North's debut. In Universes ignites a thought-provoking exploration of the common question, "How would my life be if x, y, or z had been different?” The literary quality of the novel makes it a delightful read. Each chapter stands as a unique short story, tracking Raffi through various life stages, from childhood to adulthood. With each tale, Raffi's connections to a consistent cast of characters shift, reflecting the dynamics of the universe they inhabit in that particular chapter. Add to this North's beautiful and often innovative writing style, and you have a narrative that, in just 250 pages, explores themes of mental health, identity, and emotions such as regret and hope more profoundly than many longer works that are twice its size.
In summary, if I were to describe this book in a single sentence, it would be: "In Universes is an experience." It's unique, innovative, empathetic, and oh so beautifully expressed, earning it a star from every universe where I've had the pleasure of experiencing it.
r_emrys's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
amywoolsey_93's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Emet North uses the concept of a multiverse to explore loss and queerness on a cosmic yet intensely personal scale. I'm torn over whether the ending feels earned (Raffi's change over the course of the book is incremental at best), but In Universes also throws doubt on the question of whether goodness or happiness is something that people need to earn, so I'm okay with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria and Suicide
jh14's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lysimache's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
yrsbrn's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kkellz19's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A beautifully, confusing journey that poignantly explores identity, grief, fear, regret, love, mental health- how each event fractures and changes who we are and who we will become. These lessons still shone with clarity through the increasingly bizarre worlds.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, and Suicide
celineks's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0