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The Other Side of the Sky #1
The Other Side of the Sky
New York Times bestselling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have crafted a gripping tale of magic and logic, fate and choice, and a deadly love. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Brandon Sanderson.
Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines, powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the Surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.
North’s and Nimh’s lives are entwined—though their hearts can never be. Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.
Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines, powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the Surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.
North’s and Nimh’s lives are entwined—though their hearts can never be. Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.
474 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
428 people are currently reading
37277 people want to read
About the author
Amie Kaufman
42 books13.3k followersAmie Kaufman is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her multi-award winning work is slated for publication in over 30 countries, and is in development for film and TV. Raised in Australia and occasionally Ireland, Amie has degrees in history, literature, law and conflict resolution. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and daughter, their rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library. She is the host of the podcasts Amie Kaufman on Writing, and Pub Dates.
You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she's working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: https://amiekaufman.substack.com/
You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she's working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: https://amiekaufman.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,303 reviews
January 25, 2022
wow. its been a long time since ive read a book with such vivid imagery. i saw a review that compared the style to miyazaki and i completely agree.
plus, the seamless blend of sci-fi and fantasy, technology and magic, science and belief is just *chefs kiss*! its a really great balance and adds a lot of dimension to the story, not to mention interesting developments/growth for the characters.
this does end on a mild cliffhanger, so be warned. but the story is set up for a really exciting sequel, so at least theres something to look forward to!
↠ 4.5 stars
plus, the seamless blend of sci-fi and fantasy, technology and magic, science and belief is just *chefs kiss*! its a really great balance and adds a lot of dimension to the story, not to mention interesting developments/growth for the characters.
this does end on a mild cliffhanger, so be warned. but the story is set up for a really exciting sequel, so at least theres something to look forward to!
↠ 4.5 stars
May 27, 2022
Reread - 4.5 Stars
I love this book! I hope I love the next one!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I love this book! I hope I love the next one!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Want to read
July 2, 2020I’m choking on the level of sheer awesomeness this premise exudes
M I Y A Z A K I
my ghibli stans where u at
*okay the Miyazaki comp is no longer in the blurb but I remember and won't forget
M I Y A Z A K I
my ghibli stans where u at
*okay the Miyazaki comp is no longer in the blurb but I remember and won't forget
Want to read
February 5, 2020I don't need a cover or even a full synopsis.
I'm a simple girl - I see Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner, I need it.
edit: there’s a cover and I need this book even more now. Is it September yet?
I'm a simple girl - I see Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner, I need it.
edit: there’s a cover and I need this book even more now. Is it September yet?
July 25, 2023
***2,5 stars***
This book is probably for you if:
- you enjoy YA fantasy (I don't any more, but I still find myself reading some every now and then)
- have read and enjoyed other works from either Amie Kaufman or Megan Spooner (I have, and I loved the Starbound series, that's why I even considered picking this up)
It wasn't for me, though. I listened to the audiobook and it just didn't manage to hold my attention. My mind kept wandering A LOT and the thing I remember most is the fact that I didn't like either of the MCs 🤷♀️
This is an updated and temporary version of my initial review.
This book is probably for you if:
- you enjoy YA fantasy (I don't any more, but I still find myself reading some every now and then)
- have read and enjoyed other works from either Amie Kaufman or Megan Spooner (I have, and I loved the Starbound series, that's why I even considered picking this up)
It wasn't for me, though. I listened to the audiobook and it just didn't manage to hold my attention. My mind kept wandering A LOT and the thing I remember most is the fact that I didn't like either of the MCs 🤷♀️
This is an updated and temporary version of my initial review.
October 7, 2020
"I believe the prophecy brought us together. North, this is our destiny."
representation: chronic illness, queer characters and relationships (f/f, m/m/f), both MC's described as having brown skin.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★.5
This was so good! I would describe it as being both a fantasy AND a sci-fi wrapped into one! We follow our female main character Nimh who lives on the ground, which reads like a fantasy world as there is magic and prophecies and gods and goddesses. She's the 'Divine One' who is descended from the only god that didn't flee to the sky 1000 years ago. In the sky (which reads like a sci-fi world), we follow North who is a prince that's determined to convince the council that the altitude of their floating world is lowering and that the technology to fix it is on the ground. I thought this particular aspect was a nod to climate change as all of the members of the council say things such as "we've has years like this before" where the altitude has been lower, etc. and I thought this was a subtle, clever touch!
Anyway, North is riding in his forbidden spacecraft glider when it malfunctions and he crashes on the ground and meets Nimh, who is convinced that North is the person mentioned in the prophecy that will save them all.
This was truly a blast. From the cool magic, to the pining after one another because touching her is forbidden, to the normalcy of queer relationships, to the CAT (yes, there's a badass cat!), this just ticked all of my boxes! The world below was so fascinating! There's also a deadly mist that can arrive in storms that can kill you or give you special powers and I am a SUCKER for the trope of a character arriving in a completely different world and discovering it for the first time! I will say this was a littttttle bit insta-lovey, but apart from that, I really loved it!
I can't wait to see where the next book will go because this one left on such an exciting cliffhanger and I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more of this city in the sky!
trigger warnings: terminal illness, plane (spaceship?) crash, murder, fantasy violence, loss of loved ones, explosions.
thank you to allen and unwin for the review copy!
representation: chronic illness, queer characters and relationships (f/f, m/m/f), both MC's described as having brown skin.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★.5
This was so good! I would describe it as being both a fantasy AND a sci-fi wrapped into one! We follow our female main character Nimh who lives on the ground, which reads like a fantasy world as there is magic and prophecies and gods and goddesses. She's the 'Divine One' who is descended from the only god that didn't flee to the sky 1000 years ago. In the sky (which reads like a sci-fi world), we follow North who is a prince that's determined to convince the council that the altitude of their floating world is lowering and that the technology to fix it is on the ground. I thought this particular aspect was a nod to climate change as all of the members of the council say things such as "we've has years like this before" where the altitude has been lower, etc. and I thought this was a subtle, clever touch!
Anyway, North is riding in his forbidden spacecraft glider when it malfunctions and he crashes on the ground and meets Nimh, who is convinced that North is the person mentioned in the prophecy that will save them all.
This was truly a blast. From the cool magic, to the pining after one another because touching her is forbidden, to the normalcy of queer relationships, to the CAT (yes, there's a badass cat!), this just ticked all of my boxes! The world below was so fascinating! There's also a deadly mist that can arrive in storms that can kill you or give you special powers and I am a SUCKER for the trope of a character arriving in a completely different world and discovering it for the first time! I will say this was a littttttle bit insta-lovey, but apart from that, I really loved it!
