Photo Credits: David Mark (pixabay), monicore (pixabay), Полина Андреева (pixabay) Edited by Vaishali Title: A Million Worlds With You Author: Claudia Gray Series: Better Love Book #1 Publisher: Harper Teen Year of Publication: 2016 Format: PAPERBACK copy Genre/Themes: Science-Fiction, YA Fantasy Fiction, Multiverse Travel, Love Triangle, Parallel Universes, Mystery/Suspense, Crime, Conspiracy, Scientific Invention, Speculative Fiction, Adventure Travel, Dystopian Review...I travel towards thinking of myself as challenged by completion as much as I've previously taken to chasing it; I pathologically behest an appetite for finishing things but also feel the flood of approaching dread for that bittersweet parting of all said finishings. I'm likely the most stubborn resistor of the tide that tells us all good things must come to an end. I dread fictitious finishings the most. Alas, the finale has arrived, once-parted crimson curtains closed, the performance performed and the stage dusted and as vacuous as the empty matter on a page of words. The closing of a series is never easy (especially since I spend so much time with a book before I'm done with it), but here it is, in all its cross-dimensional, destructively conspiratorial, multiverse-mass death, romantically challenged family-driven drama. Similar to the pace of the previous two instalments, the dust barely settles before its unsettled once again, and a breath barely meets air before the next swift intake as the Caine family and their two researcher assistants must face the shocking prospect of falling worlds and falling lives, including their very own. On a scale of quantum realities. Time really is of the essence, and with the Home Office - home to an extensively plotted plan of widespread murder - utilising bereavement as their most demolishing force, it's yet again up to Marguerite to lead the rescue efforts with the brains of extraordinary science (those of her extraordinary parents, Paul and Theo) behind her. All comes together with the swiftest pace, a chaser's plot and more entertaining dimension discovery; the bites of all we've learned before joined by newer pieces assembled into a picture of crime too heinous to name. One that crosses worlds. Worse even than pandemic proportions, though widespread inter-dimensional annihilation do cometh close. Triad's workings might become clearer but without a solid plan of their own to counterpoint the Home Office, who are leagues and lengths ahead of them, working against the tide is as uphill a fight as it sounds. And just like before, the vulnerabilities of our main characters are weaponised against them. The fight in our protagonist reaches a different depth, and Marguerite's possessed of a driven display to take on the responsibility of more than just her own world. It's mission critical for her to do right after her previous wrongs have echoed through worlds, and her motivation is perhaps bigger than ever. Our leading lady artist was definitely touched by a lesson I was hoping she'd learn in book one (and then book two), especially when the true terror of experiencing what her companions have becomes the opening experience of the book. I have to say that as fascinating as the concept of her having to face a darker piece in another version of herself - and the truth of an alternative self in the form of Wicked - didn't quite carry the needed impact. Wicked herself underperformed in the role of antagonist and the navigation of that plot piece, though definitely interesting as it spoke to a challenging belief of the inner best/flawed that carries a thoroughline through the entire series with each character, fell somewhere flat. I did enjoy the speculative draw of her malevolent multiverse clone drawing her into an unknown danger through each universe. I additionally love the intrigue and structure of each new dimension travelled to, but as interesting as the setup is, the writing itself didn't draw the best and most palpable impact from crucial moments. Since this concludes the trilogy, I was hoping for some surging end-of-series gravitas to seal those flaws and flood me with more end-of-trilogy thrill. A really great sense of plot pushing, direction and depictional settings, however. Next to my soft spot for dear Paul, the world travelling comes close to being my favourite element of the series. Comprehensively, I'm still considering this concept creatively mysterious. I had a few favourite world choices in this book, each for different reasons, but the Egyptverse just might be my favourite; I loved the exotic archaeological site. Along with Medieval Rome for its timely difference, and the mid-Russian revolution for the scenario of a well-loved and humble life for Marguerite and Paul. Where the first book became a justice mission fuelled by passionate grief and the second book was propelled by a different kind of rescue effort motivated by love, A Million Worlds With You yet also follows through with a similar drive to act with the immediacy of disaster, desire and need, though this time it engages with the bigger service of saving the multiverse. I do enjoy a busy plot, and dare I say that even as the storyline feels a tad uncoordinated and the story itself sweats out its flaws and unrealised potential in different spaces, the instalment that finalises it all still maintained the enjoyability I've experienced series-wide. Marguerite, Paul and their splintered relationship considered, it's like they're faced with everything all at once. The safety of her world's Paul is no longer a comfort she can turn to, and appealing to her very withdrawn boyfriend is a losing battle. With bigger tragedies