Tuesday, April 25, 2023

The Other Side of Infinity by Joan F. Smith - OPTIONAL

The Other Side of Infinity by Joan F. Smith, 336 pages. Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan Publishers), 2023. $20.

Language: R (58 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Nick (17yo) is serious about his job as a lifeguard and keeps his eyes on the pool. But when Mr. Francis obviously needs help, Nick can’t get his feet to move. Instead, a bystander, December (17yo), hops off her chair and urges Nick into action. Together, they save Mr. Francis’s life—a life that wasn’t supposed to be saved. And Nick has no idea what December’s interference has done to change his own life.

December’s unexplained ability to know everything that has and will happen leads to interesting discussions about agency and destiny for both characters and readers. Smith uses December’s unique perspective to suggest that each of us is brave for getting up in the morning when we don’t know what is going to happen today. The story of Nick and December is beautiful in its tragic way. It’s one of those books that leaves readers changed.

Nick and December are portrayed as white on the cover. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, mentions of drugs, innuendo, and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for blood and death.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

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