I can't wait to see where the next book will go because this one left on such an exciting cliffhanger and I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more of this city in the sky!
trigger warnings: terminal illness, plane (spaceship?) crash, murder, fantasy violence, loss of loved ones, explosions.
thank you to allen and unwin for the review copy!
September 25, 2020
I enjoyed this, and heres why. Nimh, is a goddess to her people in the world below. North, is a Prince from the clouds above. The two meet in a moment of destiny that instantly collides both their worlds. Swoon right? 😏💗
This story, though slow to start, richly explores Nimhs world, and those that worship her as 'The Divine One', as well as those who secretly oppose her. Her aspect (Or Magic, she will eventually bring to her people) keeps those around her faithful, and others suspicious of her Divinity.💫
There was strong world building in regards to Nimh and her people. Although, I craved to learn more about 'Alciel', Norths home in the sky. But, I know it will be explored in book two, so I'm not too worried. 💭🏰 🧐
I loved the juxtaposition of North and Nimh and what they represent. He's the modern boy from a world in the sky filled with technology and Science. Nimh represents tradition, faith and Magic; the older ways of life.
Another favorite part was the sexual representation of the main characters. North, our main characters is Bisexual. I mean finally! Authors take note, it's okay to write about a boy liking a boy (And also liking a girl) . It was refreshing to read about so many LGBTQ style relationships within the story. I mean, NORTH HAS TWO MOMS 👸👸, this is amazing for me as a reader. I wish more authors gave us this range of character representation. 💚
Amie and Megan set a great foundation for book two, that cliffhanger was so, so good. I'm excited to see where the journey takes us. So many questions have yet to be answered, but I'm willing to read book two and find out what happens next. (4)⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🤗
This story, though slow to start, richly explores Nimhs world, and those that worship her as 'The Divine One', as well as those who secretly oppose her. Her aspect (Or Magic, she will eventually bring to her people) keeps those around her faithful, and others suspicious of her Divinity.💫
There was strong world building in regards to Nimh and her people. Although, I craved to learn more about 'Alciel', Norths home in the sky. But, I know it will be explored in book two, so I'm not too worried. 💭🏰 🧐
I loved the juxtaposition of North and Nimh and what they represent. He's the modern boy from a world in the sky filled with technology and Science. Nimh represents tradition, faith and Magic; the older ways of life.
Another favorite part was the sexual representation of the main characters. North, our main characters is Bisexual. I mean finally! Authors take note, it's okay to write about a boy liking a boy (And also liking a girl) . It was refreshing to read about so many LGBTQ style relationships within the story. I mean, NORTH HAS TWO MOMS 👸👸, this is amazing for me as a reader. I wish more authors gave us this range of character representation. 💚
Amie and Megan set a great foundation for book two, that cliffhanger was so, so good. I'm excited to see where the journey takes us. So many questions have yet to be answered, but I'm willing to read book two and find out what happens next. (4)⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🤗
January 13, 2021
An interesting start to another series by this prolific author. I am struggling to keep up and to remember which series is which, but I am not complaining!
The story is told in alternating chapters by the two main characters, Nimh who lives on the ground and North whose home is in a city in the sky. They have nothing in common and everything is stacked against them but, in the manner of the best romances, they fall in love anyway.
The world building is excellent and Kaufman draws a great picture of life on the surface, with a poverty stricken people who suffer from a lack of civilisation and a belief in a magic system which is failing them. North arrives from the civilised city in the sky just as Nimh's people are being led into an uprising.
There follows much running and hiding, attempts to discover vital secrets, deaths, duplicity, magic mists, and a wonderful cat. All very entertaining. The book finishes on a cliff hanger - now we have to wait for the next one.
The story is told in alternating chapters by the two main characters, Nimh who lives on the ground and North whose home is in a city in the sky. They have nothing in common and everything is stacked against them but, in the manner of the best romances, they fall in love anyway.
The world building is excellent and Kaufman draws a great picture of life on the surface, with a poverty stricken people who suffer from a lack of civilisation and a belief in a magic system which is failing them. North arrives from the civilised city in the sky just as Nimh's people are being led into an uprising.
There follows much running and hiding, attempts to discover vital secrets, deaths, duplicity, magic mists, and a wonderful cat. All very entertaining. The book finishes on a cliff hanger - now we have to wait for the next one.
April 10, 2021
So, I don't know why I'm surprised by how much I liked this, because I requested it solely as a result of the author names, without knowing (or caring) about what the plot would be, but oh wow did I really really like this. Also, yes, I went in to this totally unaware of the summary even after I was approved for the ARC, no one is surprised.
This is nothing like either of the authors' work before as solo writers or partners and I actually found everything about the story, in general, to be so interesting and unique. There is a definite worlds divide feeling about THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY both in current day living and mythology as well as belief. We spend more time in one world than the other but knowing how this ended I'm sure we'll get a deeper look at the opposite in book two and I can't wait for that. But the world of the Below was so.. rich, so interesting, such a fascinating blend of faith and magic whereas the world Above we know is the complete opposite. Just like our protagonists.
I know there's always a dialogue regarding YA feeling too YA and adults who read YA getting some criticism for picking up those books and then being disappointed by them because of their target audience. But my rebuttal is always that there are ways to write for an audience while still satisfying those outside of it. Or just writing so well that it trancends age groups. That's what some authors can do well and others can't and generally that's where my criticisms come from. Sure, you can still write well but nonetheless have characters that read too young for you, or find themselves in situations that adult readers can be frustrated by. That's still valid. I'm sure I'm guilty of it. But. These authors? I doubt I'll ever have a problem with them and I'm so happy, after all these years, they are still writing YA. Though, hey, if they dropped an adult title? I'd be first in line.
But that tangent has nothing to do with this story or why you should read it. It doesn't go into detail about the complexities of the world, the characters, how things connect or how they circumvent a path you think you're on.. and surprise you with something else. This story does all that and more all whilst immersing you into a world I wasn't really expecting to love so much.
If this book isn't already on your radar, it absolutely should be.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
This is nothing like either of the authors' work before as solo writers or partners and I actually found everything about the story, in general, to be so interesting and unique. There is a definite worlds divide feeling about THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY both in current day living and mythology as well as belief. We spend more time in one world than the other but knowing how this ended I'm sure we'll get a deeper look at the opposite in book two and I can't wait for that. But the world of the Below was so.. rich, so interesting, such a fascinating blend of faith and magic whereas the world Above we know is the complete opposite. Just like our protagonists.
I know there's always a dialogue regarding YA feeling too YA and adults who read YA getting some criticism for picking up those books and then being disappointed by them because of their target audience. But my rebuttal is always that there are ways to write for an audience while still satisfying those outside of it. Or just writing so well that it trancends age groups. That's what some authors can do well and others can't and generally that's where my criticisms come from. Sure, you can still write well but nonetheless have characters that read too young for you, or find themselves in situations that adult readers can be frustrated by. That's still valid. I'm sure I'm guilty of it. But. These authors? I doubt I'll ever have a problem with them and I'm so happy, after all these years, they are still writing YA. Though, hey, if they dropped an adult title? I'd be first in line.