in play, her love life comes second to the perils of scientific debauchery. What? You may ask. T'is true, I tell you. Book one tells it best. Still, Paul's perched on a mountain of guilt, the deepest doubt, and Marguerite might have to face the finality of letting him go. Helping him believe he's bigger and better than the pieces he's been fractured into and she quickly realises it's not going to be easy when he's so adrift in his own body, perhaps not even salvageable, yet tethered to him she'll always be. In every world. Admittedly, I did feel that Paul's inner struggle played part to something more long-suffering than character performing and relationship cinching. I would have liked to see the storyline of his splintering managed differently, more creative tweakery to back up the transitional portrayal, though Gray still taps into Paul's characterisation consistently. The endless angst between our fated couple did leave something to be desired, and (for me) the potential for the final part to their romance did fall relatively flat. But anyway I can have Paul Markov, I'll definitely take him. For the fact that the epilogue didn't cement the main family angle together as a stronger knot to the closing narrative since the big theme of familial relationships and how Marguerite's family (including Theo and Paul) relate to each in each world, I was a bit disappointed by the finalisation. I hoped we might've had more commentary over the interrelationships between the six of them. And since Paul's splintering took such a toll on him book-wide I was hoping we'd get more threaded commentary on how he continued to deal with the aftermath of that inner, unseen struggle. Perhaps the persistent need for a deeper, reflective perspective might always leave me pushing for a tactile settlement, but the ending was whispersome over satisfyingly put to bed. For all my struggle with our heroine I did appreciate her growth span; that she transitioned into perceptibly distinguishing their multiverse duplicates as separate individuals as much as they were a part of them highlighted the difference in her examination. As did the scene that brought each Marguerite together in a single world - it was a really nice (and likely needed) touch. Most especially since that very sci-fi situation afforded a very unique opportunity where she and the Duchess are given space to meet, face to face In conversation. A lovely moment of closure for the three of them, since Paul gets some too. The character Integration was ok but since this is the book of closure, the involvement didn't rise to the occasion. As a quick example, Josie's character has been conspicuously absent through each book - typically given a scene or two and contemplated through the thoughts of her sister's perspective - and her covertness as a side character created some curiosity around her. I was even wondering if she might follow through with some surprises of her own, but she felt more or less like a distanced Caine family member. Surrounding a scenario of such epic doubt, where every character feels burdened by the touch of hopelessness, I would have appreciated a better balance between the machinations of us vs. them. Each chapter is motivated by movement and action, and that definitely leaves a reader enveloped in the fray. Marguerite realises just how pivotal her role is in safeguarding every other version of herself and her contrition was beyond doubt through her inner rumination. She's now coherent to the understanding that a life is a life within every universe, and every single one matters enough for her to be a part of the rescue. As iterated in my review for A Thousand Pieces of You a very individual conceptualised palm-print inspired by the mystique of dimensional universe travel is a great way to describe this book. It always draws back to family, love, relationships, choices made, the novelty of a unique experience and evinces the complexity of who we might become given a different life, in choosing a different path. Even as the narrative discourses with fate, scientific probability, possibility and fated outcomes, the display of imperfection within each character always brings it back to relativity. Creative, interesting and inventive it, summons a diverse cut from the common crop. With this last instalment, the essence of the series remains the same and its thematic consistency performs continuously. As a personal preference (because character relationships carry the wealth of utter significance to me) I would like to point out that I came off hoping for a stronger engagement between Marguerite and Theo. The storyline is otherwise well handled and although this isn't a series of five stars I'm calling it a gateway portal of four because I'd love to lift my hand for any other book with 'Claudia Gray' inscribed on the front cover. I loved the multiverse magic! I gave this book 4 stars -Some Bookish Pics of the series! Content Warning/Listing: Violence, widespread death and demise. Descriptions of accidents and injury. Death. ___________________________ M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read ___________________________ __________________________________________ R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● BOOK REVIEW: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray ● BOOK REVIEW: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray __________________________________________ I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below! SHARE ON FACEBOOK Leave a comment and let's talk about |
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February 2024
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