Title: The Other Side of Infinity
Author: Joan F. Smith
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication date: April 25, 2023
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Summary
On a regular summer day, Nick hesitates when jumping into the pool to save a swimmer. So December, who has a gift to see the future, jumps in to help. However, when doing so, December gets a new vision. Her and Nick are going to fall in love. But now, his own life is at risk.
Though they were strangers on that summer day, Nick and December start to get to know each other when the school year starts. December is desperate to figure out how to save his life, but also kind of wants to know what it’s like to fall in love. As they get closer, the truth about other things starts to come to light. Will December be able to intervene enough to change the future?
Review: The Other Side of Infinity
Thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Other Side of Infinity by Joan F. Smith to review! Pitched as They Both Die at the End meets The Butterfly Effect, I was definitely intrigued by the premise of this book. It does get emotional at the end, so be warned!
The idea of getting visions of the future is so interesting to me, but I don’t think I could handle it, honestly. The way Smith spells it out in this book was interesting, and December has had to move around a lot because of her gift. Because she accidentally let things slip. The way her and Nick’s relationship evolves throughout the book is well developed, spelling out a love story even when one person already knows it is going to happen. Their chemistry was well done, and their relationship felt believable.
Nick has dyslexia, and there’s a lot of great conversations around that throughout the book, especially with him and his parents. While Nick’s dark secret isn’t quite as dark as I was expecting, it works in the context of the overall story.
If you read a lot, you might see the main plot twist coming, but that doesn’t necessarily take away from its effectiveness. No matter what, you’ll still end up on an extremely emotional note at the end of the book.
All in all, if you’re looking for a book packed with emotion, this is definitely the book for you!