But that tangent has nothing to do with this story or why you should read it. It doesn't go into detail about the complexities of the world, the characters, how things connect or how they circumvent a path you think you're on.. and surprise you with something else. This story does all that and more all whilst immersing you into a world I wasn't really expecting to love so much.
If this book isn't already on your radar, it absolutely should be.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Want to read
June 28, 2021What a lovely cover! —can't wait to visit this world.
September 10, 2020
Star Rating: —> 5 Stars
OH MY GODDDD! This was absolutely incredible!
RTC
OH MY GODDDD! This was absolutely incredible!
RTC
tbr-highly-interested
July 24, 2018FOR FANS OF THE 100??!!!! (if they mean the tv show tho) REALLY HOPE THAT'S NOT JUST FOR MARKETING. 'CAUSE EVER SINCE I STARTED WATCHING TGHE SHOW I THOUGHT I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE IT IN A BOOK FORM. !!!!!!!!!! (sci-fi, survival, wars, bloodshed, kick ass females, moral greyness all around..)
February 25, 2022
“I used to dream of not being alone. And now, here is someone to stand beside me.”
~4.5 stars~
I am so relieved and happy to say that how much I enjoyed this. If you are a Miyazaki fan, the worlds certainly have influence from his films (the authors have specifically referenced Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke). I specifically loved the magic of Nimh's world. and This is a rare situation in which I really connected to characters.
My goodness, this novel is such a stunner. It's a blessing that this story is told in both North and Nimh’s perspectives, and you couldn’t have two more different people telling this story and I was HERE for it. There’s a good set up leading to North and Nimh meeting, and their respective homes are fascinating. North has been raised in the sky with logic, technology, and everything can be easily explained by science.
───~•|•|•~───
“I’m real. And you’ve taught me to believe, Nimh. In things I can’t see or touch. But more than anything, I believe in you . And I’m real.”
This book kind of has everything I love. I love a prophecy, I love a mysterious chosen one situation (though I also love an outright chosen one story, it is a good trope), I love intrigue, and I love a good romance.
I want to specifically shout out that I love that North, our male romantic lead, is bi. There are not enough bi guys in YA, and we all know I just love a bi lead in general. Also, North is a vegetarian, and I am always jazzed when we pop into books.
I lean forward, alarmed, though I cannot reach out to him. “Yes, of course—it makes excellent food for traveling, dense protein and—” “I’m going to be sick,” North mumbles, dropping the strip of povvy and lurching to his feet.
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Speaking of North, he has a wonderful character arc. I really liked the way his character grew over the course of the book. I liked seeing Nimh's world through his eyes, he is funny, wry, and smart, and it is fun seeing him completely out of his comfort zone. I really liked the way he thought about the world he was separated from.
“I don’t know anything,” I tell her, spreading my hands helplessly. “Except that I’m glad I fell, Nimh.”
On the other hand, Nimh is a living goddess and the last of her line. She uses magic and her land is very volatile due to mist storms that affect the land. I feel like this helps explain their personalities very well. North has to have reason, explanation, and justification for what is happening. He is passionate though, and willing to learn.
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Whereas Nimh is accustomed to the unknown. As a living goddess, she lives behind a mask most of the time and when it comes off, it is a fascinating study into what this kind of life can do to a person. The best way I think this is showcased is when North and Nimh meet and magic and technology are introduced. there are so many Conflict things between North and Nimh's environment and behavior and culture, and at the dame time, I loved that this conflicts was explored in their arc.
Also, THERE IS A CAT SIDEKICK!! I repeat, a cat sidekick!! Obviously this gets bonus points from me, the cat lover. I’m sad that he wasn’t sentient and didn’t have an actual name, but he was still my favorite character! I love that he was a constant companion and moral support for Nimh. I loved him so much!
I was genuinely curious how this romance was going to develop because of certain things going on in the story, but I really liked where it was going. North is nursing a bit of a broken heart, while Nimh is innocent toward the feeling of love.
───~•|•|•~───
“I don’t know anything,” I tell her, spreading my hands helplessly. “Except that I’m glad I fell, Nimh.”
The world-building in this book is amazing. We only get a touch of time in Alciel, the science fiction world North comes from, but his world is interesting and full of tension. I suspect I would have loved the story just as much if we had spent most of our time here and not on the world's surface.
'Below' is Nimh's world, and there is a lot of work put into fleshing out her world. We learn about the world through the eyes of Nimh, who lovingly describes her home, and North whose incredulity makes a fun lens to learn about the world. Both points of view give you just as much about the setting as they do about who the characters are in response.
───~•|•|•~───
“Your people and mine were never meant to exist apart. If there is anything I know with absolute certainty, it’s that our two peoples were bound together long ago. Our worlds must be reborn together.”
I found myself drawn to Nimh and North, the world of the surface, but especially the cat. I loved the name that North gave the cat at one point. Please make sure to go read it. this makes me exited to check out Amie Kaufman's other series "These Broken Stars" that I previously shelved to my tbr. Finally, I am so intrigued by the prophecy and who it was really referring to and who the other cloudlander is…. I of course do have a theory. 🙂 Very ready for book 2!
Want to read
February 11, 20202/10/2020: Idek what I think of this cover...the scepter thing, dude’s 2019 haircut, the cat....the cat (?) 👀
Jan 3, 2020:A prince of a hi-tech sky city and a goddess from an ancient land ruled by magic???!! Kaufman and Spooner?!!! Duology??!!! I. Am. There.
Jan 3, 2020:A prince of a hi-tech sky city and a goddess from an ancient land ruled by magic???!! Kaufman and Spooner?!!! Duology??!!! I. Am. There.
September 17, 2020
The other Side of The Sky actually really surprised me, and I absolutely loved it!
Ablend of sci/fi and fantasy, where here are two parallel societies - one on the ground and one in the sky. Once all lived on the earth's surface, but some fled with mechanically powered islands into the sky when the ground started to become poisoned by a 'mist' . Society in the sky developed with technology, while the society on the ground developed with magic. The society on the ground think those in the sky are divine, while those in the sky are not aware that those on the ground even exist, believing the ground to be poisoned.
Centuries after the divide, North, a prince from the Sky realm, and Nimh, considered divine on the ground, have to work together once North is stranded on the ground. They both have brilliant character development and the interactions between these two are pure gold.
Honestly Kaufmann and Spooner create surreally vivid imagery that really pulls you in. It's so beautifully written and feels liker a journey - I absolutely didn't want to put it down
I have to say though it was a little disorienting at first. There are two types of authors - the ones who explain all the background with a clear introduction and those who just throw you into the story to figure it out for yourself - this is the latter!
