Review: The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

The Space Between
by Brenna Yovanoff

Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: November 14th, 2011

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Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this? 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. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be. This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs.

Review

I'm not a huge paranormal reader. I tend to go for the dystopians and science fictions, but for some reason I was drawn to The Space Between. Might be because I've always had a fascination with demon mythology. And a huge Supernatural fan, so I couldn't wait to dive into this book! Honestly, I was blown away. Not only with Yovanoff's writing but with such an original story in a genre filled with derivative works.

Why I Loved It:

Daphne. Yeah, she's a demon...sort of. Daphne is the protagonist born from Lucifer and Lilith so she's half-demon and half-fallen angel. The mix is quite weird, but it works. I loved Daphne. She's never been to Earth so when she steps up to the surface it's a whole new experience for her. She doesn't understand love. And trying to navigate in this other place (so much different than hell) is quite a challenge. One word to describe Daphne: adorable. It's very difficult not to fall in love with her naivety and subtle charm.

Hell. Demons. Oh my! Hell is a huge part of the book, and I actually really liked how it's described. It's vivid and the imagery really leaves you thinking. The demons and paranormal is so completely thought out and researched that it really amplifies the story. Loved Beelzebub, Obie (her brother), and her demon cousin!

First Person AND Third Person. This may seem like an odd writing choice but for some reason it just worked. We switch from first person narration with Daphne to a third person point of view with Truman. At first it was a bit confusing but later I realized how much it helped me connect to Truman.

The Broken Boy. Not all are created equal. Truman is a guy who clearly wants to die. He's broken, hurt, and looking for a way out. But Daphne needs him to find her missing brother. So she has to protect him from himself. Loved the characterization for him. An honest portrayal of a lost soul.

I bawled. I cried. I curse you Yovanoff for cursing me with these feelings!!! But seriously...damn. I really did cry. It's an emotional story and Yovanoff writes in a way that made me so invested in her characters. It's also one of the few standalone novels that I'm so glad was standalone. It felt complete and right and beautiful.

[Side Note: I read the last fifty pages of this book listening to "Nitesky" by Robot Koch which may have instigated the waterworks.]

Overall, it's clear I loved this book. I can't wait to dive into Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff. Another standalone that hopefully will be just as perfect.

.An emotional roller-coaster filled with a likable paranormal heroine and an unlikely broken boy.