Also, that ENDING! I need the sequel in my hands right now.
Ablend of sci/fi and fantasy, where here are two parallel societies - one on the ground and one in the sky. Once all lived on the earth's surface, but some fled with mechanically powered islands into the sky when the ground started to become poisoned by a 'mist' . Society in the sky developed with technology, while the society on the ground developed with magic. The society on the ground think those in the sky are divine, while those in the sky are not aware that those on the ground even exist, believing the ground to be poisoned.
Centuries after the divide, North, a prince from the Sky realm, and Nimh, considered divine on the ground, have to work together once North is stranded on the ground. They both have brilliant character development and the interactions between these two are pure gold.
Honestly Kaufmann and Spooner create surreally vivid imagery that really pulls you in. It's so beautifully written and feels liker a journey - I absolutely didn't want to put it down
I have to say though it was a little disorienting at first. There are two types of authors - the ones who explain all the background with a clear introduction and those who just throw you into the story to figure it out for yourself - this is the latter!
Also, that ENDING! I need the sequel in my hands right now.
Want to read
June 17, 2020I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2021
4.25 out of 5 stars.
I'm honestly still shocked by the fact of how underhyped and underrated this book is. I recommend this book to everyone. Go read it people, you're going to love it!!!!!!!!!
I don't usually give the first book of a series a high rating, but this book deserved it.
Alright, I want to do a 'Story Time' too, because why not.
Before even seeing the title of this book I already added it to my tbr-list, because it's written by one of my favorite duo authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. And they already had won me over with their 'Starbound' trilogy.
I do vaguely remember that the blurb of this book said The 100 meets Hayao Miyazaki films. I'd heard about The 100 but Hayao Miyazaki didn't ring muh bell for me, at that time.
So, during the lockdowns(as we know all of our lives were literally on pause and still to be honest, but that's not the point) I somehow discovered Hayao Miyazaki and Makoto Shinkai's films and I loved them so much.
One day I was watching 'Princess Mononoke' I ordered this book, as well, I don't know why at that time precisely. As I was reading 'The Other Side of the Sky' it had already been a while since I watched PM, but somehow this book reminded me so much of that fime, then I remembered that the blurb indeed mentioned that this book will remind us of a Hayao Miyazaki films. So I don't know if it was fate/sign or not that I ordered this book the same day I watched 'Princess Mononoke'. I know this so-called ''review'' will sound so strange to most of you.
All in all, I loved this book and it makes it much better when one wasn't even expecting to enjoy it.
I'm honestly still shocked by the fact of how underhyped and underrated this book is. I recommend this book to everyone. Go read it people, you're going to love it!!!!!!!!!
I don't usually give the first book of a series a high rating, but this book deserved it.
Alright, I want to do a 'Story Time' too, because why not.
Before even seeing the title of this book I already added it to my tbr-list, because it's written by one of my favorite duo authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. And they already had won me over with their 'Starbound' trilogy.
I do vaguely remember that the blurb of this book said The 100 meets Hayao Miyazaki films. I'd heard about The 100 but Hayao Miyazaki didn't ring muh bell for me, at that time.
So, during the lockdowns
One day I was watching 'Princess Mononoke' I ordered this book, as well, I don't know why at that time precisely. As I was reading 'The Other Side of the Sky' it had already been a while since I watched PM, but somehow this book reminded me so much of that fime, then I remembered that the blurb indeed mentioned that this book will remind us of a Hayao Miyazaki films. So I don't know if it was fate/sign or not that I ordered this book the same day I watched 'Princess Mononoke'. I know this so-called ''review'' will sound so strange to most of you.
All in all, I loved this book and it makes it much better when one wasn't even expecting to enjoy it.
September 17, 2020
i honestly can’t believe how much i loved that... but it’s 1am on a random thursday and i couldn’t stop myself from finishing it in one sitting
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Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
September 21, 2020
Ugh, cliffhangers man! Now I have to wait until next year? Ugh, I hate life.
The Other Side of the Sky was such a fun book to dive into! In it, you will meet North and Nimh. He is a prince from the Sky realm and she isn't. She is more divine on the ground. So I was giddy with excitement for these two to meet. Once they did, ugh, I couldn't help but ship them.
Both characters were extremely likable to me and I really enjoyed watching them grow throughout the book as well. I mean, it just had to happen since North was thrown into a whole new situation/world - ya know?
I will admit, though, that the beginning start off a little slow for me. Or maybe I was just confused by some things BUT I totally blame myself for all of that. I was watching football and reading.. and those things just didn't mix for me yesterday.
Once I got really focused and invested into the book/journey, nothing could distract me. I ate it all up and now I have to sit and pout because the next book wont be out until next year. Ugh, that damn cliffhanger is hurting me all over again.
The Other Side of the Sky was such a fun book to dive into! In it, you will meet North and Nimh. He is a prince from the Sky realm and she isn't. She is more divine on the ground. So I was giddy with excitement for these two to meet. Once they did, ugh, I couldn't help but ship them.
Both characters were extremely likable to me and I really enjoyed watching them grow throughout the book as well. I mean, it just had to happen since North was thrown into a whole new situation/world - ya know?
I will admit, though, that the beginning start off a little slow for me. Or maybe I was just confused by some things BUT I totally blame myself for all of that. I was watching football and reading.. and those things just didn't mix for me yesterday.
Once I got really focused and invested into the book/journey, nothing could distract me. I ate it all up and now I have to sit and pout because the next book wont be out until next year. Ugh, that damn cliffhanger is hurting me all over again.
Want to read
September 23, 2020I think it goes without saying that I will read anything by Amie Kaufman.
December 15, 2020
Ahhh I liked it a lot but it also made me so sad T_T
Unsurprisingly, two authors means two viewpoints, so the story is told by Nimh and North through alternating chapters. Nimh is the 'living divine', essentially considered a goddess of her people. She's had a prophetic dream which she's off to fulfil. Meanwhile, above the clouds of Nimh's home, North is a prince who believes the sinking of their cloud islands (though debatable) is a good reason for them to explore 'Below', the land their ancestors came from. If you want more plot details than that, read the blurb or something. I hate summarising XD
I'm also feeling super lazy so here's the breakdown:
Things I liked
-Likeable protagonists
-Science vs magic
-North's constant attempts to explain magic with science
-Nimh's constant attempts to explain science as magic
-Bindle cat
-Nimh's fears and doubts
-Beautiful world building
-No touchy
-Flow of the story/action
-Mostly unpredictable
Things I didn't like
-So serious
-Little to no sass factor
-All-powerful-ness
-Jezara totally not what I expected
-I basically felt kinda depressed the whole way through
So, essentially, I really enjoyed the story and the character development, and how everything flowed together really well, but it was so serious and doom and gloom the whole way through that I couldn't really get excited. I was honestly hoping the cat would do more amazing things than just general cat behaviour, but there's more books to come so I still have hope.
I loved reading the story down below but I'm really looking forward to continuing the story up above.
Unsurprisingly, two authors means two viewpoints, so the story is told by Nimh and North through alternating chapters. Nimh is the 'living divine', essentially considered a goddess of her people. She's had a prophetic dream which she's off to fulfil. Meanwhile, above the clouds of Nimh's home, North is a prince who believes the sinking of their cloud islands (though debatable) is a good reason for them to explore 'Below', the land their ancestors came from. If you want more plot details than that, read the blurb or something. I hate summarising XD
I'm also feeling super lazy so here's the breakdown:
Things I liked
-Likeable protagonists
-Science vs magic
-North's constant attempts to explain magic with science
-Nimh's constant attempts to explain science as magic
-Bindle cat
-Nimh's fears and doubts
-Beautiful world building
-No touchy
-Flow of the story/action
-Mostly unpredictable
Things I didn't like
-So serious
-Little to no sass factor
-All-powerful-ness
-Jezara totally not what I expected
-I basically felt kinda depressed the whole way through
So, essentially, I really enjoyed the story and the character development, and how everything flowed together really well, but it was so serious and doom and gloom the whole way through that I couldn't really get excited. I was honestly hoping the cat would do more amazing things than just general cat behaviour, but there's more books to come so I still have hope.
I loved reading the story down below but I'm really looking forward to continuing the story up above.
December 8, 2020
Okay, I knew since this was the first book in a series that the ending might be a bit abrupt. But I was NOT prepared for that cliffhanger! Can't wait to read more about Nimh and North, I really loved what they did with the clash between technology and magic- very unusual world building!
September 21, 2020
DNF after like 100 pages?
life is too short to waste on books you don't give a shit about.
too boring made me want to sleep, also I couldn't care less about the two MC's and their confusing world.
life is too short to waste on books you don't give a shit about.
too boring made me want to sleep, also I couldn't care less about the two MC's and their confusing world.
wish-list
June 21, 2018Miyazaki-inspired *AND* The 100?!
RUNNING TOWARD THE RELEASE DATE LIKE
RUNNING TOWARD THE RELEASE DATE LIKE
October 21, 2020
I'm a simple girl: I see the words Hayao Miyazaki and I add it to my TBR.:D
September 19, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
This world's peoples split about a thousand years ago. Some went to live in the sky on city ships as big as islands, while the other people stayed on the land. Much of that is covered by at least a little water with only a few dry and non-swampy parts. North is a Prince of the sky and Nimh is the living Goddess of the land but they are tied together by prophecy and will either be the saviors of their peoples or the destruction in The Other Side of the Sky the first book of The Other Side of the Sky duology.
North is the adventurous Prince of his people. He has been working on a craft to make it to the land and finally has his day to present to the council. When that doesn't go well, he decides a surprise demonstration will be what is needed to change their mind. But his craft was tampered with and he ends up crashing on the land below completely unprepared for what he finds there. Nimh is searching for the star, foretold in the prophecy that will help her destroy her world so it can be born again. She did not expect 'the star' to be a boy from the gods that left the ground to live in the sky. But prophecies are funny things with lives of their own and interpretations that might not make any sense until the moment they are meant to.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. Yes, there is the trope of the chosen one and some big insta-love happening but I surprisingly was not annoyed by it. Maybe it is because they seemed to be fated to be together with the prophecy in some form that I was able to accept it more readily. Nihm is so innocent in a lot of ways. She has been isolated and untouched since becoming the living embodiment of the goddess for her people. She wields some magic but has yet to manifest her true power and it makes her feel like she is less than she should be for her people. North is a spoiled and overconfident Prince of his people who until now has never thought much past the now of his life and most situations. But he knows he likes this girl, even if he hates her interpretation of the prophecy and his part in it.
Inshara, a powerful wieldier of magic believes the prophecy is hers and will stop at nothing to make it to the people in the cities in the skies. She is strong and cruel, destruction is her only goal. North and Nimh must find a way to stop her before she hurts more of the people Nimh loves and is duty bound to protect. Nimh will have to find a way to stop all of Inshara's plans and find the power within her first if she is even going to have a chance.
I like the world in this book. It is interesting and magical how the people of the land adapted after North's people left and how those stories were passed down over time and changed. Seeing the world through North's eyes made it feel all the more wondrous and magical since tech is the language of his people and it has been almost completely lost to the people on land. It is a great blend of Sci-Fi and Fantasy and right up my alley. There are some YA tropes but the writing is good and most of the pitfalls I would normally find with those tropes I was able to completely overlook.
Narration:
Caitlin Davies I know very well from Penryn and the End of Days series. She has a great voice for a young girl trying to make her way in an unknown world and performs the drama and longing in the story well. Johnathan McClain has also played the voice of some characters in Kauffman's other series and is well known to me. He was perfect for the confident, in charge Prince lost on a land he doesn't understand. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
This world's peoples split about a thousand years ago. Some went to live in the sky on city ships as big as islands, while the other people stayed on the land. Much of that is covered by at least a little water with only a few dry and non-swampy parts. North is a Prince of the sky and Nimh is the living Goddess of the land but they are tied together by prophecy and will either be the saviors of their peoples or the destruction in The Other Side of the Sky the first book of The Other Side of the Sky duology.
North is the adventurous Prince of his people. He has been working on a craft to make it to the land and finally has his day to present to the council. When that doesn't go well, he decides a surprise demonstration will be what is needed to change their mind. But his craft was tampered with and he ends up crashing on the land below completely unprepared for what he finds there. Nimh is searching for the star, foretold in the prophecy that will help her destroy her world so it can be born again. She did not expect 'the star' to be a boy from the gods that left the ground to live in the sky. But prophecies are funny things with lives of their own and interpretations that might not make any sense until the moment they are meant to.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. Yes, there is the trope of the chosen one and some big insta-love happening but I surprisingly was not annoyed by it. Maybe it is because they seemed to be fated to be together with the prophecy in some form that I was able to accept it more readily. Nihm is so innocent in a lot of ways. She has been isolated and untouched since becoming the living embodiment of the goddess for her people. She wields some magic but has yet to manifest her true power and it makes her feel like she is less than she should be for her people. North is a spoiled and overconfident Prince of his people who until now has never thought much past the now of his life and most situations. But he knows he likes this girl, even if he hates her interpretation of the prophecy and his part in it.
“I don’t know if I believe prophecies. I don’t know if I believe in her gods or her destiny. I don’t know if I believe in any of this. But I believe in her.”
Inshara, a powerful wieldier of magic believes the prophecy is hers and will stop at nothing to make it to the people in the cities in the skies. She is strong and cruel, destruction is her only goal. North and Nimh must find a way to stop her before she hurts more of the people Nimh loves and is duty bound to protect. Nimh will have to find a way to stop all of Inshara's plans and find the power within her first if she is even going to have a chance.
I like the world in this book. It is interesting and magical how the people of the land adapted after North's people left and how those stories were passed down over time and changed. Seeing the world through North's eyes made it feel all the more wondrous and magical since tech is the language of his people and it has been almost completely lost to the people on land. It is a great blend of Sci-Fi and Fantasy and right up my alley. There are some YA tropes but the writing is good and most of the pitfalls I would normally find with those tropes I was able to completely overlook.
“It's not magic," I say. "It's science. Science means that you can explain it, that you know how each part of it works. Magic is - I mean, it's science you haven't figured how to explain yet."
"I can explain my magic," Nimh replies. "And you just said you could not explain your engines.”
Narration:
Caitlin Davies I know very well from Penryn and the End of Days series. She has a great voice for a young girl trying to make her way in an unknown world and performs the drama and longing in the story well. Johnathan McClain has also played the voice of some characters in Kauffman's other series and is well known to me. He was perfect for the confident, in charge Prince lost on a land he doesn't understand. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
September 7, 2020
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!
Nimh is the goddess of the Below, but as the years have passed without her divine power being revealed, there are those who have started to doubt her. She is convinced though, that a vision she has experienced is the answer to everything.
North is a prince, living in the cities in the sky. The sky people have always been told nothing lives on the world below and to journey there is a suicide mission. There is no way back up. North thinks he may be able to find a way, but before he can convince anyone of his intended invention, he crash lands his glider….Below.
When North and Nimh meet, he doesn’t believe in magic and she thinks his technology is the very embodiment of magic. As the unlikely pair try and untangle the stories they have been told, they’ll run into a far greater danger than they expected.
I was initially a little scared to start The Other Side of the Sky, because it sounded very romance-y, and I don’t really do romance books, so I was not prepared for how much I would love it! According to the laws of her divinity, Nimh can’t be touched, so that brought an entirely new aspect to the growing feelings between the pair. I really loved this unique part of the storyline. There was also a CAT. I am a huge sucker for animal companions in books and the Bindle Cat had my whole heart with his very cat like attitude and behaviour. The way he just showed up, demanded whatever attention he needed and left again was SO REALISTIC. 😄 As well as being a book about a fight for survival, The Other Side of the Sky did such a fantastic job of hi-lighting the differences in culture between the sky and land people. I felt like North made most of the concessions to suspend his belief when it came to Nimh’s magic and his technology was almost brushed off as ‘magic’. So I’m kind of hoping he’ll get the chance to show off the advanced technology of his people in the next book. The epic world building and characters had me hooked from the very beginning and although this is not a short book, I just couldn’t put it down.
And seriously, THAT ENDING. I don’t care whether it’s by technology or magic, someone needs to make the sequel appear in my hands right now. I’m waiting.
Nimh is the goddess of the Below, but as the years have passed without her divine power being revealed, there are those who have started to doubt her. She is convinced though, that a vision she has experienced is the answer to everything.
North is a prince, living in the cities in the sky. The sky people have always been told nothing lives on the world below and to journey there is a suicide mission. There is no way back up. North thinks he may be able to find a way, but before he can convince anyone of his intended invention, he crash lands his glider….Below.
When North and Nimh meet, he doesn’t believe in magic and she thinks his technology is the very embodiment of magic. As the unlikely pair try and untangle the stories they have been told, they’ll run into a far greater danger than they expected.
I was initially a little scared to start The Other Side of the Sky, because it sounded very romance-y, and I don’t really do romance books, so I was not prepared for how much I would love it! According to the laws of her divinity, Nimh can’t be touched, so that brought an entirely new aspect to the growing feelings between the pair. I really loved this unique part of the storyline. There was also a CAT. I am a huge sucker for animal companions in books and the Bindle Cat had my whole heart with his very cat like attitude and behaviour. The way he just showed up, demanded whatever attention he needed and left again was SO REALISTIC. 😄 As well as being a book about a fight for survival, The Other Side of the Sky did such a fantastic job of hi-lighting the differences in culture between the sky and land people. I felt like North made most of the concessions to suspend his belief when it came to Nimh’s magic and his technology was almost brushed off as ‘magic’. So I’m kind of hoping he’ll get the chance to show off the advanced technology of his people in the next book. The epic world building and characters had me hooked from the very beginning and although this is not a short book, I just couldn’t put it down.
And seriously, THAT ENDING. I don’t care whether it’s by technology or magic, someone needs to make the sequel appear in my hands right now. I’m waiting.
February 4, 2023
El príncipe North vive en el cielo, en una ciudad que se mantiene en el aire gracias a la tecnología más avanzada. Por su parte, Nimh es la encarnación de una diosa en la superficie, y se encarga de proporcionar esperanza a su pueblo, a pesar de que ella es incapaz de creer en sus propias capacidades. Las vidas de North y Nimh se cruzarán de repente, unidos por una terrible profecía, y deberán embarcarse en una misión para salvar a sus pueblos mientras luchan para no caer en la atracción prohibida que comienza a surgir entre ellos.
No se me había ocurrido, pero he leído un comentario en Goodreads que hacía referencia a Miyazaki y Studio Ghibli... y sí, tiene todas esas vibras: la fantasía, los personajes, los toques de ciencia ficción futurista mezclados con lo más tradicional, incluso la forma que tiene la propia trama de desarrollarse. Ahora, también debo decir que de retelling de Aladdín no tiene nada de nada.
Aun así, lo dicho: la originalidad del worldbuilding, la idea, la forma en que se desarrolla la trama y los propios personajes han sido brillantes, una de esas historias que te sorprende a cada página, cuidada hasta el más mínimo detalle, emocionante, llena de misterio, drama y acción. Además, la dicotomía entre ambos protagonistas, Nimh y North, lo opuestos que son y, al mismo tiempo, lo bien que encajan, ha sido genial.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
No se me había ocurrido, pero he leído un comentario en Goodreads que hacía referencia a Miyazaki y Studio Ghibli... y sí, tiene todas esas vibras: la fantasía, los personajes, los toques de ciencia ficción futurista mezclados con lo más tradicional, incluso la forma que tiene la propia trama de desarrollarse. Ahora, también debo decir que de retelling de Aladdín no tiene nada de nada.
Aun así, lo dicho: la originalidad del worldbuilding, la idea, la forma en que se desarrolla la trama y los propios personajes han sido brillantes, una de esas historias que te sorprende a cada página, cuidada hasta el más mínimo detalle, emocionante, llena de misterio, drama y acción. Además, la dicotomía entre ambos protagonistas, Nimh y North, lo opuestos que son y, al mismo tiempo, lo bien que encajan, ha sido genial.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
January 14, 2023
Ehhhhhh wow. El mundo, la idea, la magia y la fantasía, es todo una pasada 💞 Me ha sorprendido y fascinado, aunque lo que no me acaba de convencer es el romance que están intentando meter…
Aparte, ¿retelling de Aladdin? Nope
Aparte, ¿retelling de Aladdin? Nope
September 30, 2020
| Review on Reader Fox Blog |
I honestly haven't been this disappointed in a book I was extremely excited for in so long. The Other Side of the Sky disappointed me so much, in fact, that I'm kind of angry I wasted time reading it. This book had such a brilliant premise, too. Which is why it kind of kills me that I spent half my time with it massively annoyed. I'll give Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner this much: their characters are very realistic. I just couldn't stand how stupid the majority of them were.
Magic vs. Religion
I love stories about magic. Always have. I don't mind stories with religion, but they certainly aren't my favorite. But I think my biggest problem with this book is that Kaufman and Spooner were never once clear on whether or not the religion in this novel was real. The fact that I am still uncertain on this point really irks me.
Let's start at the beginning, shall we?
The Premise
In essence, when things on the surface of this world grew difficult, due to impressive scientific advancement a subsection of the populace used technology to lift islands up into the sky. They abandoned the people living on the ground and eventually forgot about them. As far as they knew, the people were long dead. Alternately, those left to continue their lives below, forgot all about technology but never once forgot about the people who ascended into the sky. Of course, losing their understanding of science left them to fall to religion for answers.
Instead of seeing the sky people as subsets of their ancestor's populace, they grew to view them as gods. Lack of understanding for their world resulted in belief in magic. Anything they could not explain thus became so. And though the "gods" had all escaped to the sky, one living "god" remained below to take care of them. Well, for all intents and purposes the current living god is Nimhara.
Later, the Prince of the technologically run land in the sky--North--has a malfunction with his glider and plummets back to the ground. Nimhara, attempting to decipher the meaning of a long passed down prophesy, witnesses his fall. Upon meeting, she immediately determines he must be a god and thus part of the prophesy.
The "Divinity"
So, the loss of technological understanding results in "magic." This seems to basically just be code for science the people don't understand and therefore call magic. At the same time, though, Kaufman and Spooner give conflicting messages on this. On the one hand, they regularly put forth science-like explanations for the so-called magic. On the other, occasionally they make it seem as though it actually is magic. This muddled way in which they never really took a stance on the matter genuinely infuriated me.
What's worse is that the single character who did have some understanding of technology regularly waffled as well. North's entire understanding of the world made it very clear to me what stance he should take. That stance was reinforced on numerous occasions. Every time he interacted with a new piece of technology, it was very much implied that was exactly what it was. Meanwhile, there's Nimh so utterly certain in her beliefs that she spent the majority of the book trying to persuade North that he was a moron. He simply needed to believe in her magic, destiny, and so-called divinity, as far as she was concerned.
Nevermind that left and right the authors were throwing in whatever they could to debunk her entire faith. Half of what she thought she knew turned out to be a lie in the end. To further the horribleness of it all, Nimh wasn't even the only character operating on some belief that would eventually be debunked. There were so many of them. What good is this religion if it's being picked apart at every turn?
The Science
So, then, perhaps this is a commentary about science over religion. And, for all intents and purposes, that's kind of what it seemed like the book would be. A lot of the material throughout suggested as much. And honestly, this is a story that I can get behind. I rather feel as though it's indicative of a truth about the world as a whole and love that someone would think to write about it.
But...Kaufman and Spooner floundered with this idea. You see, because North spent the book certain that Nimh simply didn't know any better. He was certain for much of the story that she was using some form of science despite her beliefs and claims that it was magic. Technology showed up time and time again to further prove his certainty. And yet, for some unfathomable reason, he actually started to believe in magic near the end of it?
I don't think he ever started to believe Nimh was truly a "goddess," since such a suggestion would make him a "god." At least on that much, he knew better. I'll say that it's respectable that he was considerate to Nimh's beliefs, of course. So, why have him start believing out of nowhere for no reason? He's a child of science. When all the evidence pointed toward the religion being a farce, why did he then waver?
It makes no sense!
Conflict (and Evidence)
The main conflict of the novel is kind of where I feel everything went downhill for me. I think I could have liked this book had it taken a stance on the religion/magic vs. science thing. Obviously, I lean science. I don't think I'd have minded if there was something to the magic aspect, so long as it was handled well. I find the "gods" piece more difficult. This is somewhat because that very idea suggests the people in the sky are gods. But the book makes it very clear that they are not. At the same time, it could have been kind of fascinating for the gods to have forgotten themselves, too.
That said, the technology piece really kind of negates that as a possibility.
With the arrival of the main conflict and antagonist, I literally felt as though I was reading a book about a bunch of ignorant fools all making incredibly dumb decisions because they forgot about science. They lost their ability to think critically and ask questions, deciding instead to simply accept magic and divine right as an answer. They wasted their time on prophesy and destiny rather than the more important struggles at hand.
And the people suffered for it.
Death and Destruction
While all this other nonsense is going on, there's this mist. The mist is incredibly dangerous--and for a time seemed like some sort of weather-based pollution--to the point that it maims, deforms, and sometimes kills the people. When kept properly, a special steel protects the people from the mist. Unfortunately, it has been deteriorating with time.
Thus a great many villages are in danger of falling to the mist. One village is even subjected to a huge massacre. And what are the supposed "heroes" of this story doing as this is happening?
Instead of focusing on the important detail of protecting everyone from this dangerous mist, the characters all fight over a prophesy and whose destiny it is to "destroy and remake" the world. Nimhara's supposed to be a goddess, sworn to protect and serve her people. Yet, somehow chasing after a random prophesy and finding one's destiny is the central focus of all the key players' minds. These characters even spend an inordinate amount of time trying to convince others of their own idiocy. What's worse is that the science-related character often lost pathetically in every debate he started, despite having more evidence and knowledge than the rest.
And people die.
The Leftovers
It's funny, because at this point I haven't even discussed any of the minor plots in this novel. One of the most fascinating was that of Jezara's story. I loved everything she added to the novel. There was so much depth to it, thus resulting in Inshara being perhaps the most tragic character of all. I loved the role that these two played. At the same time, though, both Inshara and Nimhara's stupidity was astounding.
Ultimately, I've waffled back and forth on whether to give this book a 2-star or 3-star rating for a long time. It's been inordinately difficult to figure out what this book deserves.
Unfortunately, I've arrived at the final consensus that I do not have enough information yet to determine the book's value as a whole. My final rating depends entirely upon what Kaufman and Spooner do with Nimhara and the religion/magic system of this book. Only one path would make me okay with the sheer idiocy and baiting that The Other Side of the Sky is drenched in.
I have no way of knowing for certain whether that is the path they will take. Thus, until this book has a sequel, I couldn't tell you whether this is a 2- or a 3- star read.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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I honestly haven't been this disappointed in a book I was extremely excited for in so long. The Other Side of the Sky disappointed me so much, in fact, that I'm kind of angry I wasted time reading it. This book had such a brilliant premise, too. Which is why it kind of kills me that I spent half my time with it massively annoyed. I'll give Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner this much: their characters are very realistic. I just couldn't stand how stupid the majority of them were.
Magic vs. Religion
I love stories about magic. Always have. I don't mind stories with religion, but they certainly aren't my favorite. But I think my biggest problem with this book is that Kaufman and Spooner were never once clear on whether or not the religion in this novel was real. The fact that I am still uncertain on this point really irks me.
Let's start at the beginning, shall we?
The Premise
In essence, when things on the surface of this world grew difficult, due to impressive scientific advancement a subsection of the populace used technology to lift islands up into the sky. They abandoned the people living on the ground and eventually forgot about them. As far as they knew, the people were long dead. Alternately, those left to continue their lives below, forgot all about technology but never once forgot about the people who ascended into the sky. Of course, losing their understanding of science left them to fall to religion for answers.
Instead of seeing the sky people as subsets of their ancestor's populace, they grew to view them as gods. Lack of understanding for their world resulted in belief in magic. Anything they could not explain thus became so. And though the "gods" had all escaped to the sky, one living "god" remained below to take care of them. Well, for all intents and purposes the current living god is Nimhara.
Later, the Prince of the technologically run land in the sky--North--has a malfunction with his glider and plummets back to the ground. Nimhara, attempting to decipher the meaning of a long passed down prophesy, witnesses his fall. Upon meeting, she immediately determines he must be a god and thus part of the prophesy.
The "Divinity"
So, the loss of technological understanding results in "magic." This seems to basically just be code for science the people don't understand and therefore call magic. At the same time, though, Kaufman and Spooner give conflicting messages on this. On the one hand, they regularly put forth science-like explanations for the so-called magic. On the other, occasionally they make it seem as though it actually is magic. This muddled way in which they never really took a stance on the matter genuinely infuriated me.
What's worse is that the single character who did have some understanding of technology regularly waffled as well. North's entire understanding of the world made it very clear to me what stance he should take. That stance was reinforced on numerous occasions. Every time he interacted with a new piece of technology, it was very much implied that was exactly what it was. Meanwhile, there's Nimh so utterly certain in her beliefs that she spent the majority of the book trying to persuade North that he was a moron. He simply needed to believe in her magic, destiny, and so-called divinity, as far as she was concerned.
Nevermind that left and right the authors were throwing in whatever they could to debunk her entire faith. Half of what she thought she knew turned out to be a lie in the end. To further the horribleness of it all, Nimh wasn't even the only character operating on some belief that would eventually be debunked. There were so many of them. What good is this religion if it's being picked apart at every turn?
The Science
So, then, perhaps this is a commentary about science over religion. And, for all intents and purposes, that's kind of what it seemed like the book would be. A lot of the material throughout suggested as much. And honestly, this is a story that I can get behind. I rather feel as though it's indicative of a truth about the world as a whole and love that someone would think to write about it.
But...Kaufman and Spooner floundered with this idea. You see, because North spent the book certain that Nimh simply didn't know any better. He was certain for much of the story that she was using some form of science despite her beliefs and claims that it was magic. Technology showed up time and time again to further prove his certainty. And yet, for some unfathomable reason, he actually started to believe in magic near the end of it?
I don't think he ever started to believe Nimh was truly a "goddess," since such a suggestion would make him a "god." At least on that much, he knew better. I'll say that it's respectable that he was considerate to Nimh's beliefs, of course. So, why have him start believing out of nowhere for no reason? He's a child of science. When all the evidence pointed toward the religion being a farce, why did he then waver?
It makes no sense!
Conflict (and Evidence)
The main conflict of the novel is kind of where I feel everything went downhill for me. I think I could have liked this book had it taken a stance on the religion/magic vs. science thing. Obviously, I lean science. I don't think I'd have minded if there was something to the magic aspect, so long as it was handled well. I find the "gods" piece more difficult. This is somewhat because that very idea suggests the people in the sky are gods. But the book makes it very clear that they are not. At the same time, it could have been kind of fascinating for the gods to have forgotten themselves, too.
That said, the technology piece really kind of negates that as a possibility.
With the arrival of the main conflict and antagonist, I literally felt as though I was reading a book about a bunch of ignorant fools all making incredibly dumb decisions because they forgot about science. They lost their ability to think critically and ask questions, deciding instead to simply accept magic and divine right as an answer. They wasted their time on prophesy and destiny rather than the more important struggles at hand.
And the people suffered for it.
Death and Destruction
While all this other nonsense is going on, there's this mist. The mist is incredibly dangerous--and for a time seemed like some sort of weather-based pollution--to the point that it maims, deforms, and sometimes kills the people. When kept properly, a special steel protects the people from the mist. Unfortunately, it has been deteriorating with time.
Thus a great many villages are in danger of falling to the mist. One village is even subjected to a huge massacre. And what are the supposed "heroes" of this story doing as this is happening?
Instead of focusing on the important detail of protecting everyone from this dangerous mist, the characters all fight over a prophesy and whose destiny it is to "destroy and remake" the world. Nimhara's supposed to be a goddess, sworn to protect and serve her people. Yet, somehow chasing after a random prophesy and finding one's destiny is the central focus of all the key players' minds. These characters even spend an inordinate amount of time trying to convince others of their own idiocy. What's worse is that the science-related character often lost pathetically in every debate he started, despite having more evidence and knowledge than the rest.
And people die.
The Leftovers
It's funny, because at this point I haven't even discussed any of the minor plots in this novel. One of the most fascinating was that of Jezara's story. I loved everything she added to the novel. There was so much depth to it, thus resulting in Inshara being perhaps the most tragic character of all. I loved the role that these two played. At the same time, though, both Inshara and Nimhara's stupidity was astounding.
Ultimately, I've waffled back and forth on whether to give this book a 2-star or 3-star rating for a long time. It's been inordinately difficult to figure out what this book deserves.
Unfortunately, I've arrived at the final consensus that I do not have enough information yet to determine the book's value as a whole. My final rating depends entirely upon what Kaufman and Spooner do with Nimhara and the religion/magic system of this book. Only one path would make me okay with the sheer idiocy and baiting that The Other Side of the Sky is drenched in.
I have no way of knowing for certain whether that is the path they will take. Thus, until this book has a sequel, I couldn't tell you whether this is a 2- or a 3- star read.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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